Look, hiring a web designer is a big investment and it can be scary; I totally get that. And because of that, I’m giving you a behind-the-scenes look into my web design process! This way, you’ll know exactly what to expect before making the decision to invest. And, hopefully, it’ll make it a little less scary!
Book A Discovery Call
First things first, we’ll hop on a discovery call to see if we’re a good fit. I’ll set up a zoom call for us and come prepared with a list of questions for you. This is the chance for me to get to know you, your business, and your goals for your website and your opportunity to ask me any questions you may have. Some of the questions you can expect from me are:
- Do you have your domain + hosting set up?
- If you have a website, what platform do you use? (I typically only work with WordPress)
- Do you have your branding, photos, and copy ready to go?
- What is the purpose of your website? (book calls, email list sign-ups, etc.)
- What design style do you prefer for your website?
- What pages do you know for sure you need on your website? (Home, About, Services, Contact, Blog, etc.)
- What’s your budget?
After the discovery call, I’ll send over a custom proposal within 48 hours. Once you accept the proposal, I’ll send over the contract, and then once that’s signed, you’ll receive the first invoice. Once the invoice is paid, your project is confirmed and we can get started! 🎉
Pre-Design Tasks
Now that the web design process is officially underway, we’ll get started on the pre-design tasks! I organize all of my web design projects into a project management system (I use and love Asana!) so that our communication is streamlined and you’re able to check in on our progress at any time.
The pre-design section is the one section of the process that is heavily dependent on your completion of the assigned tasks, which are:
- Add website inspiration to our shared Pinterest board: This is so I can see what kind of designs you are drawn to and get an idea of how you want your site to look and feel.
- Complete design questionnaire: Pretty self-explanatory 😜
- Add branding materials to a shared Google Drive folder: This is where you’ll upload your photos, copy, fonts, color schemes, etc. Plus, you’ll share all your login and password information that I will need.
- Email Marketing: This step is only for those including email marketing on their site. We want to make sure everything is set up and ready to go so we’re not held up down the road!
- Strategy Call: After you’ve completed the previous tasks, we’ll get on a final strategy call to go over the plan for your website in-depth.
Design Phase
Whew! Now that you’ve finished all your pre-design tasks, you can sit back, relax, and let me do the rest!
The list of design tasks pictured is probably a bit overwhelming, but I promise it’s not as overwhelming as it looks. Let’s break down the design portion into a nice bite-sized portion:
- I set up the backend of your website; install WordPress, your theme, plug-ins, etc.
- I design the header, home page, and footer.
- You complete the first revision.
- I make any requested changes to the home page.
- I design the rest of the pages and complete the entire website design.
- You complete the second and final revision.
- I optimize the site for mobile and tablet views.
- I clean up the backend of the site, add meta descriptions, and run a speed test.
See, that’s not so bad, right? And the only tasks you have to complete are the revisions!
Post Design
Now that the design is complete, it’s time for the post-design portion! As you can see, this is a spectacularly tiny list. You pay the final invoice, and then it’s website launch day!! Woohoo! 🥂
**Note: my payment options include paying upfront in full, or 50% at the time of contract signing and 50% upon design completion and before launch day.
Once we’ve launched, I’ll also send you a testimonial form to fill out which helps my business so. freaking. much!! Plus, I just love reading your feedback! 😊
Support
Don’t worry, I won’t leave you hangin’ after we go live!
We’ll get on one last zoom call where I’ll walk you through your WordPress dashboard. Plus, we’ll get your analytics and backups set up while we’re on the call so you don’t have to figure it out on your own!
Then, I’ll send you how-to videos for things like how to:
- Add/change any images, text, or colors
- Upload blog posts
- Update plugins, themes, and WordPress
- Any other items custom to your website + specific needs
If you need additional support, we can chat about monthly retainer packages where I take care of the website maintenance and updates.
And that’s it, my entire web design process!
This process can apply to a normal website project with a 4-6 week timeline or a VIP design day.
For a VIP day, your pre-design tasks would need to be completed at least 48 hours before the scheduled day. The design tasks would be completed in 1-3 days and you would still receive 30 days of support with a final call and the how-to videos.
If you’re ready to get started, take the first step by booking a discovery call!
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