How do you choose a Web Designer?

Local
You can go into the office with your notes jotted down and meet with a real liver person to discuss what you need and find out what they can do and have done. If they have a local office, it means they have been around for awhile and will likely remain. You can check credentials and Better Business Bureau lists to ensure they are professional. But they are likely to charge more as it costs a lot to run an office. They may also only work with larger budgeted sites.

Global
No limits. You can find a web designer anywhere in the world. And the costs can vary widely from super cheap to extremely pricey. You can go for a large company or a single person. But be careful, sometimes not everything is as it seems. You may find yourself dealing with a 1 man operation when you thought you were dealing with a large corporation. When choosing a global pro, be sure to look at everything they have done and ask as many questions as you can to determine the legitimacy. Make sure you know who they are and what they can do with you.

First Impression
Once you have seen them all, narrow your search by choosing the ones whose sites you liked best. This is important because if you are unhappy th the site they use, you may not be happy with the site they give you.

Professional
After narrowing it down, investigate the sites. Go through every page, make sure everything works and there are no obvious typos. If they are thorough and professional about their own site, they will be with yours.

Portfolio
Make sure they have a portfolio and client list available on their site, and make sure it is current. If the portfolio looks like it has not been updated in years, the company may no longer exist. Check all the sites they have done to ensure they are professional, and make sure they have some designs you like.

Qualifications
After looking through the portfolio make sure there are sites in the portfolio or client list that they have done sites that have the same features you need on your site. If they have never done anything like what you need, it may be because no one asked, but more likely because it is not something they can do.

Contact
All companies provide you with ways to contact them. With global pro's there is not always a brick and mortar office, so contact will usually be via email. This is fine, but it is always better when a company provides a phone number as well. You may never call, but it is always good to know there is a number incase you need it. When you do contact a company, ensure they respond to you in a timely manner. Waiting 2 or 3 business days is not acceptable. If they make you wait on the initial contact, image how long you would wait when working with them.

RFQ
Every company should offer you a free request for quote. Send an email to several companies outlining what you need, and what you want. You may want to keep your project budget under wraps until you hear back from the quotes. you may be shocked at the quotes, or you may be pleasantly surprised.