Hello all!
A problem that I’m currently struggling with is capturing the required elements/materials from customers to build their web presence. I would like to simplify this process and speed it up as fast and effective as possible because some clients loose interest and just leave the project. (only one has taken such path but the fear of struggling with this phase has caught be back from reaching my true potential.)
If this is not directly related to the purpose of the business kit, hope all the advisers are experienced business admins, would appreciate some pointers to resources in the matter. But to me, optimizing workflows sounds part of it.
Many thanks
I can’t tell my wireless provider that I no longer want their services because I’ve “lost interested” in my cell phone. So make sure you have a contact that specifies cancellation terms.
A cancellation or escape clause covers the circumstances under which either party can cancel and what happens if they do. I would definitely specify that if he cancels after a certain point, he loses a portion of his deposit to cover the work you’ve done up to that point.
The other thing I’d recommend is do not attach payments to project milestones. I made that mistake on my first paid project. I stipulated payment “upon completion.” To make things worse, I didn’t ask for a deposit. I built the site without copy and ten months later, I was still waiting for the content and hadn’t been paid anything.
Instead of attaching payments to production milestones, my contract stipulated that final payment was due within a certain number of days, regardless of whether the project is completed or not. For example, if I was reasonably certain that I could have the entire project completed in 90 days, then that’s when I’d specify final payment was due.
This puts the onus on the client and not you. He can provide content on time, or he can end up with a site that’s paid for, yet remains incomplete due to his own inaction.
Not to toot my own horn, but my article, Bulletproof Web Design Contracts, has more on this.
Hope that helps.
Hey John! thanks for your input! That makes sense and I appreciate it.
But what I tried to ask is more related to that planning phase ,gathering that content (images, information that they’ll like to have but prob need help to gather) from them in the simplest way possible because these are small businesses and I have happened to find that if we don’t bring what we need in a silver platter you are not likely to win.
So blueprints, advice, other products i dont know , to tackle the task , I would greatly appreciate any thoughts.
Hope is more clear.
lol! Welcome to the life of a website developer, getting content off clients is the bane of most website designer’s lives.
Charge a 50% deposit at the earliest point in a project that you reasonably can and you’ll find it does wonders for the client’s motivation!