Essential Tips for Communicating with Your Web Designer
Introduction
As a business owner, you’re about to make a substantial investment in a professionally designed website. You’ve requested a discovery call, and you want things to go well. But, have you prepared for this experience? Have you reviewed the tips for communicating with your web designer? Do you clearly understand what a web designer does? Do you know how to convey your vision for your website? Do you understand your responsibilities in the web design process? You’re hiring a web designer, not a mind reader, but with effective preparation and communication, your website will accurately represent your brand and your business.
This post will provide a guide to the five tips every business owner should consider before and during the website design process. These essential tips for communicating with your web designer will help you prepare effectively and ensure that the end product—your website—will represent your vision and your goals.
Tip 1. Do your reserach.
Before you book a website design discovery call, do your research.
You know you need a professional website, and you’re about to book a discovery call with a designer. But, wait! Have you done your research?
Make sure you understand what a web designer does (and doesn’t do).
Every web designer is different, and each one offers unique design skills and expertise. Look at several designers’ portfolios. Which ones resonate with you?
Review the designers’ service offerings. In addition to website design, some may be competent with branding, copywriting, or SEO. Others may outsource these services. Most designers have a web page that delineates their services. Here’s an example from my website for Diane Green Design: services.
Carefully read their copy. Which designer’s messaging resonates with you?
Consider whether you want to work with a solo designer for a more intimate design experience, or whether you would prefer to work with a larger design company.
Tip 2. Prepare for a Productive Call.
You’ve done your homework and booked your discovery call. Now, you need to prepare your information to ensure the call is productive.
It’s time for your discovery call! Potentially, this is the beginning of a collaborative partnership with a website designer. The designer is going to ask you questions about your business, your goals for the website, and the desired functionality of your website. You’ll need to know the answers to the following questions:
What do you want your website to be able to do?
Who is your target audience?
What is your timeline for the project?
What is your website budget?
Do you need to connect a scheduling tool or other apps to your website?
Will you be needing eCommerce features?
Are you planning to write a blog?
Will you be including any upsell features or opt-in opportunities?
How do you want potential clients to contact you? (Here’s a link to the contact form I use for my web design business.)
Do you have professional photos for your website?
Have you invested in professional branding?
Do you already own a domain or several domains?
Your answers to these questions will help your website designer create a proposal that is customized to your website needs. The answers will also help your web designer know if your web design project is ready to roll, or if you still need key elements (like branding) for your site. Based on your answers, your web designer will advise you about your next steps and the scheduling of your project.
Tip 3. Communicate Your Website Vision and Business Goals
Your website project is booked! Now, you’ll need to clearly communicate your website vision and business goals to your web designer. THESE TIPS FOR COMMUNICATING WITH YOUR WEB DESIGNER WILL HELP!
Hooray! Your website project is commencing. Your web designer will probably ask you to complete an onboarding questionnaire before any of the actual design work happens. You’ll want to provide your designer with thoughtful, thorough answers. Be prepared to answer questions about style and color preferences. If you’re providing the copy for your website, you’ll need to deliver it now. If your web designer offers copywriting services, you’ll be asked certain questions to guide the copy. Some of the questions you might be asked during the onboarding process include:
Do you like soft, flowing shapes or straight lines and sharp angles?
Do you prefer muted colors or vibrant hues?
Do you favor minimalistic designs?
What information do you need clients to provide on a contact form?
What design inspiration have you found? (You’ll provide screenshots or post to a Pinterest board.)
What is your client’s greatest pain point?
What are your core values?
Your responses to the onboarding questionnaire will provide the launching pad for the initial design of your website. Some designers will create a draft of the entire site before the first round of revisions; other designers will focus on the home page and will build the rest of the site after feedback on the site’s homepage.
Tip 4. Tell Your Web Designer What You Like (and don't LIke) About Your Website
Exciting! You’re getting your first look at your developing website, and it’s time for revisions. You’ll need to communicate what you like—and don’t like—while preserving your relationship with your website designer.
Your website designer has asked you to review your website draft and provide feedback. You love much of the design work, but you also want to request changes. How do you do this without jeopardizing your relationship with the designer? The success of your website project depends on your ability to communicate effectively. Follow these tips:
Be specific about what you like and dislike. Vague comments like “not my favorite” or “getting there” don’t help the web designer understand what’s working and what’s not. Instead, say “In the second section, I love the line above the photo, but I’d like it to be longer.”
Provide examples for your revision requests, if possible.
Before you ask the web designer to remove a section (or move a section), ask the designer about the purpose of including the section and including the section in that particular spot.
Remember what the web designer brings to the table. Web designers are creative professionals, and just like professionals in any other field, they want their expertise to be respected.
Respect the partnership that’s developed between the web designer and you.
Listen to your web designer’s suggestions and feedback.
Don’t try to micromanage your web designer.
Open communication channels and specific feedback will preserve your relationship with your website designer and foster continuing collaboration on your important web design project.
Tip 5. Use Your Web Designer's CRM and Project Management Tools.
Tip 5: Learn to use your web designer’s CRM and project management tools. (Oh, and deadlines count.)
An experienced web designer has given considerable thought to the optimum client experience. Most designers will use a CRM (Customer Relationship Management) tool like Honeybook or Dubsado. A CRM streamlines projects for clients and designers. With a CRM, clients access a portal and provide information through this portal. This portal is organized to help clients know what information is required of them, and how this information should be submitted. Project management tools like Asana and Trello map the project milestones and processes. Keep these things in mind:
You’ll need to keep an eye on your email during the design process. Most CRMs send important forms and information through automated emails.
Pay attention to deadlines. Your website project is mapped according to the scope of the project and your web designer’s availability. If clients don’t adhere to deadlines, the project is delayed and, potentially, in jeopardy of being rescheduled at a later date. Many designers include a “Delayed Project” clause in their contract.
By adhering to deadlines established in the project management tool and providing requested information through the CRM, you can rest assured that the website process will be efficient, and your website will be finished on schedule.
Conclusion
Business owners who need a professional website will play a significant role in the partnership they develop with a professional web designer. This collaboration will ultimately result in a website that accurately represents the goals, values, and purpose of the business. To ensure a smooth web design process and a favorable outcome, web design clients need to adequately prepare for each step in the design process, communicate effectively with the web designer, utilize the CRM and project management tools, and adhere to project deadlines.
