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This is maybe the most important section of this page so,
for your own safety and security, please read this section carefully.
The internet can be a dangerous place. It has opened
the doors for lots of criminals to move undetected. When
it comes to web design, there is a certain level of trust
that has to be established in order for this process to
work. After all, a lot of the time you will be giving a
stranger access to account information, your email and your
clients' information. I have lost count of how many times
clients have told me they have suffered financial loss and
even, in some extreme cases, had their safety threatened.
However, there are ways to protect yourself.
-
Pay by check only after you get a written quotation
and be sure to get a physical address to send it to,
not a mail drop or PO box (this way you'll have a paper
trail and an address).
-
If you are setting up a hosting account for your
new web site, if at all possible, try to set up a new
account in which you don't have any active email address
(This is sometimes unavoidable and that is were the
trust comes in.).
-
Once your web site has been completed and uploaded
to your domain, reset all your passwords. DO NOT USE
A HOSTING COMPANY THAT DOESN'T HAVE A NUMBER TO CALL
TO TALK TO A LIVE PERSON. This way, they can tell you
if any other access accounts have been created.
-
Keep personal information to a minimum unless it
is relevant to the project (This is not to say you can't
be friendly. However, be wary of questions that are
being asked that are unrelated to the project.).
-
Trust your gut if something smells fishy. Most likely
it's fish.
-
Have another company give your site the once over
when its finished, Most reputable companies should do
this for a small fee without trying to sell you their
services.
There are also a number of other things you can do to
find a trustworthy designer.
Don't rush in
Once you have found a designer that interests you. Call
him/her a couple of times with the same questions to see
if their answers are consistent (Prices may change, but
that's common.).
Ask to see references or if it is ok to contact people
who have written testimonials of their work.
Obtain and confirm all contact information before sending
any payment.
Look at their work
Look really hard at their portfolio and website. Every
designer has a style, but you can always tell if the work
matches the artist. The reason for this is you don't want
to be charged for original work that turns out to be a pre-made
template.
Contract Contract Contract
Whether this be in the form of a quote or a written contract,
be sure to have it on headed paper in writing what is expected,
how much it is going to cost, and their confirmed contact
information. If they can’t provide this for you, walk away
no matter how appealing the price is.
There are many pitfalls in this business, but, as long
as you remember to get everything in writing, confirm the
contact information and keep all electronic correspondence,
you will be able to retrieve any loss though legal channels
(and the fact that you are taking these precautions may
in and of itself deter any intentions to con or mislead
you).
Catching the crooks
The enemy within
Batteries not included
System Requirements
To flash or not to flash
Perception is not
reality
Guaranteed
top ranking on search engines
Truth about link swapping
What
you can do and what you should do
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