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It is a well-known fact that a successful business depends greatly on how it
is marketed. With an ever increasing dependence on the web, the use of a professional
website is not only a necessity, but a priority. Although it is a common thought
that only large businesses can have top-notch websites, with the tools available
today what seemed impractical can now be a reality. Best of all, designing an
extraordinary website can be done without hiring expensive web developers to
create your site from scratch. Usually the first comment I get from my customers
is, “I have the idea, but not the tools.” In this article, I will
recommend which tools are the most helpful and where to find these tools so
that you too can have an amazing website.
So you say, “I have the idea, but not the tools. What are these tools
and where do I get them?” Let me answer that question with a question.
Have you ever heard of web site templates? If not, they’re your answer
to a professional website at a very reasonable price, usually around $60 to
$70. A website template is a ready-made website design created for you to use
as the foundation for quick and high-quality web development. There are thousands
of templates available online so you are virtually guaranteed to find something
that suits your design and format needs. It can be as easy as simply adding
your text to the template or rearranging photos along with your text to produce
the outcome you have been searching for.
Finding web site templates is easy, but be aware of the differences in template
providers you will come across. Performing a Google or Yahoo search with the
phrase “web site templates” will yield several vendor choices and
not all of them offer the quality you demand. They all promise the best templates
around, but that is obviously not the case. So, how do you find the right template
vendor? First, visit some of the sites you come across and examine their templates.
You will know you are on the right track if you answer “Yes” to the
question, “Am I impressed with these templates?” Always trust your
taste.
Next, explore how many templates the vendor offers and how often their database
is updated. As a rule of thumb, the more they have the better they are. This
helps assure you that your choice will be more unique than otherwise. If you
choose a template from a vendor who only offers a few select quality templates
then the chances are that a great deal of other customers have chosen that same
template. You certainly don’t want a website that is practically identical
to dozens of others online. You will also want a vendor who updates their site
on a regular basis. Weekly updates are good, but daily updates are even better.
This guarantees that they will have fresh templates on a regular basis for you
to choose from.
Finally, you want to make sure that your template is editable. This means that
your template will come with the appropriate files (PSD, HTML, SWF, and FLA)
that will allow you to make the necessary changes to your template. Ask you
vendor before making your selection. Most templates come with these files, but
it is better to be safe than sorry. You should be able to download your selection
immediately or your vendor will provide a link to do so.
Great! Now you have a really impressive template and can’t wait to make
the changes that will get you a completed website that blows away your competition.
Well, you’re halfway there. You have one more important choice to make.
Who will do the editing? You will either have someone internally run with the
project or you can hire someone and outsource the job. If you decide to handle
things internally make sure you have the necessary software to edit your files
and someone who is somewhat familiar with how to do the editing. This is what
your template vendor probably didn’t tell you. Certainly it isn’t
as easy as purchasing a template and plugging in text. If it were then there
wouldn’t be a market for web design and development companies. If you’re
confident about handling it yourself then great, but be careful. You might find
yourself investing a lot of time and money trying to get your desired results.
Your alternate choice, hiring a development firm, will almost certainly get
your site looking and functioning the way you want it, but for a fee, of course.
It is easy to find a development firm to handle your needs and you can find
several online. Simply search with the keyphrase “web site design”.
Call or email a few of them explaining your situation and needs and ask for
a quote to perform the editing for you. Depending on the amount of editing you
will require you should receive price quotes in the $500 -$1500 range. This
is a very reasonable price to pay for a professional website. Most likely, you
will be glad you did.
About the Author:
I have a background in business and technology with a Masters in Business Administration
and am an owner of a website design firm located in Houston, Texas. The mission
of my company, WebChrysalis, is to help individuals and businesses look like
a million dollars online through the use of web templates and expert design. |
