There are three main answers we should know in advance:
* What is the client business?
* What features client wants for their website to have?
* What is the best design for that business?
Before you start with 11 essential questions, you should know some questions not to ask a client.
Questions you should not ask a possible client for web design!
Do not make hundreds of questions, and do not panic a client with hundreds of details, just to show, how complex is web site project, and how important is your job. By my opinion you should not ask a client questions like: Do you have a logo? Do you have a Domain? Do you have a slogan? Where did you hear about us? Some details are not consequently relevant for agreement, and you can get this answers later one after preliminary agreement. If a client has not a domain, you should offer or suggest buying one, and also you can design a logo. We just prefer to gift a domain to client, paid by us, for first year.
Besides you should ask:
1. Do you have your existing site for redesign or you need new website?
This will save your time, because perhaps you don’t offer redesign, as Albasoft don’t. We transfer any website to our Albasoft CMS and treat as new project, even when is redesign.
2. Can you please describe your business?
Take a note of all information, because this will be very important for planning Home page and Site map. You need to know closely, what your client does, before you begin work on their site. Descriptions of products/services client sell etc.
3. Who are your competitors?
Clients usually know who their main competitors are. It is essential to know who their competitors are, and what they are offering. Monitor their activities to help client to respond to rival marketing campaigns with own initiatives. You can use this knowledge to create marketing strategies that take advantage and improve client business performance.
4. Do you have special features in mind?
Does client need e-Commerce shopping cart, Blog, RSS, Forms with emails, Newsletter signup, auto responders, advertising positions, Forum etc.
5. What is your approximate budget for this project?
This is a question you should not repeat twice. Sometimes, there are “clients that want champagne with beer price”. Sometimes, there are people who have no idea about website project budget. If you want to be serious you should make offers in written to any client. After this, it is up to client to decide. Propose technical high quality solutions and cost effective offers and you will succeed. Use a calculator to calculate price and make offers. We suggest you to use Albasoft Calculator for Web Design Services. Based on our experience, clients need about one month to decide about company for designing their website. Very often they came back to us, after one month, for final agreement, only after they compare Albasoft offer with competitors, because quality and price is very important for client.
6. Do you have a webmaster on your staff or a contact person that will approve our proposal?
Not all companies have a paid staff position to focus on the Website. Companies that want full benefits of internet really need to have a staff position carved out for this purpose.
7. What is your deadline for finishing the site?
Usually clients will expect to have their finished web site next week. However, this is good moment to explain that everything depends of how many pages a web site will have, and how much support client will give in approving a final design on time.
8. How are you going to promote the new site?
There are many ways for website marketing through social media as Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, Business Blog; Also, SEO activity; In addition traditional strategy as: Cards, Brochures, Traditional Media; Paid Advertising Strategies etc. It could be an opportunity for you to get more work from client.
9. Are there websites that are attractive to you or would like to try to be like in some way?
Most of people today are very familiar with internet and has their favorite web sites. Based on this you will find out a lot about style and colors clients likes.
10. Is the content ready for your web site?
It is good to know if you should offer additional services as Copywriter or to aware a client that they should deliver content on time to finish a project. Some clients expect that you will do content production process for free. Now is time to explain.
11. Who are the decision makers on this project?
Explain that you will send offer in written with all technical details and ask who will make the decisions and who should be on Cc. Make clear that the price is negotiable and can be reduced ore changed based on requirements.
Make a detailed offer that will help to have a clear contract. If the contract is unclear, you may be asked by client to provide more services than you expected and client will suppose you don’t want fully to accomplish a contract.
Always be honest with your clients, and, take care to prevent vague situations.