Web Processing Blog Series - Part 1: Contract & Preparation
Pre-contract
- Site goals
- Educating the client, educated by the client
- Defining scope
- Providing website timelines and phases
- Gathering and creating
Discovery Phase
- Assets (photos, logos, etc.)
- Sitemap
- Content received
Kick-off
- Internal meeting
- Design approach
- Client and internal expectations
- Timelines
Creating a Successful Website Design
In order to create a successful website design, COMO Marketing focuses on the following core elements:
- Aesthetics
- Client goals
- Usability
- Conversion opportunities
- Partnership
COMO Marketing believes that, in order to achieve success, a respectful partnership with you is not desired, but required. Without our ongoing collaboration and understanding, your website design will look beautiful and propel your business, but it might not meet your goals or performance standards. We don’t sign a contract with you so we can take over your business’s website design; instead, we sign a contract to help you grow your business.
Preparing for a Successful Website Design
Prior to designing your business website, COMO Marketing learns your story. What does your product or service deliver to your customers and clients? How does your business benefit the community? How does the community benefit your business? What are your short and long term marketing goals? Tell us about your customers. Provide information about customers and clients you want calling you and entering your doors. Tell us about you and your team.
Through telling your story and entrusting COMO Marketing with your goals, we discover the areas your brand can have its greatest impact, which will maximize your market reach and potential. Our greatest partnerships in website design and development come from ongoing, authentic relationships.
Prior to Contract
Are we the right fit for you? Are you the right fit for us? Let’s discuss!
The following list describes our sales process needs and expectations prior to signing a contract with you to create your website:
- Your website’s goals
- We learn from you, and you learn from us (more on that later)
- Explanation of our approach and what you can expect from us
- Definition of project scope
- Budgets
- Website timeline estimates and phases
- Gathering any pertinent information and discussion of content strategy
- Confirming what your needs are regarding the new website
- What to expect post-launch
Signing a Website Design Contract and The Discovery Phase
COMO Marketing provides all of our clients with a thorough, detailed contract, with both COMO Marketing and client expectations laid out ahead of project kickoff. We take communication and collaboration very seriously because the greatest website success comes from engaged parties on both sides. We want you to achieve success, and because you are passionate about your business and growth, we know signing that contract is a way to share your enthusiasm. Let’s get excited!
In the discovery phase, you can expect a heavy amount of asset and content gathering. The more you have, the more we have about you. Tell us your favorite success stories — it’s even better if you have testimonials from your customers. Send us your logo and its variations. Any favorite photos, fonts, and content you have to share? Let’s see it all. Remember, this is your story; we’re wanting to tell it authentically and in a thorough, engaging way.
Brownie Points for Analytics!
If you have an existing website, and you’ve had analytics tracking installed on your site, we’d love to chat! It’s kind of a cheat sheet to your users’ preferences on your current site, and it can provide us with an idea of how they have been navigating through the content of your site prior to the redesign. It might not provide us with the direction of your website redesign, but it will most certainly give us confidence in driving toward your online goals.
Consistent Communication is Key
You’ll hear us say this a lot, but that’s only because we know how important it is to have consistent communication throughout the website design process. It ensures that, as a team, we meet and maintain expectations. You’re the main visionary, and while COMO Marketing prides ourselves on execution, we know that your presence in it leads to your success and growth.
If there are any changes to the goals initially set, we will append the initial plan for you and gain your approval prior to launching into the new success-driven direction.
The point of all the communication stuff is simple: we’re genuinely interested in you and your business, and your success is our goal. It gets us all tingly!
