A big part of freelance design is dealing with clients. You cannot begin a project until you have found out exactly what your employer wants from you. Generally, you will need to find out what is wanted before you can even draw up an appropriate proposal. Questionnaires can be downloaded which you can then give to your client. This will ensure that all necessary information is gathered before the project begins. However, many clients are busy and do not have the time to properly answer a large list of questions.
In order to find out required information from a client, a short list of the most important questions should be made up. If you keep things simple and only ask what is really needed, a client is more likely to give you proper answers. Following is a list of questions that are appropriate for your prospective employer.
What is their organization about?
Before you can design a website you have to know exactly what it for. This question will help you to find out what the business does, and what their philosophies are. You cannot create an appropriate website if you do not know who you are designing it for. Find out what their customer views are, and what their goals are in the business world.
Why does the client want a website?
There are many reasons to create a website for a business. It is very important that you understand why your new client wants a website. Many companies believe that creating a website will fix all of their problems and double their business. Make sure the client understands this is not necessarily true, but ensure them a website can help if it is properly made. Some clients will have given little thought as to why they want a website. Many people simply think that every company needs a website because they are popular.
Does their business solve a problem for customers?
If a person were to visit an accountant’s website, they would be looking for someone to help solve their accounting problems. Ask your client what it is that their business does to help customers. They must have a service which people want to pay for, otherwise they could not make any money. Rather than focusing on their work processes and special features, focus on what the client truly does. Visitors to the website will want to know exactly how the business can help them.
Why is their business unique?
Ask your client why their business is different from the competition. This will tell you, which feature to emphasize on the website, but it also tells you what they value. If a company says that they are special for a certain reason, you know that this is important to them.
What do they want people to use their site for?
Each website has its own set of goals and reasons for being created. If you are going to make an effective site for a client, you have to outline what they want visitors to do on their website. This will influence the site layout and the information that it contains.
