Q: You are a small company- how can I be sure you know what you are doing?
A: I have been designing websites since websites first began to gain popularity. I have worked with large clients like The Super Bowl Task Force and The Florida 2012 bid for the Olympics committee and my portfolio speaks for itself.

Q: Do I really need a website since I am a small company?
A: YES! You are really doing yourself and your business a disservice if you don't have a website. Think of it as permanent advertising, that when you break it down monthly is MUCH cheaper than print advertising. In addition, you can expand your reach internationally and gain visibility in places you couldn't access with a newspaper ad.

Q: How much does a website cost? What are your rates?
A: Although each project is unique and costs vary depending on the complexity of your needs, I do offer website packages. If you would like more information please, contact me.

In addition, here are a few articles about pricing for websites to give you a better understanding of what the average pricing in the market today is.

Q: Why should I pay that much anyway? Can't I just do it on my own or get a friend to do it?
A: Sure, you can definitely get someone you know to do your site for free. But keep in mind that this is your company image that you are promoting to literally the entire world. When you hire me you know you are getting someone with experience and knowledge of software and technology. You wouldn't have just anyone create your print advertising, so why hand over your most important marketing tool to an amateur? You are also paying for the time you save trying to research it and do it yourself. I already have the knowledge and you benefit from that.

Q: I don't live in your area, can I still hire you?
A: Yes! Many of my clients are not local- some even international, but technology allows us to do everything remotely. We can communicate via e-mail and you can fax, e-mail or mail any materials you need me to have in hand. All of the proofs are available to you electronically and it's that simple!

Q: What is web hosting?
A: To put it simply, every website has to have a place to live where search engines can find it. This is your host. Popular hosting companies include Godaddy, Yahoo and Network Solutions. They provide different packages which include e-mail, site statistics and tools such as blogs or shopping carts. You can also choose a local company. You will pay a monthly/yearly fee directly to the company you choose and I am in no way affiliated with any of them. You can arrange for hosting yourself, or I can do it for you for an additional charge.

Q: What is a domain name?
A: A domain name is your URL or the address someone would type to get to your website like bluefishstudios.com. You pay an annual fee to register your name and either you can do it, or I can do it for you at an additional charge.

Q: How long will it take to finish my site?
A: Again, it's hard to give an estimate unless I know specifically what your project will require. I will always give a realistic deadline to my clients and try to over deliver, rather than be late. It could be anywhere from two weeks to a month (or longer) depending on how many clients are ahead of you in the queue, when you need it delivered by, how involved your project is, etc.

Q: Can I update my own site?
A: The choice is yours. The majority of my clients prefer that I maintain their websites at an hourly rate since they only do infrequent changes or don't have the time to do it themselves. I can train you to do it yourself for a fee and then hand the entire site to you. Q: How can I get the search engines to find my site once it is live? A: Search engines uses spiders to find the keywords on your site. A basic set of keywords is included in your site design fee, but I cannot guarantee placement or rank on search engines. There are search engine optimization companies specifically dedicated to this, so if you are looking to improve your standing, I recommend looking for a local one. Q: Can you help me with branding my company?
A: Absolutely! I can help you come up with a company identity and strengthen that with a consistent look throughout your website and print materials.

Q: What do I need to get started?
A: There are several things that you can do to make the process go by faster. If you have a logo, magazine ads or websites you like, ideas for color, ideas for style (do you like clean and modern or classic?), your hosting company and domain name registrars password and user id and any photos or text you would like to use, all of these are helpful in making the design process go smoother. As a designer with integrity I don't ever copy another person's work, but it is helpful to see what you like and don't like as well as get ideas for the direction which you would like to go in.

Q: You're hired. Now what?
A: Thanks for putting your trust in my design expertise. Once we discuss what you need and I give you an estimate of cost, I will provide you with a couple of mock-ups and let you see if I am headed in the right direction. After we settle on a design you are happy with, I will complete the final working product that you can sign off on (and in the case of a website complete all of the remaining pages). The length of this process can depend on how many mock-ups are shown in the early design phase and how quickly we agree on a final design. The final product belongs to you and I will deliver all materials to you at your request or put them live on your server, whichever you prefer.