9 Tips for Working With Your Web Designer

 

SO you have managed to navigate the minefield of selecting rt good web designer (see previous blog) and now yo need to know how to work with them. In this article we will discuss how to make the most of your new business relationship and what to expect further down the road.

It's imperative that you start the project on the right foot, after all, first impressions last a lifetime. The complex venture with your web designer can be a rewarding and enriching experience, providing you put in some effort and time. Making sure you are both on the same page throughout your project will ensure compatibility and productivity.

Here are some of the major pointers to help you make the very most of your working experience together:

1. Do your homework

Don't simply click on the first web design company on google. Just because they are at the top of google, doesn't mean that they are the best, oreven the right one for your project. Web design companies often pay to be at the top of google, some don't even speak English as their first language and this can lead to an unmanageable breakdown in communication. You may also select a large design agency, charging astronomical amounts for designers, account handlers and other overheads. This is largely unnecessary as you will quickly find a smaller company with just as much experience and skills for less than a quarter of the price.

2. Don't assume that creating a website is an "easy job".

As a web designer I can tell you this raises a communication barrier from the outset. The process may seem simple in your eyes, but that may be down to the fact that your web designer has spared you the technicalities and endless troubleshooting in previous projects. Stating that "you would do it yourself but don't have time" or "it wont take long" are both very demeaning and are also not going to bring the price down. If I told you I could do your job as well as you without years of training and experience, how would you feel about that?

You may have had some experience with online site builders and DIY options (see this blog to explain why this is more than likely, the worst idea you ever had), but the fact that you are now hiring a website designer shows you that things aren't as simple as they seem. The amount of work that goes on behind the scenes on these builders is 90% of what you are paying a web designer to do, only they are doing it properly for you.
Leave it to your designer to explain the difficulty or how long the job will take, don't rush them into providing a less than perfect service. It should be clear from their online portfolio examples that they are capable of competing your project to an adequate standard.

What may seem like a simple change to your website could equal hours of troubleshooting and support tickets for your web designer.

3. Keep Your End of the Bargain

You will be required to supply the web designer with content for your website. Bear in mind that if the designer doesn't have what they need when they need it, your project will come to a halt. They will then move on to another project and yours will be shelved until you supply the information discussed in your original brief or meeting. To avoid any delays to your project's completion date, it would be best practice to supply everything your designer needs up front. This would include and text, images, co tact information and design options. If your pictures need to be purchased, this would also be completed at an early stage.

If your web designer has provided an initial web design project questionnaire (ours is linked here) then this will help to start the project n the right foot. This should inform the web designer as to everything that you have envisioned for the project. The more information you provide, them more scope the designer will have to full fill your expectations.

At Dreamkatcha we offer a project discount if you can provide everything required for the project upfront.

4. Be patient with your web designer

From a clients point of view, you will want your project completed yesterday. You wont be the first and you wont be the last. But putting the pressure on your designer to finish the website sooner than they are used to could result in a substandard project...and you will be they cause. If you really need your project completed in a short amount of time then get it under the nose of your designer as soon as you can. This will give them the best chance of completing on time. If you can get everything ready as soon as you decide to initiate the project, then you will help the process exponentially. Quality work doen't come overnight, it takes time to design, develop and test each section of your website.

5. Get involved from beginning to end.

Now let me be clear...I don't mean help design your website, I mean stay close to the project and respond to emails as soon as you can. Also provide your comments as an when they are required.

A good practice is to discuss each stage of the process so that you are both on the same page throughout the project. This will speed up productivity and also help you keep any deadlines discussed, on time. If one of you isn't regularly contacting the the other with feedback, the project can go off the rails and getting it back to where it should be will take extra time.
You will get out, what you put in when it comes to graphic and web design projects. After all it is a collaboration between you and the designer, you want to see something special at the end of the day.

6. Don’t Ask Family & Friends what they think of the designs if they have no reference

Throughout the project, your web designer should send you samples and examples if the work he is performing for you. From image selection to layouts, fonts and pretty much every design suggestion. It will be tempting to then show your friends, family and colleagues and get their opinions. After all, more views will always equal a better analysis right? Wrong! Unless the people you are showing the designs to is your specific target audience, or they have experience if fields such as marketing (or something relevant), then this can usually strain  your client-web designer relationship. There is often no objective criteria to support the opinions you receive from friends and family and can end up confusing not only your designer, but you as well!

