General Discussions

**3pointRoss** · 04-11-2006, 11:53 AM

Just trying to better my business, by getting others experience...

How do you all go about dealing with companies that want to control TOO much in terms of the development of their website.

Granted they are paying for it, and they should have a huge say in what goes into THEIR site, the companies I deal with definitley don't have any experience in web design/marketing/usability/art/etc...

My goal is to create the most successful website that I can, but time and time again trying to kindly assert what I have learned often goes on def ears because everyone thinks "They know what looks good" or "They know what works good"

When the first is extremely subjective, and the second is thrown out the door once they help plan the layout/etc

Any stories/advice/etc ?

**vangogh** · 04-11-2006, 12:50 PM

Sometimes I think all you can do is keep telling them your ideas and why you know they will work. In the end they're probably going to go with whatever they decide though.

A couple of things I've been trying to do is screen out these kind of people as quickly as I can so I can either just tell them I'm probably not the best person for their site or to charge them a little more for all the stress I know the project will entail.

I know what you mean about wanting to create a successful site. I really want to be able to say I'm proud of every site I design and only want to do sites that I would be proud to show off in my protfolio.

Sometimes it just depends on whether or not I can use the money for the site or think it will lead to more clients. It's a hard situation though because with some clients you know they're just going to go with their ideas over yours and then blame you later if their ideas don't work.

Put all of your suggestions to them in writing. That way later you'll at least be able to remind them of what it was you suggested if their site doesn't do as well as they want.

**The Ape** · 04-11-2006, 01:19 PM

I deal mostly with artists or creative people. I would expect to sacrifice my abilities when working for corporations. I have had too many "big cheese" executives above me in the past. And, it always seems the only way to do anything is to do it their way. I imagine one day that the internet will be reborn because of people like you (3pointross) because the www needs to be more creative. I think that those who control the work now will be the ones asking for the work later. In other words, as long as we don't give in too much, we retain our pride and they begin to understand that they need someone to work with them more than someone to work for them.

My overall advice would be... stand your ground on those things you know... and give in a little on those things you just don't care about.

**Harvey** · 04-11-2006, 01:36 PM

Good post - have some talkupation

I've dealt with a few of these before - sometimes they can be a real pain and request an entire set of buttons to be made for the site, others come up with suggestions that simply don't suit the site.

Try doing a very quick mockup of their idea(s) to try and put them off their idea, and hopefully realise that you're the one with the right ideas.

There's a fantastically entertaining article in an old issue of .net magazine, entitled "Top 10 stupidest questions by clients" or such - I'll try and dig it out.

**blue-dreamer** · 04-11-2006, 04:59 PM

Yep, some clients can be a total pain. It's always best to liaise with one person, else you can get conflicting messages with multiple contacts.

Some clients will have you go through umpteen colour schemes, only to decide the first one you did was the best. Others will go through just about every combo they can till they find one they like or get fed up - thank goodness for CSS!

I think agreeing a basic template framework/llok and feel for the site is important in the early stages, once this is agreed it's just a matter of tweaking. Of course if they demand a total redesign make sure you charge them for your time again.

**3pointRoss** · 04-11-2006, 05:01 PM

Good suggestions, very informative thus far... Thanks all!

I am having a meeting with a client on thursday that I get the feeling, will be one of these situations. They are a marketing company, and I get the sense they think they know the best way to market a website (Marketing is their job after all), however when they went to school and learned the trade they definitley were not using the internet (due to the time period).

My plan is just to explain my recommendations, and the reasoning knowledge behind it. Hopefully they I can explain in a non-offensive manor the difference between marketing and websites, and print marketing, etc...

**Minaki** · 04-12-2006, 06:52 AM

Slap a "I can't put this c**p in my portfolio" charge on their invoice

lmao.

It's really a tradeoff between if you need the business or if you'd prefer a good site for the portfolio...

**3pointRoss** · 04-12-2006, 03:07 PM

Yeah, if its a bad site I will do it anyways and just not put it in the portfolio.

Or I slap it under a different tag, like "Consulting"

Basicly trying to say "Hey, this crap wasn't my idea"

But it really does get in the way of my strive to make excellent sites. It seems so many times business' could do much better if they didn't get in the way of themselves.

**vangogh** · 04-12-2006, 06:38 PM

Yeah like Minaki mentioned it's really just where your business is at the moment. I know in mine I still need to take clients I'd rather not from time to time. Hopefully at some point we'll all be able to take projects because we want to work on them rather than needing to work on them.

**mbwebdesign** · 05-17-2007, 08:21 PM

This is a plug but it is on topic I promise:

http://www.mbwebdesign.co.uk/blog/ni...esign-clients/

I blog post I wrote about difficult/stupid/silly clients. Hopefully you guys might enjoy it.

**woosh** · 05-21-2007, 06:11 AM

Lol those are so true

Isn't it funny but normally you can tell straight away when a client is going to be a headache with a job, but like you said vangogh it's where your business is at and sometimes we don't have the choice to be picky

**Durinthiam** · 05-21-2007, 12:10 PM

on the whole I've had nothing but good experiences, a couple of wierd ones but generally down to language breakdown or understanding on both sides.