Thinking about taking on a full time web designer

[Supercod]

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I am toying with the idea of taking on a full time web designer for UK Internet Sites (saves paying one off fees and will free up more of my time and get more sites up quicker). Wondering what approaches people have used in hiring people and if they have worked well for them.

Any anyone that has employed a web designer have you been worried that they might learn the trade from you so well that they go off and do it themselves.

By way normally I hire people on a percentage of site profit basis, but this would be a set pay (with bonuses position).

[John]

We advertised on reed.co.uk. Very good quality of applications, and although a little early to tell (our FT web designer only started in August), it seems to be working out very well.

There is always the risk of them getting wise to where the money is, but as long as you keep them sweet, reward them fairly, that factor is reduced IMO... Might be worth including a force majure/non disclosure agreement in their contract just in case they decide the grass is greener elsewhere.

[FleaPit]

I would be a little worried if you have one person designing full time in house. If he/she has half a brain then they would soon start to sniff about and wake up to the idea of affiliate marketing. The key to being a successful affiliate like many businesses is knowledge. There are those that have it and those that don't it's that simple. Now if this person starts to gets a heads up from you and sees all the internal workings of your network of sites then they would be a fool not to think perhaps I could replicate this virtual empire!

That said, we sometimes forget how long it takes to absorb all this information and put it into effect, so it certainly won't be an overnight thing but my guess is sooner or later they will dip their toe in and once they get a whiff of success...

[pistol101]

It could also work in your favour that they start to get an interest and help push forward UK Internet Sites. He might want a % deal afterwards, but hey thats good for you. The majority of people involved in AffiliateFuture are all into Affiliate Marketing. No sign of anyone leaving yet, only huge competition as to whose earning the most.

[ianm]

You also need to watch out that your site doesn't get any little "hidden extras".

A friend of mine hired a web designer to do a full redesign of his site (which had good PR). The guy did the work on time and for the agreed cost and my mate paid him what he was due. A month or so later he wanted to update the contact details, so he asked me to quickly do it for him as the other guy told him he was too busy.

Had a look at the contact page and was surprised to find a 1x1 pixel link to another site so I asked him what it was for and he dind't have a clue and had never heard of the site in question. So we checked a few more pages and they all had links to other sites on (about 5 sites in total).

Took me about 2 days to go through all the pages for him removing them.

And to cap it all, the web designer even contacted him a few weeks later and asked if he could use him as a reference!

[Supercod]

LOL well I am not stupid enough to let anyone get away with tricks like that. To be honest I am not too worried about people running off with ideas to do affiliate stuff one thing having the ideas, it’s another thing doing them and knowing everything else that goes into a site as this will be a designer, I have people that do content. Anyway I do have other things that have nothing to do with affiliate stuff like hosting and domain names, plus other services that actually need most of the work done first before start them on the new sites.

[Gray@Figleaves]

I agree that it shouldn't be an issue with the developer cottoning on to affiliate marketing - it's one thing knowing about it but another putting it into practice. I've been at Figleaves for 18 months, and all along have wanted to create my own sites but never had time. I've finally started work on two sites, but I'm along way off making my first sale!

Graham
Figleaves.com

[Spreader]

Hi Clarke,

I employed the missus as our web designer!!!

She's good, (she designed thedesignerbox.co.uk for example) and cheap too - and more importantly loyal. However, if I'm in the bad books at home then I'm in the bad books at work too! (LOL).

It has proved much more cost effective and much easier than outsourcing design.

I think you and the other chaps are right though. Your designer may have all of the tools required, but will they have the drive and determination to set up their own affiliate sites? I think not.

Good luck with it all anyway mate.

Zak.

[Mogga]

Almost an aside really, how many people work with their partners, or have done?

[loquax]

Originally posted by Mogga
how many people work with their partners, or have done?

I work with the wife (Jude aka wwb) and also run Loquax with the ex-gf (...and her partner designed our logo).

Works out kinda well really

Jason

[NaturalInstinct]

I have worked with my girlfriend for a while now ant it's working out really well.

[renegade]

how many people work with their partners, or have done?

We talked about it and thought it would be lovely to spend more time with each other in pursuit of a common goal - then I woke up screaming - on the sofa

[Freebie]

My partner does bits and pieces

[Brendon]

If you are seriously worried about a designer brainleeching you, and running off to be a competitor in 6 months time, make sure that the contract is pretty draconian on non-disclosure / non-compete clauses, and be CAREFUL what you let them see.

If you are really paranoid, establish a stable of retained designers on 10 day / month contracts, and never let any 1 see the "big picture"

Also, as a couple of others have pointed out, don't underestimate your own skillset. In my experience, being a good desinger does not necessarily translate well into being a good webmaster, if you know what I mean

[SillyJokes]

Yeah, I work with my husband Phil. It's a weird partnership but it really works.

Basically I have to make all the ideas look as if they came from him.

He misses me when I'm not around.