The recession has caused quite a few problems in the graphics design world in the last twelve months as it’s highlighted one of the biggest issues that has dogged the industry for years and that is the assumption that a good graphic designer is a good web designer. This assumption just isn’t true and many companies have discovered this to their detriment.

The thing is, the Internet isn’t just about looking good – websites in fact don’t have to look good at all and some pretty atrocious websites have made a fortune. The reason is, website design is not just about making a page look good – it’s about making it functional.

Where many graphic designers fall over is in this functionality aspect as they seem to forget that visitors to a website are not just looking for a pretty image – they’re actually hoping to find a product or service that can fulfil their needs and a pretty picture of some people climbing a hill is unlikely to do that (unless you’re selling hill climbing holidays!)

The problem is, the web has been seen as a completely new method of marketing when really, it’s just an extension of existing marketing methods. If we distill marketing down to its basics; it’s essentially just a method of getting our products and services in front of more and more people in the hope that they will buy from us. However, many companies and graphic designers have seen it as a way of promoting their own designs to the detriment of the customer.

Take it from me – customers won’t choose you because you have an extremely pretty website, they will choose you because they are comfortable with your product, with you and with the way you conduct business and no amount of well positioned images will do this.

No, websites need to be functional and so you need to bear this in mind when you are choosing a company to create your site in the future. As with most things, there are a number of simple steps you can take to ensure you get a company that can fulfil your needs, here are a few:

* The brief – get it wrong and it could mean disaster You will probably be asked for a brief so the website company can give you some idea of the cost of the site. You’ll probably then make some very simple mistakes which will send your website company right off on the wrong tangent, the main one being “I want a clean site with easy to navigate menus”. Believe me, if your website company of choice goes out of its way to make cluttered sites with awful menus – they won’t be in business for long. It should be taken as read that a website will be simple to navigate and to do this, I’m afraid you’re going to have to be quite boring. You see many people expect to see menus either at the top or down the side of the page and if you try to get too adventurous, you’ll end up with an unusable site easier than you could imagine.
* Pushing the brand, not the product Unless you have a well-known brand then it’s likely that the only people who have heard of it are already known to you. Rather than getting vain about it, just admit that nobody knows about your product and realise your website needs to educate them. If you begin from this position and understand that you will need to explain everything to everyone that visits then you’ll be OK. The minute you assume your customer knows anything about it, you risk losing that customer, which leads us on to…
* Never assume So many website assume their customer has a working knowledge of the products or services they are selling. It is up to you to make sure your customer knows what you are selling and that it solves a particular problem for them. If you don’t make it clear then it is your fault.

With this in mind you can soon see that ‘design’ takes a back seat to the functionality and the actual ability of your site to sell and so you need to consider more than just the prettiness of the site.

Simply by understanding these simple concepts you can make sure that the company you are choosing to handle your website creation are also able to help with the copy, the measurement and the eventual changing of the site when you discover new ways of selling your products.

And this leads us to another issue with websites that designers need to grasp – the web is a moving feast and to keep up, you need to move with it.

Gone are the days where you can simply launch a static website and hope that people will visit it often. With the birth of social media, people expect to see things change and to see alterations and new content, they expect dynamism.

Preference to maintain the uniqueness of your website design comes with a price. You have to spend more to get the design of your site customised according to your wishes. Not only will this give your brand an identity and look that is unlike any other, it will also pave the way for a better brand recall.

Going for a customised design allows for better innovation to the uniqueness and creativity of your site. Because of this, better and fresher arenas can also be opened for the success of your business against competitors. A more professional look can also be attained for your site, thus inspiring reliability and trust.

Where to Get a Customised Website Design

A lot of web design firms are providing this service. While there are others that offer templates that could work for your business but may have other businesses using them as well, there are those that will really create your design from scratch. The development of this kind of website will result on a design that is totally exceptional and focused on what you offer to your target market. There are even firms who go one step further and provide maintenance and administration of such custom sites. If you want to maintain an edge over your competition in the industry, then going for such a site is the way to go.

Go for the Expert in Customised Website Design

If you wish to be at ease in the customisation of your website design, then go for those whose names are already established in the industry. With this kind of firms, you are guaranteed of exceptional service at prices within reason. The good thing about firms like this is they can provide you with graphics options and other information related to this. You can select from the options they present to you and have these infused in your site design. Usually, they will help you come up with a site that catches the eye of your target market and will make them want to return again and again.

Points to Consider in Getting a Web Design Firm

There are several points you need to keep in mind in getting a web design firm that deals with customised designs though. These include:

- Having skilled professionals who have undergone exemplary training in their field. They should also be able to assist in increasing sales and profits just through their web design.

- Having the ability to create, develop and maintain a website that does not just keep up, but will stay ahead of the competition.

