Converted Technophobe Waxes Lyrical about Web Design

This being my first interview I wanted to make it a valuable one for my readers and clients. Many people I work and interact with are new business owners just starting out. On the flip side I also converse with long standing business owners but when it comes to the internet they both have a number of things in common.

A lack of knowledge about the latest technology and a little fear and trepidation of the unknown.

It's very easy to find information from experts about what you should do and where to start on a particular subject. But somewhere along the way problems occur and that's where the information dries up.

I'm hoping this interview will help those who have been through a business start up or website purchase and stumbled across problems plus those just starting on this journey.

I'm interviewing Sally Bolton owner of Country Couples, an online dating site for rural singles, who started her business just under a year ago. Along the way Sally ran into a few hurdles she managed to clear which she is going to share with us.

Hi Sally, having spoken with you recently I know your dating site is proving a success. Where did it all start for you?

Hi Richard, well the original idea came to mind about 5 years ago. I had moved from a city career to self employment in rural Cumbria and found it very difficult to meet new friends, let alone people to date. I joined a few internet dating sites but always ended up having to drive to cities to have dinner, it was crazy.

I said to a friend that I should start an online dating site for rural people, which was just a throw away comment but over time the idea grew on me.

Once you had your bright idea what was your next step?

Research, months and months of it. I joined business forums to learn as much as I could about running an online business, dating sites to find out first hand what members thought of them and what the complaints were and researched different dating website programmes.

Where did you get most of your initial advice from? Friends? Family? The internet?

All three really. One difficulty I found with business forums is there was a lack of understanding of rural life and attitudes, so business people encouraged me to be innovative and very modern in my design and features but when I spoke to rural friends they wanted something that had that old fashioned homespun feeling but with modern technology behind it.

I also gathered opinions from rural people online, as friends tend to tell you what they think you want to hear. It was then a case of merging all the ideas and opinions. I am still working on getting the balance right.

Being an online business what were your main concerns?

The list is endless but online security, how to get people to your website and keep them there, find the right payment processor and get your personality into your business would be at the top of the list. My biggest concern was really the personality aspect as I find this so important in any business but online you are a computer screen.

How did you go about finding a web designer and what happened next?

It is going to be difficult to answer this in a polite manner. I lost a fortune at this stage, I am just too trusting.

The first designer I found was a recommendation but being wet behind the ears I didn't do any research or ask to see any prior work, I just assumed my friend was giving me good advice. Having paid 50% up front without a contract, I received zero in return (well okay a couple of rough page designs in the first week). I spent weeks sending emails but no reply and eventually had to give up.

Lesson learnt I did some online research and found a designer that was willing to meet me at home, sign a contract and had a portfolio. Again 50% paid up front for yet another disaster, I received excuse after excuse as to why it was taking so long. He was an excellent salesman but a terrible web designer and I ended up with a website that simply did not work and the contract wasn't worth the paper it was written on, so again lost the money.

Third time I was very lucky and I found, through lots of research and emailing former clients, a great designer who offers an excellent support package. Not only had I lost a small fortune financially but also nearly 6 months in time, it was a hard lesson to learn.

What advice would you give to anyone looking to source a web designer?

Do not agree to or pay for anything until you have tested the water. Check the designers site carefully, does everything work okay? If not then what will your site look/operate like. What is their portfolio like? Contact the companies on the portolio and ask if they would recommend the designer.

When you think you have found the designer you want test the water, send a few emails asking some basic questions (eg what is seo and will that be a part of the package or I have heard that blogging helps to rank a website should I have a blog?). See how quickly and thoroughly the designer answers these questions as it will give you an indication of their level of commitment to customer support.

Most importantly take your time and find someone you feel you can work with and trust.

The other piece of advice is to learn all of the aspects that go into creating a good website because the cost of design is only one aspect and if your designer will also do your seo then you need to fit that in to your budget, so discuss this with them.

I know from past conversations with you a megabyte was believed to be a large chomp on a club sandwich rather than a measurement of computer memory. In this respect do you feel overwhelmed by internet jargon? Or have you been able to find good sources of information on your level?

Nothing wrong with a nice club sandwich!! I am still overwhelmed by it, after months of reading and asking questions I have a better understanding and now know what CSS means and how they work but I still end up with twenty browser tabs open because as I read anything about seo or web design I have to look up all the jargon I still don't know.

I find most blogs about seo or web design are written to try to outdo other designers or seo people but that doesn't help website owners. You have been a godsend in my learning process and have helped so much in explaining the jargon, putting it into terms I can understand. I cannot count the times I have emailed you asking what something is and within minutes receive a reply with a link to jargon free information, to be honest without you I would not be as far down the road as I am.

Gee thanks Sal, I've come over all crimson coloured! Now to finish off, have you completely embraced the internet now and if so where do you see yourself spending most of your time online?

I am still struggling with social networking and time management, you really can spend all day just logging in to websites and forums, while neglecting your own site but I feel much more comfortable and competent with the web now. My time is currently split three ways between administering my own site and blog, trying to learn more about seo to improve my websites visibility and networking.

Anyone that thinks they can just stick a website up, sit back and the money will come rolling in is seriously kidding themselves, it takes a lot of hard work and time.

Thanks for the interview Sally, I hope designers and site owners can both draw some good information from our Q&A. Let me know if you've had similar good or bad experiences with web designers, we can all learn a thing or two.

Sally also writes a very open and interesting blog about online dating.