The theme in question is reaching it’s final stages. This past week I spent a lot of time consdidering the code and functionality of the theme while I wait on what I consider to be very important feedback on the front end.

For those of you that have not picked up on the subtle hints sprinkled throughout my past writing, I am constantly in the process of developing my own WordPress framework from which I develop 90% of my projects. While this is a blessing when it comes to working on client projects it can be a serious stalling point for personal projects. Once I get started into the code I almost always find little improvements which of course then need to be translated to any branch projects I might be working on. (More on why another framework in the future. I have no intention of creating a framework for release.)

I am happy however with the feedback I have been receiving based on the tiny little screenshot I have shared and I am extremely encourage to move forward. Thanks!

More updates to come.

Fostering good relationships, providing value, producing results beyond expectation, it’s all part of “going the extra mile”.

I take a lot of pride in two very important aspects to my business, creating long lasting value and fostering good relationships. When I work with a client my hope is to have them come away from the job satisfied. Not only with the final product but with the knowledge that will allow them to use it successfully.

What does this do for my business? When these clients come away from the experience feeling like I have provided them a valuable service that goes beyond just getting the job done, they are more than likely to return in the future. They respect my professional opinion and have some trust in what I say. They are comfortable in working with me.

It’s a win win. Your client is happy because they are impressed and comfortable working with you. You have helped them to become more successful and you have saved them from repeating the overwhelming task of finding a new provider. On your end you are happy because you have come away with a happy client, a good relationship and return business.

What does going the extra mile mean? It means putting in extra care to build a relationship beyond just the focus on getting this project out the door.

The key is learning that you need to work with the client, business to business, and not for the client as an employee would. This of course can take some learning on both sides of the relationship, especially if you are working with a business that does in fact have a few or more employees of their own.

Don’t be afraid to do the job you were hired to do. If you are their to build this company an online solution for their business then do that, in it’s entirety. Which means taking the time to do the research, advising them on the best practices and explaining to them why their website needs to focus on their customers.

Equally as important, don’t be afraid to push back when you know it is the right thing to do. It’s not about battling your client it’s about advising them on why something may not be the best solution. Voice your opinion in a professional manner. It’s not always going to produce the intended outcome, but I personally believe that it helps to establish that professional working relationship that you are looking to build.

Help them learn. You don’t have to go into all the minute details of your profession but don’t be afraid to share a little. If something doesn’t make sense explain to them the why. Teach them a little about how their new site operates, help them to understand how it can be used to improve their business and what they need to do after it is all said and done to continue building on it’s success.

Most of all make it your mission to create a professional working relationship. You don’t need to come away from this with a drinking buddy, but you should come away with it having a mutual respect for each other and each others place of business.

If your client feels like they are in good hands, not only will they return but you can be sure they are going to tell their friends.

A question I receive often. Does it have to look like or be a blog? A lot of potential clients come to me because someone has advised them that using WordPress is the way to go, they have also heard that it does not necessarily mean that it has to look like a blog. But… they are unsure, only because 90% of the sites they see that they know have been done in WordPress do in fact look like a blog. Nothing wrong with that, nothing at all, but there is a lot more to it.

I will start by saying this, the majority of the design/development projects that come my way could be done in WordPress, from storefront to online version of a local newspaper. That does not mean that they all need to be developed in WordPress. In the case of requiring a CMS, it also does not mean that Wordpress is the only available solution. Always go with the best solution even if that means an entirely custom solution or no CMS at all.

The bottom line is this. Your site being done in WordPress does not warrant that it look anything like a traditional blog. Fact is you can extend the power of WordPress well beyond that in both design and functionality. Sites that you come across daily and look nothing like a traditional blog may in fact have WordPress running under the hood, you’d be surprised.

So with the answer to that question out of the way, then perhaps, why choose WordPress? By choosing to go with WordPress you are opened up to a powerful management system for you web precedence that will allow you to take a lot of control over things like publishing content, editing content and maintaining the day to day business of your website.

