My Process
This is the usual the process I follow for most projects.
Initial call
We’ll start with a quick 30-minute call to get to know each other. I’ll learn about what you want to do, who you are, and we’ll chat about your project. This is mostly a meet-and-greet to see if we’re a good fit.
Questionnaire
After that first call, I’ll send you a questionnaire—it’s a form with about 60 questions that will take about 30 minutes to complete in one sitting.
Yes, it’s lengthy—but that’s intentional. It asks deep questions about your project, your goals, and your vision. Many clients find the process itself valuable, and you’ll walk away with a copy of your own you can reference at any time.
Second meeting
After I’ve reviewed your questionnaire answers, we’ll schedule a second meeting. By this point, I’ll already have a solid understanding of your project, so our conversation can be much more productive—we can dive deeper into the important stuff rather than spending hours covering the basics.
During this meeting, we’ll discuss your project in depth and I’ll ask any follow-up questions I have.
Initial proposal
After our second meeting, I’ll create a Google Doc for you that serves as your project’s home base and I will create an initial proposal there, which will include:
- My understanding of the project and the direction it’s going
- The tech and tools I think we’ll need to complete the project
- What it will take to take the project to completion
- A general timeline and cost to complete the project
Proposal adjustments (if necessary)
We’ll review the proposal together during a follow-up call after you’ve reviewed it at your convenience.
I’ll adjust the proposal as needed based on your feedback, and I’ll send over the adjusted version. Once you’re ready, we’ll just get your approval and move forward.
Contract & first payment
Once you accept the proposal, I’ll prepare a statement of work based on it (a contract that outlines everything we agreed to). I’ll develop and solidify an official timeline.
We’ll sign the statement of work, and I’ll invoice you for the first of three payments (your retainer).
💰 At this point you will make your first of three payments (your retainer).
Research & design direction
Once I receive your first payment and the contract is signed, I start digging in:
I’ll research your competitors and peers and identify patterns in your market.
Moodboard & stylescape
If we’re doing any new design work, I’ll create a moodboard—a collection of images, colors, and design inspiration that sets the tone for your site. I might share this with you, or I might use it just for my own reference.
Then I’ll create a stylescape—a single image that shows the visual direction for your site. Think of it as a preview of the colors, fonts, photography style, and overall look and feel we’re going for.
Sitemap
I’ll create a clear sitemap showing the structure of your site (yes, even for one-page sites) and all the pages we’re building. Think of it like a table of contents for your website.
Sitemap & stylescape approval
I’ll send the sitemap and stylescape over to you for review. You’ll have 24 hours to send any questions or revisions you have.
You get one revision of both the sitemap and the stylescape.
Additional deliverables
I’ll identify any additional materials I need from you to complete the rest of the project (like photos, text, logos, etc.) and update your Google Doc.
You’ll need to get all final deliverables over to me before we continue to the next phase.
💰 At this point you will make your second of three payments.
Homepage development
I’ll start by developing your homepage. When it’s ready, I’ll share it with you over a screen share so you can see it and I can walk you through it.
You’ll get one round of feedback on the homepage, and I’ll need that feedback within 24 hours.
Other pages development
After updating the homepage based on your feedback, I’ll develop the rest of your core pages (not all pages—just the main ones we need to get right).
I’ll screen share the updated homepage and the new pages for review.
You’ll get one round of feedback on these remaining core pages, and again, I’ll need that feedback within 24 hours.
Complete the rest of the website
💰 At this point you will make your third and final payment.
After your feedback on the other pages, I’ll finish developing the entire website. Once it’s all done, you’ll get to see it all live and you’ll get one final revision for everything before we launch. This is for minor tweaks—not major changes.
Testing
Together, we’ll test everything: layout, content, links, forms, and how everything works. I’ll do deeper testing on my end, and we’ll test together to make sure everything looks great and works correctly.
At this point we won’t be changing anything drastically—just making sure everything works correctly and looks great.
Fix testing issues
If we find any issues during testing, I’ll fix them. These are fixes only—no further revisions or changes, just making sure everything works as it should.
Training
I’ll schedule a screen sharing session with you to show you how to do things on your new website—how to update content, make changes, and anything else you need to know.
Launch
When everything is ready, I’ll tell you the domain name (the web address) where your website is, and you can open it in your browser. Your website is now live!
Post-launch support
For one week after launch, I’m available for questions and support as you settle into your new site. I’ll help fix any issues, answer questions, and make very minor tweaks to make sure everything is running smoothly.
Offboarding & maintenance
After the support week, we’ll have an offboarding call to review how everything went. We’ll talk through the launch, answer any final questions, and decide if you’d like ongoing maintenance support.
If we agree to ongoing maintenance, your maintenance plan will begin after launch. Your site will be set up to auto-update where possible, and if anything goes wrong or issues come up, we can address them quickly.
💰 Note: maintenance is a monthly subscription fee.
Communications
Most communication happens over Zoom or Google Meet, and normal text-messaging.
Ready to work together? — Contact me and let’s get started!