A look inside my 16 day website design experience
So you are shopping for a fully custom web design package and you are wondering, How long should it take to build my website?
When searching for a web design package you will most likely see timelines anywhere from 3 days to 6 weeks. It varies. So how do you decide which one is right for you? The timeline will probably also reflect the price so that is also something to take into consideration.
My web design package hits the sweet spot at 6 steps in 16 days. In this post, I am going to be taking you through my process and why my clients love it!
Discovery Call
This may come as no surprise and is a pretty standard first step when hiring any designer - hopping on a discovery call! From the very beginning, I make it as easy and as automated as possible for clients to book a call with me. There are buttons all over my website to direct them to my services or consultation page where they can easily view my services + book a call. This is known as a call to action! Which is very important for converting clients. After they have booked a call, an automated confirmation email is sent. Let the games begin!
This is arguably one of the most important steps in my web design process. This is my chance to get all the info I will need from my client. I have my magic list of questions that are designed to provide me with detailed information about the client’s business and what, exactly, they are looking for. Questions include :
Tell me about your business
What is the main purpose of your site?
Tell me about your target customer.
When Would you like to see the website done?
Will you be providing the content + copy for your website?
Do you have Branding?
What is your budget?
After the site is finished, are you hoping to manage it yourself?
What is the overall aesthetic or vibe you are looking for?
What colors are you drawn to?
Are there any web design trends you like?
As you can see, the questions range from general information about their business to what design style they are looking for. These questions are designed to stem into supplementary conversations about other functionalities and design aspects that will be important for building their site. For instance, when I ask “What is the purpose of your site?” This is where I would discover what functionalities I will need to implement. Will I need to integrate a scheduling system for booking clients? Do they need a portfolio? Is it an online store?
It is important that communication is top-notch to minimize the whole emailing back and forth shenanigans. Inevitably, emailing back and forth and calls to touch base will happen throughout the project. To be fair, when working on a design project for a client, it truly is a collaboration so it is important to have that open line of communication throughout the project. With that being said, it is also important to automate when possible.
Contract + Proposal + Welcome packet
Within 24 hours of the discovery call, I send a contract and proposal based on what we agreed upon over the phone. Honeybook is the client relationship management tool I use for my projects. They have templates that have made creating a contract and proposal very straight forward. To learn more about Honeybook feel free to check out my post Why I Love Honeybook For Running My Online Biz.
Along with the proposal and contract, I send them my welcome package! Having a welcome package is great for not only making sure your process is clear, but it will also absolutely wow clients. My welcome package includes all the information about the process, what I need from them, and timeline. Here is a little sneak peek -
Milestones
The 16-day design process doesn’t actually start until the project start date. The point where I actually start getting paid! Yay! So let’s take a look at the 16-day timeline. Throughout the web design process, I like to have 3-4 different checkpoints to make sure we are both on the same page. The checkpoints usually involve and call. Remember, communication is key!
Day 1-3
Day 1-3 starts with brainstorming and mood board creation. I start this process by creating a shared Pinterest board with the client so they can share some examples of websites they like. It can be hard for non-designers to convey what they are looking for when it comes to design. That's why I find Pinterest to be a very useful tool for providing a wide range of examples for them to pick from. After having 10-15 different website designs for inspiration, at that point, they can identify which aspects they like of each design.
From there, I can create a mood board based on their already established branding or, the information given to me in the discovery call, combined with the Pinterest inspiration. A mood board essentially outlines the overall design aesthetic and design specifications for the website. The mood board will define exact colors, photography style, fonts, and other elements that will be implemented in the website. Think about it as an outline for a research paper but way more fun and creative!
Checkpoint 1 - Discuss and Finalize Mood board
Day 4-11
After the client is happy with the mood board, and they have at least 80% of their content ready, I can start the design process! If we have properly communicated up to this point, the web design process should be a breeze!
Checkpoint 2 - Checkup half way through the design process to ensure the client is happy with the way things are looking.
Checkpoint 3 - Once I am happy with the first draft of the website, I will send it off to the client for them to gather their revision requests. If necessary we will call to discuss the revision requests.
Day 13 + 14
Day 13 & 14 are simply completing the revision requests of the client. Once I have completed the revision requests, I sent the website over for a second review. If all goes well, and the website is in good shape, we will move on to the very last step!
Day 15 + 16
The final two days of the project! Whoo-hoo! These last days are for me to gather all final deliverables, including tutorial videos and any graphics or photos I used in the website, to send to the client. This is also the point where I would tie up any loose ends. Double-check links, proofreading, have my client review, and send over any final changes.
Of course, we don’t live in a perfect world and we may go past the 16-day mark. This is absolutely okay! This is a team effort that takes both the designer and client to participate, especially during the final revision process. I have had clients in the past that still need to add some content. We all have busy lives so it isn’t always a perfect 16-day process. The 16-day process is ultimately designed to help keep us on track with goals in mind. If the website goes live on day 18 or 19, hey that is still pretty good if you ask me! What the 16-day process was designed to avoid is a project that drags on for 3 or 4 months.
Checkpoint 4 - Any final questions and a farewell!
Off-boarding packet
The website is live and it’s time to say goodbye for now! One very important part of my process is setting up my clients for success by teaching them how to manage their website on their own. To do this, I create tutorial videos specific to their site’s functionality so they can make changes and updates without having to contact me first.
For each client, I create a unique off-boarding package based on what they will need to know for their website. It includes design specifications, links to tutorials, links to Canva graphics, & my contact info. Here is a peek at one of my off-boarding packets -
Now you are asking yourself what should I take away from all this information?
The secret to why my clients have been loving their experience with me is because I provide an open line of communication in which I reply in less than 24 hours. I also provide a straightforward and structured timeline with goals set up so we can be as efficient as possible in getting their website live!
Are you interested in joining me on the 16-day website design journey to transforming your online presence? I would be happy to learn more about your business and what I can do for you!
