FAQ - Frequently Asked Questions
General
How Do We Get Started?
Most projects begin with a chat during which we'll zero in on your business needs.
For web projects, you can get a head start by downloading the Website Planning Guide as soon as possible. The setup fee is required before the download is available. We can talk about this during the Initial Consultation.
You can get the ball rolling by completing the "Start Your Project" form here. If you feel the need, you may schedule a complimentary 15 minute call for general questions. Once you have sent the "Start Your Project" form, you can schedule the Initial Consultation. The session is $150 and that fee will be credited towards the total value of your project. If, after the completion of the Initial Consultation you decide that you are not ready to build your site, there is no refund on the Initial Consultation fee.
What Types of Websites Are Available?
I offer four categories of websites. During our various discussions at either the 15 minute chat, the Initial Consultation, and/or during the Brainstorming Session, we will both discuss and decide the type of website you will need based upon your business requirements and your budget.
The website categories are:
One Page Custom Website - written in native HTML/CSS, this site is scrollable, simple, and only one page. Simple navigation directs the user to scrollable sections on the page. There are no links to external or internal pages and you will not be able to download files. Your business logo, phone, number, email address as well as basic SEO are included. A minimal amount of photos (< 8) will be optimized and loaded, all of which you will provide. No content management system is included in this simple site. A setup fee of $650 is required. Prices for this page start at $1200.
Small Custom Website - this site is created using WordPress as your content management system and includes a Home page, About page, Contact page, and one service page. Basic SEO is included. No shopping cart or other form of e-commerce is involved. A setup fee of $650 is required. Prices for this website start at $1895.
Custom Multi-Page Website - Using WordPress as your content management system, this site provides much more functionality: Home page, About page, two or more service pages, Contact page, and a gallery and/or blog page. Two or more users are configured for this site. In addition, with this website offering, you have the option to include a shopping cart and e-commerce functionality. A setup fee of $950 is required. Prices for this website start at $3500.
E-Commerce Website - An e-commerce website is the most complicated of all. This type of site is actually TWO websites: your content pages related to your general business and then your E-Commerce site. E-commerce involves a database, a catalog of your products with associated photos, a merchant account, copy information for each one of your products, and that's just the start! We will discuss your needs at the Initial Consultation and the Brainstorming sessions, and hone in on your requirements using the data you provide in your Website Planning Guide. A setup fee of $950 is required. Prices for this website range anywhere from $3500 to $7500 and above, depending on the number of pages, type of services (blog/gallery), and the size of your product catalog.
When Can We Start My Project?
That depends on the current state of my project calendar. Typically, new projects start 2 - 4 weeks out. I reserve a day in my schedule every 7 -10 days to complete maintenance tasks and edits.
I recommend giving new website projects at least two weeks of lead time so you can focus on completing the Website Prep Guide. However, if you've downloaded and completed the guide already, please get in touch. We may be able to meet with you sooner than expected.
NOTE: All Brainstorming Sessions and project start dates are tentative until the set up fee or deposit is paid. When the setup fee is paid, you then have the opportunity to download and complete the Website Planning Guide.
Ready to begin? Have questions? Schedule your Initial Consultation today!
Where Are You Located?
I'm based in Houston, Texas, the fourth largest city in the nation. But I have clients everywhere. So whether you are located in New York City, Austin, Texas, or Wellington, New Zealand, the design process is the same.
What Is Your Preferred Method of Communication?
There are definitely occasions when voice communication like a phone call or a Zoom call will be our best option.
For Brainstorming Sessions, we'll collaborate through a combination of instant messaging (your choice of Zoom chat or Facebook Messenger) and voice chat + screen sharing on Zoom.
Of course, if you are local, our Brainstorming Session will occur face-to-face at a local venue. We'll discuss those options at your Initial Consultation.
Any other communication can be sent using the Send a Message form.
Can I Hire You On Retainer?
I do occasionally work on retainer. I prefer to only enter retainer agreements with clients who have established a good working relationship with me. A Website Care Plan is usually the best option.
