Yes, You MUST Have a Web Site, Part 2

Alright, we’ve established that you’ve got to have one, now the question is: 

Should you hire a developer or do it yourself?

Doing it Yourself–

PROS:  You’ll save money by doing it yourself, not to mention having complete control over the look and feel of the site.  If you make yourself the administrator, you have the freedom to update and make content changes whenever you feel it’s necessary.  If you already have a working knowledge of basic web design, there are free tools (I can’t recommend WordPress highly enough!) that will allow you to create a professional looking web site on your own.  However, if you can’t even spell HTML…

CONS:  If you don’t know much about computers and/or web design, it will take a while to learn everything and get your site up and running.  Also, if you choose to become an administrator, you will have to spend even more time dedicated to making any updates anad changes to the site.

Hiring a Professional–

PROS:  You will get a clean, well-designed, professional looking web site in a short amount to time if you hire an expert.  Ask around.  Get referrals from satisfied businesses whose sites you like.  Also, a web developer will take care of any changes and updates in the future.  A professional designer will have the ability to create a completely unique site that is beyond the scope of what you could do yourself.  Plus, it will give you more time to devote to the other 29 million responsibilities you have in running your business.

CONS:  You may not always have as much control over the outcome of your site.  However, my experience has been that odds are you’ll like what a professional creates even more than anything you could dream up.  Another possible con is the fact that some busy (read “good”) developers may take a while to get your site completed.  Anything less than 6 weeks is an optimum target due date. 

The most important thing to remember about hiring a developer is to do your research… get multiple bids and ask your network of other business owners and/or techy friends.  If you are going to pay the money, make sure you are going to get the result you want and in the time frame you expect.  By asking for a portfolio of their past work and references from their client list, you are making every effort to find a great match between you, your company, and your goals on the web.