Year: 2007

Chosing Clients Carefully

Miriam from SEOIgloo has written a great post – Being straight with potential web design clients. It’s definitely worth a read.

It also got me thinking about service provider/client relationships. I’m a big believer in only working with clients who I think are a good fit. And no, a decent budget doesn’t necessarily mean they’re a good fit. 😉 I see business relationships in a similar way as other relationships – of mutual benefit. It’s a two way street and if the connection isn’t there I’d prefer to pass on the job.

A lot of this comes down to instinct and over the years I’ve learnt to trust mine. In 99% of the jobs I’ve been unsure of, but taken anyway, I’ve regretted it. And for all those I turn down a better opportunity knocks.

My goal is to present my clients with the best possible web solution and implement it. This is not possible if the relationship is shaky to start with. So a few tips:

If you’re a web designer – pick your clients carefully. If your instinct says a client isn’t for you then listen to it. Don’t be afraid to turn down work. In my experience something better aways comes along. And more often than not the ones your instinct says to walk away from will be the most difficult, time consuming jobs you’ll ever have.

If you’re looking for a web designer – don’t just go with the cheapest designer. Go with the one you can relate to. The one who makes sense and seems to be on your wavelength. And understand that developing a website requires work – some of which you’ll need to do.

At the end of the day you’re a team working on the mutual goal of a successful website. The better you work together the more successful the outcome will be.

Build Me a Free Website, It Will Make You Rich!

Any web designer will know the story – build me a free website and I will recommend you to so many people you will become rich. Not.

This approach is not only time wasting it’s insulting. So to all you web designers out there, take some time out for a giggle. Perhaps the next time you’re approached for a freebie you can send them the link.

Thanks Kal.

Audio Commentary on Websites – Urghhh!

I’ve been researching a particular market for a client and every single website I land on has audio – not just the crappy music we all know and love but someone speaking. Good grief how can one read the text and follow the audio at the same time? It so annoying and of course there’s no way to switch it off bar muting my speakers.

I suspect some enterprising soul has gone and pitched to all the businesses in the area. Telling them how great, and cutting edge having an audio commentary is. Not. If I was an actual buyer I’d be off those sites so darn fast my mouse would leave rubber marks.

I wish more people would put themselves in the shoes of their users and consider whether a “feature” really is a “feature”. 9 times out of 10 I’d bet my house it does nothing but drive people to their competitor’s websites. Which, when you think about it, is really good for my client. 😉

Google Reader – I’ve Been Assimilated

Pardon the Star Trek saying. 🙂

About two weeks ago I decided to try Google Reader after a blog post from my friend Peter. The results are in – I love it! It’s much easier to manage and organise and I love the trends. It has a few things I don’t like but nothing so dramatic that I’d go back to Bloglines.

Funnily enough since then my husband has finally decided to get with the program and subscribe to some blogs. I’d always recommended Bloglines and that’s what he went with. I showed him Google Reader but I suspect it was a little too much. Bloglines is a great way to start with RSS and feeds etc. I’d say something like Google Reader is more for advanced users. Although I don’t think I’ll tell him that. 😉

Design Deadlines and the Creative Process

I’m sure every web designer reading this knows what I’m talking about. You’ve a deadline for a web design concept and coming up with the design is taking longer than you expected. And the client, of course, is eagerly anticipating that mock-up.

I try to be generous when I first give my clients an expected date to see the mock-up. It’s always better to under promise and over deliver. If for some reason it’s still not enough time I just try to be honest. Luckily this doesn’t happen very often.

Sadly being creative doesn’t always work to a schedule. So how do you manage deadlines when the the design is taking longer than usual?

Writing Well

I’ve always wanted to write – but never felt I was any good. Yesterday, after penning two blog posts I had a moment when I realised hey maybe my writing’s ok these days. I’m finally able to put across what I want to say using my own “voice”. Well I hope I do anyway. 😉

I got thinking about how I came to that point and what tips I could give to others wanting to write better but aren’t sure how to go about it. If you’re working online being able to write well in your own voice is vital. You’ll spend countless hours emailing anyone from clients and prospective clients to suppliers and contractors. You’ll also need to look at writing your marketing materials such as websites, blogs, newsletters etc. In many instances your main form of communication will be the written word – so make sure you get it right!

