A lot of my clients try DIYing their website before working with a web designer.
Then the learning curve shows up… and they start thinking, “No thanks. This is way more than I thought it was going to be.”
Building a website is a whole skill on its own. So you decide to hire a web designer, which is a good call. Then a new round of questions starts.
- What will they need from me?
- How long will it take?
- What happens if I get stuck halfway through?
A good web designer should be able to answer those before you commit to anything. This is how I answer them.
What happens before you hire a web designer?
The Brand Clarity Call
The first step is a conversation, and it’s free.
With me, that’s the Brand Clarity Call. We’ll talk about your business, where you’re headed, and what you need your website to do for you.
Maybe your offers have changed, you’re ready to work with a different type of client, or your current website just doesn’t reflect the business you’ve built. Maybe you know something isn’t working, but you can’t quite put your finger on what needs to change.
That’s what we’ll dig into.
I’ll ask questions about your goals, your offers, the people you want to reach, and what you want people to do when they land on your website. We’ll talk about what’s missing from your current website and what a new one needs to accomplish.
The goal is to get a clearer picture of what you need, so we’re making decisions based on your business goals rather than just what looks good. You’ll have plenty of time to ask questions, too.
Finding the right web designer fit
I’m also figuring out whether we’re a good fit for each other. I want to work with people I click with, and I want you to feel good about the person you’re trusting with your website. It goes both ways. Booking a call doesn’t commit you to anything, and if you decide to talk to another designer first, that’s completely fine by me.
If we both want to move forward, I’ll put together a proposal outlining the project, including the scope of work, contract, and payment details. You’ll know what you’re agreeing to before we get started.
What to bring to the call
Just come ready to talk about your business, where you want to take it, and what’s been on your mind when it comes to your website. If we decide to work together, I’ll walk you through what I need from you next.
What will a web designer ask me to do?
The Pre-Work
Once we decide to work together, most of your effort goes into the questionnaires.
I’ll ask about your business, the people you serve, your offers, and what your website goals are. You can’t always breeze through those in five minutes. Some will make you stop and think. That’s the one part I can’t do for you, because the answers are in your head, not mine.
Take your time with them. There are no wrong answers, and the messy, specific ones are often the most useful. Everything I build starts from what you tell me.
Your Feedback
You’ll also be giving feedback, and the more specific it is, the more I can do with it. When I send you something to review, tell me what’s working, what isn’t, and why. “I don’t love it” gives me a place to start. “This feels too serious for the people I work with” gives me something I can actually change.
Collaboration goes both ways. If something is confusing, say so. If you hate a color, say so.
If you aren’t sure what something on the screen means, ask. I’d much rather hear it early, while it’s still an easy change, than find out on launch day.
How does a web design project work, and how long does it take?
My projects take two to eight weeks, depending on what we’re creating.
A website on its own tends to land closer to the short end of that range. If we’re building your brand and website together through the Spark & Soul Experience, it takes more time. I can’t give you an exact timeline until I know what your project involves, so we sort that out on your Brand Clarity Call.
The web design process, step by step:
1. You say yes. Your agreement is signed, your deposit is paid, and your spot is on the calendar.
2. You get set up. About two weeks before we start, you get a welcome packet and your questionnaires. Your answers and your content, like your photos and access to your domain and hosting, come back a few days before kickoff.
3. We kick off. We meet for an hour and dig into your ideal client, your personality, and the vibe you’re going for… so we’re on the same page about the vision.
4. I map out the direction. I go through your questionnaires, research your business, and show you the direction before any design starts.
5. I design. If I’m creating your brand too, that comes first. Then your website gets built around it, homepage first.
6. You review. You get two rounds of revisions on each phase, and you send your feedback through a simple form, so nothing gets lost in an email thread.
7. We launch. I test every page on mobile, set up the SEO basics, and once you give the final yes, your website goes live.
Every step ends with your review, and nothing moves forward without your yes.
How will I know what’s going on during a web design project?
