In the early stages of starting an online business, most business owners start out very small, typically by themselves. They wear all the hats… They’re the owner, the marketing and sales team, the accountant, and web developer. It’s not until the business starts expanding that business owners seek help with their growing business.
A lot of business owners have a very hard time seeking help for their business because they don’t want someone else to come in and “take over” what they’ve built. Asking for help is looked at as a sign of weakness but the reality behind asking for help is that it’s really a true sign of strength, and it’s actually one of the very things every entrepreneur should know before starting a business. It’s very common to not know or understand certain areas of your business and that doesn’t make you a weak business owner either.
Web development is an area of business that lots of online business owners don’t understand, nor do they have the time to try and understand. That reason alone is why they hire web developers to do that work for them. Now, in hiring a web developer, it’s also important to make sure you’re hiring the right web developer for your business.
Business owners have a hard time making a decision on which web developer to hire. They think that just because they don’t know much about web development that they’ll make some kind of mistake during the hiring process.
It’s understandable to think that but fortunately, there are some early warning signs that can let you know you’re dealing with a bad web developer before you even hire them. This will save you time, money, and a major headache in the end. Take a look at the warning signs that will help you filter through good web developers and bad web developers.
Warning Signs of Bad Web Developers
Let’s outline key warning signs you should be alert to.
Warning Sign 1: They Don’t Have a Portfolio of Previous Work
The only reason a web developer wouldn’t have a portfolio to show you is for one of two reasons: because you’re their very first web development client or because the previous work they’ve done has been too terrible to show.
According to capella.edu, a portfolio is a way to showcase your skills and competencies. It’s also proof of your accomplishments and samples of work…If a web developer can’t provide proof of their work, you don’t have anything to go off of as to why you should hire them.
If the reason a web developer doesn’t have a portfolio is because you would be their first client, that’s not necessarily a reason to write them off… that doesn’t mean they don’t have the talent, it can simply be a matter of not getting the exposure they need. But that decision is completely up to you. If the web developer is new, ask them if they can provide you with a prototype to prove their skills to you.
Warning Sign 2: They Offer to Work With No Written Agreement or Contract
If a web developer offers to work for you without a contract or some kind of written agreement, that should tell you that they don’t want to be tied down to any legal agreements in case something goes wrong with the project, leaving you with no type of protection.
When you’re first offered no contract, it initially sounds good but typically in the end, it’s the business owner that gets burned with no website to show for it and the so-called web developers get away with the payment. If a web developer offers no contract or written agreement, steer clear of them… they have no good intentions for your business.
Warning Sign 3: The Prices are Too Good to Be True
You know what they say when something is too good to be true… it usually is. In your hunt for a talented, yet trustworthy web developer, you want to look at their pricing to make sure it’s fair and reasonable.
On average, a web developer can charge anything from $85 to $125 per hour. Anything less than that might come off as too cheap and make that web developer seem like they produce poor quality work. If it’s higher than that, they will definitely need to be able to show you some previous quality work.
Choosing the Best Web Developer
A credible web development company is going to be transparent about their services. Upon speaking to various web development companies, they should be able to paint a picture of whether or not they can give you what you’re looking for based on what you described, from a point of aesthetics and functionality.
You’ll definitely have your work cut out for you by researching different companies, but to save yourself a bit of time, you can start by checking out the top 10 Kansas City web developers to get your search off to the right start.
Simply call some of the companies and see which one is the best fit for your business.
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