- What does your business name mean?
- There are thousands of web design companies out there. What makes Poiema Design different?
- Why should I hire a professional to design my website?
- Why should I hire a professional copywriter?
- What products do you use to develop websites?
- How much will it cost?
- How long will it take?
- What is hosting?
- What services do you provide?
- Can I make changes after approving the concept?
- Once the site is complete, can I make changes and updates to it?
- What is your payment policy and what type of payments do you accept?
- What are your office hours?
What does your business name mean?
When starting the firm back in 1998, I wanted something that was both distinctive and unique. I chose poiema, an ancient Greek word which refers to workmanship with an artistic quality to it. We get our English word, poem, directly from this Greek word. It is also used in one of my favorite scriptures in the Bible, Ephesians 2:10, For we are His workmanship (poiema), created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them. God’s poetry… amazing thought, isn’t it?
Our goal at Poiema Design is that in all we do and say we will reflect that kind of workmanship.
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There are thousands of web design companies out there. What makes Poiema Design different?
There is a great deal of difference between being a web designer and simply having the tools. To put it on a personal level, I may own the best carpentry tools in the world, but that does not make me a skilled carpenter, I assure you. The same is true of web design. Having the web design tools does not make one a skilled web designer any more than having carpentry tools makes one a master carpenter.
At Poiema Design, we take your project seriously or we do not take it. We have years of experience and we are constantly and consciously seeking to improve our skill sets.
And, as a small business owner, our most cost effective marketing is through referrals from our existing clients. So, we have a vested interest in making sure our clients are more than satisfied with their site design.
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Why should I hire a professional to design my website?
Quite simply for the same reason you hire any professional – for their expertise. Why do people pay photographers for quality photos when we all own cameras? Because it is not the camera that makes the photo great, it is the photographer. The same is true with hiring a professional to do your web site.
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Why should I hire a professional copywriter?
If you know how to write engaging text that is also SEO friendly, perhaps you can. However, the best methodology is to work with a firm like ours that can take your text and tweak it so that it is not only appealing to the people who visit your site but also appeals to the search engines. Read more about our copywriting services.
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What products do you use to develop websites?
The tools and platforms we typically will use include, but are not limited to Adobe Creative Suite – primarily using Photoshop, Fireworks, and Dreamweaver, TextWrangler, MAMP Pro, WordPress and Drupal as well as other products such as Illustrator, Flash / HTML 5. We are also beginning are to make use of responsive web design techniques and tools for mobile platforms.
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Until we have had a chance to discuss your specific needs and requirements, we typically cannot give a quote. For example, a ten page site that has only text, stock photos and an email contact will be very differently priced than a ten page site which has ecommerce, a content management system, custom graphics, contact forms and a built in blog.
The more interactive and engaging your site is for your clientele the more it typically will cost. Once we reach an agreed concept of what the site will include, a firm quote is given for that work at that point in time. Of course, any changes to the agreed scope of work could incur additional charges.
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How long will it take?
Once we receive from you the copy (text) for your site and any graphics you want included, it generally takes 3 – 6 weeks from start to finish. All copy submitted 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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What is hosting?
Just as a home needs a lot to sit on, so your web site needs a host – think of it as digital real estate – to sit on. This is the place where your domain name, web site files and other assets are located. At Poiema Design, we provide reliable affordable hosting for businesses and offer pricing with your web proposal.
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- Professional website design
- Website maintenance
- Website analysis
- Website banners
- Website graphics
- Search Engine Optimization
- Social Media Integration (Facebook, Twitter, etc.)
Can I make changes after approving the concept?
Yes, however design changes performed after you have approved the concept will be charged at an hourly rate of $75.00 US.
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Once the site is complete, can I make changes and updates to it?
Yes, we offer CMS (content management system) for just this reason. We can customize the CMS to your professional website and add features specific to your organization. With this CMS you will be able to build new pages, edit existing pages, upload images, documents and more.
Our CMS allows you to make text changes to your web site at your convenience, while maintaining site standards for style, layout, and code.
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What is your payment policy and what type of payments do you accept?
We require 50% of your estimated total as a deposit prior to beginning work. The final payment is due immediately upon completion of the project or sooner if web project is delayed by client. Full payment is due 90 days from contract date.
We will accept credit cards, checks and PayPal for projects. Your project will begin once we have received a signed contract and down payment.
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What are your office hours?
Our office hours are:
9:00 am – 5:00 pm Monday – Friday, Pacific Time
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