A lot of my friends are keen on web development. This job is pretty interesting but it has a lot of delicate issues. Actually working with your PC, sitting in front of the screen and surfing different sites seems to be much easier when it comes to communicating with alive people. You have to know that people have emotions, ambitions and sometimes difficult nature. Interestingly that despite your area of expertise, there comes a time in each web developers experience when you have to tell a client that their site, to put it plainly foolish and lousy. I have been working with clients through telephone service, e-mail, fax for at least 7 years. Due to my acquired skills I should say that I’ve discovered the hard way that the direct approach isn’t always the best way to inform a client about his not good site.
Amazingly that even if, deep down, the clients know their site is a rubbish-bin, the thing is that they often have a lot of time and money invested in it, and are desperately bound to be defensive and insistent when it comes to web developer’s criticism. In this respect the problem is evident: occasionally clients need to know the truth, no matter in which way they’re told about it. What’s your manner of telling the truth? At first try to be positive even if you have found many disadvantages and weaknesses of the client’s site. Remember that any bad news, sometimes should be eased. What’s more start with a little good news first. To be honest it’s difficult to face a hopeless site that can’t be salvaged. Try to avoid your first reaction and take a good look at what your client is doing right. Even the worst website might have a proper navigation plan, good copy, or a solid architecture.
Eventually, your job as an internet consultant, whether you’re a designer, usability specialist, or SEO expert is targeted at helping to your client’s business advance. So while you’re breaking the bad news, adhere to the business case: gently explanation, point by point, why the site is hurting your client’s practical result.
Especially when you’re talking about design, it’s easy to bewilder your client opinion with fact. Tell your criticisms in a delicate way, whenever possible, and impersonal. To add, be especially cautious around issues that involve personal taste and opinion, such as color schemes. Even if the truth in on your side the client can perceive your remarks as offensive and useless.
The best method is to hold things from getting personal is to bring in a 3rd party buffer. For a large campaign, this might mean an in-person resource, but often it just means citing online articles, market facts, or other industry experts.
To conclude when you’re a paid consultant, everything has to come back to solutions. The best way to soften bad news is to be prepared to tell your client how to solve the problem. Ultimately, bad news only matters if it’s permanent, and providing answers isn’t just a good communications strategy, it’s the job.
Filed under: internet marketing, site owners