7. Don’t Overcomplicate things

Don't become a web designer or graphic designer, thinking this will help the project. Remember you have employed a designer because you lack the skills or expertise to carry out the project yourself. Everybody want to see some of their suggestions in the final project, but make sure they are only suggestions. Your designer will decide if these suggestions are going to work or not, many factors may b at hand that yo don't understand. Only your designer will understand the entire implications of your suggestions and this is just down to  experience. Bear in mind that what you had in mind at the beginning of the project either may not work due to unknown contributing factors, or their is simply a better idea that your designer will know.

8. Don’t Micromanage Your Web Designer

To ensure a productive and enjoyable experience for both the web designer and the client, it is important that each of you stick to your respective roles.

As a new business owner or entrepreneur, it is your job to communicate your requirements clearly to your website designer. It's the job of the web designer to come up with a complete solution that satisfies your initial brief. An example where clients regularly overstep the mark would be where they think the colour pallet is too bland for their particular brand. This is actually a good and constructive contribution, however when they start to offer specific design modifications without the assistance f a trained eye, this can leave the entire design floored. The problem with this level of interaction leaves your designer in the dark as to what the bigger picture is and may interfere with the overall picture envisioned by the designer. Asking for a solution draws on their skill set and experience, where they will probably be able to suggest a better solution.

9. Be decisive

When you receive a set of designs to look over, be strict and decide upfront what you like and don't like. Being wishey-washey at this point can be costly and waste voluble time. What may seem like a simple cold change to you down the road could spell disaster for your web designer, taking hours or even days of unnecessary work. Don't keep asking for multiple designs as this will lead to a stained working relationship. After the first couple of designs you should be able to give your designer clear instructions where to go next so that any modifications after this will be minimal. Bear in mind I am referring to logo designs of info graphics, not websites! You should only expect one website design based on your brief, extending this process has been prven to be confusing and unnecessary.

Conclusion:

After you have decided on the right web designer, work hard to establish a good working relationship from the outset. Make sure you are clear and informative, provide all information in a timely manor and stey in touch at every stage of the project

You have picked this designer from a long list of others, o have faith that they can provide you with a first class service. You will have seen from their online portfolio that they are fully capable, so give them some space for creativity and don't rush them. Buy responding to emails and phone calls as soon as possible and providing feedback and any necessary files will go a long way to a successful process and achieving your deadline.

What makes branding so crucial to a successful business?

Your brand represents you as a company and your promise to your customers. Good branding starts with a well designed logo, but can extend to many other important areas. In this article we will discuss the importance of having a well designed, strong brand for your new company.

Over the last 20 years I have seen many companies rise and fall, largely down to not making the revenue they expected when starting out. Many new businesses overlook critical points when starting up and one of these is design. If your product of service is so amazing and well recognised from the minute you start trading, then perhaps it wont make a difference whether you fail or succeed. But for most of us, a strong brand is what's going to get us recognised, remembered and possibly stay one step ahead of the competition.

Great branding equals recognition

When a company has a professionally designed logo and strong advertising, people's perception is usually of good customer service and a solid product or service. We all know of large successful companies who have taken the time and effort to hire a graphic designer and produced some memorable artwork to represent them. But how many large successful companies who haven't...not many spring to mind. This should be evidence enough for you to get this in position when you are trying to create a successful future.

Your logo is your world.

The one central component for your successful brand is your logo. Think how we instantly recognise the apple with a bite taken out of it, or the simple "tick" that is associated with all Nike products. Spending time and hiring a professional logo designer is imperative at this stage, as it will be on every piece of media, advertising, or product that you manufacture. A cleverly designed logo should be simple enough to be memorable, yet powerful enough to represent your core values and target audience.

Creating trust with your audience

Imagine you have two companies, selling exactly the same products, yet one has a beautiful logo, and all of their literature ties in with the basic design. The other company had either no logo, or a poorly designed one - which comany will you be drawn to. Obviously the well branded company, as emotional reactions are very powerful and are hardwired into all of us.

Good branding is conducive to good advertising

Advertising again, is vital to keeping ahead of your competition. You must choose your focus and media wisely. To narrow a window can leave you "pigeon holed" and restricted with future expansion. Too wide and you loose the potency of your message to your desired target audience.

