Are you really listening?
In the mist of Covid-19 (Corona Virus), we at JDS WebDesign are hoping everyone is safe, washing your hands frequently, sneezing and coughing in your elbow, and practicing social distancing. Over the next several weeks, we are planning on blogging about how to make your website more business friendly. We will have some tutorials on our favorite plugins and features, which will make your site more efficient.
Are you really listening? Usually a question which I ask myself after finding out my perfect client is typically a not-so-perfect client. Being in business for over 12 years, most of my process are engraved in my success and failures. The most obvious took is my design process. My design process comes from years of creating websites, each step serves as a means to an end. It consist of six steps…
Planning
Planning (no design)…just make a road map of what the site is going to look like. Navigational Menu. Site map. Key functions and features. No demo site is provided to the client. Questionnaire only. Competitors. Reason for the design. Content is requested from client. What is my client trying to accomplish? This is the step in which communications is the key. Discussion about who is responsible for what, time frame and expectation.
Design
Design (early sketches)…only begins after site map and navigational menu is finalized. Time deadlines are establish for content. Back end review on functionality. Early stages of coding. Design elements are reviewed. Site is conceptualized. This is the time to review how elements are going to work.
Build
Build (site is developed)…only begins after content is completed. Demo site is set up and work on the site begins. Process usually takes less than a week. Site is present to client for final revisions (not approval). Any changes is viewed as change of scope and design process begins over with potential additional cost.
Test
Test (not ready to launch)…links are verified. Search Engine Optimization (SEO) keywords are secured. Do not design for keywords, let your content be the driver (firm believer of this statement). 404 page (redirected) created.
Launch
Launch (any balance is due prior to launching)…site is launched. It is moved from demo to your actual url.
Marketing and Support
Marketing and Support (optional…but considering making it required)… site is launched on secured hosting. Monthly performance number are forwarded to the client. Site speed. Site SEO numbers are reviewed monthly. Any content updates are completed. Back up on cloud. Google Analytics are established. Plugins and Themes are updated. Security features are installed and reviewed monthly.
In the past, I have had a client to want to place a five figure project on a shared web hosting account. This client had just had their site hacked. I could not convinced them to move to a secured site. They felt the cost was too much. Six months later the client site was down and they were out of business. Planning stages should have been the key to me. While it was a huge project, really was not worth it.
I have allowed clients to change scopes several times with no additional cost. Projects which should have been 45 – 60 days, took four months. In some case, my client was still not happy. Re-design was done, for unhappy client.
If you are looking for a WordPress web designer and/or brand developer, then I am available. I can be reached at 678-718-5489 or info@jdswebdesign.biz .
Image Courtesy of Climate KIC.
JDS WebDesign is a Web Design and Brand Marketing Agency located in Marietta, Georgia. We create AWESOME on line presence for Start-ups and Influential People/Organizations. To learn more about us or how we can help you and your organization, you can contact us or schedule a meeting.
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