WHAT YOU MUST DO AFTER HIRING A WEB DESIGNER
In my recent post, I talked about What you must do BEFORE hiring a web designer.
This is the part two of that post, where I will outline what you must do after hiring a web designer.
Ready?
Okay, so now that you’ve agreed to work with a website designer, you must be really excited about getting your brand new website done!
Your web designer probably gave you a timeline of how long it will take to complete the project. In order to ensure you get your work done on time, you have a part to play.
CREATE A VISION BOARD
Whenever I work with new clients, I ask them as many questions as possible. I want to get a clear idea of what their vision looks like for their new website.
I typically ask them to send me a few links to their favourite sites because this gives me an idea of their taste.
Want to make sure your designer “gets” you? Share as many visual examples of what you like as possible. Let them in your head. If there are any specific things you must have on your site, let them know from the start.
It’s super easy to create a vision board on Pinterest. One thing you can do is make one that’s secret and save all your inspirational pins there. Then share that board with your designer.
WRITE COMPELLING COPY
Most website designers don’t include copywriting in their services. So make sure to write compelling copy for your website and give it to your designer at the start of the project.
I think this is very personal and this is why I prefer for my clients to write their own copy. However, if this isn’t your strength, consider hiring a copywriter. If you want to ask for a personal recommendation, get in touch with me and I’ll put you in contact with a good one. :)
I also wrote another blog about “How to write a powerful “About” page for your website.” Make sure to check it out if you need some inspiration.
GATHER PROFESSIONAL PHOTOS
I can’t stress enough the importance of having high-quality, professional photos on your site.
Images play a big role in having a professional online appearance. So please make sure you have some beautiful photographs of yourself to add to your website. No cellphone selfies!!
Think about how you want your audience to see you and what impression you want to make. You want them to see you as someone who knows what they’re doing, right?
Other than your branding photos, you’ll most likely need a few stock photos for your site too. If that’s the case, either send those to your designer or let them know you’re open to suggestions.
SUBMIT EVERYTHING ON TIME
Now that you’ve gathered all your materials and inspirations, make sure to submit it all on time. Otherwise, your designer cannot be held responsible if things get delayed.
This includes your copy for the website, your images, logo files, colour codes, and anything else related to the website design project.
And don’t forget to include any necessary access information such as logins to your website admin etc.
That’s basically it. Of course, every situation is unique, so there might be other things to consider that I didn’t mention here. But the main thing is for you to always clearly communicate with your designer (or anyone you hire for that matter) to ensure a smooth working relationship.
P.S. Something that every web designer will appreciate is your honest testimonial at the end of the project so they can add it to their portfolio.