Freelance Web Design - Writing A Client Reference Manual

Photo: ben hanbury

As a web designer it’s easy to get caught up in using tech related jargon. Now it’s not a bad thing to know your ASP’s from your PHP’s, but throwing around jargon with too much or too little explanation can create a wall between the designer and the client. Assume too much and the client gets lost. Assume too little and the client may feel you’re being condescending and react accordingly.

To combat this, I’ve created a simple Web Design 101 – A Quick Reference Manual for all my clients at Chris Laskey Design. I attach it to emails around the time I’m putting together a quote, and runs on the simple theory that no one likes to be put on the spot, but everyone likes having an simple reference to read on their own. This helps clients better understand the itemized quote, as well as the design process.

In the following article I’ll give you some examples of what it covers, and explain how handy it can be for keeping the client happy and streamlining the design process. And designers know, happy customers lead to less headaches, more references, and most importantly more work referrals. So read on, and we’ll see if I can’t sway a few designers write a Website 101 reference of their own.

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