CreativeWebsiteStudio.com

I specialize in Joomla and WordPress sites. A Content Management System (CMS) offers so much to my clients that I now shy away from recommeding HTML sites because they lack the flexibility that most clients seek. People want to be able to add text, images and video to their own sites and a CMS offers that.

In almost all cases I work by the job rather than the hour. You may wish to use one of my packages where prices are shown, or I am happy to supply you with a special quote once I know your complete specifications. You can count on my price once I make a quote--I never surprise you with extra costs. If you request changes or additions during the job, it is done by written change order so that you may know the cost before the changes or additions are made.

If you need something fixed on your site, or general maintenance, I do offer an hourly rate. Please see Optional Components (at the bottom) for details and pricing.

You can pay by VISA, MC, AMEX or PayPal. For most projects, like web sites, graphics projects and screen-based learning, I receive half to start the project, the balance upon delivery. On some of the projects I do (such as SEO), I require full payment in advance because most of the work is done immediately. Your satisfaction is always guaranteed.

Delivery dates vary depending on the type of work I do for you, your needs, and my workload. I normally ask for 3-7 days for web sites depending on their size and complexity. Very large sites can take longer.

Let me know when you need your project completed and I will do everything I can to meet your schedule. I will supply a delivery date as part of my project memo to you. I try not to disappoint clients because I understand deadlines are important.

Once a price and delivery date are established, I will take your credit card information over the phone or will send you a PayPal invoice if you prefer.

You can pay using your PayPal account if you have one, or you can use your credit card through PayPal. You do not need to have a PayPal account to use their service if you want to use your credit card. I accept VISA, MC and AMEX. I do not accept checks or other forms of payment.

I receive 50% as a retainer to start the job and get the balance upon completion. I start jobs after payment has been received. Please see payment and refund policies here.

Yes, I can create almost any design you want, whether traditional or radical. Often prospective clients will send me links to 3 or 4 sites they like, and I use that as a starting point. I never clone a site completely, however. It is important that your site have a unique look.

The design I do for you is always subject to your approval. I will contact you when the design is available and you are free to comment on it, and I make required changes. The design of your site is included in the price of your original site package.

If you want a new design for an existing CMS site, please see Optional Components for pricing.

You get unlimited free training about how to use the features of your CMS site. You are provided with a Quick Start Guide and online or telephone instruction. Soon I will be offering online video instruction about basic CMS administration tasks.

I provide a Quick Start Guide after I receive your final payment. It is in PDF format and contains all your passwords and step-by-step instructions about how to do the most common tasks, such as adding text, images and videos. The Quick Start Guide is like an owner's manual for your specific site. I do ask that my clients read it before seeking additional training. Once you receive it you should print it out or store it in a safe place on your hard disk.

In addition to the Quick Start Guide I will answer your emails about special issues you may be facing. Also, I will talk you though any process via telephone as you learn to use the site.  Most people find a CMS very easy to use once they understand its basic structure.

My free training does not include instruction about how to install or configure a CMS or any components. If you wish these services, please see my Web site packages or Optional Components items for pricing.

You can see my most recent projects by clicking here. Keep in mind that the sites shown look as they did when they were delivered. Since my clients can easily change their CMS, they may look somewhat different now. Once clients discover how easy it is to use a CMS thay are always adding text, images, video, new menu options and other features.

You get free unlimited telephone or email support. I offer service from 9-6 Pacific Time M-F and am often available on weekends. I can make an appointment to talk with you at other times on the phone if needed. I respond to email promptly in most cases. Also, I use Skype for IM and video conferencing. Skype is free and worth installing on your computer.

Yes. Please see my SEO page for details about all that I do and my pricing.

SEO is probably the most misunderstood aspect of having an Internet presence. SEO can help you get a higher ranking with Google or other search engines, but only with specific targeted search words or phrases that relate to your site and have been carefully selected.

Can I guarantee that you'll appear in the Google Top 10 for your topic? No, and in my experience only crooks or fools promise that. Many thousands of companies want to be in the Top 10 in their field, but only 10 make it. There is a reason for that. Your site needs to be tuned for a high ranking, but you also need to target key words, have back links and do dozens of other things to get a high ranking. You may have a "perfect" SEO site and still not get Top 10 status because of the efforts of your competition.

Yes, it is possible to get in the Google Top 10 for almost any type of business, but it will not happen overnight. SEO is a process, not an event. I can help you achieve a higher ranking than you presently have. Also, I can get a higher Google page ranking for your business by using localization if your business primarily serves one city or region. See my SEO page for details.

When I create a shopping cart I will add 6-8 of your items, with description, image and other data you supply to test the system and to provide an example for you. The same applies to membership sites.

My pricing never includes adding all your products. I do offer the online training and support you need to add your products to the shopping cart on the site I create for you, and there is no extra charge for this.

Screen-based learning modules can be many things. They can be instructional, motivational or promotional. As I am fond of saying, "Some people learn best through reading a manual, but most learn faster, and retain knowledge longer, by watching a presentation." Likewise, if you want to inspire someone or promote your product or service, a video is right on target to get results.

The cost of a module is based on what you want me to do. If you wish I can write the script, create the graphics, do the voice-over, provide royalty-free music, do editing and production and distribute it in many different formats, including Flash. If you do any of these things yourself, the cost is less. While screen-based learning units seem somewhat expensive to some, they can be pure gold if they keep you from doing repetitious office training, cut support costs or motive web site visitors to make a purchase. These units can be installed on any type of web site, not just a CMS.

Screen based multimedia units are ideal for training employees, instructing on academic or technical topics, as how-to software tutorials, interactive product guides or online "commercials" to sell your products or services. View some examples of my instructional and promotional modules here.

I do work for clients all over the U.S. from my base in Southern California. I will be happy to meet with you personally if you are located in San Diego, Riverside, San Bernardino, Orange or Los Angeles counties.

I charge a consulting fee of $55 per hour, portal to portal, with a 2 hour minimum. This fee is in addition to the cost of your web site. This amount is payable by credit card 3 days before the scheduled meeting and is non-refundable. The insights I can offer based on my Internet, web design and marketing experience is well worth the fee if you think you require a personal meeting. Most often personal meetings are not required; generally, I only have personal meetings with 1 out of every 100 of my clients.

A more viable "green" way to conduct a face-to-face is by using Skype, a free service that is easy to use. I hold many such meetings using the video conferencing feature of Skype, so if you have a Web Cam, let me know and I will provide my Skype address. I do not charge extra for my time when using this efficient means of communication. Also, there is no charge for phone or email consultations.

No. Hosting is a specialized task and you should think twice before hosting your site with a web designer. Professional hosting companies maintain 24/7 watch over their servers to make sure your site is always online, and someone with their own small server cannot do that. Rather than try to maintain servers, I recommend established hosting companies who offer value for money.

Many people use hosting companies like GoDaddy or Yahoo because they are familiar brand names and because they are cheap. I personally never recommend either of these companies for professional hosting because they cram as many sites on a server as possible (sometimes 200 or more sites on one computer server!) and that affects the speed and security of your site. Instead, I recommend a company in San Diego. I get nothing for recommending them, but I have been using them myself since 1999 and they are hard to beat for both price or service, and they do not cram their servers with sites.You may not be able to get support at midnight from GoDaddy or Google, or you may get connected to India. With my recommended hosting service you get top level U.S. support.

I handle all hosting issues at no extra charge, no matter what hosting company you use. You can purchase a domain name from me if you wish (recommended), but if you already have one, I can do what's necessary to connect it to your new site. Once you agree to let me do your site, I handle all the technical details as a part of my web design service.