Stand out from the crowd

You are not only competing on a local stage - in today's global marketplace you are up against hundreds, if not thousands of similar companies worldwide. If your brand fails to inspire, you will be brushed aside in seconds and your would be customer will simply hop over to the next company o the search engine. The opportunity to retain they customer was wasted due to a lack of trust and recognition. Set yourself apart from the rest of the bunch, with a creative and intuitive corporate Identity.

Branding & value are synergistic

When companies trade publicly on the stock exchange, they are valued many times over what their actual assets are worth. This is largely due to their strong branding and likelihood to be successful with repeat business. The perception of being this valuble in the eyes of prospective clients and other companies alike, will always be advantages to the owner. The bigger and better that brand of the company becomes, the more revenue it creates from this platform.

Branding inspires employees

At an employee level, a well recognised brand can help everyone look in the same direction. If you logo is regarding in high esteem from the general public, then a sense of pride can be felt throughout the workforce. This can also strengthen the entire company to work towards the same goals and direction. All successful brands spend time and effort promoting their brand internally. After all, everyone knows it's easier to sell something when you believe in it yourself.

Branding generates business

With brand development, we aim to create an identity that resonates with our target audience and essentially build on the emotional relationship on a personal level. These implied messages go a long way to convince someone that your company is the right one to do business with.

A little goes a long way

Your corporate identity will become the foundation of your entire marketing plan. It will be central to your website, printed literature, video production and all other media. Building your brand as strong and robust as you can will pay off ten fold in years to come. Rebranding can spell dissaster for an already strggling business, so make sure you hire a professional to get it right first time.

Ultimately, your brand isn't defined by you - it is defined by your audience.

Conclusion

As you can see, no matter the nature of your business and no matter how large or small your company is, branding is essential to everyone. A well branded company has already put their best foot forward and are likely to stand out from their competitors.
I you are interested in creating a winning brand for your company, why not contact Dreamkatcha for a free consultation. We'd love to set you off on the right foot towards success.

9 Tips for Working With Your Web Designer

 

SO you have managed to navigate the minefield of selecting rt good web designer (see previous blog) and now yo need to know how to work with them. In this article we will discuss how to make the most of your new business relationship and what to expect further down the road.

It's imperative that you start the project on the right foot, after all, first impressions last a lifetime. The complex venture with your web designer can be a rewarding and enriching experience, providing you put in some effort and time. Making sure you are both on the same page throughout your project will ensure compatibility and productivity.

Here are some of the major pointers to help you make the very most of your working experience together:

1. Do your homework

Don't simply click on the first web design company on google. Just because they are at the top of google, doesn't mean that they are the best, oreven the right one for your project. Web design companies often pay to be at the top of google, some don't even speak English as their first language and this can lead to an unmanageable breakdown in communication. You may also select a large design agency, charging astronomical amounts for designers, account handlers and other overheads. This is largely unnecessary as you will quickly find a smaller company with just as much experience and skills for less than a quarter of the price.

2. Don't assume that creating a website is an "easy job".

As a web designer I can tell you this raises a communication barrier from the outset. The process may seem simple in your eyes, but that may be down to the fact that your web designer has spared you the technicalities and endless troubleshooting in previous projects. Stating that "you would do it yourself but don't have time" or "it wont take long" are both very demeaning and are also not going to bring the price down. If I told you I could do your job as well as you without years of training and experience, how would you feel about that?

You may have had some experience with online site builders and DIY options (see this blog to explain why this is more than likely, the worst idea you ever had), but the fact that you are now hiring a website designer shows you that things aren't as simple as they seem. The amount of work that goes on behind the scenes on these builders is 90% of what you are paying a web designer to do, only they are doing it properly for you.
Leave it to your designer to explain the difficulty or how long the job will take, don't rush them into providing a less than perfect service. It should be clear from their online portfolio examples that they are capable of competing your project to an adequate standard.

What may seem like a simple change to your website could equal hours of troubleshooting and support tickets for your web designer.

3. Keep Your End of the Bargain

You will be required to supply the web designer with content for your website. Bear in mind that if the designer doesn't have what they need when they need it, your project will come to a halt. They will then move on to another project and yours will be shelved until you supply the information discussed in your original brief or meeting. To avoid any delays to your project's completion date, it would be best practice to supply everything your designer needs up front. This would include and text, images, co tact information and design options. If your pictures need to be purchased, this would also be completed at an early stage.

