Here are some common questions about my services and some answers. If you have additional questions, please Contact Me and I can provide you with answers.
Domain Name - What is it and why do I need it?
Your domain name is the address of your website. For example, my domain name is cliffpfeifer.com, this is also called a URL.
Domain names can be purchased freely, if they are available.
Your URL must be unique, if someone else has already purchased the name you want, you can't use it.
You can search to see if your name has been taken, and if it has, you'll need to come up with something different. The yearly fee for this service is right around $20, and that money goes towards maintenance fees to the domain name regulators.
Why is it important to purchase a domain name?
If you do not own your domain name outright it can lead to major problems down the road. Worst case, you could be locked out of your own website and forced to buy another domain name then transfer your site to that name. Aside from being a huge pain in the butt, this may confuse your existing clients and cost you business.
It's also important to note that your domain should be registered in your name, don't have a friend or colleague do it for you. If you must, have them sign up with your name, email address and billing information and make sure you get the registration information. If the annual billing lapses or the registration information is lost, you could have some serious problems to contend with. Such as losing your domain name, website going down, being locked out of your website ECT. It's best not to leave this to chance.
Hosting - What is it and why do I need it?
If you think of a website like a house, the domain name is your address and your hosting is the actual house itself. It's where the files for your website are stored. The actual device that stores your files is called a server. It's a lot like a big computer that is connected to the internet. Your files and website applications are run from this server and it's connected to your URL so visitors see your website when they type in your address. Without it, your files do not exist on the internet.
There are literally millions of hosting services out there, if you own your domain name, you are free to switch hosts at anytime.
How do your hosting and domain plans work?
Basically, I am a hosting reseller. I do not have servers in my bedroom,
so I outsource through a third party service that I have used for some time.
This enables me to provide my clients with convenient domains, hosting, set up
and technical support at an affordable price with all the features you would expect from a hosting plan.
At this time all fees are annually $75 for all of these services, which is a fairly competitive price.
Can I purchase my domain and hosting elsewhere?
Of course you can. You may already have these services or
just wish to use another company to provide these services for your website.
If this is the case, you'll need to provide me with the login credentials for both services in order for me to work on your site.
There are literally millions of hosting services out there, if you own your domain name, you are free to switch hosts at anytime.
What is a Template?
Most of the sites I build use Joomla or another Content Management System (CMS).
The "design" portion of a CMS website is called a template. So even if a design is 100% original, it's still called a template within
this system. Semantics aside, the template is separate from the content, allowing the user of the website to change designs without affecting the content contained
on the website.
What templates do you use?
I mainly choose to use Rocket Theme templates for most of my websites for several important
reasons. One reason is speed, I can get a professional website up with your content in place very quickly. Technical considerations
such as browser compatibility, Ajax and JavaScript implementation, and a ton of other features are built into the template framework.
Eliminating days and weeks of development time and debugging. This also ensures that your website coding is up to date and
compatible with the most modern technology right out of the box.
These templates are designed and maintained by some of the top names in website development and the framework is the most
reliable I've ever seen.
Why don't you build your own templates?
I can, it's just very time consuming. I would much rather spend my time (and your money)
designing the look and functionality of your site than fooling about with thousands of lines of
complex coding that you and your visitors will most likely never see or want to deal with.
Do you just put a pre-made template up and call it done?
Not really. Contrary to what some might think, any template is far from being done right out of the box. It's doubtful that there
is a template out there that has all of the information that you wish to be on your website built right into it. At the least,
your graphics and content will have to be prepped, coded and implemented into the site.
Custom and original designs will require the development of graphics and CSS coding to be implemented into the website.
What if I don't want my website to look like the template?
No problem, the graphics source files are included with the templates, making it extremely easy to change the look of the site while
preserving all of the coding and technological features that happen behind the scenes. I can implement any custom design over the top
of the template framework, giving you the look you want - with all of the benefits of having a professionally developed website.
Are there licensing fees associated with these templates?
Not for you. I pay annually as a part of a developers club. This gives me and my clients full and unlimited access to all templates, upgrades and
support.
What if I want to use a template from another company?
Not a problem. Any charges related to purchasing or licensing these templates will be your responsibility. In the future,
I may add other template clubs to my list, but as of now, the Rocket Theme
Joomla Template Club is the only one included in my package pricing.
If the look of it is all you are after, an option is to show me the design and I can come up with something similar.
I'm not sure what I want to put on my website. Can you Help?
No problem, I pride myself on being able to do a lot with a little. The reality is that no one knows
more about your business or ideas than you do, so you'll have to point me in the right direction.
I may know a lot about websites, but I may not know much about a basket
weaving business, for example. If you can come up with basic concepts or outlines, I can fill in the blanks.
This is called content development. Just keep in mind that my rates are hourly and this type of work can be time consuming.
The more info you can provide me with, the faster I can get it done.
What type of files do you need?
If you have your website text in a Word document or other computer text file that is fine, you can even send it to me as an email if you choose.
If you give me printed materials as your source that I will have to retype - it will take longer. This method can also lead to typing and
grammatical errors so I definitely prefer to avoid that if possible. If that's all you've got then we'll work it out, this may
lead to additional charges depending on the complexity of the content.
