Let’s Get This Party Started (a.k.a. Your Website Build!)
Before we dive in and start crafting your awesome new website, here’s a quick rundown of what I need from you and how this whole thing works. Trust me, a little prep now will save us both from frantic, last-minute “Where’s that file?!” moments later.
1) What I need to get started
Your Logo
Ideally in .AI or .EPS format (the fancy design files). If those sound like spaceship parts, a high-res JPEG or PNG will do.
Hosting Credentials
Your hosting login and/or cPanel username and password. Yes, I know, passwords are a pain—just this one last time, I promise.
Wordpress Login
If we’re redesigning an existing WordPress site, I’ll need an administrator login (not just an editor login, because we need the VIP access).
Images, Pictures & Videos
Any photos or videos you want featured on your new site. If they’re currently living in a mysterious “Website Stuff” folder on your desktop, now’s the time to dig them up!
Content
Page content, updated info, or any fancy new wording you want to use. If you don’t have it yet, don’t panic—we’ll work through it.
Style Guide
Brand colors, fonts, design preferences—basically, anything that ensures your site screams your brand and not generic template from 2012.
Where to send it all? Just upload everything to your Moxie project account or your secure Dropbox folder (no carrier pigeons, please).
2) Moxie: Our Superpower for Staying Organized
Moxie is our go-to platform for communication, file-sharing, and project tracking. It keeps everything in one place—because we all know how much fun digging through 50-email-long threads is.
But don’t worry, you can still email me—your messages will be added to sync with Moxie, so nothing gets lost in the void. Once your project kicks off, you’ll get an invite to set up your Moxie profile, and we’ll be off to the races.
3) Google Drive
Google Drive is a great online image/file sharing platform. This isn’t necessary for every project, but if you have more than 15-20 images for your website or if they’re too big to send through email or post on Moxie, we can use Drive. We can also use this to share important logins and credentials instead of sending through email. I will set up a folder for the project and will share the folder with you via email. You can upload all images and files there.
4) The Dynamic Spark Design Process
Building a website is a journey—but don’t worry, I’ve mapped out the route. Here’s what you can expect:
1) Layout and Design
First, I’ll create a sitemap (a fancy way of saying your site’s menu and structure) for your approval. Then, I’ll design the homepage and a subpage (or more, if requested) so you can get a feel for the look and vibe before we go full steam ahead.
2) Build & Develop
Once you give the thumbs-up, I’ll design all pages, implement functionality, and make sure everything runs smoothly across all devices and browsers. It’s like setting up a high-performance machine—but one that looks really good.
3) Edits & Revisions
Time to fine-tune! You’ll get to review every page and request edits. Please double-check spelling, grammar, addresses, and important details—because launching with a typo in your business name isn’t a great look.
5) Wrapping Up & GOING LIVE!
Once everything is polished and perfect, here’s what happens:
- I remove any unnecessary plugins, pages, and files to keep your site lean and mean.
- The entire site is backed up in case we ever need to restore it.
- Your shiny new website goes live! 🎉 It may take 24-48 hours to fully propagate (aka show up everywhere). If it’s not showing up right away, try refreshing your browser—or take a deep breath and check again later.
Logins & Next Steps
Your website logins and credentials will be securely sent via Moxie or encrypted email. Even though I’ll keep a local backup, PLEASE SAVE THESE FOR YOUR RECORDS.
Once we launch, I’ll send you a link to my Moving Forward page with pro tips on how to make the most of your new website. Because what good is a new site if you don’t know how to use it, right?
That’s it! Ready to get started? Let’s do this.