If your web designer has provided an initial web design project questionnaire (ours is linked here) then this will help to start the project n the right foot. This should inform the web designer as to everything that you have envisioned for the project. The more information you provide, them more scope the designer will have to full fill your expectations.

At Dreamkatcha we offer a project discount if you can provide everything required for the project upfront.

4. Be patient with your web designer

From a clients point of view, you will want your project completed yesterday. You wont be the first and you wont be the last. But putting the pressure on your designer to finish the website sooner than they are used to could result in a substandard project...and you will be they cause. If you really need your project completed in a short amount of time then get it under the nose of your designer as soon as you can. This will give them the best chance of completing on time. If you can get everything ready as soon as you decide to initiate the project, then you will help the process exponentially. Quality work doen't come overnight, it takes time to design, develop and test each section of your website.

5. Get involved from beginning to end.

Now let me be clear...I don't mean help design your website, I mean stay close to the project and respond to emails as soon as you can. Also provide your comments as an when they are required.

A good practice is to discuss each stage of the process so that you are both on the same page throughout the project. This will speed up productivity and also help you keep any deadlines discussed, on time. If one of you isn't regularly contacting the the other with feedback, the project can go off the rails and getting it back to where it should be will take extra time.
You will get out, what you put in when it comes to graphic and web design projects. After all it is a collaboration between you and the designer, you want to see something special at the end of the day.

6. Don’t Ask Family & Friends what they think of the designs if they have no reference

Throughout the project, your web designer should send you samples and examples if the work he is performing for you. From image selection to layouts, fonts and pretty much every design suggestion. It will be tempting to then show your friends, family and colleagues and get their opinions. After all, more views will always equal a better analysis right? Wrong! Unless the people you are showing the designs to is your specific target audience, or they have experience if fields such as marketing (or something relevant), then this can usually strain  your client-web designer relationship. There is often no objective criteria to support the opinions you receive from friends and family and can end up confusing not only your designer, but you as well!

7. Don’t Overcomplicate things

Don't become a web designer or graphic designer, thinking this will help the project. Remember you have employed a designer because you lack the skills or expertise to carry out the project yourself. Everybody want to see some of their suggestions in the final project, but make sure they are only suggestions. Your designer will decide if these suggestions are going to work or not, many factors may b at hand that yo don't understand. Only your designer will understand the entire implications of your suggestions and this is just down to  experience. Bear in mind that what you had in mind at the beginning of the project either may not work due to unknown contributing factors, or their is simply a better idea that your designer will know.

8. Don’t Micromanage Your Web Designer

To ensure a productive and enjoyable experience for both the web designer and the client, it is important that each of you stick to your respective roles.

As a new business owner or entrepreneur, it is your job to communicate your requirements clearly to your website designer. It's the job of the web designer to come up with a complete solution that satisfies your initial brief. An example where clients regularly overstep the mark would be where they think the colour pallet is too bland for their particular brand. This is actually a good and constructive contribution, however when they start to offer specific design modifications without the assistance f a trained eye, this can leave the entire design floored. The problem with this level of interaction leaves your designer in the dark as to what the bigger picture is and may interfere with the overall picture envisioned by the designer. Asking for a solution draws on their skill set and experience, where they will probably be able to suggest a better solution.

9. Be decisive

When you receive a set of designs to look over, be strict and decide upfront what you like and don't like. Being wishey-washey at this point can be costly and waste voluble time. What may seem like a simple cold change to you down the road could spell disaster for your web designer, taking hours or even days of unnecessary work. Don't keep asking for multiple designs as this will lead to a stained working relationship. After the first couple of designs you should be able to give your designer clear instructions where to go next so that any modifications after this will be minimal. Bear in mind I am referring to logo designs of info graphics, not websites! You should only expect one website design based on your brief, extending this process has been prven to be confusing and unnecessary.

Conclusion:

After you have decided on the right web designer, work hard to establish a good working relationship from the outset. Make sure you are clear and informative, provide all information in a timely manor and stey in touch at every stage of the project

You have picked this designer from a long list of others, o have faith that they can provide you with a first class service. You will have seen from their online portfolio that they are fully capable, so give them some space for creativity and don't rush them. Buy responding to emails and phone calls as soon as possible and providing feedback and any necessary files will go a long way to a successful process and achieving your deadline.

