Not only freelance webmasters, but also managers often face the task of finding a common language with a client who wants to order the creation of a website. This is especially difficult when the client is not a professional in web development, is often emotional and acts on instinct. Simply put, he himself does not understand what he needs. “I heard that now everyone has a website.” Now he wants it for himself.
This article will be useful not only to website creators, but to the customers themselves. It will help organize your thoughts and requirements.
So, a client has come to you who wants to make a website. How to understand what he really wants? He's like a partisan. Doesn't admit it right away. Or even in general, it can confuse the tracks. What design? What functionality? After all, in most cases, he does not have any TOR (technical specifications). If it were technical specifications, it would be a different matter. But he's not there.
You can start a dialogue from several guidelines:
- First of all, ask about his field of activity.
- Is there a logo, corporate identity, or other advertising products? For example, printing.
- Competitors' websites.
- What websites does the customer like? Even if not from his field of activity.
- What information will be posted on the website?
- What functions should the website perform?
- What is the budget?
Let's take a closer look.
The client's industry will help you see what solutions their competitors are using. Thus, we will immediately move on to point 3. Then to all the others.
From the existing logo and corporate identity you can understand what the design of the new website should be. It is even possible to select an existing template.
Competitors’ websites will help you decide: to do as they do, to borrow certain “tricks”, or to do the opposite. What can be useful? Therefore, it would be a good idea to start by researching them. In addition, if you dig even deeper, from a study of the competitive environment, a client portrait, SWOT analysis, the presence (or absence) of a unique selling proposition and, in general, a marketing strategy. Then it will be clear what the website should be like. By the way, this path will be the most correct and comprehensive, including all the other points described here, but also the most difficult from the point of view of “selling” to the client.
Knowing which websites the customer likes, you can try to create something similar. However, there are nuances. Your client may like something that is completely different from their area of expertise. In addition, it’s not a fact that his client will like it either. Nevertheless, the main thing is that the website, like any advertising product, is liked not by the contractor or the customer, but by the customer’s client. On the other hand, even this: you may not like it, but it fulfills its marketing function - to sell. Therefore, often we don’t like advertising, but at the same time it is effective - it writes something down.
You can decide what needs to be placed on the website. For example, a price list. Moreover, it will immediately become clear, for example, the menu. The same thing if you already have texts and pictures.
You can start from functions. For example, the swebite is dedicated to an upcoming conference. This means there should be an application form, etc.
You can start from the budget. Let's say the customer has only five hundred dollars. Knowing this, you can offer appropriate solutions that fit within the given budget...
As you can see, all these questions complement each other. Moreover, to find out what the customer really wants, you can and should use at least several similar guides.
However, there is also a “zero” point. At the very beginning, you can ask: “Do you have technical specifications?” No, well, suddenly there is. And if not, suggest starting with it. In addition, all other questions will help when creating it. In fact, such dialogue is part of its creation. Technical specifications for the website. Moreover, in reality, it will require your time, consultations with the customer (you will advise him on something) and recording of agreements. What is this if not TOR?
In other words, demand the creation of technical specifications.
You may spend some time on it, and he may spend some money, but this is the most important thing. TOR will save this same money and time in the future. Not far.
One more little tip.
Visualize! Even if it’s on your knee. In Excel or on a piece of paper. See ready-made templates.
Moreover, there is a completely standard approach, when everything dances from the structure of the website - this is a hierarchy, like a family tree, which is drawn on paper or in Excel. This is, of course, possible, but in reality the website will not look exactly like this.
A better place to start is by visualizing what the home page looks like. Here is the menu at the top, here in the footer, here in the right column, etc.
