Unfortunately, simply because a competitor has a site, many business owners feel pressured to find someone to build them a site quickly. Many times (mostly due to lack of contrary information), they settle with the first person they come across who says they can do the job.

Something I have found interesting is the number of people who call and want us to design a site for them who have not even looked through our site or portfolio to see the quality of our work. This is a very important step when you consider that their business image would be in our hands.

Because costs of updates and search engine
submissions are so high, we created our
advanced WebUpdate range of sites to minimize costs.

From initial client-designer meetings to the day the site goes live, there are several things you need to know to ask your prospective designer to avoid potential problems down the line.

Whatever type of site you want, you need to be sure you and the designer understand these four basic site design rules:

1. Design - an attractive design is essential. On the Internet there are thousands or even millions of other sites offering the same as you, so your first impression is crucial. This element can decide whether a prospective client stays or clicks away.

2. Functionality - a.k.a. user friendliness. This goes hand in hand within the design, yet is its own discipline. A site has to be created with the majority of the viewers in mind. If anything on a site is confusing, missing, takes a long time to load, or does not function correctly, the user will leave. There are dozens of things a professional developer has to consider at this stage.

3. Search Accessibility - The ever-dreaded search engines. The most amazing site on the planet is worthless if nobody can find it. Searches are a law unto themselves, and it can be a full time job learning this week's latest variations and submission rules. This often leads you having to pay a company to keep submitting you to the searches. Sometimes this can cost as much as $1,500 a month.

4. After launch costs - One of the biggest site ownership problems is the high ongoing costs of site updates and maintenance, especially search engine submission. This often leads to businesses leaving their sites untouched for years.

Because costs of updates and search engine submissions are so high, we created our advanced WebUpdate range of sites to minimize costs.

These sites have many features to suit all businesses, including browser compatibility, the ability to update/add to your site for free, spam filtering and email control, and effective, automated, free search engine submission.

If you're ready for the next level of business, visit us at http://www.internetmark.com to read about our clients, and see first hand the remarkable results we bring to their businesses.

Remember, on the Internet, a Web Site is only the beginning.

Terry Young is the founder and CEO of Internet Marketing and Design. Since 1997,
his computer programming and graphic design knowledge have kept his company
at the forefront of the latest technology in web development.