Preparing for Your Web Consultation
Our first chat will be a loose consultation where we start to identify your unique needs and how to approach them. Think about like navigating a map - we need to get our bearings to plot a course together before we run ahead!
Here’s what to expect out of our initial consultation when we meet to discuss your website needs.
Generally speaking, our conversation will take one of two paths - either we’re making something new or we’re renovating something established.
Foundational Questions
These questions shape the rest of our conversation!
Do you have an existing website?
If so, are you wanting to improve the existing website or make something new?
What’s your timeline for getting a new/improved website released?
Do you have branded assets (images, video, graphics) available to me that you want to use?
Are you content with your established branding (colors, fonts)?
How involved in writing website copy do you want to be?
From here I’ll have a better understanding of where you’re at and we can dig deeper - according to your needs.
Follow Up Questions
Website Renovation Focused
If we’re going to update something existing, let’s talk through what needs to change. Our goal here is to define what a successful update to the website means to you. So, we’ll answer questions like the following together:
What’s really hard or frustrating for you on your website today?
What’s missing right now?
What are you spending time updating within the website?
What’s a manual process that you wish wasn’t?
Is there something your customers are asking for from your website? Like a calendar or information about services?
New Website Focused
Alternatively, if we’re making something new, let’s explore the vision and the things you and your users need to be able to do on the website. Bring your big ideas, your opinions, and your dreams. We’ll sort through them all together and identify the path forward.
What do you want your customers/visitors to be able to do on the website?
Is there a store? A contact form? A schedule? Specific information that only paid users are able to see?
Where are you at in launching?
Do you have a vision for the website already? Any examples of other sites that you want to pull inspiration from?
Most of our first meeting will be winding through relevant questions like the above. They will help us paint a picture and give me a footing with which to scope the project with.
Pricing & Budget
We will also touch on pricing during our initial consultation. I think that we all do our best work when we are honest with each other, and as such I like to make sure you have an idea of expenses before we get deeper into the work! Every project is different, so real numbers are on a per project basis to be shared after your project has been scoped, but we will touch on some foundational numbers before we get any further into working together to make sure we’re on the same page.
Similarly, if you have certain requirements or budgetary restrictions - like if you only want to spend a certain amount of money on hosting and providers per year or if you need to support multiple languages or specific platforms - that’s also a budget consideration that is very helpful to us finding the proper direction for your website to take.
At the end of the day
All things said and done, a consultation is just a starting point. A sturdy foundation is everything in creating a website that will last and serve your needs efficiently so we’ll spend the time we need to get it right.
I offer 30 minute free consultations, no strings attached - so let’s talk! Email me today to get started.
