Let's start Client School

Written by: Jonathan Briggs

March 11, 2009 [2294 views]

It has struck me over the past few months (or maybe longer) that a few prospective clients are finding it harder and harder to match their expectations to their budgets. Perhaps it's time to start a Client School online where people could share basic information we'd like everyone to know before they become clients.

I wonder if this has always been a problem for the creative industries but I expect not. People understand that Star Wars cost $11 million to make and that you cannot get your nephew to make it for $1000. But when it comes to the web or ecommerce these understandings fall away.

"I want the functionality of FaceBook but I want it to be prettier and do more. My budget is £20-30,000"

"I am thinking of setting up something like YouTube. How much would that cost?"

"We are thinking of building a competitor to Amazon but much better"

"We have built a site for £40k. Surely that includes any improvements we might want for the rest of all time"

It would have to be about so much more than budgets and really help clients understand the technical, creative and business transformations that are happening.

Perhaps it would include some of the following:

1. How to achieve 80% of what you want using mashups
2. How to engage potential agencies in dialogues about your goals rather than about the widgets you have seen on other sites and would like on yours
3. Why future proofing for the next five years may be more difficult than you think
4. What the client needs to do to get the best out of their site once it has been launched
5. How to research what other people have spent or invested
6. How to design your next web project around return on investment
7. How to get the best out of the agency you have chosen
8. How to get excited by the things that are around the corner

What would you have people study at Client School?

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