Information vs Education

There's a very important principle that holds true across a wide array of industries.  What you want isn't necessarily what you need.  It's true for your customers, and it's true for you too.  Look at your kids.  They have no clue what they need.  A lot of times they don't even know what they want.  If you always gave them what they wanted, it would be a travesty.  You would be doing them a disservice, and you would end up penniless.  Plus, they would likely end up acting like Veruca Salt.  If, instead, you always gave them what they needed you would be truly serving them.  They may not appreciate it very much.  You wouldn't win Parent of the Year or anything, but they would always come to you for what they needed as well as what they wanted.  Plus, they would respect you.  The same is true with websites.  Your website shouldn't avoid giving your clients what they want, but it should focus on giving your clients what they need.  They want information about your company, and you should give them that, but ...

Your clients need education about the industry as a whole, and providing that should be the focus of your website.

READ MORE

You Can't Always Get What You Want

My clients really are great!  Most of them have a huge respect for my work as well as for my time.  Every now and then I have a run-ins with clients who don't know how to deal with their designer.  They start off saying that they don't know anything about graphic design or web development but end up telling me the size, position and functionality they want for everything.  This delima often arises because so many parties have different ideas and roles to play in the development of a website.  There are basically three people(s) to be made happy with a website, but you can't always get what you want.

READ MORE