The Best Results Come From Collaboration
Before we came up with the WOTW process — which we still follow today — we knew that designing a website could be more enjoyable. We found ourselves trying to get to the root of how to keep clients focused and engaged while building sites that felt like an extension of their business. We realized it all stemmed from caring about the mutual success of a project. With that foundation, we would listen to the clients’ needs, then match their vision with our areas of expertise to ensure the best possible outcome.
It’s basic Shine Theory (popularized by the fabulous Aminatou Sow and Ann Friedman). Simply put, when you shine, we shine.
We wanted to develop websites organically, from start to finish, in a way that not only enabled us to design a beautiful product, but also put as much focus on the functionality and the objectives it could achieve.
We believe that websites are tools for your business, not a static presence. So how do we tackle this feat? It’s simple: We approach our projects as partnerships with our clients.
It all starts even before the process officially kicks off — on our intake calls. The questions we ask potential clients center on how prepared they are and will be for our workflow, and how a website could take their business to the next stage.
That could be creating an MVP for a new product launch, creating a portfolio for marketing purposes, developing an automated intake or membership process, simplifying the fundraising process, and so on.
When we onboard our new clients, we very deliberately take time to ensure everyone is on the same page. This means lots and lots of communication — bordering on over communication at times. We know from experience that it is far better to suss out any potential red flags early and get in front of them before our engagement starts so we can develop a game plan. When we run into roadblocks, we don’t hide from them. We communicate issues as soon as we spot them and bring our clients with us as we brainstorm solutions so we can create the best game plan. Being as well-versed in Squarespace as we are doesn’t preclude us from running into issues. But ask anyone on our team: We love a challenge.
We continue this commitment to collaboration by kicking off every project the exact same way, with an opening statement from our project manager that expresses our core goal: to work together successfully.
We explain that problems could arise, but because we are all on the same team, we will discuss those as they come up and include our clients in all decision-making processes. No one on our team wants to be a “no” person, but there are times when we may have to explain why a particular request — especially one that has come up mid-project — may not be feasible within platform constraints, timelines, or whatever other reason life throws our direction. It happens more often than people may expect. Understanding that before diving into a project helps ease any worries and build trust.
Our collaborative approach continues throughout the active build week of our projects. We become an extension of our client and their team — and vice versa. We bring them behind the curtain, so to speak, so they have some skin in the game, rather than just dictating solutions or designs that may not truly suit their needs. Then we use our Squarespace expertise and cross-reference that with tools, plugins, and code blocks to develop something completely customized to their business needs. Our goal is to inch our way towards a result little by little.By collaborating at all project stages we are able to listen actively and make subtle shifts that don’t require making a million decisions at one time, or making multiple rounds of revisions. . Using our time more wisely and less stressfully, we build a website that takes into account the many client objectives.
By capitalizing on everyone’s strengths, we work together to create the best possible result.
It’s the result that brings us the most joy. We want to celebrate your wins, both from the completion of your website to all of the incredible places your new site takes you next. You win, we win.