Fast forward to now and I see the same thing happening. WordPress Consultants are popping up everywhere you turn — many because they were able to easily create their own WordPress site, therefore, they decided to be a “consultant.” In reality these well intentioned folks just know a tad bit more than their potential customers therefore sounding like experts. The fallout from these experiences contact me every day.

Then there are the real experts who are too busy, too arrogant, too wrapped up in their own little world that they are also not doing right by those who have entrusted them with the design, development and support of their online program. Surprisingly I get frustrated potential clients contact me after feeling “jilted” by these individuals on a regular basis. What a shame… This gives us all a black eye.

As in the beginning the onus is on the client to determine who really knows their stuff and who will be there when they need them. This is called due diligence and now with every penny counting more than ever, it is more important than ever for clients to carefully jury those they plan on hiring.

While there is a certain amount of blind trust that goes into hiring any consultant, because you cannot verify every single word or claim on their Web site, you can ask the following handful of questions to minimize any surprises down the road.

5 Questions to Ask Your Potential WordPress Consultant

1. How long have you worked with WordPress?
   The longer the better. WordPress has been evolving like crazy for the last several years and you want to look for someone whose been along for that ride. This helps with theme functionality, code or plugin conflict resolution and so much more. Look at the Consultant’s site and judge accordingly. You can double-check their longevity by doing a WhoIs search at any domain registrar for their domain name to see when they registered it. This can be a clue that can help put the length of experience into perspective.

2. Can I review your Terms of Service?
   This document should be online and available to potential new clients for review when asked for. It should spell out everything you need to know about time frames, payments and processes so you know exactly what you are getting and what to expect. Any questions after your review need to be answered to your satisfaction — or move on.

3. What type of business and SEO support will you offer during the development process?
   There are WordPress Developers and WordPress Consultants. Two different types of service are offered by the two. Those who help create your custom site design while in “tell-and-do” mode without offering tips, coaching and guidance on issues that can determine your site’s usability and effectiveness are developers — not consultants. You need to understand this important distinction so that you can set your expectations accordingly.

4. What level of personalized WordPress training will you provide?
   Will your WordPress Consultant take the time to guide you on how to best use your new site’s features and functionality? If this level of support is important to you, don’t settle until you find the individual that meets your needs.

5. How do you handle post-launch support when WordPress, themes and plugins update?
   WordPress is constantly being upgraded and tweaked both for functionality, ease of use and security reasons. What happens when WordPress, themes or plugins update? Do they update the custom theme they created for you proactively when a WordPress update necessitates they do so? Are there fees involved? You need to seek out a WordPress Consultant who can guide you on what needs to be considered when updates occur so your site remains up-to-date and functional.

E-mail the WordPress Consultant you are taking under consideration about the above and see how they respond. Do they respond promptly, professionally and with detail or in a day or two with a generic response? This initial inquiry in of itself will be very telling on what you can expect moving forward.

By taking the time to carefully review a potential WordPress Consultant’s Web site combined with asking the questions above, you can ensure you know what you are getting for your hard earned dollars.

At your service,
Judith
Your WordPress Consultant

5 Questions to Ask a WordPress Consultant is a post from: WordPress Consultant: Judith Kallos, At Your Service...

Now you can request WordPress Help, Support and Troubleshooting when you need it! My WordPress Girl Friday Support site is available to help you with any WordPress help you may need on a per issue ticket system.

Every time I check my e-mail, there are panicked and frustrated requests from everyday WordPressers who just need a question or two answered. They don’t need a site package; most don’t even need an hour of my time. They are those who prefer to DIY, are getting error messages or want to accomplish a task that just requires a tad of advice or experienced hand-holding.

This site was born to help those seeking answers to a WordPress problems and dilemmas that they need assistance with on a case-by-case basis. Many just need a bit of help with their WordPress site or Blog — not full blown consulting services, packages — or fees.

Now, you are able to get WordPress Help and Support quickly and inexpensively. By having an e-mail only ticket system, that allows me to offer great pricing and you get the direction and answers you seek — in writing — within hours (during the business hours of M-F/9a-5p CDT).

A WordPress Help and Support Service When You Need It!

Here’s how it works… It’s as easy as 1,2,3!

• Register on the WordPress Girl Friday Support Site
• Purchase your Support Ticket for only $49.95
• Then, submit your ticket by clicking on Support Request Button

It doesn’t get much easier than that! Be sure to read the WordPress Girl Friday Support FAQ so you can best use the system to meet your needs.

For those who desire s more personalized full range of consulting services or a new WordPress site, review my packages and feel free to contact me with your project details.

WordPress Girl Friday Support is a post from: WordPress Consultant: Judith Kallos, At Your Service...

Yes, you can create your own WordPress site. And, there are tons of online resources available to learn all the things necessary to creating a great WordPress site. From tweaking WordPress to get the look feel and options you desire to offering a user-friendly visitor experience. The next logical question becomes do you have the time for all the learning and trial and error that comes with that approach?

Have your own WordPress Consultant on Call!

That’s where having your own personal WordPress Consultant (in my case a WordPress Muse — read why) at your beck and call can be invaluable in helping you acquire the necessary skills while guiding you on the priorities you will need to set.

I take a different approach than many WordPress Consulting companies in that I offer fixed price WordPress packages that allow you to budget accordingly while getting a great looking WordPress site in place in no time so that all you have to worry about is adding your content.

Above and beyond getting WordPress installed, configured with the desire plugin functionality, what sets my offerings apart is you have the added bonus of my 17 years of experience and coaching expertise — “At Your Service…”

My WordPress Site Setup Packages have been created over time to cover all the features and functionality I get asked for by folks just like you.

WordPress Packages Include:

My packages do not include your hosting fees, WordPress premium theme purchase and current site content migration costs or adding your content for you (varies per site). I can work on your hosting or we can move you to my recommended provider ($14.95/month).

If your business in not yet on WordPress know you are not taking advantage of Web 2.0 capabilities. If you are looking for an easier way to manage your content, engage your site visitors and take advantage of all that the social media wave has to offer, you need to start planning on integrating WordPress today! What are you waiting for?

Shall we get to work?

At your service,

Your WordPress Consultant

WordPress Consulting | Setup Packages is a post from: WordPress Consultant: Judith Kallos, At Your Service...