CREATIVE BRIEF. First step - gather information (photos, graphics, text, video). Ask questions and get to know your needs, desires, and expectations. Try to understand the needs (website or blog) to help accomplish, what results you want to see, why you’re doing the project, how it will be used, and who the site is being developed for. The information gathered in this step is then compiled into a creative brief to be reviewed and approved by all decision-makers. PLANNING. This step involves the development of your website/blog sitemap, flow of content, how the navigation will function, what tools and features need to be integrated and what interactive elements like forms need to be included. DESIGN. Begin on creating the actual look and feel of your website or blog. Design the page templates using colors, textures, graphics, typefaces, etc. and will present the website or blog design concepts to you for review. I recommend some discussion about the concepts as well so I can chat with you about the thought process and reasoning behind the concepts and talk with you about any dynamic elements. REVISIONS & FINE TUNING. This is where you really start to get involved and we work together to revise the concepts as needed to reach your design. Sometimes my clients have no revisions and sometimes we’ll make two or three to get it just right. While I will always honor your ideas and requests, I also will provide design guidance as needed. DEVELOPMENT. Once the design is finalized, the actual build of the website will begin, starting with the homepage and then the interior page template. Then the integration of your opt-in box, shopping cart, electronic forms, etc. will be completed along with the insertion and formatting on the content. The site will be available online for review during this time and you will be able to give your input. TESTING. In this phase we click through your entire site checking the links, forms, design elements, and copy to make sure everything is working and displaying correctly. Once the site has been tested, the files will be transferred to your hosting account using an FTP (File Transfer Protocol) program. At the time your site will be live to the pubic. CELEBRATION. At the end of each project we can celebrate Celebrating each step toward achieving your goals makes the journey quite a bit more fun! MAINTENANCE. Your site may be live, but the work is not done! For the first 30 days your site is live, my team and I are available to make any little revisions you need and to help you in any way we can. To keep visitors coming back to your site it needs to be consistently updated with fresh new content. You may also have new services, products, or events to add to your website. My team and I can work with you to maintain your website and keep the content updated, or you can utilize a content management system that will give you access to your website’s “back end” and allow you to make the changes yourself.