Fall in Love With Your Team | Expert Advice for Building Your Dream Team

Building your brand’s online presence sounds exciting, but when you consider how many experts you’ll need to enlist in order to do it RIGHT, you might begin to feel a bit intimidated. Since you’re busy and you don’t have room for any more stress in your life, we’ve taken some time to compile a super insightful guide that will help you choose the ideal Web Designer, Copywriter, Graphic Designer, and SEO Strategist; ultimately building a dream team of experts who will stop at nothing to achieve your brand’s ideal online image.

Laying the Groundwork with a Beautiful Website | Expert Christine Belan weighs in

I see you, and I hear from you! Hiring a pro to build and design your website is serious business, and shouldn’t be taken lightly. After all, your online presence is a reflection of the legitimacy of your business. As an experienced designer, I make sure to remind my clients that I know what a big investment this is. I urge you to choose a web designer who treats your website design project with this same level of importance.

When it comes to actually FINDING your web designer, you might feel a little lost. Let’s say you put out a call for a web designer on Facebook. You might end up trying to filter through 150 comments and going crazy in the process. You need to realize that there are literally thousands of web designers who can help you, and these are just a few of them! You owe it to yourself to refine your request, provide additional details in your call out, and don’t be afraid to share. Here are a few things worth mentioning:

  • Tell us what your project is, whether you have a domain and hosting. What platform you are using, and what theme you are using.

  • Tell us whether you have worked with another web designer or developer, or whether you have been DIYing your heart out.

  • Tell us If you have a set budget, and share it! Web designers who charge more will keep their comments to themselves because you can’t afford them and they can’t afford to work for less than a certain amount. There are always designers available to work on your projects at all price points. You will find someone!

  • Share your timeline and launch needs. Some of us have openings and some of us can take on quick turnaround projects, while other web designers cannot.

  • Tell us if you have an aesthetic in mind, or if you are open to our creative suggestions.

  • Don’t forget to share how you want to be contacted, if at all. If you are going to do your due diligence by sorting through comments then say that! If you don’t want to be bombarded by messages by aggressive web designers then say it!

Pro Tip:

Be prepared to set appointments to chat, Zoom, or Skype with your chosen. You can’t get a feel for a person unless you share time with them!

Filling Your Website With Engaging Written Content | Expert Emmie Noel weighs in

When it comes to crafting the VOICE of your brand, your copywriter is going to take the lead. Yes, you’re going to have the power to veto, edit, and suggest revisions until it’s perfect, but you need to find a copywriter whose style already feels right. It’s ok to ask for some examples of their past experience, as long as you understand that these examples will have been written to that client’s specific preferences, so they won’t necessarily be exactly what you want. Choose a copywriter who can offer samples from a few different industries, so you know will be able to comfortably write about yours.

Pro Tip:

Write a sentence or two in your own words about your brand, and ask your perspective copywriter how they would rewrite it. Any copywriter who wants your business will be eager to wow you!

Streamlining Your Branding With Graphic Design Services | Expert Ang Wencel weighs in

Choosing a designer to bring your ideas to life doesn’t have to be a painful process! Ask around your social media and business networks to get recommendations. This can be a great way to dive in and get feedback on others experiences with particular designers. Here’s a few tips to keep in mind in your search…

  • Give as much detail as humanly possible about your design project. The more information the designer has, gives more creative fuel to work with! It also helps with providing an accurate quote for the job and whether your project is in their realm of skill. Outline what you’re hoping to achieve with the design (ex. I want people to know about a sale, or I want to highlight a specific feature).

  • Make sure to check out their portfolio and website. Seeing past work that they have created will give you an idea of their style. Social media pages also may have reviews on the designer that may be helpful with your decision.

  • Be specific on how you will be using the design. This will ensure that the designer provides the appropriate files for output. For instance, something designed for print will have a different resolution than something used for web.

Pro Tip:

As much as designers love to chat with clients on the phone, I always recommend emails. This way there are details to refer back to without having to furiously write notes while on the phone and having something forgotten.

Optimizing Your Website with Strategic SEO | Expert Emmie Noel weighs in

Don’t work with anyone who mentions “backlinks”, anyone (or platform) who says that their SEO is “automated”, anyone who isn’t conducting an SEO audit right away, and anyone who asks YOU to provide a list of all of your keywords. Modern SEO experts don’t mess around with sketchy strategies, they don’t rely on robots, and they can dig up your best keywords using advanced software.

Pro Tip:

Don’t try to learn a lot about SEO before you begin searching for an SEO Strategist to work with. Don’t refer to an online article you found called “5 questions to ask your SEO” unless it was written YESTERDAY. SEO best practices are constantly changing, so you’ll be better off just choosing the expert who can explain things in a way you understand, and who is willing to provide insight during every step. Also, go with someone who offers packages rather than hourly work, or you’ll end up spending too much without knowing what you’re really paying for.

Did this help you?

Expert insight is valuable, especially when it comes to building the team responsible for making your brand stand out online. If you liked this blog, then there’s a good chance you’ll also love our newsletter, Style Notes.