How To Review Your Designs With Clients?

I like in person so you can go over, get his response and collect a check.
Decrease the odds of thinking it over nonsense.

If it's a local client you should do it in person. If it's a client that is not local, then I recommend doing desktop sharing (you can even use skype for that).

You really want to be able to walk the client through the website and be able to do it visually so you're on the same page. If you try and do it over the phone you don't know what they are looking at on the other end and if they are looking ahead or getting behind or distracted.

Printing it out would be a preference. Personally I don't see any advantage to printing it out unless it helps you when you are taking notes on changes.

I try to do by phone/email until any last revisions then I am at their door with the final invoice and pushing maintenance again if necessary. It is simply a way to collect money faster tho not so much hand-holding the client.

Most sites I notice they are mostly concerned about one or two small things and if I did my job right it does not take much to fix so wasting $10 in gas and 1 hour time is unnecessary.

I use a combo of printing it out *(if it's copy heavy I use 11x17 paper & print to scale, if it's more graphic I also have it printed like it's a small banner @ Kinko's, with a "FINAL PROOF" watermark) and reviewing the "live" site with the client via web conference.

I overnight the paper proof via Fedex, so they have it by the end of business on the day before our meeting- giving the client instructions to review the paper proof first & make notes on the 11x17 proof & fax any corrections, suggestions, & concerns by a timed deadline before the web meeting.

In the meeting, I demonstrate the site, address the clients issues, show before & after progress shots, and get a final sig on the proof and then advise the client on what they need to do next *(and draft my final payment per our agreement, sending a Complete Project Package [invoice, total website on dvd, free report, tell-a-friend insert, and a gift card] to the client within 24-48 hrs. of the final signature)

Hope that helps... or at least gives you some ideas on how to create a unique customer/client experience...

I have done it both way!

My approach is that we do not move from the design stage until the client is approves and he is happy with all elements of his website. To control the back and forth client get 3 free revisions. If we go past the three revision client gets billed on an hourly rate. Of course this is written in the Quote that he signed off on.

Once he approves the design then we move on to the development phase. Most of this is done via email, dropbox and phone conversations.

Discussing "web design" with clients is like trying to teach a stone how to dance Jersey Shore fist beat.

I avoid it at all times. Unless it's a good client I prefer to ditch the deal and move on. If a customer doesn't trust us (me) to give him what he needs, he can choose another company, or his son, his friend or his own skills - which is normal.

I always send them a mock up and have them come back to me after they have reviewed everything. It's draining to me to sit with a client and have them go over every little detail of what they would like to see changed. I prefer for them to review it on their own time and hit me with all the changes at once.

Not to sound arrogant, but our time is too valuable.


Sean