Are you considering creating or updating your site and are looking for a marijuana website design company? Well, you need to know what to look out for and these tips will help you choose.
1. Do not work with a Cannabis Web Designer
There are many web designers who have figured out an easy way of making a website, and all they need to do is publish a website that looks good. But a good website is more than just looking nice, there is a lot that goes into the process. Setting up a WordPress website then buying a cheap template for a couple of bucks, adding some content, changing the logo, then deploying it on a cheap and unreliable shared host environment (this is what most of the web designers out there do) doesn’t need a lot of knowledge or technical ability to do.
A lot of technical knowledge and business sense will be needed in evaluating your needs in order to design and build a web solution that is going to be the best fit for your business. Ensure the person you are working with is able to work with a number of platforms and has software engineering experts in their firm (software engineering is a different skill-set and personality than web designing). You will have peace of mind knowing the option you are going to get from the web developer works well for your business, and not the opposite.
2. Checking their Portfolio
A good cannabis web designer always has a portfolio they are ready to show their prospective clients. It is true that a person has to start from somewhere, but using myself as an example, I was able to build websites for myself so I could have something to show my potential clients since I knew it was hard for them to choose me when they had no idea of how my work is. If you are planning on investing money on a new website, you should have a rough idea of what to expect.
When looking at their portfolio, you should be paying a little more attention than the picture they are showing you. Ensure you have visited the site. Go to the footer and check if the company still does the website’s work (you will notice that many developers and designers will have a link to their sit on the footer). If there is someone you know who is tech-savvy, then consider asking them to look at the quality of the site. You should look at how fast the page is loading. Check how the site looks on different devices, including the desktop computer and phone. Have they employed a simple and uncomplicated layout? If you are the prospective customer of that particular business, are you able to understand what is they do and the information you need in a short period of time? Does it take you one or two clicks to find the information you are interested in?
3. Digital Marketers are a Dime-a-Dozen – Get a Marijuana Internet Marketer
Being called a digital marketer has become a trend in today’s world. You can find someone who has graduated from college and not looking for a “real job” then spending most of their time on social media calling him/herself a digital marketer. Such people tend to start the business of selling the services to small business that are not well versed with digital stuff. This does not mean you cannot find good ones, but it means you have to dig a little harder to find the right fit for you.
When they promise to post on social media on your behalf daily, then it could be the antithesis of quality digital marketing. Social media has become one of the most powerful tools that a business can use for connecting with their customers, and there is nothing that competes with it. If a person tries to convince you to take the outsourcing route, they either have their own interest or they don’t know enough to know how bad of a choice this is. This is not the type of person you want to work with either way.
Digital marketing is an important part of your marketing strategy. A good cannabis website designer will know that the website is a hub responsible for connecting all of the marketing spokes and not just the digital aspect. They should have a good knowledge of the things you are currently doing to market your business, and they should be able to provide you with a couple of solutions or recommendations that are going to tie all the efforts to the website.
4. Ensure they are going to be there five years to come
One common mistake many people make is going for someone who offers cheap services or someone who they know like a friend or family member trying to do it as a side hustle. There are some who even outsource overseas because they want to drive the cost down. A couple of months later, they try to get in touch with a developer but are not able to, and this means they will not be able to access what they have paid for. You should always work with a company that has established itself and financially-stable because you are looking to build a long-term relationship.
5. Finding Somebody You Like
This is not applied to only a cannabis web designer. Many people don’t think about this most of the time. Many people tend to focus more on pricing and less on building relationships. Price is an important factor to consider when making your choice, but using it alone can lead to a lot of consequences you did not think about. I have been able to learn a lot about my clients and how I can serve them by spending some time with them.
When you work with people you like will lead to better interactions and you will be able to learn and understand each other better. You will have an easier time working with a person who you have built a quality relationship with. You will not be able to encounter any downside to having a positive relationship with your vendors and clients. You will also enjoy the interactions.