with creatively courtney
seamless, hassle free design
your step-by-step guide to a
New Client Guide
Step 1: Your Brand Discovery Questionnaire & Shared Folder
About Your Brand Discovery Questionnaire
About Your Shared Folder
At the start of our process, I will ask you to complete a Brand Discovery Questionnaire. This Questionnaire is designed to help me to learn more about you, your business, and your vision. I will ask for you to share a variety of details and reflections about your business, so I can ensure I are designing a brand to help you attract and connect with your Ideal Client. Your Brand Discovery Questionnaire will be completed virtually via 17Hats and should be completed by the due date I have assigned.
If web design is part of your Design Experience, at the start of our process, I will also ask you to fill a Shared Folder — a personal folder I have created for you within Google Drive. Within your Shared Folder, you will find (A) A Shared Folder Checklist, (B) Your Gold or Diamond Experience Checklist, (C) Page Folders for each page of your web design, (D) A Copywriting document, and (E) A Credentials document. Within each Page Folder (Home, About, Services, Portfolio, and Contact) please share with me the photography you'd like present on each page of your web design. Within your Copywriting document, please complete all of the prompts to complete your website copy. Finally, within your Credentials document, please share all of your usernames and passwords so I have everything I need to seamlessly launch your web design in the coming weeks.
Step 2: Our Brand Discovery Meeting
About Your Brand Discovery MEETING
About Communicating via Basecamp
Following your completion of your Brand Discovery Questionnaire, and following your completion of your Shared Folder, I will schedule a 30-minute virtual Brand Discovery Meeting via Zoom. This Brand Discovery Meeting is designed to help me solidify the foundation of your brand. Using everything you have shared with me through your Brand Discovery Questionnaire and Shared Folder, I will prepare a Brand Proposal for your approval to ensure we are beginning the design process from a solid foundation.
Your Brand Proposal is our means of creating a solid foundation for your brand and online home - and gathering your blessing to move forward in our design process. Your Brand Proposal includes a written portion, visual inspiration, and more. Please know, your Brand Proposal is only a "starting point" for the design process; your design is likely to change, grow, and evolve along the way, based upon your continuous feedback to me.
Following our Brand Discovery Meeting, I will send you a message via Basecamp, the project management system we'll use throughout your Design Experience. You'll receive a URL and PIN for Basecamp, so you can always peek in on our communications. Every message from Basecamp will arrive directly in your email Inbox. I am so excited for you to experience Basecamp!
Please Note: Your Design Experience "timeline" officially begins after our Brand Discovery Meeting has taken place.
Step 3: Logo Design
About Your Logo Design
Next, you will receive your Logo Proposal via Basecamp. Your message via Basecamp will arrive in your email Inbox. It will contain a video tour of your Logo Proposal as well as a PDF of your Logo Proposal. Please view your video tour before reviewing your Logo Proposal. This way, you can learn about my strategy and approach for your brand. I am eager to gather your feedback, to complete any refinements you believe will help your brand to better connect with your Ideal Client, and to polish your chosen design.
I offer a 3-round refinement process, through which I gather and apply your feedback to polish your design. I am excited to communicate regularly and to work collaboratively as we polish and perfect your Logo Design.
Step 4: Website Design
About Your Home Page Design
About Your Full Web Design
About Your Hidden Pricing Page Design
Once you have confirmed your approval of your Logo Proposal, I will begin the Web Design process. I will begin by using your Showit credentials to log into your Showit account. There, I will design your Home Page Mockup. I begin with your Home Page, so I can solidify the foundation of your web design, prior to designing your website in full. You will receive a message via Basecamp which contains a video tour of your Home Page Mockup as well as a link to your Home Page Mockup. Please view your Video Tour before reviewing your Home Page Mockup. This way, you can learn about my strategy and approach for your online home. Again, I offer a 3-round refinement process to polish your design.
Once you have approved of your Home Page Mockup, I will design your full Web Design. All "Interior Pages" (About, Services, Portfolio, Blog, and Contact) will be designed in full. This is a 2-3 week process, and I thank you so much for your patience along the way. When your full Web Design is ready for your review, you will receive a message via Basecamp which contains a Video Tour of your Web Design as well as a link to your Web Design. Please view your Video Tour before reviewing your Web Design. Again, I offer a 3-round refinement process to polish your design.
Next, you will receive your hidden pricing page design. Your hidden pricing page is a page not listed in your website's navigation menu. Instead, it is intended to remain private and be sent along via e-mail when a prospective client inquires to work with you. Your hidden pricing page serves as a brochure - an expansion of your Services page content - which sells your services to your Ideal Client. When your hidden pricing page is ready for your review, you will receive a Basecamp message with a link to your hidden pricing page. Again, I offer a 3-round refinement process to polish your design.
