So, I have finished up a new website for a client and it has taken a lot longer than was anticipated. The reason? Getting content from my client took a very long time (2+ months). The original timeline for the project was about 6-7 weeks. I was on schedule and ready to go, however, it took a very long time and many many emails to get the content I needed from my client to finish up the website. The project started in August, and now it finally launched just a few days ago and here it is almost a new year.
I know many of you out there that read Dorm Room Biz are web designers in some sort of fashion and deal with clients on a daily basis just like I do. So I wanted to share a few different ways in which I think may be helpful to keep your projects on schedule and have a successful on time launch – focusing on getting the content from the client.
1. Set a schedule – It is important when you start a new project to clearly lay out with the client a schedule of when things will be completed on your side and when they are expected to be completed by your client. Once agreeing to something pleasing to both of you, agree to it and move forward. It is very important that you try your hardest to keep to the schedule and stress the importance of it to your client. However, while setting a schedule, build in time for delays in the project – such as waiting for responses or content from the client. If you think a project will take you 5 weeks, add an extra week or even two if you have the time to do so and it won’t cause any problems (with other projects or financially).
Click continue reading for the rest of this post.