Freelance Designer?

For most smaller business or a start up businesses, paying the big bucks for a design house may be out of the question. A good option in this case might be a freelance designer. Some or most freelance designers very good and qualified enough to build your portfolio site. They are usually cheaper, but because they are freelance and not full time designers you may have to work around their schedule instead of yours. This could be a problem if you have a certain time frame in mind for getting your portfolio site up and running.

Remember before you choose a designer, freelance or professional, view their portfolio. View their past projects, check out their references, see if their services meet your needs. If that sounds familiar, it's because that's exactly what your future clients will be doing when they look at your portfolio site.

Looking a Designer up in the Phone Book?

Your local phone directory is a pretty good place to begin when looking for someone to design your portfolio site. There should be a good selection of design houses to choose from, so you will have a better chance of getting your site completed within your budget and time frame. A good design house should have specialized people in all aspects of web site application, from design to functionality to search engine optimization. Going into a design house with all of your portfolio information in hand and an idea of what features you want on your site will always assure you get a better estimate on prices and time frame.

Design house services are usually fairly expensive. However, that higher price should get you specialized people, purchase of your domain name, reliable hosting services and free updates for your portfolio site.

When you start looking up potential designers up in the phone book you will find a lot of design houses. They might be expensive but they usually know what they are talking about. They should have specialized people in all aspects of the web from design to usability to SEO. Going into such a place with your information in hand will always give you a better bid on your site.

A good design house should purchase the domain name for you, Host you on a reliable servers, and even make updates to your site – for a fee of course –

Is Your Neighbor Qualified?

You may like your neighbor a lot and we know you love your children, but are they qualified to design your portfolio site?

Practically every high school or college student has taken some sort of basic web design class. You can even take basic web design classes at your local community center these days. But does that make you qualified to design a professional portfolio site?

Your company site needs to be attractive and informative. You want your potential customers to read through your company information and purchase your products or services. You don't want them to be bombarded with harsh graphics and useless information on your home page. Remember, this portfolio site will be the face of your company on the internet. What do your want your potential customers to see there?

Who's going to design your portfolio?

After you gather your information you need to decide who you are going to get to design your portfolio site.

But who are you going to get? Someone out of the phone book? Your next door neighbor? One of your kids?

• How do you decide which option if best for your company's needs?
• What happens when you need your site updated?
• What about a time frame?
• Can they help you get your web site name?

Gather Your Information

Before you higher someone to design your portfolio site, decide what you want to put on it. Gather photos of your past projects, if you don't have any go take some. Write down detailed descriptions of each project you plan to feature, include materials used or special techniques. Write a short bio or "about us" for your company. It's a good idea to search the web for sites that offer similar services and write down what you like or don't like about those sites.

You should go to the designer with all of your information gathered together along with an idea of what you like or don't like about the sites you've seen. This way you are more likely to end up with the site you want, and not the site that the designer wants to make you. After all, it is your portfolio site and what people see there will determine what they think of your business.

What is a Portfolio site?

A portfolio site is where consumers go to do research on companies they are considering doing business with.

Your portfolio site should include information about your company (services offered, years experience), contact information, pictures of past projects (always detail what you are showing in the pictures), and any reviews that you may have (from local papers, trade magazines, or references from past clients). Make sure to highlight your specialization and include examples with pictures and details.

Portfolio Sites

Portfolio is defined as: a flat, portable case for carrying loose papers, drawings, etc.

However, this definition is a bit out of date. No longer are portfolios carried around in an attache case by men in their Brooks Brother's suits.

In the online, fast paced marketplace of today consumers request, if not demand an online portfolio. Potential clients want to be able to shop businesses without leaving their homes. They want to be able to look at your business' site and know immediately why they should choose you over your competition. To do this, you need a portfolio site.

The simple truth is: if your business card doesn't have a web address on it, you are losing business.