When building a new website, the first step is to plan the project. This can be done during a face to face meeting or over the phone. We will step you through the process as we go, however there are some things you can do to make sure you get the most out of the session.
Think Carefully About Your Purpose
An essential step during the planning process is to clarify the end game. What is it that you want to get out of the website? It’s important to think carefully about this, as it will dictate the design and functionality that is included.
The purpose will be different for each business, depending on your set up and the products or services you provide. For example, you might want:
- A ‘brochure-style’ website that displays information about your business, upcoming events and how your customers can find you.
- An online store so you can sell your products or take payments for your services
- A product gallery so that potential customers can browse before even stepping foot into your business
- A booking management system if you run events or an accommodation business and want to manage bookings online.
Research Other Websites
A challenging part of the development processes is conveying to the graphic designer the look and feel that you want. This can be even more challenging if you’re not yet sure what you do and don’t like.
Take the time to research other websites prior to the planning meeting. Keep a list handy of the sites that you do/don’t like and why. This will give our graphic designer a really good idea of what suits you and your business.
Look through competitor’s websites
If you haven’t already done this during the previous step, take the time to research websites of businesses in the same industry. No, you don’t want your new website to look like a carbon copy of your competitor’s website. However, it is very useful to see how they have approached it.
This research might help you identify a unique selling point that you want to feature on your website, to set yourself apart from the others. Or you might find extra website functionality that you had never considered before.
Bring Existing Marketing Materials
If you have an existing logo or branding that you use for your marketing activities, bring a copy along to the meeting.
Examples of promotions, adverts or flyers you have used previously will give us an idea of the look you currently have. Consistency is key when it comes to marketing. We want your new website design to gel with your previous branding so that existing customers will easily recognise your business.
Gather Some Photos
You don’t need to collect all the photos that you want on your website, but it is useful to have a few on hand.
After the planning meeting, our graphic designer will create a mock-up for the design of your website. The photos that you have collected can be used when creating the mock up, to give you an idea on how the final website will look.
Don’t worry, all photos can be changed at any point. So if you’re still unsure of which photos you want to feature first, we can always swap them over prior to launching the final site.
