Brett Welch - FOWD London 2009

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Notes on slide 1

Intro, HiThank you for having me! Thanks for all the cool kimono and cake tweets. (Click)

LIKE this one.### Kimono is actually Japanese for “SWINE FLU”

Thank you: twitter, shirts.Thank you: university session.Talk about business end of web design and the challenges that web designers face

And the key to overcoming those challenges is actually this man.Who you might recognize him as the rapper Busta Rhymes.He’s going to play a big part today. But I’m getting ahead of myself.

I mentioned challenges before...Scariest is designers reaction to those trendsLike pouring petrol on the fire.

Competition is hotting up, prices are dropping, profit margins being squeezed.## A great example of this is 99 Designs. (Explain 99 Designs)## And they proudly state some stats on their home page...##...Or 32, 000 minimum wage designers.Instead of doing something more profitable ... work at macdonalds..... React by lowering their prices.

Should you lower your prices?- maybe you can work faster- cut costs elsewhere- After all... IF clients using services like this- And you have to compete?

I don’t think so.- Lowering prices = race to the bottom- Even if you’re not lowering your prices.... real issue: How to battle the commodity mindset....How to keep and maintain the trust of your clients...## Which brings me to second scary trend.

Websites are dead. Selling websites is a dead game. Which is pretty scary for people who build websites. * Web design -> commodity, websites are too.* CLIENTS: same people who use facebook, youtube, ebay amazon, google* INTERNET part of their lives* ANYONE can build a website, free.* EXPECTATIONS are GREATER* USED ecommerce, SEEN newsletters -> website is just beginning.* THEY envision.... ecommerce powerhouses* GENERALLY -> Programmer.

So do you learn how to code? PYTHON, PHP.NETJavaRuby

I’d say that’s the wrong reaction.## I’ve got nothing against coders..... if you want to learn, great ... but learning how to code because you feel forced... bad idea -> Lack passion.ORFind platforms and systems that allow you to do this stuff without coding.OROutsource.... has its own problems.BUTDoesn’t address the main issue. What are you selling if it isn’t websites? Where’s value and profit? What are you doing that’s different?So the question we really need to address is:

“Are you worth it”.- my time- my money.I think there’s 2 things that make you worth it.

#1 is Strategy.Biz owners put a premium on strategy... long term thinking and advice helps them grow their business. Many small business owners don’t have time to think strategically.Strategy is definitely “worth it.”

#2 is Experts. They know something i don’t.- advise me on the right and wrong way- You are already an expert.- thankfully - strategy isn’t hard either. - TRICK is HOW you COMMUNICATE your EXPERTISE and EFFECTIVENESS to clients.That’s where our friend BUSTA rhymes comes in.

Now BUSTA is actually a little ACRONYM i came up with.It stands for 5 simple things you can do to help establish yourself as an expert who's providing strategic advice to your client.

Busta is all about:..... (Slides) .... Now we’ll break it down a little further.

- When you start the client meeting - talk about their business.- Simple Q: “So, tell me about your business”- Ask them when they started- HOW they sell WHAT they sell- How do they do their MARKETING.- Get a FEEL for how their business ticks.- Set the TONE.... as being about their business.

\"why do you want to go online and what are you hoping to achieve.\"SOME: Not have a clue.SOME: know everything.ATTITUDE: tells you a lot - RAMP UP ... OR... CALM DOWN.NOW on FIRM GROUND

Strategy - Not just an excuse for boozy lunches.Connect the dots: WEB -> BUSINESS SUCCESS. BIGGER PICTUREWebsite NEEDS a MARKETING PLAN ..... WHY?Open ONLINE store = Open an OFFLINE store.Two goals: 1. how IMPORTANT their website is.... 2. show your EXPERTISE

DRAFT 3-5 Basic, easy to understand targets.3: LESS than three seems a little insignificant.5: Because MORE it doesn’t fit on one hand anymore.SHORT - MED - LONG... AVOID: Traffic -> MEANINGLESS (without conversion.USE: LEADS, CONVERSION rates, REVENUES.(transition: talk action)

Because by now the client would surely be wondering how the hell you're going to pull this off. HOW are you going to pull this off.- What tools are you going to use? - What does the timeline look like to hit targets?- After we build the site, what next?And that’s it.

And that’s BUSTA.So why would you bother?

I’d be LYING if I said it was easy....... Being COMPETITIVE and successful => Harder than ever.....Also great OPPORTUNITIES (Grow biz, build better rels, increase profits) #### Your work has always been STRATEGIC. YOU have always been an expert.BUT... WHEN EVERYONE READS A BLOG....NEED more effective ways (communicate + sell value)

And finally just REMEMBER that you’re AWESOME. Work that great web designers like you do is ESSENTIAL. DESPITE Trends, the WEB NEEDS great WEB DESIGN now more than ever. There’s so much crap out there.... But SUCH GREAT OPPORTUNITY as well.Thanks so much for listening and having me here today.

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Brett Welch - FOWD London 2009 - Presentation Transcript

Beyond Pixel Pushing: A Simple Way to Better Sites and Happier Clients.
“God I love the cake. Kimono sounds like some sort of japanese disease?” @ollyculverhouse
Hello!
Photo by Flickr user: leo reynolds 2 Scary Trends
1. Design is a Commodity. 32,000 Designers. 1,656,104 Designs Submitted. $4,647,148 Awarded. That’s $2.81 per design.
Lower your prices?
Slow Down.
2. WEBSITES. ARE. DEAD. Image via Flickr user: Stabilo Boss
Learn how to code?
Wrong.
“Are you worth it?”
Strategy You join the dots.
Experts. They know things that you don’t.
B-U-S-T-A
BUSTA • Talk Business • Understand why they want to go online • Talk Strategy • Set Business Targets • Talk Action
Photo by Flickr user: kittyz202 Talk Business.
Understand why they want to go online.
Talk Strategy.
Photo by Flickr user: Grimmsaurora Set Business Targets.
Talk Action.
BUSTA • Talk Business • Understand why they want to go online • Talk Strategy • Set Business Targets • Talk Action
Why Bother with BUSTA? More effective websites. Less conflict with clients. Repeat Business. Higher profits.
You’re Awesome. Just like this cat. (Thank you!)