However, if we find we're doing a lot of work together, I'll typically suggest that a retainer will save you money and hassle. If you're interested in talking about a retainer, let me know.
What Is The Difference Between A Concept And A Revision?
I will provide a few templates / design concepts for you to choose from based upon the information that you provide in 'Start Your Project' form and the information garnered from our chats and/or the Initial Consultation.
I offer a number of concepts or versions depending on your design package and the direction you wish your website to follow.
Once you have narrowed down the options to one or two of your favorite concepts, I will begin to refine your choice. This refining is called design revisions. It can include slight changes to the color palette, iconography, typography, and proportions. Revisions typically do not involve changing the main concept of the design itself.
We'll discuss this important policy during the Brainstorming Session.
What Is A Revision Round?
Once we agree on the conceptual direction for your design, I offer a number of revision rounds based on your design package.
A round refers to the feedback - implementation - presentation loop. Before a revision round, you'll provide feedback on the concept.
I'll interpret & implement that feedback in the form of edits. Then I'll present to you the updated design as Revision 1. At this point, all feedback is added to the 'To-Do' list for Revision Round 2. This loop continues only through Revision Round 3. Any other revisions will incur extra cost. Don't worry, though. Most revisions are completed through Revision 2.
For a clean, smooth process, it is important that you collect all of your information for your website up front: all forms, messaging, pictures, history, etc. Filling out the Start My Project form and completing the Website Prep Guide should complete the process before the start of the Brainstorming Session.
What If I Need More Revisions? Or More Concepts?
If you "run out" of revision rounds (>2 ) or if you would like to be presented with entirely new concepts, more can be purchased. The price depends on the type of project.
Again, we can discuss this point during our Initial Consultation and our Brainstorming Session.
Web Design
What Is A Responsive Website?
A responsive website is one that is designed to automatically adjust according to your visitor's screen size. The site is created to look beautiful and function properly across multiple devices (desktop, laptop, tablet, and phone).
Will I Be Able To Update My Own Site Content?
Absolutely! If you can place an order with Amazon or send an email, then you have the necessary skills to manage the content of your new website as a contributor or editor. I with teach you the basics of updating your blog and media content, and make sure you're comfortable with the content management system.
Website coding, however, is restricted. Unless you are adept at CSS, HTML, and/or PHP, I would urge you to leave that content to the architect. As the owner of the website, though, you are in charge. If you decide to change the code of a production website on the fly, you do so at your own risk. If errors are encountered upon your edits, I will gladly fix the code for you but at a rate of $150/hr. As a warning, fixes to code can take in excess of 10+ hours. This is no mean feat. My time and resources are valuable so please be careful if you decide to update the code of your website on your own.
Do I Have To Host My Website With You?
If you are on a Website as a Service (WaaS) contract, then, yes, I do require that we host the website...at least until the end of your contract term at which point ownership is transferred to you.
If you're paying with standard payment terms, your price includes 90 days of hosting. I strongly recommend that you start a Website Care Plan after that. We can discuss those basics.
Please get in touch if you're considering migrating your website to your own hosting account. I can clarify what that means for your continued costs (themes, plugins, etc) and recommend a few hosting services that I trust implicitly.
Will You Host My Email Accounts?
The short answer is: That depends on your site installation. We can talk about your email needs.
Or,
you can set up your @yourwebsite.com email addresses with G-Suite from Google. For most small businesses and organizations, this will be $5 per month per person.
Follow this link and the wizard will walk you through the process of setting it up.
Feel free to reach out for help if you hit a snag. Or if you'd rather, I can set up for you for an additional $45. Contact me and we'll get the ball rolling.
Can You Help Me Plan My Site?
Absolutely! I created the Website Planning Guide to take as much anxiety out of the process as possible.
The Guide is a comprehensive step-by-step tool designed to help you gather everything you'll need to build your website. The Guide will be your homework in the weeks leading up to our Brainstorming Session.
If you need more hands-on help completing the guide, you can schedule a 1 hour advising session with me for just $125.
Do You Need My Content Before We Start Building The Site?
Yes. The content is the most important part of your website. The site is designed and developed to showcase your content.
