Web Design Proposal - Dealing with Difficult Clients

A lot of web developers out there are the masters of their trade but somehow just cannot put out their masterpiece because they have no clue on how to deal with difficult clients. The best way of dealing with difficult clients is to lay down the basic framework of how the job is going to be done before anything is even started. The best way to outline this skeleton will be to draw up a well thought out web design proposal that you both will stick to right to the very end. This brings us to the question of how does one draw up a perfect web design proposal that will give the web developer an edge on how to deal with difficult clients?

The first thing that you will have to do before you draw up a web design proposal is to get to know your client first. You will have to get into all the details on what does the client’s company offer and exactly how do they offer it. Who is their largest consumer target and what exactly are their preferences? Once you have got this covered then you have your first piece of ammunition in how to deal with difficult clients; know your clients inside out.

The next thing that you want to do for your web design proposal is to agree on a suitable theme for the whole project. Does the client already know the theme that they want to go with or do you have to come up with a variety for the client to choose from. If you know how to deal with difficult clients, you would know that providing them with a variety of themes to choose from will take forever as they may never be satisfied with what you come up with. The best thing to do is listen to their theme ideas and run with the best one.

The next thing that you need to include in your web design proposal is an actual visual projection of how the end results will look like. This does not have to be complicated, rough descriptions of the way the site will be would be enough. You can use a flow chart to demonstrate to the client exactly how the pages of the website will go from one to the next. Basically, let them know how one will be navigating through the site. In this rough description you can then briefly discuss how each of the pages in your flow chart is going to be. Those who know how to deal with difficult clients always ask them to chip in their ideas here on the pages.

Last, but not least, you will have to put a timeline in your web development proposal. Be honest and do not promise what you cannot deliver for each and every single step of the way. This way, the client will be on your neck every other day because he knows how long you had agreed upon. This is how to deal with difficult clients without losing them.

Kelly Wilson
Web Design Proposal
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