What Does a Free Consult With a Web Designer Look Like?
What Does a Free Consult With a Web Designer Look Like?
Short answer: It depends!
Long answer: Here’s what to expect in a consultation with me, Janessa (hi!).
I design websites in Squarespace, and while I tweak my process on an ongoing basis to constantly improve the client experience, there are some things you can expect. In this post I’ll share what a consult looks like with me, and then dive into the whole process!
✓ What a free consult is:
A chat to see if we’d be a good fit working together, both from a personality perspective and a website design & strategy and business goals perspective.
This is also a great time to chat about the process and what’s required of us both, and to answer any questions you may have about the process.
✓ What a free consult isn’t:
A sales-y conversation aimed at convincing you to hire my services or upselling additional offerings.
What to expect in a web design consultation process
Initial Contact
When you fill out the form on my contact page and find a time to meet. I get a notification through my client flow management system, Honeybook (← click my affiliate link to save 25% on your first year).
I may send you a Discovery Questionnaire. If you’re able to fill it out before our call, we’ll discuss your answers and what you’re looking for.
During the Consultation Call
1. Intro and Discovery
During the first few minutes of our consultation call, we'll introduce ourselves and learn a bit about each other. Feel free to ask any questions and share any initial thoughts or questions you may have.
2. Learning About Your Business
Now, let's turn our attention to your business: I want to hear all about it!
I absolutely adore hearing what the cool business owners who contact me are working on, what lights you up, and your dreams and goals.
We'll discuss the length of time you've been in business and dive deeper into what you do and the value you provide to your clients. This valuable information helps me understand your business's unique characteristics and allows me to customize my approach to meet your specific needs.
3: Evaluating Fit
We’ll explore whether you’ve worked with a web designer before, and discuss your current website, if you have one.
If you're redesigning, we'll touch on your motivations behind this decision. We'll also discuss the hosting of your current site, and whether you have a team that will provide feedback or if it's solely you.
This evaluation phase ensures that we're the right fit for each other and sets the stage for effective communication throughout our time working together.
4: Understanding the Scope of Your Project
Now it's time to dive into the exciting details of your project!
We'll discuss your goals for your website. Do you want to sell products or services? I work primarily with service-based business owners, but am occasionally available for product-based brands as well.
Are you interested in booking consultation calls, or building an email list? Maybe you'd like to incorporate a blog (great idea!) or portfolio, or showcase your course/class schedule.
We’ll also explore whether you already have a brand identity in place, including elements such as a logo, brand palette, typography, website content, photos, graphics, or a tagline.
If not, don't worry—I can provide resources or guidance or on developing your brand identity before we work together (more below in the FAQ).
5: Explaining the Process
Understanding the website design process is essential for you to feel clear about and engaged throughout our project. Here, I'll guide you through the steps involved.
I will:
cover the booking process, explaining how you can secure a date in my design calendar if we decide to work together.
discuss the timeline and what material you need to gather for your website, including writing the copy for each page and completing customized content and brand identity worksheets that provide essential guidance.
explain the build, edit, and launch stages, clarifying the timeline and expectations.
6: Dates, Booking, and Pricing
Once we discuss the process, I’ll cover the booking process and how you can reserve a design date in my calendar.
NOTE: It’s important to schedule the start date with ample time for you to gather your website content. I typically don’t book website projects in my production calendar less than 3-4 weeks out.
Post-Consultation Call
Once we decide to move forward after our consultation call, I’ll email you a proposal, contract, and invoice.
You’ll review and sign the contract, and submit the required deposit to secure your start date.
Payment Process:
For my Custom Website Design, the payment process is typically: 25% at booking, 50% at start of Design process, 25% on launch day.
When you book me for for one day in my VIP Design Day service, the payment process is 50% at booking, 50% on the day of the project.
Please note that the start date is not officially reserved until the contract is signed and the deposit received.
In the event that someone else claims the design date before a client complete these steps, I offer priority for the next available date.
Toward the end of our consultation, I’ll save time for any questions that may come up.
I also put my most frequently asked questions below!
Squarespace Web Design Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What do I need to provide for my website?
A: To create a well-designed, client-converting, and optimized website for you, and to get a clear sense of your goals, vision, competition, and inspiration, I send over these documents to gather necessary information from you:
Welcome Packet with Next Steps
Website Brief - questionnaire
Brand & Style Guide- questionnaire
Website Content and Copy Guides
Q. What type of content do I need to provide for my website?
A: You’re in charge of providing:
Copy (written content) for each page using my provided guides
High-res Images and graphics
Branding & Logo
Legal Pages like Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy
Q. What if I don’t have any copy/words for my website ready to go, or I don’t like what I have?
A: No problem! You have a couple of options here:
I provide in-depth copy worksheets & content guides for you to create the copy for your website. These do take some time, which is one of the reasons why I recommend booking at least 3-4 weeks out.
If you’d rather not write the copy yourself, I offer a brand interview service. We’ll schedule 1-2 video calls prior to the project start date where I’ll ask you questions about your brand and business, and then turn that into copy for your website. This works best for business owners who know their ideal client well.