- Providing reasonable packages and rates that are presented early on in the designing stage, so that an informed decision can be reached.

- Understanding the expectations, needs and wants conveyed to them and meeting them in the designing process.

Business success through having a customised website design is prevalent online. If you are able to develop with your own exceptional website design, then doing it yourself is just easy. However, if you don’t, then you should leave this in the hands of professionals. You will know of their excellence and track record through their portfolio, the testimonials on their previous works and the type of projects they are known to have excelled in.

I stumbled on an article written in Forbes Magazine on February 16th, 2009 called, “The Creativity of Crowds,” by Christopher Steiner. The article highlights two Chicagoans and their company called CrowdSpring. Their plan is to help entrepreneurs buy allowing them to hire design help at a fraction of the cost a talented freelancer would charge. Good news if you’re a business owner. Bad news if you’re a creative freelancer trying to get paid a fair price for your work.

So what’s the big deal? eLance and Guru have been around for years

True, however a new idea, “hire an amateur designer,” is slowly creeping into the business mainstream. Whereas years ago not too many business owners (besides the technically savvy ones) didn’t have any clue about sites like eLance, Guru or CrowdSpring, they either know now or they’re going to know really soon. Change is coming…in fact, it’s already here.

Why is this happening to the graphic design industry?

Pretty simple: the economy is pushing businesses to save money – hard. Business owners are looking to shave expenses any chance they can get, and the truth is, the first cuts they ALWAYS make are in areas that don’t directly produce revenue…can you say design? Creative support and marketing are always the first to get cut when a company hits hard times.

Are sites like eLance, and CrowdSpring are ruining the creative freelancing industry?

Not really, and anyone saying they are really doesn’t understand capitalism and how it works. They’re essentially providing opportunities for anyone and everyone to compete against you. The influx of “wanna-be” designers who’ll create just about anything for a bus pass and an Arby’s coupon is driving down the price of design work and causing a bit of a panic on the freelancers’ side.

Freelancers are throwing their arms up in the air saying, “How in the heck can I compete with some college kid that’s happy making $12/hr. when I am trying to run a business?!” These web sites are leveling the playing field between the accomplished designer and someone who just got Adobe’s latest Creative Suite last week as a way to make a few extra bucks. And don’t think that these wanna-be’s need a degree from a fancy design school to find work in this economic climate where almost every businesses is looking for a deal. If their work is passable and they are priced at a fraction of the cost of a professional, there will definitely be some cost-conscious, risk-taking business owners that’ll give them a chance.

I looked at CrowdSpring.com’s web site on a couple of weeks ago. They had 170 open projects available and 14,845 registered people looking for work. All other things considered equal that comes to a 1.1% chance that you’ll get a project over the rest of the field. In Mr. Steiner’s article he references a marketing consultant that offered just $250 for a logo, 5 days later she had 112 designers to choose from. That’s devastating news considering you’ll find similar odds on other online job posting sites for creative freelancers.

So how can creative freelancers compete with cheaper design options?

The good news is that there is a tremendous opportunity for creative freelancers that can adapt and compete on a new playing field; one where the out-of-work Mom/Dad, college kid or the recreational designer can’t possibly compete with you on.That playing field is all about generating sales and revenue with good design.

Trying to compete on lowest price, artist talent or great service is a sure ticket to the unemployment line – there are just too many other options spouting those platitudes, and there isn’t enough demand to keep up. The truth is, if your creative talents can consistently bring your clients more revenue and more sales- and you actually make rather than cost your client money, you will always be able to find work. That’s how you compete with these low-cost designers.

Any person with Adobe Photoshop, access to online tutorials and a template can easily crank out a logo, business card, advertisement or even a web site. Heck, I’ve seen kids in junior high do it.

The real question is, can their work bring in clients and create revenue?

It’s a brand new world out there and whether you or graphic design organizations like nospec.com like it or not, change is coming. I have a lot of respect for these organizations that try to uphold the integrity and status quo for design industry, but they are fighting a losing battle – a lot like the record industry trying to fight MP3s. The choice is to either adapt to fit the market or find yourself a new line of work. I don’t like it either guys, but stopping this trend’s is going to be like holding back the ocean with a broom.

“Competition will always be nipping at your heals. If you stop running or rely on the status quo – you’ll get swallowed.”

* Wish you had more referrals coming in?
* Confused about how to price your work?
* Feel like clients try to take advantage of you?
* Wish you knew what to say to clients and how to say it so you sound more professional?

Truth is, freelancing is not an entry-level job that you’re going to find success in by learning as you go, searching for free info on the Internet and having a good attitude. I won’t help you with Photoshop techniques or color theory but I can sure as heck help you run a more profitable, enjoyable freelancing business. I’ve been in the field for over 10 years, I know what it’s like to struggle at first, and I know what you’ll need to know to become successful.