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Blog: Fresh Tilled Ideas

Is there a de-cluttering trend in the social networking sites?

Posted On: August 8th 2008
By: Kristine Jubeck

The two social network sites I use most, Facebook and Last.fm have both rolled out slick new interfaces recently. I'm happy to see that both sites have managed to tame the clutter and keep the experience focused on the true purpose of the sites. The power of tab-style navigation is reaffirmed as both sites are using it to achieve better organization and intuitive browsing. You can compare the designs for yourself here (sorry, no examples of the old last.fm design. but if do a search, you might find some examples).

Who's next ... MySpace?! (ha!)

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The real client briefing process

Posted On: July 23rd 2008
By: Richard Banfield

Ever wonder what would happen if a corporate committee was left in charge of designing a STOP sign? This might be funnier if it wasn't so true.

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What makes you the best web site designer in Boston (or any other city)

Posted On: May 14th 2008
By: Richard Banfield

You make promises you can keep. This is the original idea behind 'under promise and over deliver'.
You go out of your way to ask more than just design questions about your client's project. Your client's new web project has many facets and it's your job as a designer to know what business, user experience, and customer-centric questions will impact the entire project.
Your focus most of your attention on your existing clients because you know they are much more valuable than the elusive potential clients.
You are not afraid to fire clients that are not profitable or are creating more stress than they are worth. Web design is a service business so there will always be stress and lots of expectation management but it doesn't mean you have to suffer through pain and injury just to make a living.
You don't negotiate on price because you have already established your value and moved on from being just another commodity.
You seek clients with vision and open minds. If all you are doing is acting as a vendor to execute a ready baked idea then you are no better than a sweat shop in an offshore place.
You chose to work with the right decision makers in the client organization. Having the right people in the room is extremely valuable and efficient.
Your team has a lot of respect for each other and for the client's team. Everyone is equally considered and respected. The best ideas do not always come from the CEO of Creative Director.

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The best and worst time to start a web design studio

Posted On: May 14th 2008
By: Richard Banfield

There are really no good business reasons to start a design studio. Competition is stiffer than ever, the hours are long, the pay is mediocre and clients can be a real pain in the neck. A design team in India or Croatia or South Africa can design a website in half the time and a quarter of the cost so why even bother? Offshore competition isn’t the only thing new studios have to worry about. They are their own worst enemies it seems. Most of the new shops will never evolve beyond doing websites for their cousin’s single shingle legal practice and the local church fundraiser because they will be so badly managed. Internal problems will still be the biggest enemy of success for any new studio.

So why is it that everywhere I turn there are new studios opening shop? Because web design is fun and necessary and important! Whether you are a hard core CSS junkie or just believe that Web 2.0 is the Second Coming you cannot help yourself from booting up and marking up. The truth is there has never been a better time to be a web designer. Ever business in the developed world needs a website, or a long overdue redesign or help promoting some new fad on the web. It’s a veritable design feast out there.

Even in these times of plenty many studios won’t succeed because we can’t make the leap from designer to business owner. Trying too hard to be a good designer is exactly the thing that kills the designer inside us. Don’t get me wrong, being a good designer is what it’s all about but there comes a time when you have to swap hats and take the role of manager and entrepreneur. In the process we all end up making the same mistakes. Here is a short guide to preventing those mistakes and to becoming a successful studio owner.

Money

Let’s start the money conversation right up front. I don’t care if you think you’re an artist and the money is just a distraction, money matters - big time. I can tell you from experience that there is no fun designing amazing websites if you’re eating toast for dinner night after night. The romanticized image of the starving artist is great fodder for movies but it sucks to live that reality.

If you are going to design something get something up front. This is a rule that cannot be broken. If a client can’t afford to (or worse, is not willing to) pay you a deposit up front you need to walk away. Failure to commit to you financially is a red flag. Until you are established and have adequate cash flow don’t work for equity either. You are not a bank. On the other end of the job you need to invoice quickly and accurately. Don’t let mistakes in the invoice become a reason for the client to delay payment. Make sure payment terms are clear in the agreement. This includes the basic payment terms, interest on late payments, change order fees, and out of scope expenses.

For designers just starting out there is a tendency to only charge for actual design work. Your time and your knowledge are your only assets at this stage so care for them carefully. Time spent in meetings, driving around to clients, sourcing stock art or icons, and general project management are all billable expenses.

Hourly vs. Project Fees

There is no easy answer to the debate whether to charge by the hour or based on project value. It depends on the client but personally I have found project fees and retainers to be a great deal more profitable if managed correctly. If you settle on hourly rates ensure you do a top-down estimate to counter your hourly aggregate estimate. For example, a project that might take 20 hours at a blended rate of $100/hr will collect only $2,000. However, if you ask the right questions upfront you might find out that the project you are about to deliver will result in a significant increase your client’s margins. This allows you to establish a true value of the work. Landing on a number between the hourly rate and the value rate will give you something you can both feel good about.