Hire a professional to write copy - I can send you recommendations or you can find one on your own.
Q. What if I don’t have branding?
A: No problem still! You have a couple of options here:
Hire a professional to design a brand for you. This typically includes a logo, color palette, wordmark, typography, and sometimes social media images. (I can recommend a few.)
Explore platforms like Fiverr or Upwork for budget-friendly options.
Upgrade to a mini web-based brand kit with me: Share an Inspiration Board (usually with Pinterest,but you can also use Trello, Notion, etc.) with me, and I’ll design a brand board for your business and website. This doesn’t include print-based logo or graphics.
Q. When do I need to get everything to you?
A: We set a date typically at least 3 weeks in advance. I want to be sure to give you time to gather or create your material. It takes longer than most people think!
All pre-work items are due 5-7 days in advance of the project start.
Q: What happens if I don’t provide the necessary materials by the due date?
A: Timely submission of the required materials is necessary for the smooth progress of your Squarespace website design. If you don’t have all your material, I won’t be able to provide as seamless a process and make sure your website is as top-performing as I know it can be.
To ensure I can optimize your website effectively, it's essential that you submit all the necessary materials by the due date.
If the materials are not received on time, I may need to reschedule the design process to my next available design date. This ensures that we can maintain the integrity of the timeline and deliver the best possible results for your website.
Q: How many edits can I make during the Web Design process?
A: You have the freedom to make as many edits as you want! 🎉 After I present you with the initial design, you’ll provide me with a numbered list of your desired edits. I'll work through each item on the list and send you the updated version.
You can continue to send me additional edits until the day prior to Website Launch Day. At this point, we will enter a content lock phase to ensure that all the added functionality is fully tested and ready to go live the next day.
Q: How easy is it to make changes to my website myself once we’re done?
A: Making changes to your website will be a breeze!
I provide you with an live launch and tutorial on the day of the launch to show you how to access and update your site. I record personalized tutorials for you and save the videos on an unpublished page of your website, allowing you to refer back to it whenever needed.
Plus, I offer one-two weeks of support following the launch, ongoing care plan options, and I'll check in with you after six months to ensure everything is running smoothly.
Q: Can you help with search engine optimization (SEO) for my website?
A: Yes, absolutely! While I offer on-page optimization as part of my Custom Website Package, I also provide in-depth SEO services — my web design clients can add it on as a special rate.
Q: What is the timeline for completing the Squarespace website design process?
A: It varies based on a number of things including goals, pages, urgency, etc:
For my standard Custom Website Design package, the project starts on a Monday and finishes the following Friday, lasting two weeks.
If you have a simple website or need a website fast, the project starts on a Monday and finishes that Friday, lasting just five days.
If you’d like to add on additional pages, integrations, or services — such as brand interview and copywriting, SEO services, stock photo package, or the mini web-branding kit, the design will typically take an additional 1-3 weeks.
Note: timely material submission and prompt feedback are necessary to meet these timelines.
Other options are available as availability allows.
Q. Do you offer post-launch support?
A: Heck yeah I do.
I provide a comprehensive support package for one-two weeks after your website launch. During this time, you can reach out to me with any questions, concerns, or technical issues you may encounter.
I'm dedicated to ensuring your website's smooth operation and will assist you in making any necessary adjustments or updates. Your success is my priority, and I'm here to provide the support you need during the crucial post-launch phase.
Q: Can you help me with website maintenance and updates after the design is completed?
A: Yep! I offer ongoing website maintenance, care plans, and support services as availability allows. We can discuss the options and determine the best plan to suit your needs and budget.
Q: Can you integrate third-party tools and platforms into my website?
A: Yes, I can integrate third-party tools, such as email marketing services, payment gateways, social media platforms, and more, into your website. We'll discuss your specific requirements during our consultation and ensure seamless integration.
Q: Do you offer any additional design or branding services beyond website design?
A: While I offer a mini web-brand kit, I don’t personally offer a full service branding service at this time. I partner with vetted specialists I recommend. These services can be customized to meet your specific needs and are available at an additional cost.
Q: How do I communicate with you throughout the design process?
A: We primarily communicate via your Client Portal. I also use Zoom for our virtual meetings. All materials will be submitted through a combination of Google Drive, Tally, and Notion. This allows us to keep track of discussions, share files and updates, and maintain clear and organized communication throughout the design process.
Q. Where are you located?
A. I'm a freelance Squarespace web designer based in Portland, Oregon. While I enjoy working with clients from my hometown, I also collaborate with digital nomads, solopreneurs, and online business owners from around the world.
Q. Do you offer Sliding Scale rates?
A. Absolutely.
I believe that everyone deserves a professional and effective online presence, regardless of their background or financial situation. That's why I’m happy to offer sliding-scale pricing for LGBTQIA, BIPOC, and economically disadvantaged individuals and organizations.
Contact me for more information about my Sliding Scale rates.
These are just a few of the common questions I receive, but if you have any additional questions, feel free to email me. I love hearing from my blog readers and reply to every email I get, and I update this FAQ frequently.
