Q: How do I book your services for a project?
If you have questions regarding your project, would like pricing or are ready to book, you’re welcome to schedule a consult call. During our initial call we’ll discuss your project needs and desired timeline, I’ll explain the process and you’ll have the opportunity to have any questions you may have answered. I’ll also provide a general estimate so we can ensure we’re on the same page before I send over a formal proposal with all the details and pricing information for your design project. From there, if we’re a good fit, we’ll move on to booking your project and reserving time in my design calendar.
Q: What happens after I’ve booked a project?
If you booked a Branding Design package:
As soon as you’ve booked a branding project, I will send you a welcome email with links to a little light homework. Your homework will include just three simple steps: create a Pinterest inspiration board, fill out a couple questionnaires —and that’s it! The pre-design phase of your project is key as it provides insight into your ideal market/customer, your branding goals, style considerations and much more. This time is integral to developing a foundational strategy behind the design of your logo or identity suite and will help me when it comes to kicking off the design phase.
If you booked a Website:
As soon as you’ve booked your design project with me, I will send you my signature Welcome Guide along with some light homework. This process has been streamlined to be easy and includes just three simple steps; create an inspiration board on pinterest, fill out (2) questionnaires and gather the base content you’d like featured on your site (i.e. images and copy). Keep in mind you can always partner with a professional copywriter and/or photographer if you need a little extra help with gathering or developing your base content. However, whether you decide to hire a professional or not, my signature Welcome Guide has tips and tricks to help guide you along the way to ensure all the necessary ingredients are prepped and submitted before I begin the design phase of your project.
If you booked another design project:
Next steps vary based on the type of project. Generally speaking the process is similar to branding and websites inasmuch as we will discuss the goals and timeline of your project and you will provide any base content required before I begin the design phase. If I haven’t already been in touch regarding the next steps for your particular design project —please sit tight and I will be in touch soon!
Q: What is branding or brand identity design anyway and why is it important?
A brand is the overall perception or feeling a customer gets when they think of or come in contact with any aspect of your business. This is an important thing to consider because people make snap decisions all the time and first impressions matter and are long lasting. Having a solid brand starts with a design strategy which is a key step for any successful business. Having a solid brand identity is crucial as it informs all subsequent creative direction and design related to your business or organization ensuring the “personality” of your business is professional, cohesive and authentically connects with your ideal customer/client/audience. Transforming abstract ideas into a tangible story and visual brand that will help you connect with your unique client/audience in a meaningful way is my specialty (and) I’ll ensure this process is a breeze for you.
Q: Do I really need a website?
If you have or plan to launch a business/venture/organization that offers services or sells a product you’ll need to connect with your audience/customer/market/client. The best way to highlight your offerings in an attractive and highly functional way, is through a custom website. If you want to stay competitive and professional, a well designed mobile responsive website is very important. People can’t hire you or purchase your products if they can’t find you, and people search online —for everything. Whether you need to convey information to market your small business regionally or you’re a national non-profit with a desire to connect with and cater to a particular audience, a custom website is the centralized hub where you can present your work professionally and gain momentum in your mission, no matter what it is. Your website is akin to a storefront that never closes and works for you even while you sleep.
Here are some common reasons you may need a website:
You need to connect with your people/the public.
Your audience/client/patient/customer/fan/subscriber (you get the picture) spends time online.
You are on some sort of mission providing some sort of value or solve a problem (i.e. you or your business may seek to: inform, entertain or sell something. It could be to communicate information or organize a cause. Generally, a website is simply a tool that will work to communicate with and connect people.
You want to have creative control over how you and/or your organization are presented online and how you communicate with your audience.
Your competitors/compatriots and others in your field already have great websites (or wish they did!)
You want to become (or remain) competitive, successful and/or visible in a professional way
You want to legitimize your business online and develop trust.
You know people make snap decisions all the time and —first impressions matter.
Q: What’s the timeline for my project?
Websites and branding have estimated timelines, but these along with any graphic design projects vary depending on my schedule and the scope of a given project. I always suggest reaching out early to inquire about timing and to schedule your project in my design calendar. If you’re interested in booking both a branding and website project, generally we’ll dedicate 2-3 weeks per project and schedule these back to back. The best way to determine the estimated timeline for your project is to reach out and for a complimentary consultation call.
