QNM Web Extras

Darcy Faylor is an award winning textile artist and quilting teacher from Everett, Washington. You can visit her web site at www.darcyfaylor.com.

So You Want a Web Site?
Ten Tips to Make Your Site
as Successful as Possible

The scariest decision I have yet made as a quilt artist was getting a web site to promote my work. My trepidation was understandable. Taking such a large step out onto the world stage requires money, planning, a lot of work, and a healthy dose of courage. I had no idea what I wanted or, really, what I needed. I just knew that I could no longer send applications to public and private arts organizations with the "Web Site" line blank.

Professionally designed and developed web sites do cost time and money, but do not under estimate the impact that a well-done web site can have on your career. It is simply the fastest, most convenient, and cost effective way to show your work to enormous numbers of people all around the world.

But where do you start? Do you want to try your hand at designing a site yourself? If not, where do you find a designer? How much will it cost? These are just a few of the questions you are probably asking, and should be asking, yourself. But, let's assume you know a great designer (like I did -- Chris Barrett of CBScript Consulting). Even then there are some things you should consider before you get started.

In order to help you acquire the best web site possible I am offering you the following advice, gleaned from my own experience:

1. Decide what the primary mission of your site will be.
   Do you want to promote yourself as an artist? Do you want to sell your quilts, patterns, or fabric? Do you want to promote your classes? Of course your site can include all of these things. Mine does. But, having a clear focus will leave no doubt in any visitor's mind about what it is you do, and do best. Be clear about the site's primary focus in your own mind, and you will find that making decisions down the road will become easier for you and your designer.
   
   
2. Observe other web sites to determine what you like and why.
   Take notes. Even if you are not hiring a designer make a list for yourself. What do you like about the site? Is it the color scheme, layout, photography? Being as specific as possible will give you and/or your designer a good launching pad from which to start the development of your site.
   
   Do not by any means limit your research to other quilters' sites. Most of my favorite sites belong to home furnishing and interior designers.
   
   
3. Begin thinking about the text, basic layout, and number of pages you want.
   In addition to the home page (the first page anyone sees when they type in the address for your site) you will also want other pages on which to display photos of your quilts, tell your visitors about yourself, share your contact information, and anything else you think is important. The overall size of the site also plays a large role in determining the price.
   
   Be prepared to spend a good deal of time writing the text for your site unless your designer is willing to do that also. Avoid writing about yourself in the first person. The most professional web sites give the impression of distance with accessibility. If you are writing the text yourself you don't necessarily want everyone to know.
   
   Proof read, proof read, proof read. As Chris told me, typos on web sites can be very embarrassing. Don't let it happen to you.
   
   
4. If you are not handling the development of the site yourself . . . find a GOOD designer.
   Find a designer you can trust to carry out the mission you have already settled on. References from other artists or persons you trust and work with are an excellent place to start. My site developer's wife worked at the sewing machine dealer where I teach frequently. By getting to know her, I knew that I could trust Chris to be a fair and honest partner in something requiring a lot of collaboration and money.
   
   Find a designer you can be confident has sufficient training and experience to make your presence on the world wide web as outstanding as possible. If you want your site to be a cut above the rest you probably shouldn't hire the fourteen-year-old boy down the street who also mows your lawn on Saturdays.
   
   Find a designer whose existing work you like and fits in with your personal style. Ask him for the addresses of other sites he has built, especially if he has worked for artists in the past.
   
   Find a designer who will work within your budget. Web sites are very expensive. The best designers will allow you to start small and then will work with you to expand your site in the future.
   
   
5. Discuss price and payment options up front.
   No one wants an astronomical bill as a surprise at the end of their web site journey. Be up front and honest with your designer about what you can afford. Likewise, expect him to be honest with you about how much he will charge.
   
   Expect to pay your designer somewhere in the neighborhood of $50/hour. Also, keep in mind that complicated features such as online scheduling and shopping will add significantly to your site's price.
   
   But most of all, do not let your designer start work until you both have reached an understanding of your budget, his price, and how you are going to pay for it.
   
   
6. Be willing to take direction from your developer.
   You are paying a great deal of money for his expertise. Trust him. My web site is quite different from what I had originally envisioned, but I love it. I think Chris knew better than I did what I really wanted and gave me a site that compliments my quilting style beautifully.
   
   But, be aware of red flags. If your designer will not listen to your wants or needs or refuses to make changes without offering a legitimate reason (such as, "I can do that for you, but it could make navigating your site confusing to a potential customer") then you might want to consider terminating your relationship with him if you are still in the early stages of development.
   
   If you fire a designer, be prepared to pay for the work he has already done and start over completely from scratch. If your site is nearly done, this may give you pause. But on the flip side, consider the long-term costs of having a site you don't like and that doesn't work for you or your guests.
   
   
7. Be willing to educate your designer on the quilting world.
   He knows more about what makes a good web site, but don't assume he knows that your award from Paducah or Houston really is a big deal or that he knows which way up your quilt photo goes.
   
   
8. Don't rush yourself or your designer.
   While your ability to make decisions quickly can cut down on the amount of time it takes your designer to develop the site, the last thing you want is a site you can't stand to look at or feel embarrassed to tell people about. Take time to make sure you are really getting what you want.
   
   
9. Take the time to learn some basic HTML.
   HTML (Hyper Text Markup Language) is the coding language that makes web sites possible. Having some basic knowledge of this language will give you the freedom to, with your developer's cooperation, update basic text and make small additions and changes to your site on your own. This ability will save you money, your designer time, and you will be able to exercise the widest possible control over your site once it is completed.
   
   
10. Once it is complete, shamelessly promote your web site.
    Long before I even seriously considered getting a site developed I started a list of promotional contacts. My list contains all pertinent contact information for my students, people interested in my classes, customers, colleagues, family, friends, and other persons, businesses or organizations I want to know about my work. Plan to send a mailer or postcard to everyone on your list.