Now, be honest, does your web site work? Are you getting the sales or prospects or the increased customer satisfaction that you envisioned when you first launched your Web site? No? Well, rather than letting your site languish, it might be time to give it a tune up.

A web site designer can help weed and spruce up your web site so it can generate a greater return for your investment. Whether you spend $1,000 or $10,000, the challenge is finding the right match among the thousands of choices.

Good web site design is not simply a good-looking page, though. The best designers understand that web sites exist to conduct business. This thinking should be reflected in the questions they ask. Take note of whether they ask you questions about your business, your target market, and the purpose of your web site. Without a basic understanding of your company, there is little chance that your web site will succeed. Lack of direct experience in your company's line of work should not be considered a negative, though. Industry experience, while nice as it can save time getting the designer up to speed, is less relevant when it comes to the quality of the final product.

A key area of evaluation should be the designer's project portfolio. It is by far the best indicator of the type of work they will do for you. Take the time to visit these sites on your own. Once again, don't be dazzled by a good-looking site. See if the site is easy to get around and that its main purpose is easily accessible and highlighted.

Pay particular attention to how quickly the site loads. Some designers will pay only lip service to the mantra to build a "light" site. If a page can't load in less than 10 seconds, with 1-2 seconds being ideal, you've probably lost yourself a visitor. Ideally, testing should be from a dial-up Internet account to simulate your visitor's likely setup. Although high-speed Internet access is getting more prevalent, dial-up Internet service remains the standard for consumers and home-office workers.

Budget-wise, expect hourly rates ranging from $75-$150 per hour. Rates will vary according to the services performed, the experience, and the location of the designer. One way to manage the budget is by defining the scope of work that you want performed. While the designer can recommend what they would like to do, it is up to you to rein in what actually gets done. Asking for a quote that can be set up as a series of smaller self-standing projects can a useful way to re-build your web site.

Change can make a difference. I should know. My company's web site, BuyerZone.com, has undertaken a series of web site design changes we have made over the last year. We simplified our design, removed lots of images, and focused our message, which has resulted in tremendous improvements. Knowing how to choose a web site designer is the first step in assuring your site's ultimate success.