If you can’t sell get help

Selling is the hardest job in the world. It’s mostly filled with thankless tasks guaranteed with lots of rejection. It’s also the most important job in the studio. If there are no sales there is no work, simple. Most designers I meet are horrible at selling and all the training in the world is not going to change them. If you’re one of those designers find someone who loves to sell and has the energy to go out and pound the streets. Notice I didn’t say anything about needing experience. Energy is infinitely more important than sales experience for a salesperson’s success. Studies have shown that the only common characteristic across successful sales people, regardless of education, race, age or background, is perseverance. Pay them a small salary and a big commission. The best salespeople prefer working for commissions because there is no limit on how much they can earn.

Don’t sell when you are selling

This is advice for anyone in the studio. Whether you are the creative head or the business development director your best pitch is the one you never make. Let other’s pitch you. I don’t need to tell you that when a referral comes your way it’s like money in the bank. The referral is nothing more than a pitch on your behalf. Create a community of salespeople out of your clients, partners and your general network. When a new prospect asks you to respond to an RFP send over a list of references instead. Tell them very nicely that you are too busy working on a deadline to write out a ten page response to their request but they should speak to your past clients in the meantime. If you’ve done impressive work and delivered on your promises this tactic will close the prospect for you, every time.

Don’t advertise

Never ever get tempted to buy an ad in the local paper or Yellow Pages. It’s a waste of money. Your entire marketing budget should be spent on your existing clients and contacts. Send them thank you gifts and tokens of appreciation when they refer someone to you. Better yet send them a check every time they refer someone to you. Very quickly they’ll start spending more time selling you than selling themselves. If you doubt this technique try it for a month and see what happens.

References and portfolio work is what gets you more work and nothing gets more work than doing brand name work. If you don’t have either then offer a few well known local brands or high profile businesses a discounted web redesign. You’ll be amazed at how effective a mockup or screenshot is at getting a potential client’s attention. Give them a taste of what you can do for them and then draw them in for a bigger piece of work. This will allow you to build a portfolio of recognizable names while establishing a rolodex of connected clients that will refer you more work.

Being good at business makes you a better designer

Nothing will ever take the place of quality design and clean standards driven programming but it’s not enough. Understanding and mastering your own business will also make you a better designer. You’ll be more sensitive to your client’s business objectives as they relate to the design and you’ll have more credibility if you are running a successful business yourself.

This piece is only the tip of the iceberg. I highly recommend you read Kevin Potts' article on starting a design business for a more in-depth look at design startups. It covers the fundamentals of creating your own business with simplicity and clarity.

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Perfectionism is the enemy

Posted On: April 29th 2008
By: Richard Banfield

The failure of a website or business launch is almost always due to the pursuit for perfectionism. "If we just add this feature" or "We have to get this logo right before we move forward" are the kinds of statements that kill any chance of launching. Get your mind into the 'ready, fire, aim' mode and be happy with good enough. The sooner you launch the better. Your assumptions get tested sooner and your audience has a chance to give you feedback before your assumptions become fatal.

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Designers and Clients: Finding Common Ground

Posted On: April 27th 2008
By: Richard Banfield

As a business owner there is always going to be a tension between taking on work to pay for your overhead and taking on work because it's exciting and challenging. From time to time we are approached by potential clients that could be very profitable but there is bad chemistry that makes you think twice. In most cases we just walk away but in others it's not as simple as that. Here are a few things that we hear from prospects that make us consider very carefully if this is a good match for us (and them):

"We've already fired four of our previous designers but we think you might be the one to turn our bad streak around." - If they are going through design companies that quickly then you’re likely to be the next victim. Serial killer clients are always looking for a quick fix and have a self fulfilling prophecy about designers not "understanding them". The best thing is to walk away as it always works out badly for both parties.
"I promise I'll spend at least $50,000 with you if you can discount your rate by half."- Why would you work twice as much for half the rate? Don’t get mesmerized by the big numbers. Gross revenues are not important if you are running at zero profitability.
"I've already received a quote from India for $12 an hour so you know what you are up against."
Outsourcing has given people unrealistic ideas about what can be delivered for a few hundred dollars. If you're on the receiving end of this threat don’t be tempted to negotiate. Just explain your rates and let it be.

We've collected several situations and put them into a designer's guide to help them make better decisions as the grow. The list is not exhaustive but it gives both designers and clients a way to avoid the traps that scuttle even them most well intentioned relationships.

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Copy cat designs

Posted On: March 6th 2008
By: Richard Banfield

I'm not sure which site came first, NotchUp or GrandCentral but it looks like these sites were designed by the same people.

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Before and After: Series 1

Posted On: February 22nd 2008
By: Richard Banfield

Recently we have been doing a lot of redesigns for existing websites. I thought it would fun to have a series of Before and After designs to show the transformation.

The first example is a website called JourneyPage. This web application is a tool to guide young entrepreneurs and keep them focused on what's important.

The design with the blue background is the new design. It incorporates several changes that make the site more visually appealing and easier to navigate.

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The best layouts for websites

Posted On: January 28th 2008
By: Richard Banfield

Congratulations to Andy Rutledge for writing a superb article on web page layouts: "As good design further penetrates the Web, once highly-regarded conventions fall into disfavor and are replaced by more effective ones. Yet some flawed conventions persist. In fact, they persist on some pretty high-profile websites; to their detriment."

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