Hi all,

 

I am meeting a client next week to discuss how I can re-design their current website. I haven't meet the client before and we haven't discussed their requirements yet, just arranged to have a chat.

 

What will I take to the meeting?

 

Usually I just take a nice notebook and pen, and then listen to what they want, add my ideas in etc, then I give them a quote the next day.

 

I really want to impress them as the job could be quite profitable for me, and I am not sure if they are talking to other people too.

 

I was thinking of maybe doing a one-page mockup design, is this a good idea? Even although I haven't heard their requirements? I don't want them thinking I am being presumptous but on the other hand thought this might impress them when they compare it to their current website design.

 

Does anyone take any other print outs to an initial client meeting?

 

Any thoughts on this would be appreciated, thanks!

If you ask more specifics, and are very detailed in your questioning this would show that you're attentive to detail. I wouldn't do a mock-up personally. Bear in mind i've only had 3 client meets to date, i mostly work via email.

 

Ask as much as you can about

 

• their goals
  
• current branding
  
• the company image
  
• content (who's responsible?)
  
• their target demographics (important!)?
  
• What websites they like and why or what don't they like?
  
• main competitors (local mainly, but ask about national and international ones as well)
  
• What sets them aside from their competitors (this will need emphasizing)
  
• Budget
  
• Deadlines
  
• Features (stats, tracking etc.)
  

 

 

There's a bazillion other things you can ask too i'll add more as i can think of them, just make sure you try to get every scrap of information you could possibly need to take a site from start to finish.

 

You could try and take a site similar to what they'll probably need. And just mind map every aspect of it for questioning.

If you have no brief yet then do not do a mock up yet - if you came to my office with a mock up of how my new site should look without getting any real details from me then I would assume that (no matter how good the design was) you don't understand my business and my needs, you are just throwing together a nice design.

 

Go to the meeting with a pad and a pen and maybe look into drawing up a 5 question creative brief to take with you and go through it with the client (I am just about to write an article on creative brief's for web designers so keep your eyes peeled for that) so that you can get a really good understanding of what they require.

 

Once you have met them, then you can start coming up with ideas for sites - get a solid brief first and then you can accurately quote them

 

Best of luck

I normally take my laptop with a text file on the desktop of all the questions I normally ask them (so I don't for get ). I also keep a few screenshots of recent sites I've done to show them incase I can't get an internet connection wherever we meet.

 

I wouldn't do a mockup design as you won't have enough information for it. You could however get some screenshots of the websites of similar businesses to show them so you can see what features they like/dont like.

Thanks for the advice guys.

 

I think you are probably right about the mockup, prob getting ahead of myself there and might have a negative effect on the client if I go ahead and do that before listening to what they are after with the re-design.

 

Fingers crossed the meeting goes well! I always feel I'm out of my depth with these, especially when its with a large corporate client. As I am young and also look younger than my years, I think clients think "who is this kid?" and don't expect me to be as young as I am or something...

 

Thanks again to those who responded so far!

I wouldn't worry about your age too much. I was 19 when I did my first £10,000+ website at work.

 

Just be confident, composed and let them know you know what you're doing

I've found that EVERY single person wants a rough ball park figure right there and then. Even if you say you'll work out a quote the next day, they'll want a figure straight away so that they kinda know what to expect because many people out there don't know how much web design costs! I'd say work out your rates beforehand and have a good idea of how much you'd want to charge for e.g. a 5 page static site, a 20 page CMS site, logo design, a one item e-commerce site etc etc.

 

Talk about the work flow process and how you envisage working together. If you know what area of business they are in do your research. Competitors, problems, potential website features etc. Preparation is key. Bring your notepad, ask pertinent questions listen tentatively and make notes. The more preparation you do, the less umming and ahhhing and thus the more professional you appear! Be confident, know your stuff and good luck!

As LYKC has pointed out, a lot of people want the price there and then.....you have two options here. Work it out beforehand and then give them a ballpark figure based on what they have asked you to do OR stand firm and say that you wouldn't like to estimate costs but you will have a quote over to them by tomorrow morning (or the same day if your meeting is in the morning)

 

There are benefits of both ways. An on the spot quote means that you know your prices and you aren't trying to scam them for whatever they can afford but a next day quote means you have really thought about what they require and given them a quote based on the best solution for them. This is just something you will have to get a feel for as more meetings come your way. Every meeting is different.

 

One thing I will do is when you are quoting on the spot, get the figure in your head and then ADD 20% before speaking. Usually with an on the spot quote the client wants to haggle so add that 20% on and then be prepared to lose it in the haggle - and if they don't haggle with you it is an extra 20% for you OR... you can give them added value buy spending the extra 20% on something for them that they didn't expect as a freebie (like 2 years hosting for the price of 1 or something)

 

Best of luck and make sure you log-on here afterwards and tell us all how it went

Thanks for all the good advice guys!! Fingers crossed! It's probably going to be next wednesday.

 

I will most certainly let you know how I got on!

 

Have a nice weekend everybody.

how did it go web-gal?

 

collected this into a blog post everyone : http://www.acuitydesigns.net/when-meeting-...lance-designer/