Free and Confidential Business Advice

Local Workshops

Online Resources

SCORE Business Training

SCORE - Counselors to America's Small Business

Score is an excellent resource for small businesses, providing counseling, online resources and workshops. SCORE is supported by the Small Business Administration (SBA).

http://www.score.org

Resources for Women Entrepreneurs - resources, events, workshops and free confidential business advice for women entrepreneurs.

SCORE Office
TOLL FREE 1-800-634-0245

Oklahoma City Office 405-609-8004

With the popularity of the Web sites skyrocketing – there are many checkpoints for finding a qualified company to fulfill your needs. So, how do you find the design company best suited to you? Design firms vary widely in price, skills, quality, and services offered. What follows is a checklist to help narrow the field and find the best match for your company or organization.

COMMUNICATION Web design is a collaborative effort. Design is a process, meaning a collaboration of ideas between the designer and the client, and this requires ongoing communication between you and your designer. To achieve your goal with a web project, ultimately communication is an essential element, if not the ultimate key to success. Make sure there is rapport. Does the designer take the time to understand your company's character and needs? Does the designer explain Web matters well, in terms you understand according to your technical or non-technical level? Furthermore, can the designer advise you on aspects of site design that you may not have considered? Are there ideas offered that enhance what you already envisioned? Another big factor to consider is whether you get a good vibe from the designer. Do you click with this person? If so, then that person is more than likely more capable of carrying out your goals and ideas for the project. Too many so called ‘Web designers’ have a really big sales pitch, but cannot follow through with the job. If you have a gut feeling that this person is not on the up and up, the best recommendation is to run to the nearest exit!

REPUTATION Make sure that the firm you are considering doing business with is reputable. Look for a proven track record and satisfied customers. How long has the Web design company been doing business? Are they doing Web design part-time or full-time? If it’s a part-time job, then obviously your project will not be a priority. If they were a serious designer they would be dedicated to web design full-time. How many Web sites have they completed? And how many clients do they have? Are the clients reputable businesses? Definitely look through their portfolio of projects. If they don’t have a portfolio, then there is definitely something wrong. A professional designer or firm will have a portfolio for you to view. If you don’t like what is in the portfolio, then don’t expect this designer to create something any different for you… And by all means, don’t hesitate to call their current clients and ask about experiences. If the clients are not happy, they will definitely say so. If the designer cannot provide a list of clients to call, then more than likely something is up. Either they really don’t have any clients or they fear you talking to someone that would tell the truth. If the design project is to be conducted entirely via electronic communication, check for a verifiable address and phone number. You don't want to make a down payment only to have your designer vanish into thin air.

CUSTOMER SERVICE Can you reach the designer quickly and easily? How much time elapses before you receive a response to questions? Can the designer complete your project within a reasonable period of time? Customer service is an extremely important aspect of choosing a Web designer, not only with the initial stages of the project, but after project completion and in the future, making certain that you have a good overall feeling of dealing with the designer – with the ability to trust the care of your business site and marketing in their hands…if there is any question of reliability or honesty, then you should trust your instinct and call someone else…

LOCAL Although location may not be of great importance to you, typically finding a local designer enables you to work with the designer in person. It allows you to go through detailed ideas and goals with an in-person meeting. It also lets you get a personal overview of who your designer really is, which can give you a lot more insight than just a phone call. Ultimately it’s all about credibility, if your designer is a 15-year-old kid wearing flip-flops and cut off shorts, obviously this is something to consider…Do you really want to put your business in the hands of inexperience?

HARD SELL If your designer is putting on a hard sell and pressuring you to commit with their company, this may not be in your best interest to choose a designer who is only looking out for himself. If you intend on having an ongoing relationship with your designer, make sure you are working with a web design company that enables you to speak with the designer directly, not just a sales person.

