Does Your Web Design Contract Include These 5 Crucial Items?
Does Your Web Design Contract Include These 5 Crucial Items?
Their web designer insists they finished the job, and the client is to blame. The client is upset because the web designer didn't include or detail certain things - and they now feel like they've been ripped off. What do you do in a case like this?
A lot of these problems could have been avoided with the right kind of web design contract. This is a document that generally is written up by the web designer themselves which outlines several key items relating to the website development.
Before you sign on the dotted line, be sure your web design contract includes the following five vital areas.
1. The Work to Be Completed - What's involved in the creation of your website? For example, will the designer be furnishing graphics or will you be providing your own photos? This is the "meatiest" part of the contract and outlines, specifically, what work will be done.
2. Timeframe for Completion - How long will it take? It's a good idea to specify (or have your designer do this if you're not sure), "milestones" that will need to be completed before you'll release a portion of the payment to them.
For example, many designers request a 1/3 down-payment to gather materials (such as domain registration, hosting, stock photos and so on). Then the second 1/3 is done upon your approval of the web template they will be using throughout the site. Having milestones like this ensures steady progress on the site while giving the designer reasonable payment for their work as they complete it.
Timeframes also include a completion date. Not setting one (or asking the designer to set one that you both can agree on) means your project could go on forever!
3. Payment Details - How, When and How Much are the questions to be asked here. How will the designer be paid? (check, money order, Paypal…), when will they be paid and how much is due? Not specifying these terms could leave you with a hefty bill at the end of the job - for things that you were unaware of at the start!
4. Confidentiality and Copyright - Who owns the design once it's finished? Designers often relinquish the copyright of the design to the client - but like to reference it in their portfolio as an example of the work they can do. Oftentimes, working with a designer means you'll be giving them private or confidential company information. If necessary, ask the designer to sign an NDA (Non-Disclosure Agreement) that states that they will not share the information you give to them as part of the project.
5. All The "Little" Extras - It's a good idea to cover all the "little" extras that can add up to a big design bill. Specifically, ask about things like ongoing support, software updates, and content management. Will the designer train you (or your staff) to make changes to the site yourselves, or will you be paying them a monthly (or hourly) fee to do it for you? There are pros and cons to both, so be sure you know the costs and benefits associated with each one. Discuss this with your designer if you're uncertain.
All in all, most web design contracts are simple and straightforward. And more often than not, you'll have nothing to worry about. Still, if conflicts should arise, you'll have a written document to go back to in case there are issues that can't be solved easily. Good luck!
Does Your Web Design Contract Include These 5 Crucial Items - To learn more about this author, visit Sherice Jacob's Website.
Like this article? Share it with your friends
Working with a qualified web designer can either be a fun and rewarding process - or a frustrating headache. All too often, I talk with business owners whose websites are left only "partially completed" (if they're even finished at all) - or are full of errors.
Their web designer insists they finished the job, and the client is to blame. The client is upset because the web designer didn't include or detail certain things - and they now feel like they've been ripped off. What do you do in a case like this?
A lot of these problems could have been avoided with the right kind of web design contract. This is a document that generally is written up by the web designer themselves which outlines several key items relating to the website development.
Before you sign on the dotted line, be sure your web design contract includes the following five vital areas.
1. The Work to Be Completed - What's involved in the creation of your website? For example, will the designer be furnishing graphics or will you be providing your own photos? This is the "meatiest" part of the contract and outlines, specifically, what work will be done.
2. Timeframe for Completion - How long will it take? It's a good idea to specify (or have your designer do this if you're not sure), "milestones" that will need to be completed before you'll release a portion of the payment to them.
For example, many designers request a 1/3 down-payment to gather materials (such as domain registration, hosting, stock photos and so on). Then the second 1/3 is done upon your approval of the web template they will be using throughout the site. Having milestones like this ensures steady progress on the site while giving the designer reasonable payment for their work as they complete it.
Timeframes also include a completion date. Not setting one (or asking the designer to set one that you both can agree on) means your project could go on forever!
3. Payment Details - How, When and How Much are the questions to be asked here. How will the designer be paid? (check, money order, Paypal…), when will they be paid and how much is due? Not specifying these terms could leave you with a hefty bill at the end of the job - for things that you were unaware of at the start!
4. Confidentiality and Copyright - Who owns the design once it's finished? Designers often relinquish the copyright of the design to the client - but like to reference it in their portfolio as an example of the work they can do. Oftentimes, working with a designer means you'll be giving them private or confidential company information. If necessary, ask the designer to sign an NDA (Non-Disclosure Agreement) that states that they will not share the information you give to them as part of the project.
5. All The "Little" Extras - It's a good idea to cover all the "little" extras that can add up to a big design bill. Specifically, ask about things like ongoing support, software updates, and content management. Will the designer train you (or your staff) to make changes to the site yourselves, or will you be paying them a monthly (or hourly) fee to do it for you? There are pros and cons to both, so be sure you know the costs and benefits associated with each one. Discuss this with your designer if you're uncertain.
All in all, most web design contracts are simple and straightforward. And more often than not, you'll have nothing to worry about. Still, if conflicts should arise, you'll have a written document to go back to in case there are issues that can't be solved easily. Good luck!
Does Your Web Design Contract Include These 5 Crucial Items - To learn more about this author, visit Sherice Jacob's Website.
