Latest / ThinkInsideTheSquare / [109] You launched a website for your client. Now what?

Transcript

[109] You launched a website for your client. Now what? · ThinkInsideTheSquare

• 0:00
  SPEAKER_00: A website isn't finished just because you published it.
• 0:03
  SPEAKER_00: There are always updates to make, photos to replace, services to change, prices to change, new blog posts to publish, and occasionally something breaks.
• 0:13
  SPEAKER_00: So what happens when you finish building a website for a client?
• 0:17
  SPEAKER_00: Do you teach them how to manage it themselves?
• 0:19
  SPEAKER_00: Do you offer ongoing maintenance?
• 0:21
  SPEAKER_00: Do you check in occasionally?
• 0:22
  SPEAKER_00: Or do you send that final invoice and hope to never hear from them again?
• 0:26
  SPEAKER_00: In this episode, I'm going to be sharing three simple things that I recommend you do after you launch a website for a client.
• 0:33
  SPEAKER_00: Three things that are going to make their experience better and might create some good opportunities for your own business in the future.
• 0:40
  SPEAKER_00: Hello and welcome to Think Inside the Square.
• 0:43
  SPEAKER_00: I'm your host, Becca Harpain, Squarespace expert and educator, and creator of insidesquare.co.
• 0:49
  SPEAKER_00: Now before we go any further, I do want to mention the term Squarespace is a trademark of Squarespace Incorporated.
• 0:54
  SPEAKER_00: This content is not affiliated with Squarespace Incorporated.
• 0:57
  SPEAKER_00: This is just my opinion as a Squarespace designer with a microphone.
• 1:02
  SPEAKER_00: So let's get into it.
• 1:04
  SPEAKER_00: When you finish a website project, there's one question that you have to have an answer for.
• 1:11
  SPEAKER_00: Because there are really two ways that we can approach this.
• 1:14
  SPEAKER_00: You can teach your client how to manage their own site, or you can offer to handle it for them.
• 1:19
  SPEAKER_00: And neither approach is automatically better.
• 1:21
  SPEAKER_00: It really just depends on your business, your clients' needs, and the kind of relationship you want to have with them after the launch.
• 1:28
  SPEAKER_00: So let's start by talking about this do-it-yourself approach.
• 1:31
  SPEAKER_00: To be honest, this is what I like to do with my current clients.
• 1:34
  SPEAKER_00: One of the many reasons that I choose to build with Squarespace as my primary platform is that a lot of my clients want a website they can update themselves.
• 1:43
  SPEAKER_00: And I think that's awesome.
• 1:44
  SPEAKER_00: But just because Squarespace is designed to be user-friendly, doesn't mean my clients are going to know how to use it.
• 1:51
  SPEAKER_00: Now, you might have been working in Squarespace for years, you know where everything is, editing a section might take you 30 seconds, but your client might have a completely different experience.
• 2:00
  SPEAKER_00: They might not be as familiar with the platform or computers in general.
• 2:05
  SPEAKER_00: So if you want them to manage their own site, I think it's worth investing a little bit of time and teaching them how.
• 2:10
  SPEAKER_00: Now, I'm not talking about recording an hour-long tour of every single feature Squarespace has ever offered and sending them a detailed update every time the platform changes something.
• 2:20
  SPEAKER_00: Not even a little bit.
• 2:21
  SPEAKER_00: I'm talking about showing your clients maybe the three or four things that they're most likely going to want to change themselves.
• 2:27
  SPEAKER_00: For example, if they run a restaurant, maybe you want to show them how to update prices in their menu, how to change their hours, or put up an announcement bar if they're going to close the restaurant for an event or have a really cool special that they want to talk about.
• 2:40
  SPEAKER_00: If they have an online store, show your client how to update products, how to manage orders, and again, change prices.
• 2:46
  SPEAKER_00: Maybe you built a block.
• 2:48
  SPEAKER_00: Show your client how to write an article, how to schedule it, how to publish a new post.
• 2:52
  SPEAKER_00: For all of that, you can record a couple of short videos, you can write a simple guide, or walk them through it on a training call right after the website launches.
• 3:00
  SPEAKER_00: One of my personal favorite approaches is giving them a written guide so they have something to reference, but I also like to walk them through it on a call and record it so they can access it whenever they need to.
• 3:11
  SPEAKER_00: That really reduces the number of emails in my inbox.
• 3:14
  SPEAKER_00: But at the end of the day, you need to do whatever works best for you and your client because the most important thing is that they leave this project feeling confident about what they can do themselves.
