Salted.

First off kudos to your site and your service. Your infusion of simplicity within it, while still retaining a great impact, is great to see.

With regards to justifying your work, I know people say designers should be educating people about what they do but there comes a point when it gets kind of ridiculous. I had no problem in the past explaining basically why I did things with regards to design or site architecture but having to go into elaborate detail as to why I was better than a 15 year kid who just start learning HTML is idiotic.

Yes, anyone and their dog can create a "web page" but very few people can create a "web site". One person is creating a one page document of sorts while the other is creating an entire experience.

With regards to costs, I think you should be asking the client the following.

"You shouldn't be thinking about how much money you are going to save, but how much money you could potentially lose. Bad design will cost you. Are you willing to take that chance?"

In effect, not only will bad design cost the client more for a redesign but how much business will also be lost because of it (i.e. potential customers having a frustrated experience on their site). If they are going to build a site, why not do it right the first time?

Really it all comes down to trust. You need to ask the client why did they come to you in the first place. If it is because they heard you were a good design and recognized by others as such then they need to trust your skill, knowledge, and experience to help them. If they can't trust you, then like any relationship (even a business one in this case), things aren't going to work.

BTW it works both ways as well. If you get a bad feeling from a client or you just can't seem to trust them then "fire them" as the saying goes.

Nollind Whachell
September 1, 2005 7:31 PM

It was this type of attitude (on the clients part) that drove me away from freelance webdesign. Agencies have entire sales and marketing departments, well versed in justifying the astronomical costs they charge. I too had a problem with the way I sounded when I attempted to justify my charges. In the end it was easier not to. I know, Im weak.

misterchris.
September 2, 2005 4:34 PM

Chris you sound exactly like me. The negativity really bothered me as well (from the client and the way I was feeling regarding them). I'm considering getting back into it again but only if I can make the whole process 1) extremely simple, 2) very quick (1 week), and 3) a no brainer for the client (straightforward marketing). The guys at Salted are giving me some hope that this can be done.

BTW I popped over to your site. It looks like at least you are doing something you love now which is great to see. All the best.

Nollind Whachell
September 2, 2005 6:28 PM

Guys, thank you both for your comments. Glad to hear I'm not the only one getting frustrated. I guess these days there are just so, so many "web designers" out there, that there's no hope of ever competing on price.

Nollind, I think you're completely right re trust and I like your point about bad design costing them money. I'm glad we're giving you hope! As yet not all of the work we get is blog design, or at the fixed price, but we're getting there. That's definitely my aim, or else I think I'd end up out of the web design game.

Problem is, I guess, in a few years' time there's going to be just as much competition in the blog design arena and we'll be having a similar conversation again! Trying to keep innovating will be the only way to survive, clearly.

Paul
September 2, 2005 7:28 PM