Going with a freelancer

When you ask around to find the right Web site design professional, you

might be pointed toward talented individuals who work on a freelance basis

and take on specific clients and projects that fit into their schedules. Some

freelance professionals take assignments outside their full-time jobs, as a

way to make some extra money. Others have enough clients to make their

freelance jobs become their full-time careers.

Choosing a freelance designer over a design firm comes with its own set of

benefits. A freelancer

 ✦ Costs less to hire: When you hire a design firm, part of the cost goes

toward maintaining the overhead costs of the company. Although that

overhead is beneficial to ensure the reliability of your project, if you’re

more flexible, a freelance designer typically charges less per hour or per

project than the average design firm.

 ✦ Works more nimbly: You might find that a design firm you choose

requires decisions and work to be done in various committees, with

approval required at all stages by the firm’s managers. This system can

slow the progress of a Web site’s development, and if speed is a top con-

cern, a freelance designer who can focus on your project can produce a

quicker result because the only approval that’s needed is yours.

 ✦ Provides a unique style: Although designing a Web site is definitely a

mixture of art and science, the creativity you want might not come from

a firm that has developed procedures and processes for cranking out

their various clients’ Web sites. An individual freelance designer can

bring her own quirky, creative, unique style to your project, which is

what might draw you to this designer in the first place.