Q: What is your website design process like?
There is a process overview outlined over on the website design page here. After you book your project and we have scheduled your start date, I’ll send over my signature Welcome Guide. The guide will have all the necessary information you’ll need to complete some light “client homework” in advance of the design phase. On the first Monday of your scheduled design period, we will have a Discovery call in which we’ll further discuss the main goals of the site. Once we’re clear on the big picture and a few of the finer details, I’ll get busy working designing and developing. During the first week, I will begin creating the overall site architecture and setup, adding in custom styling with CSS, preparing images and laying out the various components of your site. I will also work on creating any necessary icons, adding in assets and generally making your site look sharp. Once I’ve designed and ensured the basic functionality of your site, I’ll send you a private link (not public) for you to explore your site and make any edit requests you’d like to see made. It is very, very important that during your 2-3 week design period you remain attentive and available by email so that the design process remains on schedule. During the final week of your site design, I will finalize the development and backend of your site. This includes making any final tweaks, adding in light SEO, adjusting your custom CSS where necessary, linking third party integrations (where applicable) and connecting your domain name. Once you’ve approved the final design on the last Friday of your design period —I will launch your site!
Q: Do projects ever take longer than the estimated timeline to design?
Very rarely! The process I use is tried and tested and very fluid, so it is unusual for projects to run beyond the estimated design period. Due to the nature of my workflow, I schedule projects on a design calendar - which means I can’t easily push back deadlines without negatively affecting subsequent client projects. Because of this, I have created a streamlined a process to guide projects from concept through completion. During our initial consult call, we can discuss a comfortable start date that will accommodate your schedule so when your design period begins, I will have any necessary base content to begin work and we’ll both have a good idea of the estimated timeline. If for some reason extra rounds of revisions or more time is needed to complete your project, we will will work something out.
Q: Why Squarespace?
I recommend (and use) Squarespace for so many reasons! First of all, Squarespace is an all inclusive platform that not only allows for great customization but is also incredibly mobile responsive and extremely reliable and secure. For those who are seeking a modern, clean looking site that is flexible in terms of future updates and expansion - hands down Squarespace is the best choice. Additionally, with Squarespace, you avoid all the technological headaches. Once built, your site will be very easy to maintain. It won’t require complex and frequent updates to remain mobile responsive or require you to have a developer always on call due to things not functioning. With Squarespace, I’ll do the heavy lifting and build you a great website that you can confidently rely on (and make minor text based updates to yourself in the future!). Another reason I love Squarespace is that this platform works well with third party integrations such as Mailchimp, G-suite, Acuity, (for booking appointments and services), ConvertKit, social media accounts etc.,. Squarespace is the ideal option for: most small to medium sized businesses, entrepreneurs, artists, speakers, influencers, makers, bloggers and more. However, Squarespace may not be a good fit if you have a very complex or large organization or are looking to sell a large breadth of products.
Q: How much is hosting?
The most popular Squarespace hosting plans are approximately $12 or $18/mo. You will also need a domain name which will likely run about $20/yr. If you need a domain name, we will get you one! If you already have a domain I can transition this to Squarespace for you. In either case, hold off on purchasing anything yourself. As a circle member, I can gift you 20% off your first year and set up your site so that it automatically renews. Easy-peasy.
Q: Are there any other hidden costs or fees?
Absolutely not! Honest, clear communication is one of my top priorities. I like to be very direct and clearly lay out not only my design process but what’s included in a given package right from the start. Once we discuss your needs during your intial consult call, I’ll send over a proposal with pricing and details on what’s included in your package. A 50% deposit is all that is needed to secure your project in my design calendar. If while working together or once the project is complete, if you’d like to partner on other projects or additional work, I’ll be happy to provide pricing on this too. If you decide you’d like any special features or add-ons that might cost extra, I will give you the heads up. I always provide an estimate, gain approval and a 50% deposit prior to doing any work.
Have another question not answered here?
Please reach out at hello@meganalissa.com and I’d be happy to help.