How to find the right web designer for your online business.

As an online business owner, you probably have quite a personal attachment to your business. You’ve stepped out on your own and taken a risk. That’s why hiring a designer might also feel risky. How do you know you can trust them to have the same passion for your business that you do?

Now, there are many blogs that talk about how to evaluate a design portfolio, or which questions to ask during an interview. But none of them touch on what actually matters; finding out if they are the right designer for you.

It’s not just about finding the most experienced designer with a flashy portfolio. Here are three things the designer should do for you and how you can pick them out during the search process.

1: They should think of the bigger picture
Your web designer should have a holistic view of your company, and not just want to design you a pretty website. Having a beautiful website is great, but it needs to be much more than that.

Your web designer needs to understand your business goals and your marketing and sales plans. Your website is not a stand-alone product but fits into a bigger customer experience. Therefore alignment in all areas is important.

Before even starting work, your designer should be asking these sorts of questions. Be aware of a designer who comes to you with a solution, without first understanding these aspects of your business.

2: They should make you feel heard
Listening is important, but hearing is what makes the difference. Your designer should always welcome your feedback, whether you think you are qualified to give design feedback or not. At the end of the day, this is your website, and you should be proud of the end result.

It is important that you trust your designer but know that you are the expert in your business. If something doesn’t feel right, just say so; be open about why those decisions don’t seem correct — a good designer should want your feedback, as they will care about your happiness as much as project success.

Subsequently, their project plan should include strategy and check-in sessions throughout. If a designer does not plan to take on board your feedback or…