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Among the Graphic Software Programs, I Go for...
With the continuous stiff competition among software companies over the production of top-notch graphic software applications to make the world of graphic designing more exciting and compelling, web designers and graphic professionals are the ones...
Best Web Design And Free Web Promotion Tips
This article gives free tips on how to find a cheap web designer
and free tips on website promotion.
Cheap web design services.
You do not have to spend thousands of pounds to have an internet
prescence. In my opinion you should only...
Free Web Design Advice
In this article I will give advice and tips of where to find a
low cost website design company and also about the best ways of
producing a cool website.
How many people or companies are advertising their services for
web design?
The...
Simplicty is the heart of effective web design
Simplicity is the heart of effective web design
Keep it simple. Will ya?
Have you ever wondered over the striking commonalities among
some of the tremendously functional sites of our time? Just
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What is a content management system and Why do i need one?
This article introduces content management systems and gives an overview of their features and benefits. It should be read by anyone unsure of quite what a CMS can do for them. What is a CMS? A content management system is a piece of software...
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Web Designers Beware!
As a web designer, I have a personal interest in a new trend which threatens to put me and my kind out of business. That “threat” is Web Design Templates. In short they are ready-made web design products which can be used as a basis for a fast and high-quality website. You usually receive a Photoshop file (.psd), Flash file (.fla), HTML files with your tables and initial scripting already complete, fonts, sounds and anything else which may be part of the website design.
A couple of years ago these templates were a small issue in the world of design. Most of them were of minimal quality and there were not all that many out there. Now some of the “big players” like BG Website Templates, The Discount Directory and Plantillas De Website are supplying spectacular designs which include 3D animated Flash, multimedia and dynamic programming for prices comparable to dinner out. Many of these templates rival even the best custom designer's work. So how can we (the humble designer) survive?
- My first suggestion is to “aim high”. By that I mean start targeting a “higher end” clientele. Most companies of any size will not want to have a website design which may well be found on dozens of other websites around the world.
- These templates, while very impressive, are still templates. They
still require the knowledge and skills of a professional for them to function to their full potential. So consider promoting your customization skills to those clients who are looking for a low cost solution. You can still make a pretty profit on the website and you'll get it done much faster. Another advantage to this method is that the client has already chosen a design, so the process of “back and forth” designing is removed.
- Finally, you may choose to directly promote templates on your own website. You may feel that you're cutting your own wrists, but as mentioned before, the clients who wish to use a template most likely didn't want to spend the money for your custom work anyway. Once you've saved them money on design work by selling them a template, you have a much better chance of upgrading their order with add-ons like chat rooms, help desks and newsletters. In the end you may end up coming out ahead.
Whether or not our careers as designers will survive this competition remains to be seen; but in the meantime it doesn't hurt to at least become familiar with web templates. Knowing your competition is key to success.
About the Author
Written by Gene Tewksbury
Webmaster/Lead Designer at Blue Gel Media
Exciting custom web and multimedia design and development.
Copyright © 2005 Blue Gel Media
This article may be reproduced if all content, links and byline remain intact.
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