Simply handing over some money and expecting a web design company to do the rest is the wrong way to go about designing a new website. You'll need to play an active role in developing your new website, or chances are high that you won't end up with something you really want.

Having a vision of the end result -
When you approach a design firm to build your site, you should have a clear vision of what you want. The more details you give, the better the project will be. This means three things. First, do some research and find web sites that you believe are both visually appealing and functional. Share these sites with your design firm. Secondly, give them as much information as you can about your target audience.
A professional web design firm will be able to take this information and produce a product that looks good visually and meets your target audience's needs. The third thing is a site map. This is an outline of the content that you need to have in your Web site.

Assistance is always available -
The domain name of your site needs to be chosen by you. Your design firm can certainly assist you with direction, but when it comes right down to it, the final decision is yours. The same can be said of proofing and copyediting. A good design firm should have this service available, but ultimately, what goes out on your web site is your responsibility.

Considering logos and graphics for your new site -
New graphics and logos are also different matters. In the event your company doesn't have a logo or brand identity, this will need to be approached as a separate project. In the event you require additional design of logos and images, be prepared that this generally is a separate project and additional fees will apply.

Content for your new website -
As the business owner, you know your business better than anyone. For this reason alone you are the best person at making the decision of what content and forms need to be placed on your Web site. Secondly, you will need to consider whether updating the site's content is something that you would like the web firm to complete on your behalf, or whether this is a task that will be completed in-house.
If you are considering an eCommerce design for your new site, then you will also need to let your web company know what secure processes, such as a shopping cart system or transactions to a secure server or PayPal, need to be implemented into the site. You should also provide photos and copy; however, the design firm can also assist you in providing copy and sourcing photos, if necessary. One thing to be aware of is that you must have an authority to use photos on your website. These can simply be purchased online at a low cost.

The development of your new site -
Once your design firm has this information, they can begin. In saying that, initially you should be provided with a brief mock-up of the overall design of your new website. As the client, you can either approve or reject these ideas, but keep this in mind: once you've approved the brief and chosen a design, any changes to the design or overall Web site will incur extra fees.

Moving forward -
When your web firm begins working with you, their account manager can help you with a lot of these processes. However, much of what needs to be provided for the web site is your responsibility. You should also be aware of what is not provided with the web site such as monthly hosting. If the hosting of your website is handled by the web company, it will be billed separately, think of it as a monthly service fee you pay for the use of your mobile phone. The web site is like the phone; the hosting is like the service plan. Both are necessary, but separately priced.

If you go into the site development process knowing what is needed and what your part is, it will result in a great product that makes both you and your customers very happy.