Re: Explaining information to clients

Hi Kim,

I think giving a storyboard to a client is a good idea, important even,
given that probably a good percentage of them will be not only web
illiterate but technophobes as well. The reason they hired you in the first
place is because, you're the "expert", so relying on them to do all the
legwork does nothing for your professional reputation. 

So, let's say your client is a car dealer and it's been established that
they want a web presence. Set up a meeting with them and take notice of
their location...what are they near...a landmark, a large department store,
easy to find ? ...all this is "copy fodder" for the site. Take notes..you
won't remember everything.

Ask lots of questions. Do they specialize in a particular brand of
vehicle...do they have weekly/monthly specials...do they do repairs...do
they have a slogan they use in other advertising, what makes them different
from other car dealers. In other words, find out as much as you can about
their business, so that you come away with a good grasp of *exactly* what
they do and how they do it. I don't mean you should cross examine them, I
mean you should convey a genuine interest in their business and a desire to
help.

Now you don't have to rely on them to provide you with *all* the text but
if they don't like what you've written, it can be changed...you have
something to work with.

If they can't provide you with the pictures/logos they want to use there
and then, ask for a couple of brochures so you have some graphics to play
with. Set a time to come back and collect them explaining that you will
start working on something for them to look at, but that in order to keep
the price down for them, the less you have to "fiddle" with it the better.

If you haven't been designing for very long, this is a really good way to
get a "feel" for the client and hopefully when they see your work, they'll
be impressed with what you've done.

Get to know your client and understand his/her business and you're halfway
there :)

Good Luck...

Kym




At 01:42 PM 06/12/2000 , Maple Tree Designs wrote:
>Hi, I am fairly new to this list and have enjoyed lurking. I have not being
>doing web design business very long and have only done a handful of sites. I
>was curious as to how do most of you "explain" all the requirements needed
>to complete a website.
>
>I have made up a "guideline" sheet to help my clients know what is needed
>(logos, pictures, text in a text file or word type file) Seems to me that
>most of these people approaching me to do a website know absolutely NOTHING
>about computers much less the web. I understand that all the information is
>very overwhelming, because it was for me at first, however, there has got to
>be a simplified way to get clients to understand that I'm not a magician. I
>need some sort of information about their company to put up on the website,
>because no one knows their business better than the owner, right??? Some
>people act like it is too much trouble to type up information about their
>company.
>
>Is it just because I'm new, or do others face this similar problem. I'd
>appreciate any input!! Thanks
>
>Kim






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