Creating Content For Clients

If they're not picky, it's easy:

Install Wordpress, theme and plug-ins. Keep it simple. Look at other websites in their field to get ideas for content. Pictures and video can be had for free or for a small fee, to own rights. Set up email and add contact information. Done.

Two hours, tops, once you get the hang of it.

For tougher markets, outsource a couple of keyword-rich articles that are relative to the site and create a separate page for each to create inner-linking and bulk up the site.

Even better...outsource it all. Fine tune, submit and collect.

Consider having a separate hosting account with a dummy URL (mysampleworkstuffsss.info or something) where you outsource the site creation...then use a backup option like BackupBuddy to create a backup file of the whole site, plugins, settings, and all, and use that file to get the site up on your end, on your actual hosting account.

A disclaimer: I'm a word gal, not a tech guru, but I am pretty sure this could work for you.

If your prospect's expectation is for you to create a website for them including copy, then you must have some expectations of your own.

Such as...they must have an interview with you or fill out a questionnaire, or both, about their business.

If they are expecting you to be their marketing manager as well as IT guy, then your price needs to go up.

Yes, I agree on the expectations, of course they are your clients, they would have expectations, just prove them that you can do the project.
Right again, the greatest advertisement is still the "word of mouth"

I agree. The content gathering is sometimes the slowest process. We used to get the "here is my card, it has all the info" and "just copy this competitor site's material"(even though they don't do exactly what we do".

Then if they were supposed to supply content, I would just add "add text here" 100 times on the pages until they got the point.

Now we let them know that they can supply the content for price level 1. We provide them with a questionnaire to help extract their knowledge.

Or we let them know we can write the content for $xx per page.

A new system we are just experimenting with though is hiring a local "writer" to interview the clients. We are paying a lady $35/hour for 3-4 hours (tops) to interview the business owner/manager about their business and the services they offer and write the pages for us.

You can build the price into the site or offer it as an add-on, but I like to just say it is included and my headaches are gone and it looks pretty awesome in the clients eyes.

For me the biggest time waster was fiddling around in Photoshop, trying to save money by creating my own graphics and banners. Found it was much more efficient to outsource that and focus on getting sales.

--Gary

As long as you're charging a reasonable amount for your time spent, who cares if it takes 12 weeks.

However, you'll find that when you cross the threshold of BS pricing into reality pricing, most small potato clients will evaporate due to the real world dollars involved in putting together a professional effort.

I always tell my mentoring students, it's easy to sell business for less than what it really costs you to produce the value. There isn't a person alive who would trade $500 for $20,000 worth of effort. The key is to be the person GETTING the $20K, not GIVING the $20K.

I think Jason nailed it. With their check in your bank, pop in
with your 20 or 25 item questionnaire. Ask each question,
take notes. Saw a sample on this forum a few weeks ago.
If he says "Not now", say fine, but I can't finish your website
without this info.

Hugh