I've got a client that wants a new site ASAP. As his current site is built in Wordpress, I uploaded a theme from a themeforest bundle I had. He said it was dull and boring. Here is what the site looks like

 

http://www.bulletpro....uk/rockswatch/

 

Here is what his current site looks like

 

http://www.rockswatch.com/

 

and here is another of his sites.

 

http://rocksofradlett.co.uk/

 

Judging from these sites, he has a very particular taste.

 

So my question is, where can I get design inspiration for sites like these?

So my question is, where can I get design inspiration for sites like these?

Try 1997

Try 1997

 

Haha I know. But really what can you do when a client likes this style and no matter what you show him "it looks boring"

 

I was maybe thinking of just sending him to themeforest and picking a theme that he likes?

But really what can you do when a client likes this style and no matter what you show him "it looks boring"

1. Ask him what he wants the website for (presumably 'to sell things' in this case)
   
2. Remind him that he is not his own customer (and that they might not think that it's boring)
   
3. Suggest that he gives the boring theme a try for a few weeks/month to see if it gets the results he wants
   

 

At least, that's what I'd say.

Could you not simply adjust the colours on the site you have built, rather than making something new? I can see where he's coming from, but the design is quite nice actually. Just change the heavy dark banner and black stripe to something brighter and more fun?

I've got a client that wants a new site ASAP. As his current site is built in Wordpress, I uploaded a theme from a themeforest bundle I had. He said it was dull and boring. Here is what the site looks like

 

http://www.bulletpro....uk/rockswatch/

 

Here is what his current site looks like

 

http://www.rockswatch.com/

 

and here is another of his sites.

 

http://rocksofradlett.co.uk/

 

Judging from these sites, he has a very particular taste.

 

So my question is, where can I get design inspiration for sites like these?

 

Why are you in this situation? Did you scope out the project? Did you get a detailed breakdown of what he wanted before starting work?

 

Your job is to steer the client away from 90's ugly before taking the work on, otherwise you may have landed yourself a nightmare as a result.

 

Speak to your client about AIDA and other principles that make a website work, why they work and how they better serve their customers and not their own very personal taste.

Why are you in this situation? Did you scope out the project? Did you get a detailed breakdown of what he wanted before starting work?

 

I didn't properly scope the project, the meeting was in his office while he was there taking business calls, it was very rushed. (Meetings are probably my biggest downfall, any useful advice you have for it would be greatly appreciated.)

 

Your job is to steer the client away from 90's ugly before taking the work on, otherwise you may have landed yourself a nightmare as a result.

 

I know it is as much as possible but if anything you produce is boringm what more can you do? And you won't know this till you show the client your drafts.

Could you not simply adjust the colours on the site you have built, rather than making something new? I can see where he's coming from, but the design is quite nice actually. Just change the heavy dark banner and black stripe to something brighter and more fun?

 

I wasn't actually planning on using this theme, was just putting it up to see what reaction I would get as I wouldn't want to do a mockup in Photoshop of something similar for it to be told it's not right and have to start again.

 

I do quite like your idea of maybe just changing the greys and blacks for more vibrant colours.

 

Thanks for the idea.

I wasn't actually planning on using this theme, was just putting it up to see what reaction I would get as I wouldn't want to do a mockup in Photoshop of something similar for it to be told it's not right and have to start again.

 

I do quite like your idea of maybe just changing the greys and blacks for more vibrant colours.

 

Thanks for the idea.

 

No worries, I definitely think you could easily tart up that layout in an hour or so and have something he likes. Throw a few colour examples and moodboards at him and then build from there.

I didn't properly scope the project, the meeting was in his office while he was there taking business calls, it was very rushed. (Meetings are probably my biggest downfall, any useful advice you have for it would be greatly appreciated.)

 

Right, that's just not good enough, you know this and you know it will cause you major headaches.

 

It's not too late to save this client, or even to walk away, but you need to back track and address the fundamentals.

 

- Address the balance; ask them why they hired you?

- What is they want you to do, be precise and not 'design a site'.

- Identify the holes and lack of understating on their side.

- Establish their credentials; what positives can they bring to this project?

- Use their skill set appropriately (which normally means NOT at the design phase)!

- Why do they need you? Because you're the expert, right?

 

...so they need to appreciate why they hired you and listen to your wisdom.

 

If they don't know really know why they hired you they won't have confidence in assessing your credibility and role in this project. You need to reinforce your qualities and in turn your confidence in handling the project, they also need to respect you and realise this is a relationship with equal terms - it works so much better that way.

 

Once you've established the relationship and demonstrated your confidence so they're at ease with you, then you need to understand their business, ,their ethos, their product, their audience, what their audience wants, what their competitors do well, what their competitors do wrong etc. etc.

 

Then some way after that you're close to start actually coming up with a concept design.

Right, that's just not good enough, you know this and you know it will cause you major headaches.

 

It's not too late to save this client, or even to walk away, but you need to back track and address the fundamentals.

 

- Address the balance; ask them why they hired you?

- What is they want you to do, be precise and not 'design a site'.

- Identify the holes and lack of understating on their side.

- Establish their credentials; what positives can they bring to this project?

- Use their skill set appropriately (which normally means NOT at the design phase)!

- Why do they need you? Because you're the expert, right?

 

...so they need to appreciate why they hired you and listen to your wisdom.

 

If they don't know really know why they hired you they won't have confidence in assessing your credibility and role in this project. You need to reinforce your qualities and in turn your confidence in handling the project, they also need to respect you and realise this is a relationship with equal terms - it works so much better that way.

 

Once you've established the relationship and demonstrated your confidence so they're at ease with you, then you need to understand their business, ,their ethos, their product, their audience, what their audience wants, what their competitors do well, what their competitors do wrong etc. etc.

 

Then some way after that you're close to start actually coming up with a concept design.

 

Total sense.

 

Especially the line "Why did they hire you? Because you're the professional right?"