QUALITY Make sure pages are coded correctly using the latest Web standards, including standards for browser compatibility and valid code. Ask the designer if they check for compatibility within multiple browsers. If they use style sheets (css) or if they don’t know what a style sheet is, then they are not a real designer. Also, ask them what programs they use to design sites in. Some of the professional programs are Adobe Dreamweaver and Adobe Photoshop (for graphic design elements)… Some designers may hand code. Programs like Microsoft FrontPage are strictly novice. A true professional designer wouldn’t design in FrontPage. Also, ask the designer if he uses templates. There are all too many ‘so-called’ designers that purchase cheap cookie-cutter templates and then just drop in your content and call it good, yet charge you a big fee…If you are paying for a professional site, it should be custom designed specifically for your business—not a site where you can search the web and find 1,000 other sites exactly like yours, unless that’s specifically what you requested.

PRICE One of the most common questions is: How much does a Web site cost? There are many factors in quoting a Web site project, from number of pages and features, to the complexity of the design and whether it involves a database…It’s kind of like asking how much does a house cost. Do you want a big house, a little house, a frame house, or a mansion with a pool? The best way to determine the price of a project is to create an outline of your project, starting with the number of pages you envision, then go through the goals with your designer and they can create a quote based on your specific goals. Think of a Web site as an investment in your business, a good firm or designer is essential. A professional designer will provide an outline of your project, along with estimated timeline for completion. While a professionally designed Web site may not be cheap, it will eventually pay for itself by boosting sales and site traffic. On the other hand, a poorly designed Web site will make your business seem unprofessional and can actually turn potential customers towards your competitors.

ADDITIONAL CONSIDERATIONS Once you have narrowed down the field to a manageable number of designers, contact each of them and give them a description of what you want. Here are a few more things to consider before making your final selection: • Make sure that you'll be able to keep a paper trail of all agreements, deadlines, time schedule and payment schedule. • If you had the designer purchase your domain name, make sure you own the domain name and not your designer. • The designer should certainly listen attentively to what you want, but should also be capable of advising you about adding (or omitting) site elements in accordance with what is most suitable for your target audience. • When choosing a designer, it should be someone you can establish an ongoing relationship with. Your next door neighbors, sisters, brothers-in-law, bosses or babysitter may not be interested in working on your Web site ‘next’ week… find a dependable and professional designer/design company.

BOTTOM LINE Be willing to invest in quality. Look for a good match between your particular needs and the designer's skills, but don't overlook the element of rapport. Choose someone who you feel confident will be willing to give your project the time and attention it deserves. And don’t be afraid to do a little investigating to ensure your designer is the one for you. Knowledge is power! Once you find the perfect match, your Web project will have all the basic elements of success!

Oklahoma Web Design & Hosting

FREE QUOTES on all Services

Custom Site Design / Hosting / Site Maintenance / Commerce / Programming
Oklahoma Web Design Since 1997
www.OklahomaWebDesign.com
info@oklahomawebdesign.com

OKC Office: office 405.688.7093
National: toll free 866.932-9476

Keeping Business Local

Oklahoma Web Design - Official Site www.oklahomawebdesign.com is an Oklahoma City based business, and we understand the importance of keeping business local. Not only does doing business help sustain the local economy, it also helps local business owners succeed. Spending your money in the state helps keep put money right back into your local community. Whereas there are so many corporate giants in other states ready to clinch your dollar, there are local business owners that can provide the exact same service, many times at below cost of an out of state company. For example, money spent at local business is typically put right back into the local community whereas money spent at large corporations and franchises is oftentimes shipped back to their corporate headquarters.

Keeping money local is extremely important so money can reach its full potential in your local community, meaning local business use other local products and services, which helps generate work and boost business locally. Some top reasons to keep your business in Oklahoma

1. Builds A Strong Local Economy

2. Helps Ensure Choice and Diversity of Small Businesses - With support to keep business local, that helps ensure businesses grow and can provide more products and services. A multiplicity of independent local businesses creates greater diversity, in essence providing all the products and services you need.

3. Maintains Community - Local businesses play a vital role in our community, bringing the life to what is the essence of Oklahoma, helping each other.

