Dave Masters aka webman@althits.com

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Web Disasters or I Paid to Have a Web Site Made and Still Haven't Gotten Any Response!

WEB DISASTERS

One of the biggest challenges that a professional web designer faces is combating the ineffectiveness of a previous site that was paid for by the company or individual and built by someone who had little expertise in building effective web sites.

ANYONE CAN BUILD A WEB SITE

The problem is that most popular word publishing programs are being released with interfaces that generate web sites at nearly the touch of a button. This puts the ability to generate web pages within reach of almost anyone who can operate a computer. For the average consumer, this is a good thing. These web sites are perfect for:

HOMEMADE WEB SITES
The above are examples of effective uses of web sites that can be made easily with an automated web site creation utility. Note that the effectiveness of these web sites are dependent on methods of promoting them that do not include the internet or WWW as the primary method of exposure. They rely on ditributing your URL via:

SO, YOU CALL YOURSELF A PROFESSIONAL?
We've determined that it is fairly easy to generate a web page. So any out-of-work or in-need-of-a-second-income computer savvy individual can print up business cards and call himself a professional web site designer. It is these people that are giving those who truly specialize in web design as their craft a bad name. They are claiming to sell professional web sites that are ineffective and are generated from automated templates which may look professional but lack the results of a professional web site.

CAVEAT EMPTOR - LET THE BUYER BEWARE
While preying on the naivety of the uneducated client the slick sales person waves some fancy looking representations of work they either have done or could have done to make the sale, spouting statistics that can be easily attained via the internet about the effectiveness of having a professional web site on the internet. With the intent of bringing in substantial monetary benefits of a professional web site, the client finances the creation of a web site. The site does not meet the expectations of the client so they assume that the internet is not an effective tool for the common business although they conceed that it must be effective for Fortune 500 companies who can afford to exploit the internet.

EXPLOITING THE INTERNET
The truly professional web site designer or Certified Web Designer knows how to best exploit the internet using nothing other than the power of the internet and the WWW. There are many techniques that the WYSIWYG programs are not capable of delivering that the web craftsman is aware of. These techniques are not easily obtained and change periodically. A technique that works today may be ineffective in 30 days. The web craftsman must keep abreast of all the changes in the internet as it grows and adapt his techniques accordingly.

WEB CRAFTSMEN
Determining who practices web design as their craft or speciality and who does not can be difficult as looks can be deceiving. Slick sales brochures, ad campaigns and suit-and-tie approach may look good but also make an effective cover for ineffective designers. Although credentials are not necessary to determine who is effective and who is not, they will determine whether the person in question has the basic tools to create an effective web site. Check to see if they are a Certified Web Designer. If they claim to be, ask for the issuing organization and contact them. If the certification is not current (i.e., two years old) and there has been little or no continuing education, their basis for web design may be too dated to consider. Certification is not necessary in determining effectiveness.

TRACK RECORD
Web Design is a new field and there is no official licensing required to claim that you are a professional. There are many web designers without credentials who specialize in effective web site design. They have an impressive track record that will determine that they indeed do have a working knowledge of their craft. Here are some questions you may want to pose to a potential web designer:

MONEY-BACK GURANTEE
It is not uncommon for a web craftsman to offer a money-back guarantee. This puts a tremendous amount of pressure on the designer to perform. Usually, the guarantee consists of a specific amount of time to experience a certain level of performance anywhere from 90 days to one year. This is an indicator that the web designer is up-to-date on current methods of site promotion and specific market penetration via the internet, the single best reason to seek out an authentic web craftsperson.

WHY SELECT A PROFESSIONAL?
The answer: Cash Dollars. A professional web site designer or Certified Web Designer will more likely be able to deliver the type of results that you have heard about on the news or in the media. Unless your intent is just for informational purposes or personal reasons you are better represented on the internet by selecting a professional to get you on the right track. While all businesses do not achieve the same levels of success as others, it is best to do your part to assure that you get your best first exposure to the internet.

BABY STEPS
In most cases, if you are uncomfortable with diving in head-first into the internet, you may be able to build your site a little at a time, achieving results also at the same pace. Once you begin to see results, you can justify spending a bit more escalating your approach and interactivity on the internet. Try to make certain that your web craftsman will be competent enough to get you from here to there. It is better to start with a technology level that can stay consistent with your growth, rather than to start from scratch all over again with a new web developer.

WHAT IF I FAIL?
If your first attempt to conduct business via the internet is unsuccessful, this does not neccessarily mean that your type of business does not integrate well with the WWW. If you are not experiencing a positive impact from your web site, do not be shy about contacting your web designer. There may be specific reasons for poor performance that can be remedied. It is possible that you may need to expand on your approach or move to the next level and your web craftsman will have many plans and packages for you to choose from. If your web designer cannot offer solutions or refer you to a more qualified professional, then seek one out yourself.

INTERESTED IN A CAREER
If your interested in a career as a Certified Web Designer you can take the CWD course online and do your part to make the WWW a better place.

If you have any suggestions for this area or questions about web site design, please feel free to email me at webman@althits.com 






  

       

   
  
   

   
   
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