The first step in the site design process is to consider the overall goal of your website so we can work together to create the site architecture and user interface that will be able to achieve that goal.
We'll discuss these points during the Initial Consultation. You and I will both have a better feel for what is needed at the end of that consult.
Your next goal will then be to complete the Website Planning Guide. We would have discussed your options and decided on the type of website you need at the Initial Consultation. After payment of the setup fee and subsequent download of the guide, please take the time to fill it out the guide and gather all of your materials.
Can You Help Me Source Gorgeous Images and Photos For My SIte?
Yes. I love sourcing just the right images to convey just the right message! Each site design package includes a certain number of photos that I can source for you based upon the type of site you need. I can find more for an additional fee of $15 per photo.
However, YOU are the judge as to what photos are best for your website. Therefore, I suggest that you obtain professionally sourced photos BEFORE your website design is completed. We will need these photos before website creation can begin.
Do You Provide Copy Writing?
Sometimes... You know your business better than anyone. So, I encourage you to write the initial copy yourself. However, I can provide copy editing and refinement for an additional fee.
I can help by massaging the words you've written, making sure that your site not only looks and functions great, but also reads well.
If you aren't comfortable writing your own website copy, I can make a recommendation for a professional copywriter.
Do You Handle SEO?
I DO. All website packages that I provide will include basic search engine optimization services (SEO), including the initial set up and configuration. Your site will also include the tools necessary to manage your own basic SEO needs once your site is live. I will provide a touch of training to get you started.
Still, if you have more advanced needs (like page redirects, site migrations, guaranteed ranking, etc), I highly recommend you consult an SEO professional. They will work with you to meet your advertising goals for an additional fee.
Payment
Tell Me More About The Initial Consultation.
After we have talked via phone or email, you can schedule an Initial Consultation. This call/meeting is part of the Discovery process in the creation of your website. I will learn about your business, your goals, and begin the process of determining the requirements of your site.
There is a $150 professional services fee for this consultation that will be credited towards the full purchase price of your website should you decide to continue using the services of ValerieRickert.com.
There is no refund on this fee.
How Much Is The Setup Fee And What Does It Pay For?
When you are ready to schedule your Brainstorming Session, the Setup Fee for your Website must first be paid through either Stripe or PayPal. After your payment is processed, you will be provided the link to the Website Planning Guide. Please download guide and gather your documents. Once ValerieRickert.com is notified of your setup fee payment, we will send you a link to schedule your Brainstorming Session.
What does the Setup Fee Pay For?
Your setup fee initiates the process of configuring your hosting service and your content management system, researching your domain name, checking your nameserver, setting up your file transfer protocol (ftp), and initializing your cPanel services. The fee also launches the web design process, including the capability to download your Website Planning Guide.
Your setup fee will be credited towards partial payment of your website.
For a 1-page HTML/CSS website or a Custom Simple website, your setup fee is $650.
If you need a Custom Multi-page site and/or E-commerce that includes a Content Management System and/or database setup, the fee is $950.
There is NO REFUND on the setup fee. If, for some reason, you decide to abandon creation of your website after payment, there will be no refund on this fee. Our time and talent are valuable commodities.
Ready to begin? Schedule your Initial Consultation today and let's get started!
Tell Me More About 'Website As A Service'.
After almost 2 decades of building websites, I know one thing is true: your website will never be complete.
Of course, you'll get your basic website set up, but changes are inevitable. Websites should NEVER be static, appear old, or out-of-date.
Your business will change and evolve over time. This is a natural part of any business. Sometimes, however, small business owners and grassroots organization leaders often decide to hold back that evolutionary next step because "I can't afford to update the website again."
Other than making space for your business' growth potential, Website as a Service (WaaS) is just smart decision making. Once your base website is up and running, you will need a mechanism to allow your website to evolve and grow with your business.
Website As A Service (WaaS) is the package that you receive when your website is initially created. Once the first year of your site contract is complete, you then have the option to proceed with the Website Care Plan. It is much more cost effective to have a website care plan than it is to pay someone each time you need updates made to your site. Your website care plan, therefore, becomes an insurance policy as well as a maintenance policy, and ensures your website is always up-to-date! Site updates would otherwise be charged by the hour, and those expenses can quickly add up! Do the cost effective thing and use WaaS and/or the Website Care Plan today!
