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1. What are your prices? How much will it cost to design my web site?
Design and programming services are $60.00 per hour. Generally, the first web page will take about two hours to complete. However, once the design is completed, replacing content for additional pages of the same design often ranges anywhere from 15 minutes to 1 hour. Including graphics files only takes a few minutes to scan and place them in the code of the page. Altering graphics can take a few minutes or a few hours, depending on what needs to be done. Programming in JavaScript, PHP, and other languages varies much like graphics work, depending on how complex the programming is required to be and if I've previously programmed something similar.
2. What is Spam-Resilient Email?
In my experience, about 99% of all unwanted, unsolicited, bulk email (aka Spam) comes from a very small number of sources. These spammers use programs called spiders or robots to search web sites and other Internet sources for any email addresses they can find. Once they have your email address on their mailing list, they will also sell it to other spammers, and the junk mail will never stop.
I have found a way to thwart the spam harvesters. It's not a secret, in fact, I use a program that I downloaded from another web site to create the code for me. But other developers won't put in that extra effort to save you from the hordes of unwanted junk mail. When I changed my own business email address, and placed the Spam-Resilient code on this web site, my mailbox went from literally hundreds and sometimes thousands of unwanted messages per day, to about one every two months. And I will do this with every email address that goes on your web site.
3. Will you give me a fixed rate for my site?
Yes. I can offer you a fixed rate, but the details of the site will need to be clearly defined before I can estimate how much work will be involved. Sometimes web sites evolve while they are in process, and a fixed rate will not allow for these changes.
4. Why do you prefer working at your hourly rate instead of at a fixed rate?
The nature of web site development makes it difficult to estimate the amount of time needed to complete a job. Each project may present its own challenges in graphic design, page layout, programming, and cross-browser compatibility. Fixed rates usually reflect an overestimate of the work required to finish a project, plus an additional overhead. Almost undoubtedly, any fixed rate estimate I make will end up at a higher cost than if I charged by the hour, which is the way you'd probably prefer it.
5. Can you help me figure out what to put on my web site?
Yes. If you have a company brochure, that's a good place to start. You will need to decide what you want on your web site. Many sites have pages in common: a home page which introduces the company, a page for products and/or services, a feedback form or order page, and a contact page. I'd be happy to discuss this in more detail with you!
6. What will my finished web site look like?
At Great Bird, I don't use cookie-cutter web sites, design templates, or try to sell everyone similar-looking sites. Your web site will have an original design. If you have design ideas in mind — colors or layouts — let me know and I'll incorporate them. If you've seen other web sites that you like, let me know and I can "borrow" from their designs.
7. What about getting my site into search engines?
I will submit your site to some of the common search engines and directories once your site is live on the Internet. If you would like me to submit your site to more search engines, or to find niche directories, I can do that at my hourly rate. If you want to hire a search engine optimization company (I'm not an expert, so I don't offer the service), I will change your code as per their recommendations.
8. I already have a web site. Will you update it?
Yes, I can update your current web site by changing the design, updating or adding new content, and/or adding new functionalities.
9. Do you have any suggestions to help me save money on this project?
Know what you want and have the materials prepared. The more work you have done, the less I have to do. Plan what sections you want in your web site. Choose colors and layout styles. Point me to sites that you want to be similar to. Want your web site to have the same content as your marketing material? Supply me with electronic files of text and graphics.
Why not go online incrementally? I can start you out with a small web site, or even a single-page Virtual Business Card. And when you're ready, we'll upgrade.
For more ideas, and information about choosing you Internet Service Providers, why not take a look at this article on BusinessTown.com.
10. Why doesn't your site have fancy graphics and animated Flash movies?
How long did it take your web browser to download this page? How much longer did it take to download the page you saw with the animated graphics and/or Flash animation? At Great Bird, I like to focus more on the content of the site, its ease of navigation, download time, and browser compatibility. Most web surfers will leave your site if it doesn't load in less than ten seconds. I believe that your customers will appreciate your site's simpler design and ease of use, rather than a site using bleeding-edge technology that your web site visitors won't be able to see unless they're using the very latest browser version, the highest resolution monitor, and a super-fast computer and Internet connection.
11. Why the name Great Bird?
In the pilot episode of the original series of Star Trek (for those dedicated Trekkies, the originally aired pilot, The Man Trap), in a conversation between Sulu and Rand, is the line "May the Great Bird of the Galaxy bless your planet." Great Bird became the nickname for Star Trek's creator, Gene Roddenberry. When this business began in 1996, I was a very dedicated Trekkie, and found that name most appropriate for my business — as did my Trekkie friends.
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