• 3:24
  SPEAKER_00: And I want to give you a real life example of why I love this approach.
• 3:27
  SPEAKER_00: One of my favorite recent projects was for a fantastic brunch place in Portland.
• 3:32
  SPEAKER_00: It's called Flat Top and Salamander.
• 3:34
  SPEAKER_00: I cannot recommend them enough.
• 3:36
  SPEAKER_00: Amazing breakfast burritos and chicken and waffles, and they do this vegan sweet potato hash.
• 3:40
  SPEAKER_00: And I'm realizing that I am way too hungry as I'm recording this podcast episode.
• 3:45
  SPEAKER_00: So let me make this long story short.
• 3:47
  SPEAKER_00: If you're in the Portland area, go check them out, Flat Top and Salamander.
• 3:50
  SPEAKER_00: I went to brunch there, absolutely loved it.
• 3:53
  SPEAKER_00: Offered to make them a website, which I did.
• 3:55
  SPEAKER_00: A few months later, I'm back in there having brunch again.
• 3:57
  SPEAKER_00: Lo and behold, they've got some new menu items and some new pricing.
• 4:01
  SPEAKER_00: So I looked over at one of the owners, Sam, and I said, Hey, this is great.
• 4:04
  SPEAKER_00: I'm gonna take a picture of your menu and update your website when I get home.
• 4:07
  SPEAKER_00: And she looked back at me and said, Don't worry about it.
• 4:09
  SPEAKER_00: I already did the updates.
• 4:11
  SPEAKER_00: And that, my friend, is why I love building on Squarespace.
• 4:15
  SPEAKER_00: She didn't need to email me, she didn't need to book a support session, she was able to hop in there and take care of it.
• 4:20
  SPEAKER_00: And I love that for us, because that's exactly what I want for my clients.
• 4:25
  SPEAKER_00: I want them to feel confident enough to make a little change without having to wait on me.
• 4:29
  SPEAKER_00: But not every client wants that kind of independence, which brings me to our other option, offering ongoing support.
• 4:36
  SPEAKER_00: This is a pretty popular one in the website design industry.
• 4:39
  SPEAKER_00: One of the glorious things about offering ongoing support is that these maintenance clients offer the potential for recurring revenue in your business.
• 4:47
  SPEAKER_00: But one of the rather unglorious things is that means you are also beholden to their to-do list at the drop of a hat.
• 4:53
  SPEAKER_00: So setting up boundaries is incredibly important if you're going to offer ongoing support.
• 4:58
  SPEAKER_00: But I also think it's important to remember that not every business owner wants to budget for ongoing support.
• 5:05
  SPEAKER_00: They might need a change here and there.
• 5:06
  SPEAKER_00: They might want to send you an email and say, hey, can you update the photo on our team page and have it taken care of?
• 5:12
  SPEAKER_00: You can absolutely offer one-off services or monthly maintenance packages.
• 5:16
  SPEAKER_00: Now, I will say I have a friend who offers monthly maintenance packages, but they also have a VIP level.
• 5:22
  SPEAKER_00: And at this VIP level, their clients can text them if they want to change, and they're guaranteed to have it done within a few hours if it's during normal business hours.
• 5:29
  SPEAKER_00: To me, that sounds like a bit of a nightmare.
• 5:32
  SPEAKER_00: I am not a fan of clients having my phone number and especially not a fan of receiving text messages whenever they feel like it.
• 5:38
  SPEAKER_00: So that's not a service I would ever offer.
• 5:40
  SPEAKER_00: But for me, saying, hey, you're gonna get four hours of my schedule every single month for whatever website updates you might need, that works pretty well for a lot of my clients.
• 5:49
  SPEAKER_00: In addition to those boundaries, it's also important to be specific about what kind of services you're able to do.
• 5:55
  SPEAKER_00: Because the concept of unlimited website support, that can get complicated very quickly.
• 6:01
  SPEAKER_00: Updating a price or adding a blog post is completely different from creating an entirely new page or troubleshooting a third-party integration.
• 6:09
  SPEAKER_00: That can take considerably more time than a basic content update.
• 6:12
  SPEAKER_00: It's really not the same level of work.
• 6:15
  SPEAKER_00: So define your scope, set expectations about response times, and decide how additional work will be handled.
• 6:21
  SPEAKER_00: For a little while, I used to have an a la carte menu that I'd give to all my clients before we even got close to signing a contract.
