Hiring a pro to design your Searchie Hub is a great idea, but let’s face it: it can take you out of your comfort zone. You’re hiring someone to help birth your company’s online offering, and you have a lot invested in that. It’s important to ask a lot of questions and ensure that the pro you’re thinking of hiring is the right fit for you and your business.

What questions should I be asking, you may be wondering. Don’t worry, I’ve got you. Here’s a list of 8 questions that you should ask the Searchie Hub designer before signing on the dotted line.

How long have they been working with Searchie?

If you’re searching for a surgeon to do your knee replacement, you’re not going to want to be their guinea pig. You’ll be looking for a surgeon who’s performed many knee replacements and has “seen it all.” The same goes for your Searchie Hub designer. Make sure that they aren’t new at this.

Personally, I’ve been designing Searchie Hubs professionally for three years. I’ve seen the platform evolve and grow, and I am aware of all of its capabilities, as well as upcoming new features.

2. Can they show you different types of projects they've done? And show a variety?

It’s one thing for a designer to say that they have experience designing Searchie Hubs, but they should also be able to show you examples. You’ll want to see a variety of examples, showing a breadth of Searchie features, niche markets, and branded designs. If you are only shown a few examples and they all look the same, keep on searching. You should also ask if you can get a reference from one or more of their Searchie Hub clients.

When prospective clients ask me about this, I love referring them to my YouTube channel to check out my Searchie Success interviews. This lets them see a broad swath of clients I’ve served, the results we’ve achieved, and the value that I’ve provided. And yes, I have client reference contacts at the ready so the prospective client can speak privately with my past clients.

3. Have they handled projects like yours before?

Maybe you are cooking up a combo of offerings that seems unusual or innovative, like a lead magnet that leads to an online course and then a membership for ongoing support for graduates of your course. Describe this to the designer and see if that’s something they’re comfortable with and whether they’ve done anything similar.

One of my favorite things about being a Searchie Hub designer is that each project is unique. I’ve worked with solopreneurs to large enterprises, designing Searchie offerings that range from a simple website to a training site to memberships, courses, lead magnets, and more. The more complex and innovative, the better, because I love a good challenge and I love learning new things.

4. Do they offer training and support on your Searchie Hub post-build?

Once your Searchie Hub is designed and up and running, then what? Are you going to be ready to manage it on your own, or will you want some training and support for a while? I don’t know about you, but I like using some form of “training wheels” when I’m starting something new, just until I’m confident enough to fly solo. So be sure to ask your prospective Searchie Hub designer whether they offer any post-build training or support.

I offer my clients both one-on-one training in how to manage their Hub as well as a membership for ongoing support. This is because I want my clients’ Searchie offerings to be the powerful tools they are meant to be, and I want my clients to be thrilled that they chose Searchie—and Shell Creative.

5. Are they willing to meet with you on Zoom to find out if you have similar values and are aligned with your values and way of doing business?

Any Searchie Hub designer you’re considering hiring should be willing to have a brief and free meeting with you over the phone or over Zoom. This can build trust and rapport and help you decide whether this is the designer for your project.

I try to make this easy by having a Calendly self-scheduling tool on my website, so prospective clients can set up their free exploratory call with me easily. I find these meetings to be a great way to start off a successful client journey!

6. When can you expect this project to be complete?

Once your Searchie Hub designer understands the full scope of your project, they should be able to give you a timeline of when it will be complete. And I don’t mean loose, “one or two months” with no actual due date. That kind of timeframe is not helpful and leads to a lot of anxiety for the client!

When a client books with me, they get to select the date that we’ll do the work, and due to my unique and thorough intake process, we are able to complete the job on the date they’ve selected. This kind of firm scheduling allows my clients to plan their launch tasks and look forward to their Searchie Hub being delivered on time.

7. Do they offer ongoing Searchie done-for-you services?

Let’s say you aren’t jazzed by the idea of maintaining your Searchie Hub: you’re too busy, you want to stay firmly in your zone of genius, etc. Does your prospective Searchie Hub designer offer ongoing service?

I’ve found that while many of my clients find it easy to get trained on their Searchie Hub and run with it, some clients would prefer to farm out not just the creation of the Hub but the ongoing maintenance of the Hub. My team and I offer this for a monthly fee.

8. Do they offer a guarantee?

What kind of guarantees does your Searchie Hub designer offer? The contract should expressly lay out what you can expect as far as the delivery of a functioning Searchie Hub that’s built to the specs of the project, as well as any training and ongoing support. I offer a satisfaction guarantee: if a client is not satisfied with our work, we’ll make it right. I’m in the business of satisfying my clients!

Find the Right Searchie Hub Designer for Your Project

I hope these questions have helped you think about how to go about vetting a Searchie Hub designer, and I hope that you find the perfect Searchie Hub designer for your project! If you’d like to learn more about how I can help you get started with Searchie, visit my website to learn about all the ways I can help, from free resources to my VIP program!

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