What about Graphics?
Graphics files such as logos, design prototypes or other graphic media should be provided as the source files they were created with.
If your logo was made in Illustrator, then the Illustrator file is what I want. If your graphics were made in Photoshop, then the PSD
file is what I'm after. If you do not have these files, then hi-resolution images are preferred. Providing low resolution graphics can
cause serious quality degradation if they need to be re-sized and it may be difficult or impossible to make even minor changes.
What do you mean by low resolution?
The internet is filled by low resolution graphics. In fact, most images of any kind on the net are low-res. This is because the files
are smaller and they load faster. Resolution is measured by the DPI (Dots Per Inch) - this is the number of pixels per inch in an image.
Web graphics have a DPI of 72 - compared to high-res graphics or print quality graphics, which will usually have a DPI of 300 or higher. This is the reason that images you download off the
internet may appear to be degraded or distorted if you print them on your printer. Hi-res can become low-res easily, however the opposite is not true.
Once a graphic has become low-res, it's nearly impossible to make it high-res again without the source file or actually recreating it.
If you are planning on creating printed versions of any graphics or images, they need to be hi-res.
Can I just give you a link to a website where my graphics or pictures are being used?
I would prefer that you provide the source files or email me these files. If you uploaded your graphics to Facebook, Myspace ECT or a business directory site,
the files are usually compressed when they are uploaded, making them low-res.
Even if you uploaded hi-res photos to Facebook they are processed into low-res files for viewing.
Since these types of sites have so many visitors, additional quality is usually
sacrificed to provide faster loading pages for everyone. If that's all you've got to work with,
then I'll have to look at it to see if it's usable for your project.
If your graphics are on the internet already, they got there somehow.
Even if you don't have the source files, it's still better to email me
the files that were uploaded originally, this may preserve some quality.
Can I give you a CD or Memory card with pictures on it?
Absolutely. It is preferable that you provide me with the exact pictures you wish to use.
I'm happy to pick images from a collection or photo shoot for use, but you should definitely remove any photos that you know
you don't want to use, or communicate to me which ones you prefer. This saves time all around for everyone.
Can I give you printed materials I've used in the past?
Please do. It gives me a better idea of what you're after. Sales brochures, flyers, even business cards can give me a spark to get started with.
If you can provide the computer files that generated the materials as well, that is preferred - especially if you wish to integrate these materials into
your website.
I don't have any graphics, can you make them for me?
You bet. I can generate any graphics, logos or printed materials you may need.
Take a look at my graphic design page for more info.
If you are signing up for a website package, additional charges may apply depending on what you need and how long it will take.
How flexible are you with payment options
I can be flexible with payment plans and budget concerns, as long as we are on the same
page with the timing and methods of payment.
How does your billing work?
After a consultation about your project we'll come up with an estimate price based on an estimate
of my hours. I will make this into a work order and 50% of this balance is due before work can begin.
This is a non-refundable deposit.
When the project is completed, the remaining balance will be due before your website will be fully accessible by you or visitors.
How do I get from an estimate to a final price?
I do my best to give you an actual price initially, or we may agree on a fixed rate
after discussing your project. Once we agree on a price, a contract will lock it in. Any work that is added by you that is
not specified in the initial contract is subject to additional hourly charges.
How can I pay?
Cash, Check, PayPal, Credit Cards may be used through my PayPal account also.
Can I sign up for everything online?
At this time, no. I am one man, running a freelance business. At this point, nothing about the type of work I do can be automated online.
At some point we will need to speak about your project, either on the phone or in person. I can take work requests and accept payments
online, but we need to touch base before I accept your project.
Other sites charge monthly and include the hosting and domain, do you do that?
No. There are no monthly charges, my fees are one-time with the exception of hosting and domain, which are annual. In reality,
these sites are charging similar amounts to my services and spreading it out in a monthly fee -
probably with a 6 or 12 month (or longer) contract.
It's good practice to read the fine print before you sign up for anything.
You'll save money in the long run by purchasing your own hosting and domain - with me or elsewhere.
Do you require a Contract?
Yes, there will be a written agreement of some kind between us. This is to the benefit of both parties.
It will not only specify my requirements, but yours as well. Once the work and payment is completed, the contract is completed.
You are not locked into my services beyond that point and all materials become your property, allowing you to choose the
future path of your website needs.
Why do you require a contract?
I used to do business on a hand shake, but unfortunately, a few bad apples have forced me to be
a bit more diligent in my payment and billing practices. I try to make this entire process as
easy as possible for my clients, and a written contract that spells out the terms of our agreement
ensures that there is no confusion on how things will go down. Honestly, I never want to be in a situation where
either me or my client has to pull the contract out and do something with it - but it has to be there just in case.
What does this Contract contain?
The contract or agreement will contain the financial terms, an outline the work being performed, and basic release clauses.
I don't do contracts, can I still work with you?
Possibly, I treat it on a case by case basis. In this scenario, 100% of payment is due before work can begin and your website will
not be fully released until an invoice has been signed by you that verifies that the work is completed.