All web design companies do things a little differently when it comes to quoting, designing and then developing new websites, in addition to this, getting a new website can seem like a daunting task if you’ve never had one before.
Therefore, we’ve put together a handy step by step guide to help you understand how the process will work and what you can expect along the way.
The whole process is made up of lots of little steps, but we’ve split the process into six easy to follow steps.
Step One – The Chat
The first step is for us to have a quick chat on the phone to discuss your project.
We want to make sure we’re the right fit for you and your project. This initial chat allows us to understand what you’re looking to achieve with your new website and it’s also a good opportunity for us to give you ideas and explain the various options available to you.
We also give you a rough ballpark figure so you have an idea of how much a new website will cost.
Step Two – The Meeting
The next step is for us to get together and run through a website questionnaire.
The website questionnaire is a document with various questions that we need to know to allow us to design and quote for your new website. We’ll cover things like potential design ideas, the best way to optimise your content for the search engines and lots more.
We’re not keen on using words that only industry insiders would know, nor do we like acronyms, therefore, we talk in plain English and explain everything in full as we go.
Step Three – The Quote
Once the meeting is finished, we research what’s required, create a mock-up design and send you your quotation.
It would be very easy for us to just send a quotation, but the look of a new website is a very subjective thing, so we like to send mock-up designs of the Home page so you can see our ideas for your new website.
Alongside the design, we explain in great detail why we’ve designed it in that way and we cover the methods we’ve used and all the various little techniques we’ve included too.
In addition to this, we also explain the technical details, the initial cost and any potential on-going costs too. We also document the timescales too.
Just like our initial chat and meeting, we ensure everything is written in plain English and is easily understood by you.
Step Four – Feedback
Once you’ve gone through the quotation, we will get your feedback on the mock-up design and make any tweaks or changes.
There is no limit of the number of design revisions you can have, so we’re happy to explore as many ideas as you’d like.
Once you’re happy to go ahead, we invoice you for the first 25% and then start the website build.
Step Five – The Build
Once the mock-up design has been finalised, we then start to create the design as an actual website.
We set up a private website link which allows you to preview the website while we create it. If you have an existing website, this means we can develop the website without affecting your existing website.
During the build stage, we initially create the Home page and get your feedback once this page has been created.
Once you’re happy with the Home page, we then continue to build the additional pages by adding on the rest of your content.
When all the pages have been created and all the content is in place, we then send you the final preview link for you to review and make any final changes.
Step Six – The Launch
The website is now ready to go live.
We’ll do the final checks, set up the website hosting account, set up your email accounts (or check existing accounts continue to work) and then launch the website.
We then invoice you for the final 75%.
After the website launches, we’re available for any questions or queries you may have. We’re happy to help in any way we can.
Summary
We hope you find the above guide useful.
The steps are a guide only and we always try to tailor the whole experience around you, so if you’re more technically minded and want to be hands-on, we’ll cater for this. Also, some clients like to meet more throughout the process, others like to manage most of the process via emails and over the phone, so we’re happy to work in whichever way suits you.
If you have any questions or comments, then let us know.