In addition, WordPress comes prepackaged with a rapidly growing community of users, developers and contributors. What this means for you is support. The answer to your question or the solution to your problem is a click away.

Why do I choose WordPress? It interests me, I am very familiar with it front to back and it has never let me down. I return to it time and time again and it is also something that I work with frequently outside of normal business hours.

So knowing that WordPress can, in the right hands be shaped and modeled to accomplish many of the tasks that you hope for the next step is deciding whether or not it is the best solution for your project.

As I mentioned earlier it is not always the right or the only solution available. I do on occasion work outside of this platform when the project requires which goes to further illustrate my point. The right choice is something that you and your designer or developer should discuss and work out well before the project begins.

Hope that you enjoyed this article. As mentioned in the previous Client Education post, this category will be run through it’s own feed, which you can subscribe to separately. While we work to integrate it with the flow of things around here, you are welcome to subscribe here or here by email. If you find it all very interesting you can also choose to subscribe to our main feed below.

Getting ready to put the final touches on the theme this week go me thinking about all the ways I could make little improvements here and there. That coupled with some useful feedback from others lead me to put a delay on things in order to add a few more features that will make it just a little better.

Needless to say I spent a lot of time digging through the codex, reading some great articles written by some of the major thinkers in the WordPress community and even wrestling with subversion a bit over the weekend.

Bottom line is I am pushing back my deadline a bit. (You can do that when you are your own client, right?) I am not going to commit to next weekend but I am going to shoot for it. More planned for mid week.

On the up side of things I do have some good articles planned for the week and a whole slew of new ideas for WordPress related topics so all is not lost.

Introducing Charlene, a minimalist WordPress theme.

Following the introduction I need to insert a disclaimer to fend of the onslaught of possible mean remarks regarding the name. No, I do not name everything female names, but I do have a problem and that is giving human names to many things. For instance my Macbook is named Cindy, my backup device is named Gertrude and on of my previous dogs went by the name of Charlie. Charlene popped into my head when searching for a name for this theme (I have never known a Charlene), I went with it.

This theme is being released slightly redone and recoded based on a theme I once used on my own blog in the past. Having uploaded a screenshot to Flickr and several months down the road I noticed that more than 1 person had asked if this theme was ever to be released. Having been a total slacker and failed to comment back I never knew that it was a theme people would enjoy. Now four months later I am answering that request.

If all goes as planned I hope to make this theme available for download by this weekend. I am spending a portion of this week adding some pre-planned functionality into the theme, working out some of the kinks and overall clean up.

Why Get Into the Creation of Themes for Public Use?
I am not necessarily looking to get into the business of themes, however as I stated earlier I have been working with WordPress for quite awhile. I believe shortly after I did my first WP install, 2.0 was released, so I feel like I have a decent handle on things. In that time I have created a few themes, good, bad and some pretty ugly. (Hey I don’t mind being honest).

Over the past year or so with the majority of my business being in the WordPress theme arena I have come to develop a framework that I build on quite often. It is an ongoing process and consistently improves. I also spend a great deal of time designing themes just for fun. (That’s a precursor to a sequel if you didn’t catch that.)

That mixed with a few oldies that I am now converting to my updated code base, gives me reason to go ahead and share some of them with other WordPress users. Give back, if you will.

More will be written on the theme itself when the time comes. Looking forward to making it happen soon, stay tuned.

This idea sprang from various conversations I have had with clients in the past and was put into action through the suggestions of one recent client in particular. He pointed out something that I have often told myself but never really though much of and that is the fact that I tend to talk (or walk) through various aspects of the process from planning through development in a very clear manner. A manner as he put it helps the less knowledgeable feel more at ease that we are making the right decisions and approaching the project from the right angles. One that puts a client at ease.

This seems to be part of my regular routine, yet I keep it limited to my one on one contact with my client. On the other hand I use this space, Papertree Design, to focus on a variety of topics but more often then not they are geared towards someone on the provider side of the equation.

Sure I give potential clients something. I give them my portfolio so they can see what I’ve done and sure I write halfway decent content that at the very least gives them some impression that I know what I am doing, but more than likely they are not really going to know what to do with a WordPress function nor do they care to know how to write one.