So here’s my suggestions for becoming a better writer:

  • Join a forum (related to your industry) and actively participate. You’ll learn how to write clearly and articulately. I’ve been a part of Cre8asite for years and having to put explanations, examples and the like into words has been a great way to develop my writing skills.
  • Strike up email “conversations” with colleagues and friends. Focus on making sure your personality comes through – who wants to talk with a robot?
  • Blog – there’s not better way to refine your style.
  • Learn to speak in a human voice.
  • Practice, practice, practice.

It may take some time but my experience has taught me not only does it become easier it becomes fun. And what’s life without a bit of fun. 🙂

Web Design Proposals: Fixed Price or Estimate?

This is probably one of the most asked questions by web designers. Do you provide fixed price quotes or estimates?

Many choose to go down the estimate route as often jobs can expand or go over budget significantly and leave the designer out of pocket. An estimate stops this by allowing you to add a clause such as the following:

These figures are an estimate, not a quote. They are based on information provided, and may be inappropriate if additional information is forthcoming, or job specifications change. It is valid for XX days.

This gives the designer a way to ensure that all work not covered, or for extra time spent changing a photo/colour/insert-element-here 20, times is compensated for. But is it the best approach?
For a long time in my web design career I used estimates. Last year I moved to fixed price quotes. Why?

  • It’s simpler for both me and my clients. We both know where we stand and what we’re getting.
  • It’s much easier to covert a prospect if they know exactly what they’re going to be paying for their site.

But how do you manage continual changes, additions of new features and so forth I hear you ask? Simple.

  1. Define what your quotes do and don’t include.
  2. Define how many updates, changes, re-designs etc you will do within that figure.
  3. Communicate with your client. If they want something outside the scope of the quote explain it to them. Most clients are fine with this as long as you communicate with them clearly – before you do any additional work.

It’s up to us to manage the design project and our client’s expectations. I always use the “is it reasonable” test. I’m happy to be flexible, if a client decides the photo they wanted to use looks no good and would like it changed I’ll change it. If they ask me to change it 10 more times it’s no longer reasonable and outside of the scope of the quote. 99% of the clients I have dealt with would find that reasonable too. And those that don’t aren’t clients any more. 😉

This way is not for everyone, I’ve been designing websites for long enough to be able to quote accurately, but I definitely think it’s the best approach.

Trying Out New Feed Readers

If I’m honest I wouldn’t even be blogging if it wasn’t for my good friend Peter taking the time to explain over the phone how to set-up RSS feeds in a Feed Reader – Bloglines. I’ve used Bloglines ever since and have been ever grateful to him as it changed the way I worked and viewed the web.

Some years on Peter started a thread: Moving From Bloglines To Google Reader and I decided this time I’d get with the program and give something else a go. Enter Google Reader and I’m actually impressed. It took a while to get used to and I was tempted to go back to Bloglines but now I’m thinking I may stick with it for a while.

What I like:

  • I could easily import my feeds from Bloglines meaning I didn’t have to start again.
  • The folder system is easier to use than Bloglines so I feel better able to manage all my subscriptions.
  • I like the Ajax interface better than the old antiquated frames of Bloglines.

What I’d like to see:

  • A better way to mark posts read. You can mark a whole feed read but you have to remember to do this. Maybe as I get used to Google Reader this will come more naturally.
  • New posts opening in the same window as the previous post – although I may just not have found this yet.

What I do find interesting is Google Reader makes it much easier for the reader to read in the reader and not visit your blog/website. With Bloglines I always displayed just the summary and clicked onto the site if a post interested me. This has changed the way I think about my own blog and how it is viewed.

Since then the lovely Peter has written an update: List of Popular Feed Readers *sigh*. I really don’t have time to try them all so will rely on feedback and maybe just test a few.

So what Feed Reader are you using? Why?