The client web designer relationship is a delicate one.

How does Giant Spheres work with their clients to achieve their project goals?

My approach starts by forming a cohesive web strategy with my client.  I want to know what my clients business or service is all about, who their customers are, what their target market is, who their competitors are and what they are doing.

I like to gather any images, fonts, textures or examples from my client for inspiration.  What inspires them, who influences them and what is their taste.   Do they require to be able to manage and change aspects of their own site (content management system)?   How would they like to present their company on the web?  Do they require an innovative flash site? Will they be doing a lot of blogging?

After assessing all of this information and agreeing on a budget I will dig right in with a mock up of the page.  I will get a basic visual idea and colour scheme and will run with it.  The mock will rest online within a nook of the Giant Spheres web page.  The client is able to see changes in real time as I build their complete site in a password protected space.  From this point on the client can make suggestions usually by email, skype or online chat.  Ideas are tossed back and forth in writing conveniently providing a record of all discussion in regard to the page.

When the customer is satisfied with the design, layout, functionality and copy the site will go live.  From there we will focus on search engine optimization by analyzing how the site is performing and adjusting meta data, google adwords, ad sense and so much more.  We will take a look at the avenues of social media that the customer should explore and exploit to meet their full online presence potential.  The ball is really in the customers court with how far they want to take a site.  There are so many more aspects to having a successful web presence than the web page itself and Giant Spheres can help to facilitate those aspects.

My clients expect to be kept well informed on the entire scope of the project.  That is why I constantly keep in contact, mostly via email, to notify the client of any changes.  Usually the email will include a link to a specific page with a few questions.  If there is a deadline on the clients side focus will appropriately be shifted until that deadline is met.

My approach is very organic.  We plant a thought and nurture it until it has a giant sphere of influence.

Filed under: Philosophy, Web design