In a nutshell? Map out your goals. Figure out how we're gonna get there. Make it look good. Make it work.
Outlined here are the steps involved and the milestones that you can expect throughout the entire process. While each project may deviate slightly, these steps serve as a general guideline for what will be done.
You complete and return our Website Planning Document. We talk (in person or by phone). After assessing your needs, your goals, your identity, we will discuss with you options, solutions, desired domain names, tentative site map, etc.
DELIVERABLES: Website Planning Document due | Loose verbal estimate
We will create a proposal or estimate based on our discussion and appropriate market research. We will review and revise with you (either in person or via phone/email) as appropriate until it reflects your intentions.
DELIVERABLES: Written proposal or line-item estimate detailing solutions, functionality, timeline, and pricing
If the proposal meets your needs and you decide to proceed, you will need to approve the formal estimate and terms of service, then pay your deposit (normally 40% of the developmental cost), along with the $15 domain name registration (if applicable).
DELIVERABLES: Formal estimate | Initial deposit due
We will need page content from you. If you already have content in other forms (like in a brochure), that is an excellent starting point, but be advised that copy written for print does not always translate well to the web (different media, different audience, different reading habits). To get the most out of your website, we recommend paying a little extra to have our SEO copywriter create keyword-optimized content which will help your pages rank in Google AND be customer-friendly to your audience. Otherwise, if you can supply us with a rough idea of what you want to go on each page (a list of bullet points will usually suffice), we will expand on those to create standard copy for your pages.
DELIVERABLES: Content / copy due
We develop a wireframe—a skeletal (outline) view of your website that focuses on overall layout of page elements. The wireframe focuses strictly on what goes where and how the site works. We then build upon the wireframe and create a custom design for the website. We will first create a homepage mockup. We review with you and make changes as necessary. Once approved, we will design the inner page mockup. You will sign off on the design once you have approved, and we move on to developing the website itself.
DELIVERABLES: Home page design mockup | Inner page design mockup
We finish building out the website and test it in all modern browsers and on both Windows and Mac platforms and mobile devices. You review your site for any final modifications, and give your final approval. Once you pay the remaining balance and your hosting fee, your website will be launched. We’ll set up your email accounts and mail forwarding as necessary.
DELIVERABLES: Remaining balance due / Hosting fee due
You have administrative control over updating your website. We’ll show you how to do this either through a face-to-face training session, or through a series of online video tutorials that you can watch anytime.
DELIVERABLES: Video tutorials
If there is an update you don’t feel comfortable doing or are unable to do, we can do however much or little updating you desire. All services are rendered at an hourly rate; you have the option of signing up for a monthly retainer at a discounted hourly rate.
