Want to Avoid Undesirable Projects? Ask the Right Questions.
Every web designer has the ideal sort of client and project they want to work with. Whether it’s a project that will utilize a specific CMS or working with a client in a particular industry, we all have our comfort zone.
But many of us are contacted with opportunities that aren’t going to be a great fit. It might be that their timeline is too tight, budget too low or their project isn’t within our niche. On its own, that’s all well and good.
The problem is that it’s possible to waste a lot of time to conclude that a potential client isn’t going to work out. For example, you may go as far as meeting with them and writing a detailed proposal, only to realize that this is not a project you want to take on.
So, how can you come to this conclusion a lot sooner? One of the best ways to weed out the undesirables is to start asking questions.
Get to the Point
In the quest to be polite, it can seem a bit rude to start asking the tough questions right away. And, there may be some truth to that, as it’s hard to build a good relationship by interrogating someone.
Nonetheless, it is possible to be both cordial and direct. Depending on your personality, this may be difficult to do on the phone or in person. That’s certainly true in my case, which is why I prefer to keep the process limited to email communication – at least until I have an idea that the project is worth pursuing.
Email provides a medium where it’s possible to be friendly, yet ask very direct questions. You don’t have to use fancy wording or over-complicate things. The simpler the question, the better chance you’ll get a useful answer.
Start off with just a few queries that paint a broad picture of the project. For example, questions like:
“What’s your budget?”
“What’s your timeline for finishing the project?”
“Do you need to accept online payments?”
These types of questions are short, sweet and specific. They will get you better results than something overly-general, such as:
“What are the details of your project?”
Beating around the bush just prolongs the process and makes it more difficult to determine if this is a project you want to take on.
Digging Deeper
If your initial questions elicit the right answers, then it’s time to take things to the next level. This where you might want to think about a phone call, video chat or (if you really think you have something special) an in-person meeting.
Of course, reaching this point doesn’t guarantee that the project is a perfect fit – just that you’ve found enough potential to dig a little deeper. From here, you can start to get at the smaller details that will help you make a better determination.
This is where another round of questioning comes in (sometimes, it seems like web design also requires a bit of journalism skills as well). It’s still important to keep things simple and direct.
You’ve hopefully established the general parameters of what the client is looking for. It never hurts to confirm these details by repeating them (“You mentioned that you have about 150 products to sell in your WooCommerce store…”). Verifying this information helps in that it ensures that everyone is on the same page.
Now you can start getting into the nitty-gritty of what the project requires. In our WooCommerce example above, you might want to ask something along the lines of:
“Let’s discuss shipping. What’s the largest product you have? What’s the smallest?”
“Are any of your products available in multiple sizes?”
“Who will process your orders?”
As you get more answers, you should have a better grasp of both the project and the client. This should give you all the information you need to know regarding whether or not to sign on.
Streamline Client Screening
When you think about it, discussing a potential project with someone is sort of like a job interview. The other party is trying to determine if you are a good fit for their project, while you’re trying to do the same regarding how the project fits into your business.
As a web designer, you should pick your projects carefully. No one wants to dedicate their time and brainpower to something that’s not going to be a success for everyone involved.
Therefore, don’t be afraid to ask pointed questions. You’ll get to the heart of the matter and, if things don’t work out, you’ll walk away knowing that it’s for the best.