Schedule your Initial Consultation now!
What Is The 'Website As A Service' Contract Term?
We require a 12 month commitment for Website as a Service contracts. It is during this time that your website is built and updates are made to the site, including WordPress versions, APIs, plug-ins, SEO, database updates, etc. At the end of the contract term, your monthly price reduces to just the cost of the Website Care Plan.
For further information, please refer to the special page of Website as a Service (Waas).
How Do I Set Up My 'Website As A Service' Contract?
First of all, we will meet for an Initial Consultation to determine the type of website that is right for you and your business needs.
When you choose a Website as a Service (WaaS) plan, you'll receive an email with a link to your terms and agreement. 50% downpayment is required. We accept cash as well as credit cards. Credit card payments are accepted through PayPal or Stripe.
When your website is ready for delivery, you must complete final 50% payment before the site is live. No website will be delivered until payment is received.
What Happens At The End Of The Term?
After your 12 month term, you'll be enrolled in the Website Care Plan.
At the end of your 12 month term, ownership of the site design transfers to you. (You always own the content on your site.)
If you decide to cancel your account with me at that time, I'll help you migrate to another host or package up your website in a zip file.
Remember, the Website Care plan includes the cost of maintaining licensing on premium plugins and themes. If you switch to another host, you'll need to purchase licenses for those items or your website may no longer work.
What If I'd Rather Just Pay For My Website Instead Of Website As A Service Plan?
No worries.
You don't have to choose the Website as a Service (WaaS) plan. You can still choose to pay for your website with standard payment terms (50% deposit/50% at the end of the project). I recommend that you then continue on with the Website Care Plan to maintain and grow your website.
What Are The Standard Payment Terms?
Standard payment terms split your project costs into two equal payments.
The 50% deposit will get your project on my schedule. This deposit will be due after our Brainstorming Session has occurred and I have received your completed Website Planning Guide.
The remaining 50% is payable on the site launch date. Your site will not go live until the final payment is received.
I include 90 days of hosting & site care with Standard Payment terms. After 90 days, you'll either pay $50 per month for Website Care or migrate the site to your own hosting.
Can I Get A Refund If I Change My Mind?
I do not offer refunds for website design services.
If you decide after the Brainstorming Session that you do not wish to move forward after all, there is no refund on the Setup Fee.
Again, the moral of this story is, be prepared! Be sure of your intentions before you start your website project.
Your business website is crucial to the success of your business.
First Impressions Count!
What If My Website Design Takes Longer Than 30 Days To Complete?
Before I can get started creating your website, I need the website design phase to be complete. Typically this phase which includes your completion of the Website Planning Guide and our Brainstorming Session, takes 30 days. Since we may need to have revision iterations (three at most), I give a 15 day grace period.
Therefore, website design projects taking longer than 30 days will be charged a bi-weekly continuation fee.
On day 45, I’ll send an invoice for the $325 fee. I’ll send this invoice every two weeks until the website design is signed off by both parties.
Yes, I know this fee is prohibitive. It's meant to be. This policy is in place to avoid bottlenecks & long-lead times in my project calendar.
To avoid continuation fees, you are encouraged to clear time in your schedule during your project so you can provide feedback and meet any deadlines that might delay the project.
Delays are inevitable, however, if you come to our Brainstorming Session unprepared with an incomplete Website Planning Guide, are unavailable to collaborate or provide instant feedback during your Brainstorming Session, or if you are indecisive about your design...requiring many time-consuming revisions.
The 30 day limit allows us time to schedule a second or possibly even third Brainstorming Session if we need to.
Once the design is signed-off by both parties, creation of the site can continue, and you will be able to view the site as it is developed.
The moral of this story is to be prepared, be available, and never, ever, ever utter the words "I'll know it when I see it" to your website architect.
Ready to Start Building Your Website?
Get started by telling me something about yourself and the work you do!