Web Design Procedures

Hello ChrisL,

Some of those things depends on the client. I have smaller clients, so I pretty much follow what you have down already.

I do get 50% down before I start the design/creation whatever. I send the main invoice at the beginning - just for their records. I also send out a final invoice. At the end of the whole project - after they have paid - I send out a personal thank you card. It's just a little personal touch that I have been doing sincce I started (8 years ago.) I believe it helps with retention!

Oh - I found that the best way for me to handle things is to receive final payment before I make the site live. But because my clients are small - I can be flexible.

I hope hat helps!

I don't do freelance work but if I did I would start by finding out as much as I can about the client and their industry. I would talk to them about their goals and objectives for the site - what are they trying to accomplish? Get a written list of objectives if possible. I would also do some information architectue work before starting on a design concept - what content needs to be on the site, is there anything that requires interactivity, how does everything fit together? With A Padded Cell we just did this on a write board.

Once that is all done I would start wire-framing a layout. Wire framing meaning starting with a grid and fitting together design elements as basic shapes. By this time I probably have a good "mental picture" of what the site will look like and begin to layer design elements into the wireframe.

One thing I do is limit the number of revisions a client can send before I charge them more. X batches of revisions is included in the price. Over that it costs them Y per revision.

By batches, I mean that they have to collect all their changes and send them in one email. So technically, they can ask for any number of revisions. However, they only send me a max of three emails with all the changes.

Good one Tim! I like that.

I work with a number of small clients. I generally propose a design meeting for a flat fee (usually $100). I will show pre-built templates usually 5 to 8 pages or less and let them select one of them which I'll modify to suit them. This is a good starting point for many clients and lets me quote a flat fee.

When they accept I get 50% and the remainder when I deliver the site and they have tested it.

Larger clients usually require more up front definition. I propose an hourly fee for gathering information for their site. I'll rough a design and get approval and quote a flat fee to complete. I make the same 50%/50% agreement or sometimes a third to start, a third at delivery and a third after a month.

I am flexible and will change the financial arrangement if it presents a problem. Many clients already have sites but want to upgrade them or freshen them up. These are the hardest to quote flat fees for.

ChrisL;216534 wrote: Hi

I was just wandering what procedures you follow when creating a website for someone, I roughly do the following but am looking to make myself more organised.

- Client contacts us showing an interest
- Research other sites similar and come up with design ideas and layour plan
- Provide email/written/verbal ideas about what the site should look like etc and an estimated quote
- Send contract to customer to sign and return
- Ask for deposit?
- Create a one page template and show client to see if they are happy with it.
- Complete the rest of the site
- Email link to site on testing server for an ok before putting it live
- Once client happy with site and their email setup etc send out an invoice for the remaining monies due (with 30 days to pay)
- Complete company accounts and other documentation

Are there any general stages it would be good to include here? Im especially interested in what paperwork you use - invoice, site plan, reciept (or is invoice enough?) etc. Trying to create new documentation so i can get it checked by a lawyer.

This is not really a specific step but, take steps to make sure that you are getting paid enough for your work.

For me personally when I started out I had the tendency to spend many many extra hours over contract working on the site.

I mean, if you are good at making websites, try your best to get paid for every second you spend working on the site. Of course if you have to take extra time to LEARN something to use on the site you are building, that is questionable whether you should bill.

But you get the picture...don't undercharge.

Also make sure they understand that their site will not be hosted indefinitely for one cost and that they should have to renew their domain name.