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Click on the
examples of my
work below:
Fancy Mouse Website
Themed Party Website
Because my clients
take priority over
everything else,
I don't have
other examples here
yet. They're coming,
though!
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OK, you want a website. What's next?
I recommend that you first decide how much you're willing to pay. Then start your Free Consultation. Fill out the contact form and I'll be in touch right away.
My approach to designing a website is a lot like ordering food a la carte from a menu. You order what you want and ignore the rest. If you already have a good idea of what you want - great! If not, I'll help you work it all out.
During the consultation I will help you determine the look and feel of your site. I'll also help you decide what information you want to convey and what information you want to collect (if any) from your visitors. We'll talk about all aspects of your site. Once we've hashed out the basic design I will give you an estimate. There is no charge for this stage of the design process.
What can you put on your site?
Pretty much anything. Graphics, photos, video - you name it. If your site has more than one page I'll create a menu for you.
Suppose you're
getting married. You could have the actual invitation on the website along with links to your bridal registries or, display a list of preferred
gifts. Directions to the church or wedding venue and reception; whether or not attire is formal. If you're having a potluck reception
(which is becoming more popular these days), you could specify what you'd like your guests to bring and even keep track of who's bringing
what...and change the website when enough people have volunteered to bring a certain dish.
And after the wedding, I can create a simple slideshow of your photos online so everyone can relive your special day or I can put your photos
up so that people can order prints of them! Videos are easy to display online as well.
The same principles apply to parties. A website is a great place to let your guests know how to dress and what to bring. You can display
links to costume suppliers to help your guests get ready (if it's a themed party). Let them know if children are welcome and if there are
any special games or contests. If it's a birthday or Christmas party you can ask your guests to bring gifts (or not).
Whatever information you want to convey can be presented on your website in whatever manner you like.
How much time will this take?
After your free consultation, estimate and deposit I'll come up with two or three basic designs for you to choose from. You can pick one and we'll add or subtract elements so that you're happy with the look of your site. If you don't like any of the basic designs then it's back to the drawing board for me. I will continue to come up with designs until you're happy with one. This phase usually takes me anywhere from 3 days to a week but it really depends on you.
Please note that I do not use templates - each website is custom-designed and hand-coded to your specifications.
Once you've chosen a design you'll need to give me the specific information you want to convey. I'll help you brainstorm this part of the process if you like. The time this takes is up to you: the more quickly you get the information to me, the more quickly I can get your site finished.
When I have all the information I need to create your site it will take anywhere from 3 days to a week or two for me to complete it. Keep in mind that the more complex the site, the longer it takes for me to finish it and vice versa.
How much will it cost?
I can't say for certain. I can say, however, that you can get a very basic website for as little as $25.00. The cost depends on the complexity of your site. I wish I could be more specific but that's just part of having something custom-made.
How do you pay me?
Once you've decided to use my services I'll need a non-refundable deposit of 25% in order to begin work on your site. I prefer Paypal but will accept personal checks. (Please note that if you send me a personal check I won't be able to begin work until it has cleared.) Paypal allows you to pay me with a credit or debit card, or directly from your bank account - and it's quick, safe & free.
Once the site is completed and you've signed off on it I'll need the remaining 75% of my fee. When that has been received your site will go up for all to see.
What do you get for your money?
Client satisfaction is one of the foundations of my business. You get a finished website with all the bells & whistles you want. Hosting is included. "Hosting" means where the website lives. The address to your website will look something like this: http://ravenscroftart.net/YourIdentifier/YourSite (e.g. http://ravenscroftart.net/jsmith/christmasparty)
If you want a different address - one of your very own - I will get that for you too, at cost. That would look something like: http://www.johnsparty.com
What about changes to the site?
Just about the only things we can count on in this life are that things change and doo-doo occurs. Changes to your site during the
design process may or may not cost extra - it will depend on what kind of changes you want. Big changes will certainly cost extra, like
adding a form or more pages to your site. Little changes may not cost extra. Design is such a fluid process that additional charges have to be calculated on a case-by-case basis. I'm in the process of putting together a price list for the various design elements (remember that menu I mentioned earlier?) but right now I don't have it completed.
Changes to your site once the site is finished and you've paid in full will be billed at an hourly rate of $25.00. Rest assured - I'm fast, and you'll always know in advance how much a change will cost. Please be aware, though, that a major redesign (if you change your mind and don't like the site after all) will start the process all over again and you'll be charged for a whole new site. On the other hand I don't normally bill for things that take less than half an hour to change, so once your site is up you shouldn't be hit with a bunch of extra fees. And of course I don't charge to fix any mistakes I may make.
How long will your site be "up"?
That's up to you. Normally your site will be removed after your event. If you want to leave the site up after it's over, I charge a minimal storage fee of $5.00/month or $50.00/year. Please note that although there are many "free" website hosting companies, they all require you to let them put ads on your site. If that's OK with you then I can move your site for a small, one-time fee.
Who owns the finished website?
You do. I only ask two things of you - allow me to use snapshots of your site as examples of my work, and please leave the notice on it that it was designed by RavenscroftArt.
Ready? Then click here and let's get started!
Note: My clients take priority over finishing this site. I apologize that all my info isn't up yet.
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