… or more clearer … ask questions. One lesson I have learned this week.
Setting up a project should be as detailed as possible. For setting up a website this involves and design details, inclusive color, images, font size, font family and so on. If this is not clear from the beginning … this project will most likely fail.

Never assume something. As soon as you think this should be fine … the inner alarm should go off. Before you accept a project you should ask as many questions as possible. Let get some ideas here:

  • purpose of website (blog, business card, shopping cart, etc … )
  • number of pages
  • any interaction
  • favourite color
  • preferred images
  • layout (you should spend most of the time on this one with your client)
  • must have links/pages such as privacy or disclaimer
  • … and so on

You would need a different session when it comes to the marketing of the website as this is a different approach. However, keep in mind that the design of a website should not be contra-productive to the marketing. The average webdesigner is more likely to ignore this fact. The topics you should cover here are:

  • keywords
  • target market (people, location etc.)
  • freebie
  • contact database
  • lead generation or sales online
  • explain to them why they need the website marketed … otherwise they won’t see the value in your work
  • available budget for PPC
  • social media
  • … and much more

To be better prepared for such meetings you should have put together a list of all the things you will ask them. Put together a system, so you can use the same method again and again. Improve the method over time and you automatically improve your system.

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