Any design and development project can lead to a lot of assumptions. I had a debriefing yesterday with a client who wasn’t entirely happy with the way the overall project went though they were happy with the end product. After discussing with them at length where they felt it went wrong and how we could avoid making this same mistake in future we deduced that the main cause was based on initial assumptions. I assumed they would be happy organising their own photographs to go onto the site and offering a lot of input to keep control, they assumed my web design quote included a complete re-brand of their company logo and that their feedback wouldn’t be required and so on. The odd assumption I’m happy to fulfill, it’s my fault it wasn’t clarified in most cases, but there were enough to drastically increase the timescale and lead the client to feel I’m less organised than I am, even though I went beyond what was initially required to reach a final product.

Moving forward, we’ve taken their feedback on board and introduced a three-tiered pricing structure. Unless one tier is specifically asked for in terms of function and marketing, any quote we now issue will have three prices, one for each tier and potential clients can work within their budget and expectations to choose the right one before continuing:

Tier 1: Website Design

We provide the website design based on current branding to reflect you and your business, we provide the website editing platform to run the site and make any discussed functionality work. We can offer tips for successful content and search engines and it will be the responsibility of the website owner to copy their text and products into the pages. This is suitable for most businesses who want to retain control.

Tier 2: Website Complete

As with Tier 1 but we work with one of a number of copywriters to get content and sales copy which again reflects your business and build the website completely. You will then have the ability to make any changes to the copy directly through the editor.

Tier 3: Website Marketing

As with Tier 1 and 2 but we also provide search engine optimisation to help push your site up through Google and can optionally manage adword campaigns to really boost traffic to your site. This is definitely the most complete solution so comes at a cost, it does however mean you can step back from the website altogether and concentrate on your own business while we manage the site.

With this in place, potential clients will have more choice to balance requirements and budget and we can avoid making the same mistake in future.

Ever wondered how to make money while on holiday? Most service providers ask this question every day. When you are not present, the business effectively pauses, your income stops but your bills continue to fly through the post every month. Is there a way to turn your knowledge into a real salable product? A product which sells itself while you take a break, go away, recover from illness? Before you answer that question, let me tell you about ebookplace:

Zako Media has teamed up with copywriters, search engine optimisers, marketeers and together we have put together the ULTIMATE ebook package. Using our individual expert knowledge and project managed by a single point of contact, we can help you with all aspects of ebooks from the initial concept, right up to taking your automated payments through automatic distribution.

We’ve also setup ebookplace A free community that is totally focussed on eBooks and other digital products. This community is ideal for people who have never written an eBook, and equally suited to seasoned eBook experts. You can explore eBook marketing ideas, share your eBook experiences, demonstrate your eBook knowledge, take part in eBook discussions, and if you are new to eBooks, ask all those eBook related questions that you were dying to ask.

But what have you got to write about?

Share your business knowledge, share your personal experiences, perhaps your recovery path through terminal illness, inspirational passages or poetry. Not everyone can afford your consultancy fees and you’re not willing to drop your prices that low, how about offering an alternative? Add worksheets to help them on their way.

If you think there’s a market for it, go onto ebookplace, talk to the growing community and find out. Don’t know how to write, market and sell? That’s where we can step in to give you a helping hand.

The quality ebook market is continuing to grow, don’t let that book stagnate inside you

With the ever growing online communities and reliance on the internet, it might make sense to say ‘Yes! You need a website’. Ask a web designer/developer for a website and that’s exactly what you’ll get. But do you really need it?

I’m going to go out on a limb here and say ‘Yes, everyone needs an online presence‘ but this does not have to be in the form of a whole website. So what are the alternatives?

Blogs:- A blog (short for WebLog) is a great content building site. You can get these for free from wordpress, blogger among others. A blog allows you to post articles like the one you’re reading now. They’re great if you’re a consultant with lots of advice like time-management, marketing etc, or in a constantly changing industry like accountancy or technology.

Network Stores:- If you sell products online, have a look at trading on eBay stores or Amazon. Both of these provide seller services for a small transaction fee. One of my clients receives about £2/3000 per month turnover through an eBay store.

Network Profiles:- Many people make do with networking profiles like Ecademy, Facebook, Xing, LinkedIn, Workology, and these work great, particularly for B2B and some B2C businesses. Spend the time making your profile stand out from the croud and socialise with the other members.

Directory listings:- These are a good quick-fix particularly for B2C’s, Plumbers, electricians, Taxi companies. They provide a good geographical listing and helpe people compare you to your competitors.

There are others but I feel these allow you to stay focussed on the business rather than the social aspect. If you feel I’ve missed any, feel free to add them into the comments below.