September 2020 | Unlimited BS

I never used to ask my clients the right questions.

When I started this gig, my biggest learning experience and kick straight to the heart was having to redesign an entire site. The one and only time and it made me feel like a failure, doubt myself, and think “how can I call myself a web designer?!” But I did it, I redesigned the whole site, from top to bottom, and learned two valuable lessons.

Be confident in WHY you do what you do, tell your clients why you chose to deliver the product or service the way you did. You are unique, be proud of that and communicate that uniqueness in a straight forward, non-defensive, non know-it-all way. If you educate them into why you made the decisions you did, you may just see them do a complete 180. In this case, I was brand new, I knew why I designed the layout of the site the way I did, but I wasn’t confident to explain that to them. We 100% could have met in the middle had I spoke up.
Ask the right questions of your potential clients/customers. Be sure your product or service IS the right answer for them. Because you can’t always be the right fit for everyone. Ask
- Will it solve their problems?
- Will it make life easier for them in any way?
- Will it save them time?
- Money?

Knowing your demographic, and more importantly, knowing your ideal client will ensure you are directing your marketing, and your product/service to the people who want and need it.

My mistake

In this case, I didn’t pay attention to the clients’ demographic. It was a site for primarily senior citizens, and I designed it for 30 year old nature lovers. So the whole thing was directed to attract younger viewers, not the people that were actually engaging with their site. 100% my fault. I was so excited to do the project and flex my creativity, I designed it for what I wanted. Rookie mistake. And I instantly knew I had totally missed the mark, I hadn’t designed to appeal to their audience.

there’s more…

The other mistake was not educating on what I did know. And I did have a great handle on the navigation and usability of the site, but because I wasn’t confident enough to explain WHY it was the most user friendly way to have things laid out the way I did, I just did things exactly, to the tee, what they told me to. I pushed aside what I knew to be right and best for them.

So my advice to you is to spend the time educating your client or customer via your website, your marketing, your face to face interactions. They need to see and understand the value you provide.

I 100% get what it feels like to feel like you are so new, how can you say “Hey, I know what I’m doing, let me tell you about it”, but chances are good, if they are coming to you for a product or service, they really want to know YOUR solution to their problem Don’t leave them wondering why you had no advice or information to give.

I’ve been an entrepreneur for almost 9 years and some days I still feel like why would anyone listen to me? My hope is that they do because they can feel my love for working with other entrepreneurs and business owners and want to provide the best possible result.

Be confident. Show up. Educate. Ask the right questions. You got this. Click To Tweet

I’m happy to report, these same clients hired me a couple years later to do another site and it was a resounding success, for both of us. ?

How much is this going to cost me? Straight to the awkward question, because awkward is what I do best.

Unlimited BS works with small to mid-sized businesses and non profits – starting up to scaling your business. I chose that niche because I LOVE the enthusiasm of new ventures and the excitement of taking your business from one level to the next. It’s palpable.

So I’m your match if you fall in that category. I understand the budget restraints, but I also have the knowledge, experience, and skills to provide a website that will get you business.

And the awkward answer? You are looking at a starting cost of between $5,000-$7,500. And that can run upwards of $15,000. Ya, that’s a big range, but sites differ so much in what they involve, features they have, whether or not you are selling products on your site, and how much you are providing to the process (content, images, etc.)

I take on a maximum of 2 clients per month. So if you are considering a site, and I’m booking a couple months out, now is a good time to reach out. We can meet (in person or virtual) and chat about your business. You’ll get a free detailed quote and then can decide if you want to book and get in the calendar.

So what are you getting for this investment?

a mobile friendly, USER friendly website that works in all modern browsers.
a website properly set up so it can grow with your business and continue to function properly for years to come so you aren’t looking at a rebuild every few years
a website you are proud to send your clients to.
a presence on the internet that makes you stand out from your competitors because it speaks to your niche, your demographic, your people.
a web designer that works WITH you, and continues to do so well after your site is launched.

Trust me, I get the challenges of starting out, and of taking your business up a level. I’ve been there. I know it’s scary and I know it’s freaky making the investment. But at almost 9 years in, I can tell it’s totally worth it.

Take the first step and at least know what your project is going to cost. No obligation. Shoot me a message via email at brenda@unlimitedbs.ca, or set up a discovery call below and let’s take that first step!