Web design is a profession that has a lot of moving parts, and requires excellent planning and communication to order to succeed. It’s important to be on the same page as your customer while at the same time being aware of your incremental costs as projects take more time than estimated.  .

Efficiency is increased by streamlining all the different processes within your business. Faster processes means quicker turnaround times and increased revenue. Here are three ways to increase your efficiency:

Outsource Web Development

Outsourcing web development is one of the best ways to increase efficiency. Not only do you avoid the development work, but you’ll be able to take on more projects at once because of the additional help. Also, outsourcing development work can lower costs as there are foreign development firms that have very low prices. Another benefit of partnering with a development company is that you can reduce the amount of time searching for clients. Many development firms have their own leads and are looking for designers to do some work for them. Outsourcing can be a definite win-win for all parties involved. Just be sure to do your research before engaging in a partnership!

Utilize Client Questionnaires and Templates

An important part of design is developing the ability to understand exactly what your client wants and letting them know what deliverables to expect. Using client questionnaires is an easy way to break down the scope of the project and the client’s vision. It’s important to cover all the bases with the questionnaire so that  both you and your client are on the same page. It is also important to have a proposal template where you describe in full detail all the deliverables and timelines the client can expect to receive.  . Confusion on either side will lower overall efficiency by requiring more handholding and communication.

Create price/cost estimating system.

Arguably one of the most important factors in improving efficiency is managing costs and prices. Develop a system where you can quickly estimate projects time. This can be as simple as charging a flat amount per page. It’s also important to make sure that your hard costs are covered. Having a system like this will help to respond quickly and avoid losing any potential sales.