Like this article? Share it with your friends
 | |
 |
No article feedback found. |
| |
Leave Your Feedback |
 | |
| |||
John PowerJohn Power, founder of Biltmore Franchise Consulting, has extensive experience developing and marketing franchises and business opportunities. He has been in and around franchising for over twenty years. From 1980 through 1990 he conceptualized, organized, and developed the American Video Association. He grew AVA to 2,000 national members, before selling the company it 1990. It was later merged into another home video marketing company. From 2000 to 2005 he worked as a contract marketing and human resources consultant to several local and national companies. In 2005 Mr. Power began working as a franchise development consultant on a full-time basis. Since that time he has helped more than three dozen companies initiate and develop their franchising program. He notes that there are many companies interested in developing a franchise program, and who need his specialized assistance. Mr. Power is a “hands-on” franchise consultant. He said, “I am the ‘nuts and bolts’ person who tends to the details for my clients.” Mr. Power holds a B.S. degree with a major in Marketing. See: www.biltmorefranchise.com You may contact Mr. Power at: jpower@biltmorefranchise.co - Visit John Power's Website |
|||
Jeff FosterWebBizIdeas.com is a Minneapolis website design company founded to help people start an internet business by providing them with website, business, and internet resources that help foster the growth of successful online businesses and develop innovative Internet business ideas. We specialize in internet consulting & internet marketing. - Visit Jeff Foster's Website |
|||
Kim CastleWith nearly two decades in the advertising and design business, with clients like Domino's Pizza, General Motors, Direct TV, Pedigree, Wolfgang Puck, Higher Octave Music, Hollywood Celebrity Products, Disney, and Paramount, as well as thousands of entrepreneurs around the world define, structure, communicate, and position their business for greater profits, BrandU(R) co-creators Kim Castle and W. Vito Montone discovered that entrepreneurs could experience the same power that big brands command for a fraction of the cost with the world's only process-based results-drive Integral approach to business creation. BrandU(R) is helping entrepreneurs grow with the power of extreme clarity from idea...to brand...to market(TM) and helping one million entrepreneurs become successful and whole so that they can make a difference in the world. Are you one of them? If you want to experience clarity all the way to the bank(TM), get started now at http://www.brandu.com. - Visit Kim Castle's Website |
|||
Staging DivaDebra Gould, aka The Staging Diva®, is President of Six Elements Inc., an internationally recognized home staging company. Inspired by many requests from aspiring home stagers wanting to start similar businesses, Gould created the Staging Diva Home Staging Business Training Program. Gould has trained over 1000 Staging Diva Graduates worldwide to start staging businesses. Buying decorating and selling six of her own homes in four years lead to an interest in real estate staging which she turned into a career with the launch of sixelements.com in 2002. Since then she has staged hundreds of homes in addition to teaching home staging training. Gould is the author of several home staging resources including a series of popular ebooks made up of a Design Guide, Color Guide and Portfolio Guide. For more information about Debra Gould visit stagingdiva.com. - Visit Staging Diva's Website |
|||
Stephanie RobeyStephanie Robey is President and CoFounder of Pivot Positive, LLC - an Internet marketing business focused on helping people start work at home ventures. Previously, she was employed at The Search Agency with over 20 years experience in graphic design and 10 years experience in online marketing. She was responsible for launching the Conversion Path Optimization (CPO) unit where she and her team have conducted hundreds of optimization tests for online companies across multiple verticals. She is a successful entrepreneur having started and sold 2 companies and remains on the board of directors of the third, PhotoSpin.com Stephanie began her career in the direct marketing realm creating and producing direct mail for many of the major cable television companies and directly attributes her understanding of Internet marketing to those early offline experiences. Stephanie is a graduate of San Diego State University with a BFA in Graphic Arts and also holds an Executive MBA from the Graziadio School of Business and Management at Pepperdine University. Read Steph's Blog Meet Steph and Dave Sign up for our Free 7-Day BootCamp: Self Employed & Rich - Visit Stephanie Robey's Website |
|||
|
To learn more about the Evan Elite Author Program please contact us. | |||
 | |
|  |
Subscribe to Sherice's articles
 | |
|
|  |
 | |
|
| |
 | |||||||
|
Referred by: http://www.successful-realestateagent.com
 | ||
 |
||
|
||
 |
||
|
| ||
 |
| Have you written articles that would be of value to entrepreneurs? Become an expert on our site by publishing them! Expose yourself to a wide audience, drive more traffic to your website and get more sales! Click Here for details. |
|
|
 |
| Modeling the Masters: Learn the true secrets behind Walt Disney's business success factors & grow your company! Video produced by Phanta Media |
|
|
 |
"Learn straight from Evan how you can Make a Full Time Income (And More) from a Website"
Click Here To Learn More |
|
|
|
|
Get advice & tips from famous business owners, new articles by entrepreneur experts, my latest website updates, & special sneak peaks at what's to come!
|
|
|
 Success Worksheet Easy Product Ideas Profitable Blog Guide Networking Is The Future 7 Strategies to Take Action |
|
 | ||
 |
Top 50 Marketing Blogs
Top Blogs To Watch In 2008 | |
 |
Top 50 Blogs For Startups
Top Blogs To Watch In 2009 | |
| ||
 | ||||
| ||||
|
| ||||
| ||||
|
|
|
|
|
||||||||||||
|
Email us your ideas on how to make our website more valuable! Thank you Sharon from Toronto Salsa Lessons / Classes for your suggestions to make the newsletter look like the website and profile younger entrepreneurs like Jennifer Lopez and Sean Combs!
|
|
|
| ||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||
|
|
||||||||||||