Don’t choose a designer who handles your project like a server at a local restaurant.  Choose one that will help you get what you need (and explain why).

You walk into a restaurant. They sit you down. You point to something on a menu, it gets scribbled onto someone’s notepad and you get exactly what you pointed do. Little customization, no input, no special advice.

How does that sound for a new website?

Don’t choose a designer that doesn’t offer you advice about your ideas.

You should expect (and deserve) input, effort and care to be put into your site.