6 Questions to ask yourself before collaborating with a web designer
Soul Graphics has been working on many internal processes in 2018. We’re updating our discovery, on-boarding and launching of our websites. And it’s a good deal of work to revamp.
In doing so, we’ve come across a lot of client questions that need to be answered up front before starting any design work. And now you get to benefit from our former pain, hooray!
So, if you’re working with a web designer and feeling a little overwhelmed by the prep. you’re doing, make sure to ask these questions before getting stuck down a rabbit hole. It’ll save you time on the flip side.
- Who are my ideal clients?
All marketing efforts need to specifically speak to someone. And you want to make sure you’re speaking to your ideal clients, not time/energy/money sucks. Write down a description of your ideal client: where they work, what they look like, what their problems are, where they went to school. Write down as much detail as possible. Working through this exercise will allow you to fine-tune your marketing message before putting thousands of dollars into your web design. You need to make sure you’re clear on messaging before the creative process begins. A web designer is only as good as the information they’re given. Make sure you know who you want to work with so the design can match that.
2. What other industry websites do I like?
It’s hard to describe your preferences. A lot can get lost in translation with simple conversations. Research thought-leaders in your field. Check out their websites. See what speaks to you. And then, once you’ve done your research, send example websites to your designer. This will allow them to know your tastes.
3. What’s my company story?
Your marketing message needs to be story-centric. Whether you have an exciting start-up story, long family history, personal vision as your background, or a bunch of great client testimonials, you need to focus on that. Speak through your clients. See what’s unique about your service and product. And write a story around that. Once you have a sense of your company story, your web designer can incorporate imagery, fonts, or total site tone that is evocative of that story.
4. What is my color scheme?
Web designers can often help you with your brand creation (part of that is color scheme), but it’s going to cost extra. If you’re coming to the table with some branding already, a color breakdown is important for a designer. It’s helpful to be able to plug into your theme and have a jumping off point. Make sure to include HEX, RGB, CMYK options for ease of use.
5. What’s my timeline?
May sound simple, but it’s important to have a grasp on your website timeline. If you need it ASAP, your web designer needs to know that up front. Site design can be quick or it can be tedious. If time frame is an important factor, that needs to be addressed in the contract.
6. Am I ready to launch a website?
Lastly, it’s often an exciting time to start designing. But make sure you don’t rush into it. Save yourself the hourly revisions and make sure you’re ready to go into a website design. Do you have a bio, company overview,process, fees,testimonials, contact information, etc. ready? If not, take a month (or two) to work these items out and only, then reach out to a designer. Avoid the brain damage and focus on your internal work.
Being organized and focused will allow you to have an efficient and effective experience with your web designer. Reviewing these questions before signing a design contract is a great start. Have fun and good luck ;)
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