Step 5: Stationery Design
About Your Stationery Designs
Once you have approved of your Web Design, I will begin the Stationery Design portion of our process. You will receive a message via Basecamp containing a Business Card design and Note Card design via PDF.
I offer a 3-round refinement process to polish your designs. I design your Stationery at the conclusion of our design process, so I can ensure all of your design deliverables are cohesive, with regards to any brand elements or details I may have used in your Logo Design or Web Design.
Step 6: Final Files
About Your Final Files
Once you have approved of your Stationery Designs, we will prepare a Dropbox Folder for your Final Files. Your Final Files will include:
• Your Primary Logo Design and Secondary Logo Designs in a variety of colors and formats, so you are able to use your brand freely and successfully,
• Your Stationery Designs, so you are able to order any printed stationery as needed,
• A Brand Style Guide to guide you through using your brand accurately and effectively in the years to come,
• Styled Graphics to help you share about or celebrate your new brand and online home beautifully.
Please be sure to download your Final Files to your computer as soon as your Dropbox link is received, as your personalized Dropbox link will eventually expire.
Please Note: No additional refinements will be completed by Courtney Kirkland once your Launch Process has begun.
Step 7: Launch Process
Receive "Your Launch Process is Underway" Message from Courtney.
Receive "Your Website is Ready for Your Finishing Touches" Message.
Receive "Your Website is Ready for Launch" Message from Courtney
Using the username(s) and password(s) you had provided in your Credentials document within your Shared Folder, I will pass along your credentials to Showit to manage the migration process. Showit's migration process includes:
1. Ensuring your Domain Name leads to your new Web Design;
2. Ensuring Showit becomes your new Hosting Service, and
3. Migrating any blog posts available to your new Web Design and WordPress blog.
This is a 1-week process Showit manages entirely. When Showits process is complete, your Coming Soon page will be live on your Domain Name.
When Showit has completed their process, I will send along a personalized Training Video to guide you through using, updating, and maintaining your design. At this time, I allot 3-5 bus iness days for you to update any photography, copywriting, and blog posts you'd like. Nearly every update can be made with a double-click. I hope you will feel supported and encouraged to use your design.
When your desired updates have been completed, I will complete a final, thorough review of your design to ensure every detail is polished and ready for your Launch Day. At this time, your Launch Day is officially scheduled. You may launch anytime from 1 day following your final review to 10 days following your final review. This way, you can use my Launch Day Action Plan to count down to your Launch Day.
Want to earn additional revenue by spreading the word about my design services?
earn $100+ for every client you refer.
With each paying client that you refer, I will personally send you a generous compensation for your help in spreading the word about my small business. I love to pay it forward and nothing excites me more than to meet new people and give you a chance to generate some extra income by sharing your experience with others. We are all in this small-business world together!
simple steps for a successful
LAUNCH DAY IS
10 Days Away
✓ Order your stationery. I recommend using Moo* or a local printer.
✓ On social media, share a sneak peek of your Logo Proposal. In your caption, share why you sought a new brand and, if you're feeling generous, why you chose us to create that brand.
Launch Day
LAUNCH DAY IS
7 Days Away
✓ Email your design to friends! You can do this via your newsletter or just regular email. Let them know when your launch day is!
✓ On social media, share a sneak peek of your Logo. In your caption, share the heart behind your brand and your business.
LAUNCH DAY IS
5 Days Away
✓ Schedule a newsletter. If possible, host a giveaway of some kind to build excitement!
✓ On social media, consider sharing a sneak peek of your Secondary Logo or Icon. Share a core value your business has in the caption.
LAUNCH DAY IS
3 Days Away
✓ Schedule a blog post to share about your new brand and web design, the heart behind your business, and your excitement!
✓ On social media, share a sneak peek of your Web Design. In your caption, share how your new web design will make your visitors feel.
LAUNCH DAY IS
2 Days Away
✓ Update your brand touch points. Use your color palette and font styles to update your business's systems & social media profiles.
✓ On social media, share a photo of yourself. In your caption, share part of your business story.
LAUNCH DAY IS
1 Day Away
✓ Update the rest of your brand touch points. Using your brand or photography, update your social media profiles and profile photos.
✓ On social media, share any graphic(s) you'd like & point out anything you'd like your visitors to notice about your new brand + website.
LAUNCH DAY IS
Today
✓ Be sure your newsletter went out and your blog post is live! Make sure you share the post on Social Media
✓ On social media, share any graphic(s) you'd like and what you hope this new look brings to your clients.
LAUNCH DAY WAS
Yesterday
✓ Be sure you respond to comments from visitors about your new design. Keep your community engaged with continued excitement about your business.
✓ Let me know how your launch day went! I love to help promote your business, too!
