Website Design Process
Below we outline a typical website design process when you work with BusinessSights.com:
After our initial contact and your decision to hire us, BusinessSights draws up contract with site specifications. This contract should express our discussions regarding the number of pages for your website, if the site will include a database, e-commerce features such as catalogs and shopping carts, other media specifications such as Flash.
Responsibilities
In the contract we also discuss who is responsible for what. Usually a web site design client is responsible for furnishing their own content in digital format; unless you have hired us to also write content. The client will also provide specific images (of personnel, office, existing logo, etc.) and BusinessSights provides non-specific theme related images to complement the design of the web site.
Payment
Normal payment arrangements require that our clients pay one-half of the estimated total of projects under $5,000 prior to our starting the project and the final 1/2 within 10 days of completion of the total project specifications and prior to uploading the website to your server.
For projects over $5,000 payments are made 1/3rd at commencement of the project, the second 1/3rd when specified milestones are met and the final 1/3rd within 10 days of completion of the total project specifications and prior to uploading the website to your server.
Please let us know if these payment procedures need to be altered for your needs.
Design Process
Our typical contract calls for us to provide 2 mock-ups. The first is created based on our initial conversations and other web sites you may show us with features you like. We place this layout on our server for your review and then ask you to give your honest, no holds barred feedback.
This is your opportunity to give up your honest critique of how well we've understood your needs. We discuss this mock-up, what you like and what you don't like, and either make the changes or go back to the drawing board depending on how close our first design fits your needs.
Next we provide a second design (either fixing the things you didn't like about the first design or starting from scratch with a better definition of what you envision). Once up on the server, we talk again and fine tune any missing details.
Once the design element is approved, we set about in earnest to make sure the completed layout works in all major browsers (IE 6+, Opera 9 + and Firefox2+). We complete any graphics which were in draft form, set the menu items and then begin inputting the content you've sent in digital format. We also place specific images you have provided and non-specific images that we provide.
Because we are conscious of what it takes to earn good search engine rankings, we may tweak the content you provide to ensure good usage of keywords and phrases that we believe users will use to search for your products or service. Of course we invite your input. We also add title tags, heading tags, alt image tags and a few meta tags to ensure your pages are search engine friendly.
If you would like a more in-depth search engine optimization, we can provide this by searching an online database for the best keywords and phrases to use. This is an additional charge since it is quite time consuming and requires a subscription to the database. The average customer pays $250 to $300 additionally for this service. This service should be ordered before content is written so that you are keyed into the best search engine terms to use. Once again, tweaking content is something with which we will help.
Once the layout of content is done, we again have you take a look. Here's where both you and BusinessSights reviews content for correct spelling, a nice aesthetically pleasing layout with images that complement the design and your products and services. This is your final sign-off on the project so we ask that you look carefully, check all the links on the site and make sure you are very satisfied. We also provide a suggested privacy policy for your customers. We ask you to review this carefully for changes as it is important that this policy reflects your practices. The policy we provide is merely a suggestion.
In each round where a customer is providing feedback, it is most helpful if they provide all changes in one email. This way we can keep track of the changes and make sure each is done carefully and correctly. Numerous emails tend to confuse everyone as to which is the latest change and also cause us to hop around instead of carefully completing each page.
Our Business Relationship Has Only Started
Just because we have completed a website design for you doesn't mean our business relationship has to end; in fact we hope it won't. We hope you will consider hiring us to maintain your website and future changes and updates you may want. We also want our website design customers to feel free to ask us questions as the need arises.
BusinessSights values its customers and the business relationships we've built. Many remain with us for years and we hope you will do the same. You may want to review the services we provide to see how we may be of further assistance to you in the future.