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Proceeding with the decision to establish a web site can be very interesting, fun, and exciting. It can also entail some work - the content must be planned, materials must be gathered, and the site must be designed. At Infinity Web Design, we want to make this process a positive and rewarding experience, and we feel that ongoing communication is essential to a positive outcome and a mutually satisfying relationship. An important component of this communication involves keeping the customer informed throughout the Web design process in an effort to avoid unpleasant "surprises." 

What You'll Find Here
Our commitment to better communication with our customers is the purpose of "How It Works." Here we address various areas that are important considerations in the decision to establish Internet presence in our efforts to facilitate our clients' understanding of all aspects of this important undertaking. There is a wealth of information contained within this page that was developed to help clients better understand the web design process and some of its important components. This section will introduce you to the topics you can expect to find here:

• Methodology - Our methodology helps customers understand what is involved in the Web design process.
• Decisions - There are many decisions that must be made before beginning work. To further assist with the web site development process, we've also developed a list of Preparations that must be made.
• How to Lower Costs - We've also included a section that will help you understand how you can lower costs so you get the most from your investment. 
• Plan Now, Save Later  - This is a hypothetical example that shows how some unnecessary costs can be avoided through adequate planning.
• But I'm Here, You're There - This section explains how we bridge any geographic gaps and overcome the problems of telework that may arise as we try to communicate and transfer materials long distance.
• Contracts - A brief discussion about our contract requirements.
• Fees - Here we discuss how the payment of web design fees is typically handled. To find our rates, please refer to our Services page.
• Billing - Our billing practices are explained.
• Referrals - Learn about the incentives we offer for your referrals.
• Request a Consultation - Fill out this easy to use online form and tell us your web design needs. We'll be happy to contact you for a no-cost, no-obligation consultation.

1. Define Project Scope
2. Plan & Profile Project
3. Submit Proposal 
4. Negotiate Contract Terms
5. Gather Materials
6. Create Prototype Site
7. Design & Test Site
8. Implement Site & Transfer Ownership
9. Maintain & Promote Site

We have developed an extensive list of Preparations to help explain the various aspects of the web design process that merit your attention and consideration. It has been included as its own page so that it can be printed and actively used and referred to as needed.

Of course, many of the design and structure decisions can be left to the discretion of Infinity Web Design. As mentioned, content, and existing artwork, color schemes, and logos frequently dictate the direction of the site. So although individuals are encouraged to participate in the creative process, it is not mandatory. Nor should it overwhelm those with other more important tasks to attend to. At Infinity Web Design, we take great pride in our creative design abilities and we are more than happy to employ a "take the ball and run with it" approach to any Web design project. 

How to Lower Your Costs
Infinity Web Design is as concerned with your web design costs as you are. We believe that by helping you understand the ways by which you can lower your costs, you can better allocate your web design budget to the activities that will better enable you to capitalize on your investment. We understand that the perceived value of our service is an important component of your overall satisfaction, and we want you to be happy with our services and get the most for your money. This will in turn help us create the greatest level of customer satisfaction, which is our primary goal. We can only achieve this objective together by helping you understand how to reduce your own costs so you can get the most from your investment.

Many clients don't realize that there are a variety of steps that can be taken to lower their costs. And there are other steps that should be avoided to avoid unnecessary expenses. If budget is a major factor in your ability to establish or upgrade your web site, this section is for you. Truly everybody can benefit from this section, as even those with larger budgets should be well informed about the processes that can help save unnecessary expenditures--even if only to redirect those expenditures to other, better uses throughout the site. 

• Provide artwork, logos, graphics, and photos in ready-to-use digital format
• Finalize and communicate your plans for custom artwork to the best of your ability - often times a change in one piece of custom artwork can necessitate a change in others as well, and this can be quite costly. Custom graphics can quickly become the leading cost driver, so spend time in the planning stage to avoid unnecessary graphics rework.
• Proofread and spell check your content
• Provide content that is in final format, with section headers and sub-section headings included as needed, but that is free of extensive formatting
• Provide content in digital format
• Extensively plan your site's page names, structure, and content before you begin work - making changes once multiple pages have been created can be time-consuming, which means costs are higher. Rework costs typically reflect the size of the site, since a change on one page often necessitates a change on all others as well - avoid these whenever possible. 

Arm yourself with knowledge - this site is rich with information about hosting, domain names, meta tags, preparations and decisions to be made, and other useful information. Take advantage of this resource and put it to work for you - it will better prepare you for the web design endeavor and help you better envision, plan, and communicate your web design goals.

Let's assume we have a client who is in the final stages of completing a 7-page web site that is simple enough in design. Let's further assume they have developed custom graphics for the logo and navigational buttons for other pages of the site. Now let's suppose they make the following requests for changes:

• Question:  Can we change the background color of the site from pink to green?

Answer:    While this may seem like a simple enough change, in fact, this request can result in substantial costs - the custom graphics were most likely made using the pink background. So now all graphics must be reworked to remove the pink background and replace it with the green background. Even "transparent" gifs and images typically rely on the predominant color of the background on which they will be used. Additionally, the background color of each page must be changed separately. 
 
