Want a client

[Dan~]

Hi all,

After a bit of advise really.

I can design websites fairly well and have a good design brain etc etc. There's a website which I think needs redesinging badly as it looks very 90's - Yes it works but not ideal.

How would I approach them to talk about re-designing it?

I'm not really someone who pesters people, if they want me they'll find me, but I'm not really advertised etc.

I know the place very well and know they don't have reems of money everywhere to splash out, so I'd give them a major website for not a lot of money as I want to help them out aswell, and really I have nothing else better to do.

Would you send an email? Ring them?

Whichever way it was, how would you sell yourself and explain in better terms "Hey your website is naff, I can make you a better one for ?XXX"

Thanks

[Arpit]

you could consider taking a website that you want to spruce up and create a mockup of the revised design, then pitch that to the client so they can see what the finished product would potentially look like and assess if it's worth the money you want to charge.

think about it from the client side...if they don't know what they'll get, why should they trust you to do something? (unless you're established)

it also helps if you have a website of your portfolio created so potential clients can see what you've done.

good luck!

[episode]

Walk in to the establishment, speak to the person in charge, (manager, owner) tell them what you do, and simply ask for a meeting.

DO NOT discuss money. You're only looking to have a sit down meeting. Thats when you would go more in depth on the project, bring a mock-up, etc, and talk money.

One thing to keep in mind - simply updating a website for a small business (as this sounds like what you're describing) isn't really going to 'help' them. Its the other SE/web/directory based stuff that can REALLY help them increase business.

[PNWDweller]

I would stay away from emailing them. The main reason for this is spam filters might be trained against commercial sounding offers. Or, just for a simple fact that your email might fall in their black list of domains for some reason that you wouldn't know about until you found out by asking them if they say your email.

In person visits are probably one the best ways to get in there and a good way to build trust first before you discuss prices or other things. Don't go in and say "Hey! Your site looks like it could use a new look, give me xxx.xx and I will build you a new one!". Instead, just go in and consult with them about how it might benefit from a fresh look, give some ideas, etc...after a little bit, they will ask the price and then you can go from there. :) It doesn't hurt to also have a portfolio online AND in print. Just the first page of your best sites or ones that fit the same theme as the one you are wanting to rebuild (Say if it was a Real Estate and you have built several). Make the ones in print super high quality (Best quality on your printer in photo paper), and be prepared to give them the hard copy you printed. Believe me, they will want to take it with them.