What I came to realize is that I should spend more time focusing on providing clients content concerning topics they do care about. Topics that will both benefit them and benefit those that work with them. Subjects such as: how they should go about choosing a designer, developer or consultant. How they can be better prepared when approaching a project and contacting the service provider. The value of working with someone and more importantly the value of what we do.

If clients are willing to listen then we should be giving them ample reason to continue doing so. The benefits are many on both sides of the equation. For one it makes your job quite a bit easier as time goes on, it can also make the job of others who may have future contact with this client. It helps to establish a good working relationship with the client by allowing them to feel comfortable and increases the possibility that they will become clients for an extended period of time. Last but not least, educating your client will help them to realize a more successful outcome.

So that’s it, Client Education will be focused on answering the questions and hopefully discouraging some of the myths.

This category will be filtered through a separate RSS feed as well and available through email. (This will be available shortly.) I encourage anyone both client and provider to chime in, add their thoughts and even suggest a topic.

I had been testing it elsewhere for a bit during beta so I was somewhat prepared. I’m digging the search in posts etc on the admin side. I am also digging through the new body_class function. I like it but I am looking at filtering for some improvements.

Other than that things are looking good.

Always be sure to check plugin compatibility especially if you are running a lot of unusual plugins. I would suggest checking out Wordpress.org as well for a list of some of the new features.

Don’t let it happen, breakdown your ground rules, your legalities and how you are going to bid each project before you ever need to write that first bid, proposal or contract. Figure out how you are going to gather (and sometimes pry) the important information from a client that will help you establish goals and develop scope for the project. Research your particular industry, find out what to watch how for, how to protect yourself and how to bid correctly.

Note: The next article in this series will cover working with your client to understand and develop goals, vision and desired results.

Then prepare to keep revising because just when you think you have it all covered a client will through you a curveball. As with everything in business you will need to constantly adapt, refine and figure out your best route when it comes to the paperwork.

This is by no means to be read as the final word in developing your own paperwork but as a guide to help the relatively new and inexperienced freelancer. It is a article written based of research and a lot of my own experience. I highly recommend research as many other sources as possible, this is an important aspect of your business and a critical one to your success. Attached to the end of this article you will find a short list of resources that should provide you with and excellent starting point.

Let’s get started.

Research & Ask Questions

One of the keys to developing a successful proposal and project for that matter is figuring out what the project is all about. As mentioned above, figure out the goals, the basic and the finer elements of the project. Find out why this project is being put together. Learn something about who you are working with.

Be Critical

My lack of the finer details in paperwork has bit me in the rear more than once. I would venture to say that I have spent countless unbilled hours doing things that where not necessarily “included in the price” but due to the fine line and my lack of detail I found myself having to suck it up. Establish your project guidelines, responsibilities and timeline in writing. Let the client know what is and what is not included in the package as well as letting them know what will constitute additional man hours. I feel like the more detail I put into the paperwork the better for both of us.

Be Realistic

Be realistic in terms of both time and money. Be honest with yourself and your client when you provide timelines for the project given the scope. When you first start it may be tricky to gage exactly how long a given task is going to take you but you more than likely have some idea and you damn sure did your research. You may feel a bit of pressure from the client to provide them a two week timeline when you know that it is going to take at least four, don’t succumb to the pressure it will save you both a lot of undue stress in the end. Be realistic and explain to them why it is necessary we take four and not two weeks to do this right.

On the flip side of that. If the project requires a rush then set your pricing accordingly. Sure it is possibly but it may mean outsourcing as well as overtime for you.

Key Points

Scope Through research and interaction with the client you should formulate what exactly the project is going to entail. What the goals are, what the client wishes to achieve etc. I’m not sure that it is necessary to be detailed down to the pixel in determining scope but I am sure that more detail provides less leeway for the project to sprout a third and fourth leg while it is in progress.

