4 Simple ways to streamline your website design business

Small Biz Tips

Sep 1

Wood desk with a ceramic coffee cup and silver laptop showing an interior design website

A little friendly reminder… sometimes we CAN’T do it all.

After so many years in business, one of the hardest things I’ve had to admit is that when I attempt to carry too heavy a load, I crash.

And as small business owners, we often have to wear multiple hats (marketing manager, copywriter, bookkeeper, HR, door-greeter, etc.).

But the reality is, it’s far more practical and important to prioritize our business’s needs, and then delegate or automate those needs that can be managed by another human or an app.

You’ll be surprised how much time (and your sanity) is freed up by streamlining some of your business processes, which will ultimately allow you to strengthen and focus on what you love doing most.

And most importantly, your clients will benefit from a smooth and effective business process that delivers positive results.

Streamline aspects of your website design business with these simple tips:

Note: Affiliate links are noted by an asterisk*. Any commission earned comes at no additional cost to you.

1. Specialize your website design services.

I’ve made a conscious decision in my business to focus and build my clients’ websites solely on the Squarespace platform*.

Yes, I’ve had potential clients approach me to create or redesign websites on other platforms, such as Wordpress or Shopify. But I’ve come to understand that my laser focus and expertise with Squarespace is much more useful and valuable to my clients, and therefore more beneficial to my business. And I wholeheartedly believe that the Squarespace platform offers the best of everything to my clients.

✨ Read more: 7 Reasons why you should build your website in Squarespace

Some designers find that specializing in one particular form of design helps maintain focus and provide the best possible product and client experience. For example, if you’re providing website design services, perhaps you focus only on e-commerce clients who are selling products or services. Or perhaps you narrow your focus to a niche clientele that you have experience with - such as consultants, coaches, or speech therapists - providing highly specialized design services that target a specific profession.

Becoming a specialist rather than a “jack-of-all-trades” means that your valuable knowledge will be what empowers your business and, in turn, your client’s project.

2. Use time-saving software and apps for your website design business.

Make a list of which business processes eat up loads of your valuable time. For example:

1. Writing WEBSITE proposals

2. Client on-boarding

3. Social media

4. Invoicing

5. Scheduling

Now think about what software and apps are out there that are geared towards those exact tasks.

Some of the ones I’ve mentioned below offer free trial periods in order to see if they’re a good fit. But I strongly believe that investing in software or an app that helps streamline your processes and ultimately saves you time, is therefore of value to both you and your clients.

HoneyBook* is a popular choice for creative businesses looking to check off several tasks on this list, such as creating and sending proposals, efficient client on-boarding, project management, invoicing, and more.

Get 20% OFF your first year of HoneyBook today.

Social media management can be a big time-drainer, but you can take advantage of resources such as Canva to quickly design and export your posts and stories. And scheduling platforms, such as Later, make it easy to schedule and preview posts for multiple social media accounts.

Wave Accounting is an excellent (and free!) online software for invoicing and accepting client payments online. The bookkeeping tools that Wave provides are by far some of the most extensive I’ve seen for a free professional invoicing service.

Squarespace Scheduling* is invaluable when it comes to booking client calls or services. It helps automate everything from payments to reminders. Clients can quickly view availability, book, and pay online with a click.

3. Automate your website design processes where possible.

Think about one of the tasks you probably do each day on repeat: Answering questions via email. You can save loads of time by creating email templates that answer some of the most common questions asked.

It’s also great idea to have email templates for things like sending proposals, a simple “thank you” email after you’ve had a client call, or perhaps an email reminder. Email automation is possible with HoneyBook* and other CRMs, so you can set up the templates and have them run on auto-pilot while you make yourself a cappuccino. If you’re doing things manually, such as within Gmail, creating and using simple email templates will also save you valuable time.

4. Delegate to your network or hire a website design expert.

Don’t be afraid to bring on other experts in order to complete a project. For example, you’re a website designer who’s preparing a proposal for a potential client, and part of the project will require writing the client’s website copy. You may happen to be an excellent writer, however weigh the amount of time the copywriting aspect will take against the actual design and implementation of the website. Your time may be best spent utilizing your strongest talent - building websites.

Reach out to fellow designers in the field for referrals related to SEO, copywriting, branding, etc. and start building a great network of experts and friendly references. Partner with them on specific projects in order to offer the most complete services, roll their fees into your proposal, and take the weight off of having to “do it all.”

Likewise, think about hiring a virtual assistant (VA). This is a relatively new concept, but grew leaps and bounds during the pandemic. A virtual assistant typically offers administrative support for you and your business on a part-time basis. They’ll manage things like scheduling appointments, answering emails, data entry, social media management, and more. Salaries and pricing vary widely, so do the research to find out more and to see if a VA may be a good fit for you and your business.