If you’ve never worked with a website designer before then it can feel a little daunting. What actually happens after you enquire about a bespoke website? How long does it take? What do you need to have ready? Below I’ve give you a quick summary of what you can expect at each stage of working with me on a bespoke project.
Step 1: Your Enquiry
Once I receive your enquiry I’ll personally review it and come back to you with information specific to your project. I’ll share my brochure and invite you to book a discovery call so we can have a proper conversation about your project.
The discovery call is usually around 30 to 60 minutes and it’s your opportunity to tell me about your business, what you need from your website and what you’re hoping to achieve. I’ll ask a lot of questions — about your audience, your goals, your timeline and your budget — and you’ll have the chance to ask me anything too.
After our call I’ll share your bespoke proposal, which outlines exactly what’s included, timeline & investment. If you’re happy to go ahead you’ll accept the proposal, sign your contract and pay your deposit.
Step 2: Onboarding and Strategy
Once you’re booked in you will receive your onboarding questionnaire, access to your shared project board and a link to book your strategy call. The questionnaire because your answers shape the entire project, so I always ask clients to take their time with it rather than rushing through.
After I’ve reviewed your responses we will have our strategy call. This includes discussing your sitemap, and the structure of your website. Getting the strategy right at this stage means everything that follows runs much more smoothly.
Step 3: Design and Build
Based on everything we’ve discussed I’ll create your initial design concepts for you to review. This is where your brand, your content and your imagery start to come together and we refine things until the design feels exactly right.
Once the design is approved I move into the build phase. Your website is built on Showit and SEO is included as standard throughout. When the build is complete I’ll share a staging link so you can review everything before anything goes live.
Step 4: Review and Launch
You’ll have the chance to review the staging site and request any final amends. Once you’re happy and have given your written sign-off, we go live. Before launch I run through a full checklist — testing every link, checking every form, confirming your analytics are set up and making sure everything is working exactly as it should.
Step 5: Handover
Once your website is live I’ll send over everything you need to manage it confidently going forwards. I also offer a Showit tutorial so you can get comfortable in the platform and make simple updates yourself without having to come back to me every time.
The support doesn’t stop on launch day either. Over the weeks that follow I’ll check in with you, share guidance on setting up your Google Business Profile, help you announce the launch and make sure you have everything you need to make the most of your new website.
How Long Does It All Take?
For a bespoke project you’re typically looking at around 6-8 weeks from the point we start work. The most common reason projects run longer than expected is content — if copy or images aren’t ready when we need them, it pushes everything back. I’ll always be clear about deadlines and what I need from you and when so we can keep things moving.
Ready to Get Started?
If you’re thinking about investing in a new website and you’d like to understand what working together would look like for your specific project, I’d love to hear from you.
