The Cost of Doing Business
Running a business can get expensive. You have a ton of expenses that you have to deal with. One of which is advertising.
There are as many different mediums to advertise as there are businesses out there. You can take a larger block out in the phone book (and online), you an put an ad in the local newspaper, you can go the free route and put an ad in Craigslist and grocery store cork boards. Of course there's also the miriad of online advertising methods: google/yahoo ads, google adwords, banner exchange, etc. However, have you considered that your website itself is a form of advertising?
We have a client, Pauletto Trucking and Excavation who we did a website for back in 2007. Up until then, the owner didn't see a need for a website. He had a large ad in the local phone books and was paying a pretty penny for that each month. Finally, he decided to take a shot at putting up a website. Within months of the site going live, it saved him thousands of dollars. Seriously. Thousands. The way the story goes is that their insurance agent needed to see their equipment. Since all their equipment is listed on the website, the agent was able to view it all there which saved them an in person inspection. In addition, since the site going live he got a lot more calls because of the site rather than his large phone book ads. So, he scaled those ads back and saved him even more money.
The point of the above example is that you shouldn't underestimate the power of your website and it's affect on your advertising. Granted, using a website alone won't cut the mustard. You need to have various methods to get your name out there. However, it's a solid start. So if you have a business and you don't have a website or it hasn't been updated in some time, you really should have that done. In today's global economy, it'll have a larger impact over time than you can anticipate.
(Shameless plug) Of course my web design company will be more than happy to help you with your site. Our pricing is fair and we'll make sure you get the best for your price point. (end shameless plug)
Does size really matter?
I was reading through a post on www.youthedesigner.com tonight. The essence of the article is that there are some good intangibles that you can ask your client for and the return could yield positive results. I won't go into the details of the article here. If you're interested, take a look when you're done here. ; )
Anyway, what got me thinking though is some of the comments on that post. On the subject of asking your client to put your "designed by" logo on their site, one commenter said,
... take a look at how many sites you see with designed by links on them. I can't think of any that are even worth mentioning; most are local restaurants or car repair shops. ... How many future clients will hire you because they saw your link at the bottom of 'Northern Mountain 4x4s' site, and more importantly do you think you would want those clients?
Wow. What a ass. Looking through some of the other comments, it seems that I'm not alone in my assessment of this guy. But, I digress. The point of this post is not to rip on this guy. It's to point out an important fact; everyone deserves to have a great website regardless of their budget. That's why I have positioned my web design company to market specifically to small businesses ranging from startups to "middle market". They need a website and I want to make sure they have something that they can be proud of within the constraints of their budget. Sure, I may not be raking in the dough because I'm not doing a multi-thousand dollar website (one local firm averages $15k/site). However, I feel that I'm meeting a specific group of people right where they need it; where they are at.
That's the key. To meet people where they are at. So, if I have a client that can only afford to spend $500 on a site, I'm going to make sure that they have the best that I can give them for that $500. Granted, I can do much cooler things with more money as it necessitates more time. But that doesn't mean that I'm going to turn down work because I don't want to make a "lesser" site.
The guy that I quoted above could be coming from any number of perspectives. However, his opinion is clear; he won't build a website that's beneath him. That's too bad. I've built some websites where I definitely haven't been paid what my time is realistically worth. However, I've had the pleasure of meeting some great people and have developed some good relationships from them. Besides, at the end of the day, when people know that you're helping them out, they help you out.
So, for me, while it's definitely important to make money, all I really have is my reputation.
Designing your next site
Designing websites is a tricky business. As a designer, I want that site to be sleek and sexy. I want it to pop with color. I want the design elements to really say something. For a web designer, my name (or company name) is being stamped on that. It's a reflection of the quality of work that I put out there, right? Well, kind of. First and foremost, it's the graphic representation of the site owner, their personality, and their image.
I was reminded of this a little while ago from one of my "clients". I say "clients", but he's really more of a friend. He is in a different field now, but he started out as a graphic designer for print. He still keeps up with his art in the physical media, though (i.e. canvas, sculpture, etc.). Well, I was working on a new design concept for him and I really liked the design I came up with. It was sleek and modern. It used a lot of clean, sharp lines and transparencies. It was as if Calvin Klein got dressed up. However, he didn't like it. So, back to the drawing board I went. The subsequent design was friggin' awesome (imho)! It was edgy and colorful, the imagery really defined who he is and his image. I have to admit; I impressed myself. The best part is that he was really stoked about the new design and the direction we're taking. It was a great experience for me and also validated some things for me as a designer.
- side note: I'm a real Type A personality. So, I gravitate towards the simple, clean, sleek, sexy designs. This experience was good because it showed me that I can step out of that box.
Anyway, by the end of the process, I thanked him for kicking my butt and pushing me to do better. He actually said, "I've seen your other designs and I know you can do better.". Ouch. But, that inspired me to tap into something deeper within. After thanking him, he reminded me that I need to see the design from the eyes of the client. That was a great reminder and the ultimate point of this whole post.
The design needs to be an extension of the client. I've been looking at design as a non-verbal way of telling the end user about the content of the site. Sure, that's true, however, if it's not an extension of the client, then it's kinda pointless. I've learned (and am still learning) that I really need to get to know my clients on a personal level. I need to be able to read between the lines and give them not just what they're telling me they want, but pick up on the vibe they're sending, too. It's particularly difficult to do that as a web designer since most communication is over the phone or by email. So, I have to go out of my way to really understand that person's perspective and personality and allow THAT to drive my design.
So, while it's great to try to sell the client a super creative site, the site you give your client needs to be theirs. It needs to be their non-verbal voice, not yours. I think that designers can forget that. I know I do.
