Clients are not Idiots

There’s a common misconception that when designing a website for a client, that they are stupid, igornant and quite plainly idiots… However, this is certainly not the case. Your client is an expert in their field, as are you in yours (web design). The problem though is clients do not always know what they want, and they certainly do not know what their users want.

Change the way your client thinks by educating them

A client will often get caught up by miniscle details including, can you change this red to a lighter red? Or, can you move this image 5 pixels up. However these changes often do not make any difference, or perhaps would create more work for yourself now, and in the long run. Instead ask them why? Why does it look better with a lighter red and what do you think your users would think? Because they haven’t been thinking about their users before, they’re attitudes will change, and this is your opportunity to step in and tell them why you have done it this way, and support your design, colour choices and design aspects.

Why clients are not idiots

I touched on this briefly at the start of this aticle, but I’d like to give you an example. Perhaps your client is a baker, what do you know about baking? Bakery customers – the answer is nothing, and thus your client is actually the expert on this field. However, they are not expert web designers like you, so you must educate them by justifying the choices you have made. Explain that it’s a usability issue to do what they are suggesting, have they thought about how it will affect their users? Probably not is the answer.

Set the client – designer relationship right from the start

Ask them to show you designs they like, however do not hesitate to point out there flaws either, perhaps there is too much flash, perhaps it isn’t usable, or too professional. But this does give you an idea of what the client is expecting from you. Then deliver better than their expectations…

Try to keep in contact with the client as much as possible, for example, I like to pop back to a client with my camera, I set up their email, and then proceed to corrospond from it. Although it’s 20 minutes of your time, you make the client feel involved, because they are!

Establish the facts, talk to them about there business, identify the core features of their business, and make them a central focus in the design you do. Explain to them what is required of them too, because without them, the site development will be slow and drawn out, perhaps you are waiting for copy, or sales information, or even legal aspects. By establishing what they actually need, you can provide the most accurate quote possible, plus always remember to add a bit, because if you’re new and starting out you’ll always tend to under quote.

Tell them the importance of sales copwritting or editing, this can make the difference between 1 enquiry a day or 50 enquiries a day.

Ok now my bit

I don’t like doing a salsey bit, but here it is! Our ‘sister website’ Wuup Media provides website Design - if you are looking for a professional web site or web application, please do not hesitate to contact us.

Thanks

Wuup Team!