• Question:  Can we change the name of the page now referred to as Kudos to Testimonials?

Answer:    Again, this seemingly benign request can be costly. First, the page was most likely named kudos.html and it should be changed to testimonials.html to reflect the page name. Next, all links to the page will need to be changed to reflect the new page name AND the new .html file name. Finally, when the navigational buttons were created, the largest possible font was probably used based on the longest name at the time - will the longer word, testimonials, still fit with this font size, or will all of the navigational buttons need to be reworked for purposes of consistency? 
 
• Question:  Can we change the title of our site from XYZ Company to XYZ Corporation?
• Answer:    While this change is certainly easier than the above two examples, it nevertheless entails opening each page of the site (seven, from our example) so that the meta tags can be changed to reflect the new title.

Additionally, we understand that not all change requests can be avoided - our purpose is merely to help clients understand that some costs associated with unnecessary changes can be avoided.  Most of us don't have an unlimited budget by which to develop our web sites, so it is important that we get the most from our investment. We can help ensure this happens by doing our best to plan our site well. 

But I'm Here, You're There
Often times clients wonder how the task of web site development can be accomplished efficiently on a long distance basis. In fact, developing a web site is a perfect candidate for telecommuting. I have clients both inside and outside of my home town and my home state. 

The great majority of the communication can be handled through email. Email is also an ideal vehicle for transferring already-prepared (text) site content. When elaborate discussions are needed, I am only a phone call away. For transferring documents, graphics, and other materials - there are a multitude of available options. File transfer programs such as FTP are useful for transferring files; programs such as WinZip is a useful compression tool for sending files as email attachments; online communication programs such as AOL Instant Messenger, and ICQ can facilitate discussions; and there are always traditional methods of transfer, which include fax, telephone, USPS mail, Fed Ex, and UPS, among others. 

Contracts
Infinity Web Design has a simple contract for clients to complete upon agreement to contract for web design services. The contract is fairly simple, straight-forward, and it is written in language that is easy to understand. Its sole purpose is to protect the legal rights of both parties.

Should the situation arise wherein a client was not presented with this contract or has failed to sign it, all legal rights guaranteed by federal and state law will nevertheless prevail based on whatever oral and written agreements have been determined by both parties.

Fees
Fees for web design services are typically payable before, during, and after work is performed. Infinity Web Design requires payment of a "good faith" retainer representing a percentage of the work to be performed (30%).  This is the only method by which we can guarantee that our services will not be provided without compensation.

 

Work Objective/Benchmark	Fee Requirement as a % of Total Costs
To Begin Work on the Site	30% - Good Faith Deposit/Retainer
Prototype Approval	50% - Fee for Services Rendered
Final Approval	20% - Final Fee for Services

It should be noted that initial web site objectives frequently change between the initial consultation,  the proposal, and once work begins. The above outline should serve as a general guideline; however,  while the percentages should remain the same, the amounts they represent may vary from the original proposal based on actual services performed as agreed between parties.

Billing
At Infinity Web Design, we like to do our part to preserve the rain forests and help fight acid rain and global warming, so we don't believe in generating a lot of unnecessary paperwork. That's why you'll "receive" your invoice from us online. Instead of sending a written invoice, we'll simply email you with a URL where you can access your monthly billing. Whether you print the bill is up to you - you can save the page and keep it on your computer for future reference if you prefer. 

Invoices are generated once per month at the end of every month and reflect charges for services rendered during that month. Payments are expected within thirty days from the billing date.

Referrals
Infinity Web Design will pay a one-time referral fee for any Web design leads that result in payment for services rendered to the referred client. The fee is based on the amount of the services rendered initially during the first billing period, and does not continue to accrue with each successive payment or service rendered. Referral fees are paid for the first site for which work is performed and do not apply to additional web sites for which services may be rendered to clients. 

For ongoing customers, the referral fee will be equal to 15% of the approved contract amount or, where work is to be done piecemeal, the fee will be equal to 15% of the amount of the services rendered during the first billing period. Add-ons or increases to the cost of the total work to be performed when the fee is based on a contract amount will not be included. The referral fee will be presented to referring clients in the form of a web design services credit for which services will be rendered without charge. 

Referrals from non-clients will be equal to 10% of the approved contract amount or, where work is to be done piecemeal, the fee will be equal to 10% of the amount of the services rendered during the first billing period. Add-ons or increases to the cost of the total work to be performed when the fee is based on a contract amount will not be included. The referral fee will be presented in the form of a check for US funds upon payment of fees from the referred client. The referral fee percentage can be converted from the non-client (10%) to the client (15%) rate should the referrer become a client, and redeemed in services rendered without charge.

Request A Consultation
We would very much enjoy the opportunity to work with you to plan your new site or upgrade your existing site. If you would like to be contacted to further discuss any of your web design project needs, please fill out our online Request Form and you will be contacted shortly. Remember, this is a no-cost, no-obligation consultation for which no fees will be charged or incurred.

Please refer to our Services page for descriptions of the many services offered and pricing, or contact Infinity Web Design today for any additional questions or use our Request Form for a no-obligation consultation to discuss your Web design needs.