There are hundreds of Web design companies out there. What makes you different?
Why should I hire a professional to design my Web site?
Why should I hire a professional copywriter? Can’t I do it myself?
What products do you use to develop Web sites?
Why don't you use FrontPage?
How much will it cost?
How long will it take?
Who owns the completed Web site?
What is a domain name and why do I need one?
What is hosting and why do I need it?
What services do you provide?
Who will I be working with?
How many changes can I request to the drafts?
Can I make changes after I approve the draft?
What kind of guarantee do you offer?
Can you explain the design process?
Once the site is complete, can I make changes and updates to it myself?
What is your payment policy and what type of payments do you accept?

There are hundreds of Web design companies out there. What makes you different?
At Springfield Digital, we take your project seriously. We have years of professional experience and formal education. We also continue taking classes to improve and stay one step ahead of the evolving online world.

We've invested in what we consider to be some of the best Web design software available and more importantly, we know how to use it to give you the results you want.

We will gladly work with Internet startup companies to provide site design, logo design, photography, web hosting and any other elements you will need to succeed. We operate a small business and we are able to give the personalized attention that you deserve.

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Why should I hire a professional to design my Web site?
Let’s say that you're looking for new car stereo, you decide to start by searching the telephone book. You find a few stores in your area and call them to ask about brands, models and pricing. Once you've decided which store is offering what you're looking for, you drive over for a look around.

When you pull into the parking lot and the building looks run down and has obvious signs of neglect you probably keep on driving! You don't know these people, but from the image they portray… you are suspicious and skeptical. The same thing applies to your Web design. When visitors come to your Web site, they are either rolling their eyes or smiling.

In many cases, your Web site IS your business. It is the image you present to the world across the internet. A professionally designed Web site will give your business the foundation it needs to succeed by using the latest technologies and design applications, by being search engine compatible and by displaying correctly in a variety of browsers. When you hire Springfield Digital, you get the skills, knowledge and expertise that only comes from years of professional hands-on experience.

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Why should I hire a professional copywriter? Can’t I do it myself?
Your Web site copy is your "salesperson.” It is the only persuasive element of your site. Copy - if written properly - is what reaches your customers on a personal level and shows them how you are the solution to their problems.

Words are our sole source of communication. They trigger our emotions and are the defining factor in most of our decisions (especially our buying decisions). A professional copywriter understands how to blend emotion, the communication style of your target customer, and the details and facts about your business into a harmonic flow that is well received by your clients and triggers a desire to buy.

If search engine positioning is of importance to you, you need to realize that the selection of effective keywords and delicate balance of keyword saturation in your copy is absolutely vital to success. If you feel you are able to accomplish the things listed above, you can certainly write your own copy. However, we strongly suggest enlisting the talents of a pro!

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What products do you use to develop Web sites?
For Web publishing, we use Macromedia Dreamweaver because it generates very clean HTML code that meets W3C validation standards.

For Web graphics, we use both Adobe Photoshop, Macromedia Flash and Macromedia Fireworks because they provide clear, compressed graphics that load quickly so your visitors don’t have to wait.

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Why don't you use FrontPage?
The reason that we don't use FrontPage is because it generates a lot of HTML code that is only recognized by the Internet Explorer browser. That means that a site built with FrontPage will often display beautifully in Internet Explorer (as both FrontPage and Internet Explorer are owned by Microsoft), but the page will be a jumbled and unreadable mess in the Netscape or Opera browser.

Cross-browser compatibility is very important and we design web sites so that they work as intended in Internet Explorer, Netscape, Firefox and Opera.

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How much will it cost?
We are not like other web design companies who hide their pricing, create arbitrary quotes based on how much they'd like to make, or charge monthly fees for life. We are honest and upfront about our pricing structure.

We will never force anything upon you that you do not want or need. You will have a clear understanding of the cost before the project begins and no surprises when you receive the final invoice. After you pay for your website, there are no further payments – it is 100% yours. (hosting fees for your site will still be charged monthly, quarterly or annually) Our rates can be found at http://www.springfielddigital.com/rates.html

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How long will it take?
After the copy has been written, it generally takes 2 - 6 weeks from start to finish. Copy should be in electronic format, preferably MS Word format. Not having your copy completed before the design process can significantly delay the production of your site.

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Who owns the completed Web site?
Once the final payment is received, you will receive 100% ownership of your web site.

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What is hosting and why do I need it?
Your Web site needs a home on the Internet - a place for all your domain name, Web page files and graphics to reside. You buy or rent Web space through a hosting company. Most hosting companies offer monthly, quarterly, and yearly packages.

