6 things you should NEVER say to a web designer
In this article I’m going to share with you 6 sentences I’ve heard in the last few years quite often as a web designer and that I really never ever want to hear again. I will explain why.
“I just want a REALLY simple website.”
No, you don’t. And sorry, but it’s not your job to decide. Your job is to tell the designer about your target audience, your processes, your business and your goals. It’s the designer’s job to find out how you can achieve them with your website. Whether it’s a simple or a very complex one.
“My favourite colour is…”
Let’s be honest: your colour preferences don’t really matter. Your audience’s do. Please, if you have a business where you sell work clothes for men, don’t use pink as the main brand colour, but yellow and blue instead.
“But for you it takes only a few hours”
Well, it has cost me a significant amount of time to learn all that stuff that makes it possible to create your wonderful website in a few hours. Which – let’s be honest – never ever takes only a few hours. Because I can’t design and implement a whole website in a few hours (without giving up on my quality standard). We need a few hours only for the consultation and communication part. And I do all these things with pleasure and joy, but please, note that it is also work for me.
“It has to be high quality and cheap. And I need it for yesterday!”
You can pick only two of the above. This is because of the principles of physical existence – and time.
“I don’t have the content yet.”
No content, no design, guys. No Lorem Ipsum, no photo of the very familiar stock photo lady or – even worse – of Hide the Pain Harold. You cannot build a house from imaginary bricks, I cannot build a website of non-existing content. This is simple.
“Please give me a discount and in the future there’ll be more work for you”
Well I don’t really use price discounting to get new clients or to assure my current clients that I am their best choice as a web designer. What I give instead is good quality, maximum attention and focus on their needs and business goals. And all my knowledge. I always try to give more than I have promised, so no price reduction is needed. My work has value – which is, by the way, growing every day – and I know if I work for little money today I can’t ask for more tomorrow.
These were the most strange sentences I’ve heard several times in the past few years. Don’t take it too seriously. I’m not upset or angry, I just wanted to make it easier for both of us. Or both of you if you work with another designer. Good luck with your project and stay tuned.