Outsourced Design

I’ve been designing web sites for almost a decade. I love web design. I stay up late designing web sites. I thrive on learning cool new techniques and get a rush every time I update a page’s source code and click refresh.

Every…single…time.

It’s an addiction. (Maybe you’re addicted too?)

So, strictly from a passion perspective, I would never outsource the coding of a web site.

Frankly, there were a lot of people really frustrated that I would even recommend outsourcing anything in your design company.

So when Rick from HTML Guys reached out to me asking if I would use and review their services here at Design Blender, I was hesitant.

I mean come on! I’m a web designer.

What kind of web designer doesn’t actually code up his own web sites, right?

Wouldn’t letting someone else code my web design throw me into some existential crisis? Or at a minimum it surely wouldn’t be as good as the work I would have done myself.

Right?

But I decided to give it a shot. Why? Because many of you have written in asking how you can take the next step from graphic design to web design.

And I actually think this is a great way to bridge that gap.

But don’t let me make the call for you. Should you outsource your HTML?

Here’s what happened to me.

You decide for yourself.

(PS: if you think this post could help other designers, please do me a favor and tweet about it.)

I’m web designer. I outsourced my PSD to HTML. Here’s what I learned.

Before I can relate the full story to you, I need to give you a little background.

The backstory

Years ago, when I was just getting my business going, I started a company (a brand, really) called Mighty Media.

My URL was something long and hard to remember. My designs (in retrospect) were probably not that good and I eventually ditched the brand and started just freelancing under my own name.

But about a year ago, I decided I was ready to grow beyond myself (hire more people, get more done, build a bigger business) and realized I wanted to revive my old web design brand.

This time, I would pair it with web marketing (something I’ve excelled at over the last half-decade) and offer web design consultancy.

Through Mighty Media Co., customers could receive spectacular web design services or, more commonly, be advised on what design changes their site needed in order to be more successful.

It was about that time that Rick from HTML Guys contacted me asking if I would review their services on this blog.

I almost never review services or products here at Design Blender because I just don’t think that’s what the site is about.

But when Rick’s email was surrounded in my inbox with emails from readers with questions like “how do I start transitioning from graphics to web design?” or “what do I do if my client wants web design services and I’m not that good at HTML?” it seemed like I great opportunity to help out a bunch of people who felt stuck.

Maybe you’re there.

Maybe you feel stuck due to your lack of HTML/CSS/PHP/etc. knowledge.

Or maybe you’re like me and you’re ready to grow beyond yourself, but can’t seem to find enough hours in the day.

Either way, I think what happened next in my story may help you.

The agreement

So here’s what I proposed to the HTML Guys:

I’ll review your service if you let me submit a one-page sales page PSD which you then code for free. I will be honest about the quality of service and won’t sugar-coat anything in my post.