Web design

“When we concentrate on all essential elements in design, when we omit all superfluous elements, we find forms become: quiet, comfortable, understandable and, most importantly, long-lasting.”

Dieter Rams

  • I will take the time to understand your business and think about how we can best present it online.

    Web users have short attention spans. The design we create together will aim to immediately attract your customer.

    Your website will be simple to navigate, easy to use, and above all, intuitive.

  • The aim is to provide a productive, memorable and frustration free experience for each visitor. One that enables them to get to do what they want with ease.

    We will hone in on the key messages that will make the difference between browsing and acting.

  • People often don’t read beyond the first sentence or paragraph. Research by Jakob Nielsen suggests that the average user reads up to 28% of text on a web page.

    People scan for the main points and move on. So content needs to be clear, concise and to the point.

    I will encourage you to be ruthless with your content. I may suggest that you reduce your text by half and then half again…

  • We will measure your success by delivering your business goals.

    Spending your hard earned money on a new or refreshed website has to deliver something in return. At our early meetings, we will discuss your objectives.

    Your website’s calls to action will help you deliver them.

  • Each new website I design is optimised for the search engines.

    What does this mean?

    Metatags accurately and uniquely describe each page.

    All images have alt-tags.

    Your web pages load quickly

    Your content is interesting, useful and readable.

  • I will avoid tech-speak.

    I will give you password-protected access to your test website 24/7.

    I will respond to your questions and comments within one working day.

    I will collaborate with you and involve you in all stages of the process.

    You won’t need a PHD to update your website.

    As your business evolves, your website needs to evolve with you. I will be there every step of the way. Ensuring that your online presence uses the latest technologies and maximises your opportunities online.

Further reading:

The process for designing your new website.

The 10 Principles for Good Design.

Why I like using Squarespace & Shopify.

What is the best way to attract people to your website?

Email marketing

“Building an email list is the single best way to communicate with your audience… because it’s a relationship of opt-ins and mutual trust.”

Ryan Holiday

  • (Almost) everyone uses it.

    It’s cost effective

    It works on all devices - mobile, tablet and desktop

    It can be personalised

    It’s simple to segment your customers

    It works at any stage of the sales funnel

    When used correctly, it builds customer loyalty

    It has a higher conversion rate than social media

    Campaign performance is measurable

  • Every person signed up to your newsletter for a reason.

    They opted in because they saw something they liked about your business. You made a connection with them and they willingly shared their private email address with you.

    If you respect their time and share content that they are interested in, you have the potential to build a community and they will be your most loyal customers.

  • Email marketing is an effective way to communicate with your customers. It is affordable, immediate and measurable.

    Research from McKinsey suggests that email marketing has a 40 x higher conversion rate than social media.

    For every £1 spent, email delivers £37, pay per click advertising £17 and flyers only £7 return.

    We design emails which consistently outperform the competition in terms of open rates, click through rates and conversion rates.

  • It doesn’t really matter. Most platforms will give you enough functionality to build your community.

    I am a member of the Mailchimp Partner Programme. I also know my way round Squarespace and Campaign Monitor.

Further reading:

Email benchmarks (2022)

The most important marketing asset you own

Your emails will be deleted within 1.5 seconds

I’ve written a “very good” e-book on email marketing. If you’d like a free copy, please get in touch and I’ll gladly send you one.

Photography

Natural light portraits

My main thing is web design, but I also like taking photos. When I photograph I travel light. One camera. One lens. No studio lights. Only natural light. If that sounds good to you I will happily take some photos for you.

More photos:

Instagram

A Photo and a Few Words a Day