Often you will hear, when talking about clients, is that you need to “set expectations,” but if the business approach, development process and overall values between you and the client aren’t aligned, the project will be a disaster. In this presentation I’ll be talking about some techniques on how to approach and discover this alignment. How to engage your client, really understand their business and make more money in the process. I guarantee, this will change how you do Web Development.

1. How To Get Great Clients
Alignment First
Expectations Second
@WesChyrchel | WesChyrchel.com

2. Alignment:
Alignment is a mutual understanding of what
the outcome will be. It's defining success the
same way.
@WesChyrchel | WesChyrchel.com

3. Expectation:
An assumption, a belief, prediction or hope.
@WesChyrchel | WesChyrchel.com

4. Mis-Alignment
Developer: I am building you a social network
for a niche group of users.
Client: We are going to build the next
Facebook!
@WesChyrchel | WesChyrchel.com

5. How do we prevent mis-alignment
and set expectations?
@WesChyrchel | WesChyrchel.com

6. What we used to do:
Website Questionnaire
@WesChyrchel | WesChyrchel.com

7. Why Questionnaires Don’t Work
● It’s like taking a test
● Only one person answering questions, not
all stakeholders
● Typically get one word answers
● Not all questions work for all clients
@WesChyrchel | WesChyrchel.com

8. So if we can’t use questionnaires,
what the heck are we supposed to
use Wes?
@WesChyrchel | WesChyrchel.com

9. Conversation.
As web developers, business owners and
professionals. This step is often missed. This is
not the pre-sale conversation, this is the after
signed contract conversation.
@WesChyrchel | WesChyrchel.com

10. This is not Discovery
Discovery is a long process of discussion to
define a feature set, which results in a Design
Document or Spec.
@WesChyrchel | WesChyrchel.com

11. It’s a Planning Meeting
A Planning Meeting is an hour or two where
you discuss the clients business and define
their goals.
@WesChyrchel | WesChyrchel.com

12. Planning Meeting Requirements
● It can be on the phone or in person
● All team members from both sides present
● Ask questions in discussion format
● There are no rules
@WesChyrchel | WesChyrchel.com

13. Tip #1: Conversation Points
● Talk about the history of the business
● Ask what their pain points are
● What’s wrong with the current site?
● Before someone leaves the site, what do
you want them to do?
@WesChyrchel | WesChyrchel.com

14. Tip #2: Narrow The Goals
5 things you want a visitor to do on a website:
1. Call
2. Click
3. Read
4. Buy
5. Submit
@WesChyrchel | WesChyrchel.com

15. I thought you said we weren’t asking
questions?
@WesChyrchel | WesChyrchel.com

16. It’s a guided discussion in a loose
format. We cover:
● Acquisition - How you get your customers
● Engagement - How to keep them there
● Retention - How to get them to come back
● Benefits - Why you?
● Objections - Why not you?
@WesChyrchel | WesChyrchel.com

17. How do we organize the answers in
this Discussion?
@WesChyrchel | WesChyrchel.com

18. We use a Mind Map
@WesChyrchel | WesChyrchel.com

19. Why use a Mind Map
● It’s easy to read
● It creates a blueprint for the website
● It’s instant, emailed after the call
● It’s a solid deliverable
@WesChyrchel | WesChyrchel.com

20. Examples
@WesChyrchel | WesChyrchel.com

21. Why do a Planning Meeting?
● It establishes you as the leader
● You get access to all stakeholders
● You create a rapport with your client
● Missed information comes out
● Increased revenue opportunities
● The client feels they have been heard
@WesChyrchel | WesChyrchel.com

22. Thank you!
You can view all slides at
slideshare.net/weschyrchel
@WesChyrchel | WesChyrchel.com