This one is a bit of a trick question. There’s no one answer to when you should bring a custom web designer into your business. Whether you kick start this relationship before or after your business launch is completely up to you, however, in order to get the most out of your first custom web design project we’d definitely recommend getting a few elements of your business model established first.
If you don’t have a firm idea of your business plan, your aspirations, or your target audience, we’d recommend holding off on custom web design support just yet. The reason why is because no matter how good your business looks, web design can’t do all of your heavy lifting for you. These other key aspects of your business need to be solidly in place alongside your amazing web designs, in order for your business to grow and succeed. Other recommendations that we have in order to ensure that you and your new business get the most out of a custom web designer are:
Thoughtful copy and SEOMake sure that your content is optimised for your key search terms. If the written elements of your website aren’t up to standard then your business won’t rank very highly in search engine results. You want to ensure that your business welcomes as many online visitors as possible, so take care to produce website copy that promotes your business values, solves a problem for your consumers, and targets your specific market audience.
Knowing your business nicheThoughtful copy and design relies on you knowing and understanding your business niche as well as your target market. You need to be clear on exactly why your business is the best choice and what specific problems it will help to solve - this will help you to narrow down who your business is aiming to help and therefore who your copy is talking to. If you know your target audience and your business’s place within the market then it immediately becomes easier for your web designer to ensure your custom web projects are tailored to your business needs. The most successful web design transformations are for businesses with a clear position in the marketplace.
Smart investmentIf you’re just getting your business off the ground then it’s sensible to budget a reasonable amount of money for your first custom web design project. That being said, there’s no need to overinvest in your online presence as every business grows and changes, particularly within the first year. Keep things simple so that you have room to tweak and develop your business’s web design as the business itself finds its feet. Keeping things simple will also help you to focus more on the other key business elements we’ve mentioned in this article. Once you’ve got every aspect of the business to a standard that’s working for you - that’s when you can return to your custom web design and start to have some fun!
Working with a custom web designer at the start of your business venture can certainly be a bonus for getting your brand to stand out in the marketplace, providing you don’t hide behind good web design in the hope that it’ll build your business for you. If you’re clear on your business goals, the niche you’re trying to promote, and are diligent in getting the other key elements of online business up to a good standard, then early investment in custom web design could reap incredible rewards for your business - regardless of when you start working with your web designer!
If you’d like advice about custom web designs for your new business, contact the Kartogram team today. We’d love to get involved in your next project and help your business to reach its full potential.