That is not to say that the project is not aloud to grow a third and fourth leg but it should be clearly defined in your paperwork that when that the third and fourth leg will require nurturing and thus more time. It will also require more vitamins and thus more money. Define additions, changes etc and how you will approach them. Always require that a client submit these type of changes in writing, make them aware of how these changes or additions affect the cost and timeline, then get approval before proceeding.

Don’t tell the client they can’t change their mind or add another section once the project is in progress but be sure to let them know that how it will affect the original contract, pricing and timeline.

Timeline & Milestones Define your timeline. Each project has a start date and and end date defined, put it down in writing. In between the start and end date should be project milestones. Dependent on the length of the project it could be 2 or 20. Set the milestones and let them know what each milestone means. This will give you the opportunity to set up review periods. It will also give you the chance to establish very clearly when deliverable a will arrive.

Review Periods Closely related and in fact a part of the topic above is the subject of review periods. I personally like to set review periods to coinside with milestones. Normally and I am sure this will depend on the number of decision makers involved in the project, I like to set review periods of three days at each milestone. One after the brunt of the wireframing and design has been completed. On midway as the majority of the strucuture is in place and one final review. It is good to note here that the number of milestones and possible review periods may increase or decrease depending on the size of the project. The review period in question for me is the second or halfway point. I have found this one to once in a while cause uneeded headaches if done to early in the development phase.

Changes and Revisions
Clearly define how changes and revisions will be handled in this project. You may allow for revisions in the initial design phase, let your client know how many. Let them know how revisions to the project will be charged. Make them aware that changes can result in an extension of the timeline. When you come to one of these changes, clearly define how it will effect the project and be sure to get approval before moving forward.

Responsibilities Discuss with your client and define responsibilities. Be sure that your client understands that delays in the delivery of certain aspects of the project such as content can in turn delay the project as a whole.

Examples of possible client responsibilities:

1. Logo
2. Copy
3. Images

Non-deliverables
Client responsibilities don’t always fall into the realm of deliverables such as the few listed above. It is also their responsibility to provide feedback and use review periods appropriately to keep the project on track. As I mentioned above this is why I schedule a certain number of days into each project for review. A few days at a time seems to be more than enough when you are dealing with single business owners or a small team such as partners. As you through more decision makers into the mix you will need to account for the extra time it may take for review.

To Sign or Not to Sign
It’s a good question. For a long time I went on a their word and mine. For the most part I never ran into a huge problem with this, however I also started to see where putting it in writing and requiring a signature could be beneficial so I started requiring a sign off before proceeding with the project. I personally have found echo sign to work very well for this requirement.

A few excellent resources to get started:

• Web Design Contracts: Why Bother (Digital Web)
• How to Effectively Tackle a $50000 Freelance Project (Freelance Switch)
• Creating a Web Design Contract (ReEncoded)
• Using Freelance Graphic Design Contracts (David Airey)
• Pragmatic Web Project Planning Series (The Same Barnes)
• Graphic Designer Contracts Agreements Forms and Web Designers Contracts (Outlaw Design Blog)
• Project Estimator (Astuteo)

There are plenty more of them out there, please feel free to add your resources below.

How easy it once was to draw on my imagination to create something that made sense, even if only to me.

As I have “grown up” I have maintained that creative spirit for the most part but some of the ease with which I was once able to use my imagination has disappeared. I am sure there are theories on why this occurs as we grow older, I personally think it has to do with our tendency to focus more on solving our real life problems and less on creating and inventing just because it is enjoyable to do so. Obviously there is a necessity to do so but it’s nice to just let go sometime.

So I have decided to challenge myself by committing to the creation of one thing each for the rest of the year, the 209 days ahead. I have set no guideline on what it is that I must create I just have to get out and do it. Sketches, photos, paintings, writing doodling whatever strikes me as enjoyable at that moment. I want it to be fun and spring from the childlike imagination that I once embraced.

You can follow this little journey into creativity at 209days.posterous.com.

Would love to hear your feedback, or if anyone would like to join me?

