How To Find Developers For Your Web Site

By Michael Fleischner

I've always wanted to business on the web but was initially concerned because I'm a marketing guy, not a web developer. As such I rely on others to take my ideas and turn them into web sites, web pages, blogs, etc. This requires a good deal of faith and experience in finding the right developers to work on your web site.

A number of years ago I worked with an entrepreneur who told me that he never worries about development because there are tons of qualified people throughout the world who can help you achieve what you are looking for. Essentially, all you have to do is ask. Curious to know more, he shared with me some of his secrets for finding web developers who can get the job done.

Begin each of your projects by first clearly defining what needs to get done. A great way to do this is to create a spreadsheet that includes each numbered task with a clear definition next to each one. By going through this exercise, you take the time to precisely define what it is you want and create a document that can be used by others who will develop for you. This is one of the best ways to identify why you need and create documentation while doing so.

After you've gotten a clear picture of what you want to achieve and its well documented, the next step is to find the resources that can make your vision into a reality. This is very easy to do with sites like eLance.com or GetAFreelancer.com. I have used both sites to find the resources that can get the job done. Your best bet is to submit your project for competitive bids. Include your requirements documentation that you created in step one and add any additional details such as time line and expense that you are willing to dedicate to the project.

Things happen rather quickly on eLance and related sites. Once you place your bid you will receive a number of proposals to do the work. Many people wonder how to effectively chose which company to award their bid. I like to throw out the most and least expensive proposals and focus on those in between. Sites like eLance offer feedback ratings and most companies provide samples of their work. Be careful to review the samples and make sure they relate to the job you've posted. If the company has a good feedback rating from a large number of people, you're sure to have a positive experience.

In just a short while, you'll be doing business with a number of companies. With each project, you learn more about the vendors you're working with and take a liking to a few. Once you've found a company you really like to work with, go back to them again and again. If you want to keep the pricing competitive, bid all of your projects through eLance but be sure to send a request for bid from the company you like working with. This helps you keep costs in check while continuing to work with the company of your choice.

Contracting with a company that can meet your development needs isn't all that difficult if you are using a bidding process. In fact, doing so often results in many qualified vendors clamoring to work for you at a very competitive rate. Working with providers in this way can be challenging at times but is well worth it. Make sure to pay for results, building in specific milestones and objectives into the project. This ensures that you're paying for results and will be happy with the result. - 32523

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