Nobody wants to spend weeks wondering what’s happening with their website. That’s why I keep the process collaborative.
You’ll see the work as it develops, know what comes next, and have opportunities to ask questions and share feedback along the way.
If you’ve ever worked with someone who went quiet in the middle of a project, you know how stressful that is. You start wondering if anything is happening at all… I never want you to feel that way.
And if a question pops up between reviews, just ask. You’re never bothering me, and there’s no such thing as a dumb question.
Why does the homepage get designed first?
Your homepage sets the direction for the rest of your website, so that’s where I start. I design it first, and you review it before I touch any other page. Once we agree on the direction, it guides the look, the layout and the order of everything else. If I built every page first and then you wanted to change the homepage, we could end up redoing a lot of work. This way, that decision happens early.
When you review it, start at the top. Someone landing on your website should be able to quickly understand what you do, who you help, and whether they’re in the right place. Once you approve the direction or ask for changes, we build the rest of the website around it.
I walk through what belongs at the top of a homepage in my post on the pages your website needs.
What happens if I need something that’s not included in my website project?
Will a web designer charge me for every question?
If it takes two seconds to answer, I’m not charging you for an hour. That would be silly.
Questions come up in every project.
- Where does this go?
- Can you take a look at this?
- Is this normal?
Quick ones like those are part of working together, and I don’t want you wondering whether a message is going to cost you something.
What if I need more than my web design project included?
Extra work is a different conversation. If you decide halfway through that you want a whole set of pages we never planned, that’s additional work. We’ll talk through what’s involved and the cost before I move forward with it. Your proposal spells out what’s included, which gives us both something to point to when something new comes up.
What should I expect once my new website is live?
Celebrating your website launch
Launch day is a good day. You finally get to send people to a website you’re proud of… so celebrate it!
Your website is now your online home base. When people land on it, your services make sense, your pages work together, and your About page shows who is behind the business. They can learn about you, look through your services, and decide whether they want to work with you, without hunting for the next step.
Support after your website goes live
You won’t be on your own after launch, either. I’ll walk you through your new website in a training session, so you can make simple changes yourself without losing an entire afternoon. I record it and send it to you, so you can go back to it any time. And any questions you have in the first two weeks after launch are included.
Getting people to your new website
I also want to be clear about something. A new website doesn’t automatically bring in inquiries. People still need a reason to visit, whether they’re finding you through search, your social posts, your emails, or referrals.
A few easy places to start:
- Add your new link to your email signature.
- Update your social media bios.
- Tell your email list it’s live.
My job is to make sure there’s a clear, useful place for people to land. Your marketing is what sends them there.
Ongoing website help
Want help after those first two weeks? You’ve got options. The Website Maintenance Package is ongoing tech care for your website, with up to an hour of support each month. And if you want more hands-on help with your brand and website every month, that’s what the Creative Growth Lounge is for.
What makes working with a web designer go smoothly?
You know your business. I know how to turn what you tell me into a website that reflects it.
Your job is to share what you know, complete the questionnaires, and give honest feedback along the way. My job is to use that information to design and build the website.
A few things make working with a web designer a lot easier on both of us.
You don’t have to come in with it all figured out. Some people know exactly what they want. Plenty of people find it easier to react to something than to explain it from scratch, and that’s completely normal. I’ll bring you a starting point, and you tell me what feels right and what doesn’t.
I’ll push back sometimes. If something you’re asking for won’t help your website do its job, I’ll say so… and I’ll tell you why. Then we talk it through together. It should never feel one-sided.
You’re not doing this alone. A website project has a lot of moving parts. I’ll guide you through each step as we get to it, so you always know what’s happening and what comes next.
The more open we are with each other, the easier it is to make decisions and create something that feels right for your business.
“Hiring Tabitha to redo my website has been such a stress-free process and so much better than I could have ever imagined.”
Jenell C.
You don’t need to know how to build a website. You just need to be willing to collaborate with the person building it.
Book your free Brand Clarity Call and let’s talk about what your website needs.
