How to work with a web designer? Working with a web designer can be an interesting challenge. Many RV campground owners have never even had to think of how they would work with a web designer. But clearly, if you landed on this page, you are in the market for a website redesign. In their very nature, website redesigns can be tricky tasks that, if handled by the wrong people, can leave you with a website that fails to convert visitors, looks rough around the edges, and cost you an arm and a leg. This article will dive into a few different things you should expect when working with a website designer.
As a quick side note, choosing the cheapest designer often gets you the cheapest looking results. We understand our prices are on the high-end, but we value our work and ensure you are getting the best possible work on the market. Our team of designers uses the latest research, software, and design techniques to ensure that your website is fully optimized and ready to convert visitors.
Know What You Want When Working With a Web Designer
Many first-time website owners make a huge mistake when they tell the designer to do what they think is best. In my experience, there is a 70-80% chance it’ll end in a disaster. You and the designer need to come together to draw up a plan and stick to it. As a responsible website owner, you need to go in with a plan that matches your overall vision. A plan allows your designer to get a better idea of what you want. This allows them to work within your vision’s confines. Allowing a designer to run rampant could get you a website with wacky colors, fonts, and no clear vision. This is NOT what you want your customers to see when they land on your website.
Instead, have a plan. Take the time to write up a proposal that documents your brand’s colors, fonts, images, how many pages you want your website, the features it needs to have, and so on. Be as thorough as possible. This not only allows the designer to give you what you want. But it removes any worry that your final product will not be what you expected. In the end, you won’t be surprised by additional fees or the designer telling you it was not in the scope of the project because you are asking for additional features not included in the initial project brief. So, by taking the time out now and having a detailed plan, you can save yourself time, money and be on the way to designing an amazing website.
Find A Designer You Can Trust
Trusting someone is vital in any line of business. You need to be able to trust the designer that you are working with. Is your designer reputable? Have they been designing websites for a long time (experience), can they answer the tough questions, do they offer rock bottom prices for work that frankly can’t be done at that price? These are all questions that you need to be asking yourself and the designer when you are in the market for a new website.
Truthfully, we would love for you to partner with us, and together we can create your brand-new website. But more importantly, we want to be a source of information you can trust. After reading this article, we hope you understand how to work with a web designer and what you can expect. Take the time to ask the tough questions and be thorough in your “interview process.” Finding the right designer might take some time. Don’t be afraid to shop around and as for quotes. But at the end of the day, be sure you are partnering with someone you trust and feel comfortable going into business with.
Have an Action Plan
Having an action plan and knowing what you want to go hand in hand. The additional piece to the action plan includes getting a timeframe squared away and agreed on. Do not allow your designer to put off your website. Keep them honest, and be sure to agree to a timeframe that works for you. rvResortScout always has a time guarantee built into our agreements with our clients that ensure we deliver on time or suffer penalties. Whoever you partner with should be comfortable in doing the same.
Having an action plan not only allows your designer to know what you want but gives you important milestones to check your progress against. If each page is considered a milestone in your project, your designer should get your approval before moving onto the next page. Agree on certain milestones and stick to them. Always ask questions and be vocal when something seems out of place or not how you envisioned it. Chances can be fixed, or a designer built it a certain way to get the best possible results using the data at hand.
Have a Clear Budget
Before working with a web designer, have a budget in mind. Understand that web design work is not cheap, and settling for the cheaper option would be equivalent to building your house with cheaper materials. It might suffice for a while, but the moment a hurricane comes through, it’ll be completely devastated. Agree on the budget that works for you. Be sure you know exactly what is being covered in the design work. If you expect that there will be any additional features that need to be added, have them quoted separately. Never let a designer spring new fees onto you that you have not previously agreed to.
This is why it is important to be hands-on with your project. Advise your designer, check the work, and be sure you are getting what you paid for. Keep in mind that good design work takes time and effort, and working with designers who promise high-quality results in just a few days could leave you with a hole in your wallet and a website that doesn’t live up to the hype.
Be Prepared to Give Feedback
Feedback is what keeps the project moving in the right direction. Constructive criticism of the designer’s work and letting them know how you like the project so far are vital. It would help if you looked to check in as often as possible and at the minimum at every single milestone event. When pages are completed, major design sections are finished, and when the designer wants some additional input. This is a hands-on project. A good designer will value your input and do their best to bring your vision to fruition.
The biggest warning I can give you is to stay away from designers that do not let you see their work as they are progressing. Not only does this keep you out of the loop, but it also almost ensures the final project will not be how you envisioned it. Work with a transparent designer who is willing to communicate and keep you in the loop for the project’s duration.
How to Work With a Web Designer: Final Thoughts
Of course, the team at rvResortScout wants you to partner with us so we can go through building your website together. But more than anything, we want to make sure you have all the information possible on picking the right web designer. Know what to expect, and don’t be afraid to ask questions. Reputable designers have heard all types of questions, and they shouldn’t shy away from the tough questions.
Pick a team you trust and can see yourself building a relationship with. Any good relationship is built on trust. The second you feel as if your designer is dishonest or untrustworthy, move on. There are thousands of other web designers out there willing to help you get the job done. If partnering with rvResortScout seems like something you’d be interested in, please book a discovery meeting with our team. Here we will discuss all of your options and see what works best for you. Remember to come into the meeting with a budget in mind and a picture of what you want to accomplish. We look forward to speaking with you.
