How to deal with the text/content of a site

[Nico Schuyt]

Normally I only create the layout for a site. Text is the responsibility of
the client.
(Of course I run a spell checker and give some advices when appropriate)
Problem is it sometimes takes a long time before a site can be finished
because the client doesn't submit the text. That's why I have a statement in
the contract that payment has to be made when the prototype (dummy pictures
and text) is accepted.
It's however frustrating that it takes so long before a site is completed
and operational. Maybe it's commercially attractive to offer myself as a
(paid) text writer.
Curious how you deal with this.
Cheers, Nico

 

[Hywel Jenkins]

Normally I only create the layout for a site. Text is the responsibility of
the client.
(Of course I run a spell checker and give some advices when appropriate)
Problem is it sometimes takes a long time before a site can be finished
because the client doesn't submit the text. That's why I have a statement in
the contract that payment has to be made when the prototype (dummy pictures
and text) is accepted.
It's however frustrating that it takes so long before a site is completed
and operational. Maybe it's commercially attractive to offer myself as a
(paid) text writer.
Curious how you deal with this.

Either add CMS to the site so they can maintain the site themselves, or
ring them every other day!

 

[Matthias Gutfeldt]

Normally I only create the layout for a site. Text is the responsibility of
the client.
(Of course I run a spell checker and give some advices when appropriate)
Problem is it sometimes takes a long time before a site can be finished
because the client doesn't submit the text. That's why I have a statement in
the contract that payment has to be made when the prototype (dummy pictures
and text) is accepted.

Very good idea! Content is always late.

It's however frustrating that it takes so long before a site is completed
and operational. Maybe it's commercially attractive to offer myself as a
(paid) text writer.

It could speed things up because you're involved in text production, but
are you a proficient writer?

Curious how you deal with this.

Haven't found a bullet-proof solution yet. Of course it helps if you
work together with your client on the content, before even thinking
about layout, but many clients insist on seeing how it looks before they
even know what they want.

So we pray to &deity and tell the client we can't publish the site...

You could add a paragraph about "held resources" and make the client pay
for each day the content is late. Usually there's somebody higher up in
the food chain that'll make the client submit the text eventually.

But basically late content is just one of the things you really can't do
anything about. Just be patient and go jogging to deal with the
frustration .


Matthias

 

[Nico Schuyt]

(e-mail address removed) says...

Either add CMS to the site so they can maintain the site themselves,
or ring them every other day!

Most of my recent sites have CMS (Content Management System I presume?) for
certain pages like "News". Not for pages that are relative static like
"Company profile".
The CMS however doesn't solve it. They still have to compose the text.
And I don't ring them every other day (probably the best way to loose a
customer
Cheers, Nico

 

[Nico Schuyt]

Very good idea! Content is always late.

It could speed things up because you're involved in text production,
but are you a proficient writer?

Ehhh no. But I'm better than most of the customers I've had There seems
to be very little relation between being succesfull in bussiness and
capability to express oneself in writing.

Haven't found a bullet-proof solution yet. Of course it helps if you
work together with your client on the content, before even thinking
about layout, but many clients insist on seeing how it looks before
they even know what they want.

Right. But the first thing I ask is "What do you expect the site will do for
you?" Based on that information I make a setup with the basic structure and
dummy text.

So we pray to &deity and tell the client we can't publish the site...
You could add a paragraph about "held resources" and make the client
pay for each day the content is late.

I don't dare to add such a clause :-( But in fact it costs *me* money
because I have to remind the customer a number of times and it takes more
time to continue after a longer pause. Especially when complex PHP programs
are involved.

Usually there's somebody higher
up in the food chain that'll make the client submit the text
eventually.

Ehh, not in my case. The customers I have are always on top of the hierachy.

But basically late content is just one of the things you really can't
do anything about. Just be patient and go jogging to deal with the
frustration .

Good advice!
Regards, Nico

 

[Augustus]

Normally I only create the layout for a site. Text is the responsibility of
the client.
(Of course I run a spell checker and give some advices when appropriate)
Problem is it sometimes takes a long time before a site can be finished
because the client doesn't submit the text. That's why I have a statement in
the contract that payment has to be made when the prototype (dummy pictures
and text) is accepted.
It's however frustrating that it takes so long before a site is completed
and operational. Maybe it's commercially attractive to offer myself as a
(paid) text writer.
Curious how you deal with this.

For billing, I used to do 25% up front, 50% at the halfway mark and then 25%
at the end (for a typical site... a really big job would need some kind of
payment schedule)

Pretty much if you stick to something like this, even if you get to the
99.9% done mark and are just waiting on the final text from the client you
have 75% of your pay already... You could also put in something in your
contract to cover this too (especially if you find it happens to you alot)
where you can call a site "done" and ask for final payment if the customer
is making you wait.

As for just writing the site content yourself... I have the skills to write
great site content, but I would always ask for the customers to do it...
then if they were taking too long to provide text, I would come up with the
"I know somebody who can write content and they will do it for $X per page
if you don't have time" (depending on the client, sometimes I would just
throw in free content to get the job done)

Clint

 

[andy johnson]

For billing, I used to do 25% up front, 50% at the halfway mark and then 25%
at the end (for a typical site... a really big job would need some kind of
payment schedule)

Pretty much if you stick to something like this, even if you get to the
99.9% done mark and are just waiting on the final text from the client you
have 75% of your pay already... You could also put in something in your
contract to cover this too (especially if you find it happens to you alot)
where you can call a site "done" and ask for final payment if the customer
is making you wait.

Clint

This is called substantial completion, and is a very standard contract
provision. You can also specify "no hold back" so if you are being
delayed by the customer, you can put up your work, and call it
complete (give notice of completion), qualifying for payment in full,
even thought the site is technically incomplete. You always need to
word any statements about completion in terms of your work being
complete, not the site being functional. You can't allow your customer
to hold up you getting paid.

Andy

"There would be a lot more civility in this world if people
didn't take that as an invitation to walk all over you"
- (Calvin and Hobbes)

 

[Nico Schuyt]

Nico Schuyt wrote

For billing, I used to do 25% up front, 50% at the halfway mark and
then 25% at the end

Isn't that a lot of administration for a default site of, let's say, $1000?

(for a typical site... a really big job would
need some kind of payment schedule)

What's "a really big job" in your opinion? (I myself never exceeded $5000
for a site)

Pretty much if you stick to something like this, even if you get to
the
99.9% done mark and are just waiting on the final text from the
client you have 75% of your pay already... You could also put in
something in your contract to cover this too (especially if you find
it happens to you alot) where you can call a site "done" and ask for
final payment if the customer is making you wait.

Well, I think my approach is easier: Full payment after working prototype

In case of a normal site that involves about 50-70% of the job. So the risc
is limited.

As for just writing the site content yourself... I have the skills
to write great site content, but I would always ask for the customers
to do it... then if they were taking too long to provide text, I
would come up with the "I know somebody who can write content and
they will do it for $X per page if you don't have time"

Disadvantage is maybe that it's difficult to offer a fixed price. For
example, how long should that page be?
What is a reasonable price for work like this?

Thanks for the reply. Always interesting to read how others deal with such
things.
Cheers, Nico

 

[Nico Schuyt]

You can't allow your customer
to hold up you getting paid.

Fully agree
Regards, Nico