• 6:28
  SPEAKER_00: This menu listed all of the maintenance services that I offered along with pricing.
• 6:32
  SPEAKER_00: That way my clients had a heads up about what this ongoing care for their website would look like and what it would cost if they needed any minor or major changes.
• 6:40
  SPEAKER_00: So I'm definitely proof that you don't need to offer a retainer if that's not how you want to run your business.
• 6:45
  SPEAKER_00: Maybe you prefer one-time projects like I do, that's completely fine.
• 6:48
  SPEAKER_00: You can offer hourly support, quarterly refreshes, but whatever you do, make sure that the people you're building a website for have a clear next step.
• 6:57
  SPEAKER_00: Whether that's reading the training guide that you created or booking a call with you in the future, you need to clearly define what happens when a project ends.
• 7:05
  SPEAKER_00: In fact, I want you to do that today if you haven't already.
• 7:08
  SPEAKER_00: Write down what happens as soon as a website launches.
• 7:11
  SPEAKER_00: Does your client get custom training?
• 7:13
  SPEAKER_00: Do they get a custom resource guide?
• 7:15
  SPEAKER_00: Do they have access to support for a certain number of days?
• 7:17
  SPEAKER_00: Can they hire you again for small updates?
• 7:19
  SPEAKER_00: Do they get a special rate for that?
• 7:21
  SPEAKER_00: Make sure you can answer those questions and that your clients know the answers too.
• 7:26
  SPEAKER_00: Now, another thing I want to address about what happens after a website launch is the follow-up.
• 7:31
  SPEAKER_00: Maybe you spent weeks or even months working with someone.
• 7:34
  SPEAKER_00: You learned about their business, you helped them make decisions, you build something just for them, and you launched it to the world, their final invoice is paid, and you never have to talk to them again.
• 7:45
  SPEAKER_00: But I honestly think that's a missed opportunity.
• 7:47
  SPEAKER_00: Now, I'm not saying you've got to become besties with every client, but checking in after launch is a really easy way to show that you care about the result and not just the project.
• 7:56
  SPEAKER_00: So here's what I like to do in my business.
• 7:58
  SPEAKER_00: Feel free to take it or leave it.
• 8:00
  SPEAKER_00: But I love to schedule a follow-up email about a month after the launch.
• 8:03
  SPEAKER_00: Nothing complicated.
• 8:04
  SPEAKER_00: Something like, hey, it's been a few weeks since we let live.
• 8:08
  SPEAKER_00: I wanted to check in.
• 8:09
  SPEAKER_00: How's it going?
• 8:09
  SPEAKER_00: Do you have any questions or anything you want to improve?
• 8:12
  SPEAKER_00: That's it.
• 8:13
  SPEAKER_00: There's no sales pitch, there's no book a call right here for my own business style, casual conversations or where it's at.
• 8:19
  SPEAKER_00: I don't need an elaborate questionnaire, and I definitely am not going to promise free work, but I open the conversation.
• 8:25
  SPEAKER_00: Sometimes a client will write back and say, it's going great, I love it, or they'll write back and say, hey, I'm struggling to update this.
• 8:31
  SPEAKER_00: When that happens, I can offer them the resources that they need to make sure that their website is still working the way they want it to.
• 8:38
  SPEAKER_00: But I genuinely think it's important to reach out when they're still getting used to their website.
• 8:42
  SPEAKER_00: Now, a few months later, around the three-month mark, that's also when I like to reach out again.
• 8:46
  SPEAKER_00: At this point, my clients have a better idea of what's working and what might need to change.
• 8:50
  SPEAKER_00: So I'll send them a quick check-in to start the conversation.
• 8:53
  SPEAKER_00: I will say from experience, I do not recommend scheduling these emails because sometimes the client might reach out before you send that message.
• 9:02
  SPEAKER_00: And if they reach out to you and they get some clearly automated thing back, that's not fun for anybody.
• 9:07
  SPEAKER_00: So you should do what I do instead.
• 9:09
  SPEAKER_00: Hop into your calendar and add one little note 30 days and 90 days after launch.
• 9:14
  SPEAKER_00: One little note that says check in on so-and-so.
• 9:17
  SPEAKER_00: I've honestly never had a bad experience reaching out after launch, and it's actually opened up another opportunity that I want to talk about in this episode: referrals.
• 9:26
  SPEAKER_00: A lot of website designers rely on word of mouth to find new clients.
• 9:30
  SPEAKER_00: It's fantastic.
• 9:31
  SPEAKER_00: But sometimes I think we assume that if we do a great job, people just automatically tell everyone they know about us.