Support your local businesses, and keep your money in Oklahoma.

LinkedIn is one of the great websites for businesses and professionals that allows registered users to maintain a list of contact details of people they trust in business. The people in the 'LinkedIn' list are called Connections. Users can invite anyone to become a connection.

This list of connections can then be used in a number of ways:

* A contact network is built up consisting of their direct connections, the connections of each of their connections (termed second-degree connections) and also the connections of second-degree connections (termed third-degree connections). This can be used to gain an introduction to someone a person wishes to know through a mutual, trusted contact.
* It can then be used to find jobs, people and business opportunities recommended by someone in one's contact network.
* Employers can list jobs and search for potential candidates.
* Job seekers can review the profile of hiring managers and discover which of their existing contacts can introduce them.

This is a great tool for connecting with other businesses and professionals.

Tracking Device Hidden In Your Color Printer

Technology can definitely be a wonderful thing, making life easier and an awesome tool for communication and business, but when does technology cross the line? what are our rights as far as protecting our own privacy? Consumers often purchase standard office products without thinking twice about their privacy, but recent news has indicated that some well known color printer manufacturers are not informing customers of the tracking device.

Should consumers be notified at the point of sale as to whether a tracking device is installed on their color printer?

Read more on this article through the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF):
http://www.eff.org/issues/printers

Oklahoma Web Designer? or Con Artist?

With the Oklahoma season of storms, any Oklahoman knows that when the storms come, so do fraudulent companies that seem to come out of the woodwork, out of state roofers abound like vultures on the innocent. In the age of technology, unfortunately schemes also exist in the web design business. So many people think they can save a few bucks and use a company (or person) that they obviously have not verified. So many stories exist, that is heart-wrenching to know that people lost their hard-earned money on a Con Artist.

A few simple steps can save you pain in the long run.

LOCAL: Doing business with someone local is one of the best rules of thumb. "Local" means that you can meet with them in person and get a better feel as to whether you do actually want to business with them....

REPUTATION: Is this an established business? How long have they been in business? is this something you can verify? if so, by all means call their references and ask if they were happy with their work and performance. A professional designer or design firm will have a portfolio that you can view, as well as actual clients. If they do not have a portfolio or no clients, then that is a clear red flag.

HARD SELL: A web site shouldn't be like buying a car, you shouldn't have the hard sell by a professional sales person. Working with a professional designer means you are working with the creative person directly, not a channel of sales staff, whose only best interest is themselves.

BACKGROUND CHECK: If you feel leery or uncomfortable about a designer or design firm, then there may be a reason. Its OK to call the Better Business Bureau and verify if they are a reputable business. As well, call references provided and do a web search on the company, the last thing you want is to find yourself in a situation where a few simple steps would have saved you time and money!

Call us for a FREE no obligation quote on any of our services, and you will speak directly with a designer, not a salesman!

Oklahoma Web Design

Local OKC 405-688-7093
TOLL FREE 866-932-9476

Accredited Business of the Better Business Bureau

How to Help Protect Your Account

• Do not access your account from a shared computer.

• Make sure your computer has antivirus, firewall and anti-spyware programs, including security software with automatic updates.

• If you are using wireless service, check the settings on your computer to make sure the connection is encrypted. Don't connect to your account using a public network, like the ones you find at a coffee shop or at the airport.

• Review your statements regularly and carefully, and report any suspicious activity to your bank as soon as you get your statement.

• Use a strong password with letters and numbers combined. Don't use the same password for multiple accounts.

• As important as it may sound, do not let others know your password.

• Log out after every session.

New site specifically for Non Profit Organizations.

WebDesignNonProfit.com was developed through seeing a need for non-profit organizations to grow through an online presence. Believing in the organizations who have such passionate goals, and the heart that exists behind those goals. Each person makes a difference with the voice for the cause, whether it be a church, a pet rescue group, child advocates or business resources.

Oklahoma Web Design & Hosting
Local OKC 405-688-7093
Toll Free 866-932-9476