That is an extreme example but think about it for a second, the client now has a very real picture of what they would like the end result to “look” like before we have even taken the time to discuss what it is that they would like the end result to accomplish.

Eye candy is a wonderful thing but once the initial thrill wears off the end product still needs to function, make sense and produce results.

My question is how do you lead your client to initially look past these aesthetic ideas and focus in on the important pieces that are going to make up the completed puzzle. To Put it simply, how do you get the client to stop seeing that “buy me” button with the red gradient they would so like you to include and start seeing that “buy me” button as the gateway to selling their product or service?

This infatuation with a certain aesthetic begins somewhere. Example: A client happens to follow a few designers on Twitter. Via his twitter stream he learns of the plethora of web design showcases which capture “the best of the best” in web design today. A half hour or so later he has taken the time to look at four or five examples of what is good web design and has thus formed a very solid opinion of what their site must look like in order to be successful and well designed.

The problem for me is not that they have taken the time to do some research or the fact that they have forwarded some examples of what they like. In fact I welcome that, it gives me a better understanding of where they are coming from and what they more than likely expect their completed product to resemble.

No that’s not the problem it is only the beginning. The real issue lies in the fact that they now have this picture in their mind of what a good web design must look like in order for it to be successful. To wow their colleagues and why not even show up along side some of those galleries. So they go about making requests for gradients here or this button here etc. This is where we run into an issue. Although they make these requests they have not necessarily taken the time to think about why it makes sense for their own application.

And why not, in most cases we are going to see the fresh coat of paint on the outside before we so the beautiful layout of the home on the inside. When they happen on a site that they like they see the aesthetics of the design, they merely use the design in a functional sense. Let me explain. A client of your happens upon a site that they fall in love with, the aesthetics of it are no doubt very pleasing to the eye. The dive in and start navigating around the site but they are not paying attention to where or why they clicked that first link they did. (These are the things that you pay attention to when examining a site, right?) To them it just made sense it was a step taken with little thought. What they don’t realize is that the creator of this website designed it that way, they prompted you to click that link through good design.

So how do we combat this obsession that your client now has with the way their site should look as opposed to the way their site should function which is after all what is going to sell their product or land those clients. Personally I think the solution is fairly easy, challenge their request and ask why.

The next time a client comes to you and says I really like these red gradient buttons on this site I definitely want some of those on my site simply start the conversation by asking them why. Why do you feel that this is going to work best for you website, what is the purpose of your request.

Please note that I am not advocating that as a designer it is your given right to disagree with every suggestion that a client makes. In fact quite the opposite, I believe very strongly in full and open communication with the client throughout the life of the project. I also believe that suggestions from your client be examined because after all your client should know their consumer base quite a bit better than yourself. They will in some instances have a better feel for what will and will not work but simply do not know how to translate that to the web/print etc.

At the same time, do not be afraid to ask your client why and then follow with your own professional guidance if a request is made. Especially if that request seems to have no real value behind it. After all this is what the client came to your and is paying you for. Now if you are in the situation where your client does not respect or even want to consider your professional opinion, then you have an entirely different set of issues you may need to address.

I will be honest I was somewhat hesitant to follow my own advice especially in the first few months of working solo. I was worried that in doing so that I may upset or worse yet lose a client if I where to question their request. However I eventually realized that this is a very important part of my job and have found that if handled professionally, 9 times out of 10 not only will your client react well to this but they will be extremely appreciative.

You have to remember and in most cases convince yourself that if the client could do this themselves then they would not have contacted you in the first place.

The Key is to handle this in a professional manner, raise the question, address the issue and offer your professional advice or solution. You have to remember that unfortunately some clients are coming into this relationship under that assumption that as a “designer” you may be both arrogant and quirky. You also have to remember that as a business owner, CEO or whomever your contact may be, that they may not be entirely receptive to taking direction from someone they may see as just another hired hand.

In the end your willingness to question and advise throughout the entire process will get you one step closer to producing a professional, beautiful end product that you are proud of. A product that will please your client and produce the desired results.

What are your thoughts? How do you work with your clients to encourage focusing on the important?