Hot Web Design Trends for 2017

This year’s hottest web design trends

We at Dreamkatcha have looked this year’s must-have features of any website.  Holding its own for the last five years is responsive web design, closely followed by parallax scrolling.  This year’s highest climber is the use of video for hero graphics.  Our ‘new entries’ in web design trends are the use of high end photography and bold colours.

1. Cinematography

Hero graphics using video footage is pretty big this year.  Adding a video to your website does wonders for conversion rates and customer engagement.

2. Card Based User Interfaces

With mobile devices usurping desktop PCs for web browsing, card based user interfaces transfer well to tablets and smartphones.

3. Fluid Design

Fluid web design has been with us for 20 years but improved browser standards and widespread use of mobile devices have made this technique more feasible.

4. Bold Colours

Before bold colours get you thinking of the web safe palette (and 1996-style tiled backgrounds), the improved picture quality of today’s monitors have encouraged designers to experiment a bit more.

5. High End Photography

Forget the fuzzy lo-res digital images, invest in a high end digital camera or hire a professional photographer.  We at Dreamkatcha can also help you in this respect.

6. Virtual Reality and 360° Video

If you have, for example, a bricks and mortar boutique or a hotel, this is a useful addition to your website.  Customers could ‘browse’ in your shop without leaving the house, or have a look inside hotel rooms prior to booking.

7. Original Imagery

Stock imagery is good when used sparingly but original imagery is even better, whether your tool of choice is Adobe Creative Suite or a high-end medium format camera.

8. Parallax Scrolling

Good old parallax scrolling: this takes us back to the C64 and Amiga era.  With websites, they can used to create immersive backgrounds.  Especially when complemented with high-quality original images.

9. Dynamic Storytelling

Parallax scrolling is a useful ally with dynamic storytelling.  This creates the impression of a shared experience between the customer and your brand.

10. Greater Use of Content Management Systems

With commercial pressures and the fast moving nature of the internet, some businesses need to change their website as often as Premier League sides change their strip.  A CMS like WordPress or Drupal enables a quick transition from one look to another.

It is worth noting that some of this year’s web design trends are similar to those five years earlier.  The most noticeable exception is the use of virtual reality.  Investing in high quality - and original - imagery, should be standard practice.  With broadband internet access in most homes and businesses, and mobile browsing, this matters even more.

The Return of Film Photography

Is there a place for film photography in the digital darkroom?

In 2007, we may have been mourning the loss of film photography as a mass media and accepting its inevitable demise, thanks to digital imagery. Adding a roll of Ilford XP2 or Kodachrome to your trusty SLR was to go the way of the dinosaurs. Even so, this didn’t deter a group of Austrian mavericks who formed Lomography in 1991. Taking pride in the imperfections of toy cameras like the Diana and Holga (then charging handsome prices for new models), it was an underground cult that thrived on serendipitous photography. This is epitomised by their ‘don’t think, just shoot’ philosophy.

Ten years on, digital photography has played a part in the revival of film photography. Hipstamatic and Instagram would be gateway drugs to the real deal. A real deal which has seen a revival of fortunes for instant photography, with Polaroid and Fuji cameras being ‘must have’ items. Also a stable aftermarket where Mamiyas, Hasselblads, Leicas, and Rolleis attract wallet pummelling prices even now.

What draws us to film photography? At one end, nostalgia; a hankering for simple times where your holiday snaps were processed in the chemist. Another is the character of film: for example, Fuji’s film has slightly subdued colours compared with the bold shades of Kodak’s Ektra 100. The kind of glass is another: for example, the obvious differences in quality with a Tesser lens compared with a plastic meniscus lens on a Kodak Brownie 127.

The limitations of film photography enables us to slow down. To think more. To go for quality over quantity. To make every picture matter.

Where digital meets analogue

After you have sorted your darkroom out (and once your negatives have dried), use a dedicated film scanner or the film scanning tray of your flatbed scanner to convert your negatives to digital files. Go for at least 300 dpi resolution (suitable for print media). One advantage with 35mm or medium format film is the fact your negatives could outlast digital files if stored properly.

Today, it is possible to have the best of both worlds. Whereas digital photography offers the Subway option of consistency and convenience, film photography is akin to a Cumberland sausage sandwich at a farmers’ market. What’s better is the fact you can use a 70-year-old camera (so long as it takes 35mm or 120 medium format film) and still get great results, often equal to younger digital whippersnappers. Charity shops may be a good source for used cameras and, if you look carefully, some branches of Poundland sell 35mm film.