A website can be many things. For some people it’s a personal hideaway, and for others it’s a booming place of business. Some people use websites as portfolios or resumes, and others use them as social networking tools able to connect with the whole world. By their very nature, websites are intensely customizable. With limitless possibilities, people can be extremely passionate about making their website into a creation of beauty, efficiency and unique personality. As a website designer, it’s your job to combine your expertise with a client’s vision to create a site to remember.
The first thing to remember when creating a website for a client is that this website, in one way or another is their baby. Whether the site itself contains their work or is simply an extension of their business, they have a great deal invested in this website. Even if their questions and concerns are things you’ve heard many times before, take the time to listen as though this client were the only client in the world. That way, if you need to suggest alternatives to some of their ideas, they will be satisfied that you heard what they were trying to say and that you have a good reason for needing to change it. A website designer should handle every website they make as if that site was their baby too.
Secondly, every website designer should remember that they are the expert, and they should never be afraid to make suggestions. The client has hired you to make their website special. They may have a vision in mind, but they wouldn’t have contacted you if they didn’t believe that you were able to improve their ideas into something truly remarkable. Before committing to a final design, make sure to take the client on a tour of your firm’s previous work and show them all the possibilities out there. Don’t be afraid to explore new territory, but remember that there’s nothing wrong with tried and true. You may come up with something that neither of you had imagined!
Finally, you want to make certain that everything you do is in pristine working order before handing the website over to the client. You may be the website designer, but your client will most likely be its most frequent maintainer. Leave them a perfectly functioning system so that your good work is sure to last. When they do updates or make minor changes, they will be reminded all over again of how much they love their website. Not only will you have one happy client, you’ll have a client who will be very likely to recommend you as a website designer to brand new clients.
As a website designer, you are part of one of the fastest-growing and fastest-changing industries out there today. Since your field is so very competitive, you need to do everything you can to impress your clients with a good first impression and a great follow-through. We at DBurns Design (http://localhost/dburnsdesign/) believe that communicating with the client, to hear what they have to say, and to allow them help design a truly fantastic site!