I am curious -- what do you do or think when researching a potential client and find that their existing website is dreadful? The colors are wrong, there are typos galore and it is cheesy beyond compare.

The first thing that screams to me when I see a site like that is 'I NEED HELP'. I certainly don't write them off, of course, they need help..my help . However, how long do you wait before you tell them or at least hint to them that their website is awful? I often wonder if they realize their site is bad .. I imagine they designed it themselves because they felt the need to have some sort of web presence ... any web presence is better than none ..right??? WRONG!

I know how I would handle this (and how I have handled it in the past) .. just throwing the question out there get your spin on this.

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Darlene Victoria Gonzalez
The Voice & Vision Behind Your Business

Since my husband and I also own and operate a web design company, I often tactfully find a way to suggest to a client improvements that can be made to their website. We'd come up with suggestions to improve SEO particularly as this is what most people think about when it comes to their web presence.

Worded correctly, the prospect won't think you are putting their site down. They will think you are giving them some free advice on how to make it even better.

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Sue L Canfield
AwesomeAssistant.info
My Blog

Darlene,

I say this is a client who needs help. I agree with Sue, find tactfully suggestions that sound like free advice. Who does not love a freebie.

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Lee Drozak
My Office Assistant

Darlene -

I've just encountered the same issue. I'm wondering if anyone has any specific verbiage they might suggest that could help with some phrasing to make things more tactful.

Thanks in advance!
Pam

This has been a real kicker for me, too! One of my current clients has a website like this. She didn't design it herself, though. She based the design off a colleague's site. Someone who is quite successful in her industry! I've been reading up on some of the design tactics, too. Super long, wordy sales pitches that are reportedly effective, but just make my web design skin crawl!!

I've realized, though, that it's part of being a designer...you have to deal with bad design decisions, unfortunately. I've attempted to quietly push her in the right direction. We've made some great strides, but have a long way to go!

Some times you have to take things in steps. Suggesting some minor SEO changes seems to really draw their attention to improvements as apposed to flaws. Sometimes its as simple as putting together a survey for visitors to add comments on improvements and having them see that the number 1 thing is.... and it just happens to be color or layout. It all depends on how bad the site is and how attached the owner is to the current design. Baby steps!

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Kristi Bennitt
Virtual Assistant/Bookkeeper

I think you need to comment on it if you feel strongly enough about the Website.

Darlene I have a few that have horrible sites and more that don't have any! I always offer them my opinion/advice.

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Dawn Riley
A Virtual Assistant in Paradise
Our business is about making yours better

Wow Darlene, that is an excellent question!! I have actually been wondering the same thing and wasn't sure how to approach it. Thank you for bringing this up!

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Sharon Rosen
Intelafina