• 9:37
  SPEAKER_00: And sometimes they do, but people are busy.
• 9:40
  SPEAKER_00: And people outside the world of website design might not talk about websites as much as we think they do.
• 9:46
  SPEAKER_00: Your client might absolutely love their new site and still never think to recommend you because they don't know you're looking for more clients.
• 9:52
  SPEAKER_00: So don't be afraid to make it easy.
• 9:54
  SPEAKER_00: After a website's launched, your client's happy, everything's working out great, just let them know you love an intro.
• 10:00
  SPEAKER_00: Maybe you include that in your 30-day follow-up or your 90-day check-in, something in the email that says, and if you happen to know other business owners who are looking for website help, I'd love an introduction.
• 10:10
  SPEAKER_00: Make it simple.
• 10:11
  SPEAKER_00: No weird sales pitch, no pressure, no sign up for my affiliate program, or you get$200 off for your next support session for every referral.
• 10:20
  SPEAKER_00: I mean, yeah, you can do that, but I don't think you need to.
• 10:23
  SPEAKER_00: I think you can keep it simple and make sure that people know you are open to more work.
• 10:27
  SPEAKER_00: And while we're talking about this, don't forget to ask for testimonials too.
• 10:31
  SPEAKER_00: A testimonial and a referral, two very different things.
• 10:35
  SPEAKER_00: With a referral, someone's introducing you to another person who could become a client.
• 10:39
  SPEAKER_00: But a testimonial is something you can use on your own website and in your marketing, and it's also incredibly valuable.
• 10:46
  SPEAKER_00: So pay attention to what your clients are already saying.
• 10:48
  SPEAKER_00: Think back to the last client who told you that they were happy with your work.
• 10:52
  SPEAKER_00: And if you haven't already asked, ask them for a testimonial or permission to use whatever you already have.
• 10:57
  SPEAKER_00: And if you have a client who's especially happy with their website, let them know you're available for referrals.
• 11:02
  SPEAKER_00: That's it.
• 11:03
  SPEAKER_00: No complicated referral system required.
• 11:05
  SPEAKER_00: Okay?
• 11:05
  SPEAKER_00: So let's bring this all together.
• 11:07
  SPEAKER_00: I don't like my episodes to go very long, but I do want to do a quick wrap-up here.
• 11:11
  SPEAKER_00: Building a website is only one part of running a website design business.
• 11:15
  SPEAKER_00: What happens after launch can have a huge impact on how your clients are member working with you.
• 11:20
  SPEAKER_00: Make sure they understand exactly what to do when they want to change content on their website.
• 11:24
  SPEAKER_00: Are they going to look at a guide that you sent them, watch a recording, or reach out via email?
• 11:29
  SPEAKER_00: And if they are going to reach out to you, do they know when they're going to hear back?
• 11:32
  SPEAKER_00: Make sure that's clear.
• 11:33
  SPEAKER_00: You don't need to turn every client into a monthly retainer if that just doesn't seem feasible for your business.
• 11:39
  SPEAKER_00: You also don't need to offer unlimited support.
• 11:41
  SPEAKER_00: And you definitely don't need to give every client your personal phone number, at least I don't.
• 11:46
  SPEAKER_00: But you should make an intentional decision about what happens next, because a great website is valuable.
• 11:51
  SPEAKER_00: But the experience of working with a great website designer, that's what turns one successful project into a lasting professional relationship, and it might just lead to your next project too.
• 12:02
  SPEAKER_00: Check in on them about 30 days after launch, and if you can, check in on them about 90 days too.
• 12:07
  SPEAKER_00: Ask for feedback and for referrals.
• 12:09
  SPEAKER_00: Your clients will probably appreciate it, and I think your future self will too.
• 12:13
  SPEAKER_00: I'm Becca from Inside the Square.
• 12:15
  SPEAKER_00: Thank you so much for listening to episode 109 of Think Inside the Square.
• 12:19
  SPEAKER_00: I truly hope you enjoyed it.
• 12:21
  SPEAKER_00: If you're going to try any of the approaches we talked about today, let me know in the comments or hop into my inbox.
• 12:26
  SPEAKER_00: I'd love to hear from you.
• 12:27
  SPEAKER_00: Hello at inside the square.co.
• 12:30
  SPEAKER_00: Thank you so much for tuning in.
• 12:32
  SPEAKER_00: And most importantly, have fun with your website.
• 12:35
  SPEAKER_00: Bye for now.