Design Principles - Graphic Design and Web Design for Southeastern Massachusetts

Recently, Design Principles suffered a minor disaster — we had a burst pipe that flooded the office.

Not a huge flood. It wasn’t biblical or overly dramatic (though I was, initially), but it’s surprising how much trouble two to three inches of water can cause. The entire office was covered; the floor was actually floating atop it in some places, and it clearly had damaged all the walls and trim to a certain degree.

It was instantly clear that we needed a professional service to come in and help. My tiny half-gallon wet/dry vac and meager home-improvement skills were clearly inadequate. We called a disaster cleanup franchise in New Bedford we’d heard of before and they spent the first week getting rid of the water, cutting into the walls, removing insulation, and drying the place out. The workers were courteous and satisfied me that they knew what they were doing.

During the course of the cleanup, the franchise owner came out to check on the job status, which I thought was a nice touch. We chatted for a bit about Design Principles and what we do. We talked about the importance of a company’s appearance, their treatment of the customer, and the importance of a job well-done. As a business owner, this guy clearly knew that delivering a solid service to his customers was of paramount importance.

Eventually I asked if he had a website. “No,” he replied. “I haven’t done that yet. When the time comes, I can probably just do it myself.”

I was struck at that moment how so many people nowadays feel that the computer is not just a tool, but a tool that actually grants them the skill to wield it properly. After our talk about image, the importance of a good impression, and the necessity of inspiring trust and confidence in your client, he was going to lay the public face of his company at the feet of a (probably) freeware web design program and a few hours of work on a weeknight.

Folks, if your website is hastily tossed together, without careful, thoughtful attention paid to its design (never mind the programming and coding beneath the skin), the finished product is likely to do more harm than not having a website at all.

I don’t think it can be overstressed: no matter how good your product or service is, if your company doesn’t inspire your potential customer with enough trust to actually buy it from you, you’re sunk. Your company’s identity is its face to the public. On the Internet, the problem is only compounded — you’re not there to deliver your winning smile or a firm handshake. All you have is your company’s identity, your message, and the emotions that are subtly transmitted through your site’s design.

If you don’t look like a bona fide business, if you don’t look like you take yourself seriously, how will your client?

I understand the obvious barrier – cost. I’m only human, right? I put my pants on one leg at-a-time, so web design can’t be that hard, can it? Why spend valuable cash on a task you may be able to do yourself?

At issue, though, is whether you can afford to try. In addition to the fact that you should be running your company (and making revenue)  instead of trying to learn how to make a website, you company’s credibility is too important to gamble on whether you can get it right.

I didn’t debate the point with him, though. We were already busy trying to pull our team (and salvageable parts of the office) together, and my feeling is that someone who thinks they can do my job without the benefit of training or experience probably can’t be sold on paying me to do it instead. It’s a cautionary tale, though. Folks, don’t entrust the care of your company’s identity to someone who’s inexperienced. You wouldn’t do that to your own customers, and your business certainly deserves at least that much.