Looking for a Local Web Designer

While services like Guru and Elance makes it easy for you to find web designers from all over the country or even all over the world, sometimes you need to find a local web designer. Here's some strategies for finding that local candidate.

1. Do a local search- Google has gotten very good at doing local search. Say for example you live in Sacramento or Baltimore and you want to look for designers in that local area. You can start off by doing a Google search on "Sacramento web designers" or "Baltimore web designers". Savvy local designers will optimize their web sites so that they will show up in local search results.
   
2. Referrals From Your Colleagues- The most logical and likely source for finding a good web designer is by asking others in your field. Chances are that they have a website or know of someone who has just launched a website. If the designer did a good job, they'll be more than happy to give you their contact information. Start off by asking the people in your field that you work with on a regular basis. You can also expand your search by joining message boards and forums for those in your field and asking the members there for leads on good designers.
   
3. Family and Friends- Some of your family members and friends may also have had a website done recently or know of someone who has. You may even have a friend or a family member who is a designer who will have contacts with others in the field that you can inquire about.
   
4. Trade Organizations and Clubs- If you are a member of a local professional or trade organization that may be another source for finding a web professional, especially if the guild has a website. You can also consider going to your chamber of commerce for information. Some web designers and agencies may be members.
   
5. The Yellow Pages- If you're uncomfortable with choosing a web designer outside of your local area, the Yellow Pages and the White Pages of your phone book, might yield some ads from local web professionals. Look for listings under "Internet Services", "Web Page and Site Design", or "Graphic Design".
   
6. Online Classifieds- The most popular of these online classifieds sites is Craigslist at http://www.craigslist.org. If your city is big enough, it may have its own section on Craigslist.org. A lot of design companies and freelancers advertise their services on Craigslist, so it's worth the time exploring the section for your city. You can also post an ad on the "jobs" or "gigs" section Craigslist and have the freelancers contact you instead.
   
7. Online Freelance Services- If you like the security of services like Elance or Guru don't let the ability to search all over the world deter you from using these services to find local candidates. Most of these services allow you to specify that you only want candidates within a designated radius of certain large or medium sized cities. When posting your job proposal, be sure to specify your local candidate preferences.

So, now that you know where to start your search, you need to know how to narrow down all the choices that you will have. Click here to find out how you can learn how to pick the best designer for the job.

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