Building a website together

The website building process can be fun and frustrating at the same time. A website should be an extention of someone's personality on the internet. For most people, they would like to have an online presence for their business. A way for new customers to be able to contact the business. Others want a personal space for friends and family to find them and see what they are doing. Everyone wants the website to include their own personal or business styles.

Due to this situation, I have two jobs. One is to be a total computer geek working with computer code, website hosting, domains, (enter more computer jargon here). I also have the job to talk with you, the customer, find out what it is you really want and put that online.

What is the difference between MMCS and other web design companies?
I am a driven small business owner in a company of one. I am a straight shooter that likes to see things done right. There are no hidden costs and no 'large business' expenses.

What do you charge to have a website built?
Every website, like every person or business, is different. I charge depending on the complexity of the site, what options you would like to have available, and how much work is involved in setting up the website. The typical website consists of 1-5 pages and usually requires less than ten hours of worktime to set up. This typically runs between $500-$1000 for the initial setup of the website. Maintainance and updates after the setup are $50 per hour. Typical pages needed:

• Home
• Contact Us
• Products/Gallery 
• News
• About

What is the process for setting up a website?
I like to meet the customer before work starts and negotiate the price depending on the wants and needs of the customer. I will either set up a flat charge for the site or set up an hourly rate. I will then have the customer browse the internet for similar websites and features that they like. This gives me an understanding of their personal style and an idea of where to begin. There are certain things that are necessary from the customer to get the website done:

1. A domain name - this is the address that you will give others to view your website. (i.e. http://fossil-bug.com). It is best to find a short and simple name as most people don't like to type long websites. For example (http://mrazcomputerconsultativeservices.com vs http://mccs.com). The availability of the domain is important. If someone else already owns it, you will have to locate another name or try to buy it from the current owner. That can get very expensive when an unclaimed domain typically costs $10 per year to register. There are plenty of places to search for available domain names. I personally use http://godaddy.com, or search google for 'domain registration' will provide other equally useful sites.
2. Content - this is usually the task that holds up a website when first being created. If you need a site with five pages, each page will need text and pictures. This is not something I can provide since you know your business or personality. I can provide general information about what others use on their sites, but in the end, it is up to you.
3. Colors - this is like picking colors for a house. As I would recommend with a house, look at other websites for color combinations. Make sure they are easy on the eyes. Have friends look at them and give you their opinions regarding legibility and contrast. Once you have done this, it will be necessary to find the color code for the color. That will make sure that the entire website matches. Here is a link to the html color codes for comparison. What the webmaster will need is the hex (six-digit alphanumeric) code.
4. Patience - as the site is coming together I will have numerous questions and at times the site may not look its best. Note your concerns, what you do and do not like, and realize it is like a sculpture. The initial mold may not look like much, but with proper guidance, the end product will be something we can both be proud of.

How do I get started?
First, I would look for the domain name and get an idea of what you want. How many pages, similar websites and gather the content. Contact me whenever you are ready to begin.