All web designers have to make web design presentations some point. Designers should stick to making the presentation than letting less qualified people do it for them. For the client to understand fully the thought process to the design, it is better to present the project as the designer than letting the project leader do it. The following are some tips to help you create a client-winning presentation.
Create a mockup presentation
Instead of sending a jpeg or png that will open as an image in the client’s computer, you can create a mockup presentation using PowerPoint template slides. This reduces the expectations of the client for the file to function as a website and allows them to understand the design concepts better. You can use the PowerPoint presentation to showcase your designs by embedding screenshots, describing design features and illustrating the functionality of the elements in the presentation.
The presentation is a great way to match design decisions to the goals and objectives of the client rather than focusing on specific features. You can put the design discussion into context of goals and strategies using a presentation.
Show how your design meets the goal
This is the one and only expectation that the client will have when walking into the presentation and it should focus of achieving this. You should avoid unnecessary chitchat and go through the goals of the project from take off. Keep the discussion centered on the business goals and encourage the client to give their personal opinion.
Avoid going through each page elements
Instead of starting the presentation from the logo through each page element to the footer, it is better to explain why the design fulfils their business goals. The client is looking at the design so you do not need to explain the design elements but the key reasons why the design works. The conversation should be focused on the relationship between the design and the business objectives.
Ask for specific comments
Everyone has an opinion and it often becomes hard to integrate the opinions of an entire room of people into a single design. Therefore, you should guide the client to giving opinions on specific elements that you would further like their involvement in. this helps to avoid centering the conversation on personal taste. Remember that although you will get feedback on things you do not need, you can bring the conversation back to focus by asking how the feedback connects to the business objective. Presenting the design is conversation and the presentation is part of the design process.
Leave the client fully satisfied
The meeting should be thorough in discussing the website design. You should leave the client fully satisfied with the conclusions made during this presentation. This includes identifying and accepting any mistakes in the website design strategy and making notes for corrections. You should collaborate with the client for the best solution for every element discussed during this presentation. You also need to set up a feedback collection system with the client through the design process.
