What should the customer know about your pricing (e.g., discounts, fees)?
I have a flat hourly rate. A lot of people charge different prices for different services but I've found that many times I end up doing multiple things from coding to graphics to photography so it's easier to go from one to the other without charging more or over charging for the same time span to do multiple tasks.
What is your typical process for working with a new customer?
First: meet after an outline has been sent. Look at and go over the outline. Discuss their goals and brand direction. Evaluate all the social medias they should utilize and discuss long term goals. Go over mission statement and corresponding material and then discuss the sites layout and pages/navigation.
What education and/or training do you have that relates to your work?
I have a bachelors degree in communication & also attended graduate school. I have had multiple art classes, writing classes, editing classes, television and film classes and I've worked in radio and television news. I've also worked for production companies and I've developed and worked on hundreds of web sites.
How did you get started doing this type of work?
I've been doing side projects or presentations since High School. In college I really started using the computer to build graphics and presentations then in 1999 started learning web coding and building pages.
What types of customers have you worked with?
A variety from salon owners to churches to tattoo parlor owners. I have also worked with corporations and fixed problematic template sites that were coded incorrectly. Many have issues with cross platform fluidity and don't look, run or function the same on all devices. So I fix them.
Describe a recent project you are fond of. How long did it take?
No site has exceeded a thirty day completion. Most recent was an app for a web client.
What advice would you give a customer looking to hire a provider in your area of work?
Have an outline. Know what you want to say about your product or service and treat it like a book outline. Write out specifically your tag line, what you do or want to sell, be specific and be thorough. The more thorough you are the easier it is to accomplish. Don't get caught up in look and color that can always change and be addressed by the designer.
What questions should customers think through before talking to professionals about their project?
Think about what your goal is with this site. Write down everything you want to say about it. Write up a mission statement. Attempt a very thorough outline for each page and section. Treat it like a book report. Also look at competitors in your field. See what they do and look at their web sites. What works vs. what doesn't.
