So… What do we need from you to get started?

1. Documents & Logins

• Your Logo (PDF, EPS or high res JPEG if possible)
• Hosting Login (hosting account and/or Cpanel login)
• Current Website Login (if applicable)
• Brand style guide, colors or any special graphics being used
• Additional advertising pictures (high res & no watermarks please)
• Current product brochures / company profiles / flyer designs to aid in tying into your current “look & feel”
• Typed out wording in either a Word document or email (if it is not going to be copied from your old website)
• Images or any new pictures you’d like to use for the new site (please be so kind to rename your pictures in a way that we can understand what you are referring to when we need to use them.

Please email all relevant documents & infomation to design@cews.co.za

2. Website Quiz

It might seem unneccesary but trust us, it really helps us to work fast and effecient if we know what you are looking to get out of your website! So if you have not completed the quiz when you requested a quote or if you want to complete it in a bit more detail, please do so that we know exactly what you want! Complete the quiz here.

3. Domain Registration / Transfer & Hosting Setup

STEP 1 – DOMAIN REGISTRATION

After we received your initial payment we will start with the domain registration & hosting account setup. We will require an alternative email address for you (other than the new one(s) you are planning to create for example a gmail email address) as well as your physical address for the domain registration.

or alternative STEP 1 – DOMAIN TRANSFER

If you already have a domain name & need to transfer your domain to us, we will create your hosting account on our servers, make a full backup of your old server (OS dependent) and restore it on your new hosting account.

We then change your DNS records to our server to minimize any downtime while the physical transfer is in progress.

After that is done we will then send a “transfer request” to the registrar. If the domain is registered in your name (it should be but some companies out there don’t do it according to the book) you will then receive an email asking you to accept / reject the transfer. Simply click on the accept link & you are ready to go!

STEP 2 – EMAIL SETUP

Once your domain name has propegated (a fancy name to say that the rest of the world now knows about your domain name), you can log into your hosting account, create your email addresses & start to use them while we work on your website!

4. The development process

STEP 1 – LAYOUT AND DESIGN

A large and time consuming part of website design is in the layout, structure and design of the site. That is why we have created pre-designed templates for you to choose from to get started. We’ll create the framework of the website and will send the homepage and a sub-page with some dummy wording & pictures for the layout approval. We can  then kick off with the main sections (still mostly with “dummy” wording & pictures) &  start to systematically work though the rest of the site.

You will receive 3 revisions on your main layout. We try to iron out any layout changes at this stage already before the development with your actual pictures & wording start.

STEP 2 – DEVELOPMENT

Once the site layout and design is approved, We’ll move forward with the designing of all pages, functionality, wording, pictures and responsive code, making sure your site looks great and functions nicely across all devices and web browsers.

STEP 3 – REVISIONS AND EDITS

Once the site is ready for final review, you’ll be able to review each page and we can make the final detailed edits per page until the site is revised completely. Because we try to iron out most of the changes at layout time, this is usually minor edits.   

STEP 4 – ADDITIONAL WORK / SCOPE CREEP

As the grey matter start working & your right side of the brain start to go into overdrive just as the website starts to nicely come together (usually still in step 1) some additional work / ideas / pages might “pop up”.

In the design industry we call it “scope creep” (Items that was not included in the initial time estimate & out of the scope of the quoted project). In web design specifically, it sounds very easy to “quickly add this” or “please while you at it can we…” We take this as a compliment (it means that you like what we are doing) and try to assist where we can, but unfortunately we cannot give away ALL the “quick” extras as “freebies” (6 “little” extras is most of the time more work than 4 normal projects).

In the event that little creepers comes to light we will add them to the bottom of the development list. Some additional requests are really quick & we will GLADLY help with them “quickly while we are at it…” The rest we will discuss with you to either quote on them seperately or add them at a later stage when you are ready.

5. Useful tools (Optional)

Dropbox

Trello

6. Preparing for Launch

Once the site is ready to go live, all unnecessary plugins, pages, images and backend files will be removed. Once live, please allow 24-48 hours for propagation to occur. Some computers will need to be refreshed in order to see the new site, though most computers will see the new site immediately depending on your ISP.

Your website logins and all credentials will be sent to you via email. Though your logins and passwords will be saved locally, PLEASE SAVE ALL LOGINS FOR YOUR RECORDS AS WELL.

Upon completion, you’ll receive a link to my “moving forward” process where you’ll receive tips and tricks on marketing your new website and also information on our Maintenance/Security Plan which I highly recommend (if not included in your package already!)