If what you want is to learn how to make a web page from scratch, I am sorry to tell you that you will not find the answer here. This post is specially designed for companies and professionals that offer their web development and design services, but who often find themselves caught up in never-ending projects and great problems of understanding with their clients. That said, we are going to give you the keys to create a web page and not die trying, take note!
With the competition that exists in the sector, I would not be surprised if you have fallen into the web offer trap. It is an increasingly popular formula, but you have to know how to handle it properly. If you offer a low-cost website in order to attract customers, it is important that you establish well what is included, what are the maintenance costs and other considerations that, if they are not well considered at first, can make the website It comes out through an arm and a leg in terms of hours of dedication.
Even if you have not used this sales technique based on price reduction and web bundling, it is also It is possible that you have been involved in a web project that seemed to have no end, because as soon as you thought you had the final website, the client returned with new requirements. I have even heard cases of companies that commission a website and after approving the designs and functionalities step by step, they reach the end and tell you: I don’t like the website, so… I won’t pay for it!
Creating a web page can become a real nightmare if we don’t know how to establish from the outset what exactly the approved budget and the agreement reached with the client includes. To do this, I am going to indicate the steps that are important to follow so that we do not miss any detail. you can even find one template free download that will make your task easier.
Clear things… from the beginning!
From the first meeting with the client we must be clear about what you are looking for, your objectives, what budget you have and what we can offer you to satisfy your needs. It is possible that we believe that you need a super development to measure, but if you do not have a budget, we have to warn you what conditions you will have to accept. The most important thing at this time is to try to be as transparent as possible with the client so that they realize that we want to help them.
At this point we will have to ask you some important things such as: if you have a contracted domain and hosting, what are the objectives and expected results, if you want a particular CMS, what budget do you have, if you have a Corporate Identity Manual, what type of content (catalogues, photographs, etc.) have, how they would like to structure their website, etc.
All these important data to create a web page can be found in detail and in a very practical way to use in the following template that you can download for free:
TEMPLATE: Fundamental data for the creation of a website
Budget to create a web page with specifications and timing
Sometimes, we make the mistake of budgeting for services with very little detail, something that can give the client ample space to demand more things than what we had accounted for in our dedication of hours. Therefore, when making a budget, it is important to add a detailed proposal of the elements that it includes and those that it does not. Remember to include the maintenance expenses, because there are clients who do not fully understand what a domain and hosting are, nor the importance of CMS updates. If you know how to explain it properly, they will understand perfectly that your website cannot be magically always perfect and online.
We will also add a timing so that it is complied with by both parties, and the consequences of non-compliance. This is the most effective way to organize yourself and your team, complying with the agreement and making creating a web page not take unlimited time. There have not been one or two websites that I have seen start as a 3-month project and that have spent more than 1 year with hundreds of emails exchanged and adjustments for its launch.
The contract to create a website
Finally, don’t forget to put everything in writing. Ideally, have a standard contract where you can include all the budget specifications and/or more, and make the necessary changes to adapt it to each client. But that is not all. No matter how specific you are in the contract, creating a website depends on making many decisions and receiving customer feedback. The ideal is to receive those confirmations and responses from the customer in writing, so that it is recorded. The easiest way is to exchange emails, but in the event that certain decisions are made orally in a meeting or even by phone, it is important that this be recorded in a meeting minute or confirmed by email to avoid misunderstandings.
If you liked this post, don’t miss our tips to make your website a consultant, the first steps to create a professional blog and our post on how to present the results of web analytics to a client.