Hosting fees vary greatly depending on your needs. Your hosting package will need special features if you wish to sell products your Web site, if you will be connected to a database, or if you have special programming requirements. Springfield Digital offers
a wide range of hosting packages at very reasonable rates.

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What is a domain name and why do I need one?
Every Web site must have a domain name. A domain name is your Web site's unique address on the Internet. It is the name customers will type in to get to your site.

For example, the domain name for Springfield Digital is http://www.springfielddigital.com. The most common domain names will end in .com, .net, or .org, but there are many more to choose from.

Although you are free to use any domain registrar you choose, Springfield Digital recommends www.godaddy.com. After registration, you will have full access to information to your own, personal domain name control panel. The control panel will allow you to manage, update, transfer or change your site settings any time with no hassle, no waiting and no additional charges.

An account with GoDaddy http://www.godaddy.com is free and easy to establish. A domain name will typically run $8.95 per year for a ‘.com .net or .org’ address. If you choose to have Springfield Digital maintain your domain name for you we charge $10 per year per domain name.

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What services do you provide?
We provide

Professional Web design
Website Hosting
Logo design
Web site maintenance
Web site analysis
Web site banners
Web site graphics
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Who will I be working with?
Web design and logo design customers will typically work with Chris. If your project has specific needs they may be handled by other team members.

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How many changes can I request to the drafts?
We'll make as many changes as necessary until it meets your approval. We do ask for a final approval to the design before adding the text and content to the pages. Once you sign the approval for the design any changes from that point forward will be billed at regular support rates of $60.00 per prorated hour.

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Can I make changes after I approve the draft?
Yes, however design changes performed after you have approved the draft will be charged at a pro rated hourly rate of $60.00. If the changes or additions only take 15 minutes you will only be billed for 15 minutes.

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What kind of guarantee do you offer?
We completely guarantee our design work. After viewing the initial draft(s), if you are not satisfied we will do everything we can to reach your goals.

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Can you explain the design process?
We have a five-step process as explained below:

Step One - Contact Us

Simply use our contact form to send us a short description of your project. Together we can review the details, specific requirements and the end result you want for your site.

We'll provide you with a quote for the total cost of your site creation and together we can decide if our relationship will be mutually beneficial. If we are agreed - we move onto step 2.

Step Two - Make a deposit

You'll be provided with an invoice for 50% of the total quote. This deposit can be made via PayPal's secure server using Visa or Mastercard.

We will accept personal checks, but we do require 3 to 5 business day waiting period for clearance of all payments remitted by personal check. Your project will begin once your payment has cleared.

Step Three -Your insight is vital!

While we may be the Web design professionals, you have vital information about your business, customers and preferences that will make your site a success. In order to make the exchange of information quick and easy, we request any and all documentation related to the site be provided at the beginning of the project.

Step Four - Provide us with feedback

We will provide you with two rough drafts for viewing. Your feedback will help us to determine which direction to take. We may only need to do some tweaking, or completely start over. Either way, we offer you unlimited revisions until you are 100% satisfied with your website design.

Step Five- Test and launch

Once you have approved the final design, we add and format the copy (text) to all the pages and set up your desired features, such as contact forms. After everything has been approved and signed off by you, we test the sites functionality. We make sure that your site can be viewed as intended in Internet Explorer, Netscape Navigator, FireFox and Opera.

The Web design process generally takes anywhere from 2 to 6 weeks. To alleviate any unnecessary delays, we recommend that you have the majority of your copy written before your design begins. Springfield Digital offers discounted copywriting and Web design combo packages as a one-stop solution to your Web design needs.

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Once the site is complete, can I make changes and updates to it myself?
Yes, but you will need to invest in Web publishing software and you will need to learn how to use it. You will also need to learn how to transfer files to and from the Web using a FTP (file transfer protocol) program or your control panel utilities.

We recommend using Macromedia Contribute or Dreamweaver. Contribute allows you to make text changes to your Web site at your convenience, while maintaining site standards for style, layout, and code. Dreamweaver allows access to all code, but you will have to be very careful not to delete code that is required for the site to function.

We do not provide support or offer training for any Web publishing program other than Macromedia Dreamweaver. This support will be billed at an hourly rate of $60.00 per pro rated hour. (if the training or support only takes 10 minutes, you will only be charged for 10 minutes)

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What is your payment policy and what type of payments do you accept?
We receive 50% of your estimated total as a deposit prior to beginning work. We accept all major credit cards via PayPal's secure server. The final payment is due immediately upon completion of the project.

We will accept personal checks, but there is a 3 to 5 business day waiting period for clearing of all payments remitted by personal check. Your project will begin once your payment has cleared.

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