“I really don’t think I need more than a banner, a few links on the side, and any other font than comic sans.” We’ve all had those clients; the ones who feel that merely having something other than a 404 show up when you go to theirbusiness.com is enough to generate sales, and I’m sure from time to time we’ve just taken the work, hoped no one would know it was us, and counted pittance you feel you can charge for their site without feeling greedy for giving them something that even the most basic WordPress cookie-cutter design could beat.

But really, sites like that don’t benefit you, and they certainly don’t benefit the client. Instead of risking an argument and losing their business completely, though, sometimes it’s possible to walk them slowly through the benefits of quality web design and demonstrate to them how the extras like JavaScript and CSS instead of just HTML aren’t an extra expense, but rather an investment that will help them see a return.

While it’s a challenge, convincing a client that investing in a quality design rather than a budget one allows them the opportunity to see increases in business

The Site is a Reflection of You

Introducing the client to the concept of how important a digital first impression is can often help them on their journey to seeing the benefits of good web development. To accomplish this, pull a screen shot from the homepage of a few major companies, and one from your own portfolio.

Lay the images out for the client and ask them to tell you which one isn’t a major national company and odds are they’ll pick one other than your design. That gives you an opportunity to engage with them about how quality can put their company in the big leagues and helps lend them credibility with potential customers.

Selling with Analytics

Almost every company, big and small, is interested in analytics, whether it’s merely on customer interaction in their store or how people react on their website.

Being able to demonstrate how a well designed website can improve the analytic’s on their website and provide a marked increase in sales and conversions is how you can really speak to a client in a way they’ll understand. It’s important to remember that even if they aren’t intimately familiar with the internet, every business person understands potential profit or they wouldn’t be in business.

“I really don’t think I need more than a banner, a few links on the side, and any other font than comic sans.”

Evidence Through Science

While this may not be your personal forté, there certainly is a big science behind web design elements, beyond just looking good. This can really help some clients understand a design’s potential, as it gets more into the specific reasons why design choices make such a big impact in conversion rates and can help increase web profits tremendously.

One of the topics to delve into in the science end is color psychology; the idea that colors in design evokes specific, predictable emotional responses, such as security from blue (which is why so many banks integrate it into their web design scheme).

Another important topic under science that drives home the importance of quality design is reliability. If a customer sees a website that looks well made, it suggests to them that the product and service is equally good, with the opposite right as well, and they come to that decision in just 50 milliseconds. The customer wants to eat inside a nice, clean-looking restaurant, not an egg salad sandwich laying on the ground down an ally.

While it’s a challenge, convincing a client that investing in a quality design rather than a budget one allows them the opportunity to see increases in business, and helps you further your portfolio. It really makes what could be a sad project into one where everyone wins, and that’s the best result one can hope for.

For more tips, tricks, and an engaging web design community to help you become an even better designer, be sure to keep checking back regularly for more articles, tutorials, and stunning design examples.