This presentation was first given at WordCamp Melbourne 2013 and is designed to help WordPress developers elevate themselves above the pack and demand higher fees for their work.

2. # 1
Say“No”to initial client meetings.
Say“No”to coffee and lunch requests from start-ups.
Say“No”to requests for quotes.
Saying“No”sends a clear message that you are in demand and that
you do business on your terms.
Say “No”

3. # 2
Set up a simple form on your website or on wufoo.com and ask your
incoming leads questions about their project.
This simple step will eliminate a large number of tyre kickers who are
just fishing for quotes.
If they have not thought about their business enough to be able to fill
in a simple form then they are not ready to work with you.
Qualify Your Leads

4. # 3
Ask better quality questions than the average web designer and you
will immediately be perceived as an above average specialist.
Asking questions about their business, their industry, their clients and
their competitors shows that you take your work seriously.
Ask Quality ?’s

5. # 4
Nobody expects you to ask why they need a new website.
So when you do, it shows that you care about their project and you
are not desperate for work.
Ask Why?

6. # 5
Ask your prospect what a successful online strategy looks like for
them in 12 months time.
Ask them to describe the impact this will have on the business and
how important it is that the online strategy is a success.
Ask them how the website fits into the overall strategy.
Define Success

7. # 6
The single biggest thing you can do to save yourself wasting hours
writing proposals that will never get read and to start attracting bet-
ter quality clients is to ask your incoming leads about their budget
upfront.
This positions you as a serious business instead of a needy freelancer.
You will be surprised how many people will tell you the truth if you
just ask.
Ask About Budget

8. # 7
Rebranding the WordPress login screen with your prospect’s logo is a
two-minute job that goes a long way to showing them how easy you
are about to make their life.
Most clients have a horror story or three about their previous web de-
signers. This simple act will put their mind at ease.
Show them this rebranded login at your first meeting once you have
qualified them as a serious prospect.
Rebrand Login

9. # 8
We all love the WordPress dashboard, however if you have never seen
it before it can be a little overwhelming. Most of it is also useless to
the average business owner.
Customise the dashboard to show them what it will look like if you
decide to work together.
Include a Google analytics chart and a welcome video.
Useful Dashboard

10. # 9
When you first meet with a prospect let them know that you only
have 45 minutes to spare.
This highlights to them that you are busy and that you value your
time and theirs.
We all know that if you want something done you should ask a busy
person to do it.
Value Your Time

11. # 10
Use a plug-in like Testimonials by WooThemes to show them how
easy it is to manage different types of content using WordPress.
Show Ease of Use

12. # 11
Do not meet in cafés, restaurants, bars or any other public place that
might be noisy and full of distraction.
If you do not have an office then go to your prospect’s office or hire a
meeting room for an hour at the local council or a serviced office facil-
ity.
Meeting in a café will be very distracting and sends the message that
you are a laid-back freelancer therefore your rates must be match that
perception.
No Cafés

13. # 12
Insist that all decision-makers must be in the initial meeting.
There is no point getting boy wonder all excited about the project un-
less Batman is prepared to foot the bill.
Decision-Makers Only

14. # 13
Let your prospect no that you have another meeting directly after
theirs.
This allows you to get out after 45 minutes and it lets them know that
you are in demand.
Tight Schedule

15. # 14
It’s one thing to make a bit of small talk to build rapport, but it impor-
tant to avoid excessive chitchat at the beginning of the meeting.
Your time is valuable and dissecting the latest sporting scandal is not
going to benefit anyone.
Avoid Chit-Chat

16. # 15
Dress like you mean business.
That doesn’t mean you need wear a suit or even a collared shirt with
nice trousers.
Just try and avoid board shorts and thongs.
I’ve seen it and it’s not good for anyone.
Dress Well

17. # 16
Do not mention any plug-ins in your initial meetings with the client.
First of all, it will not mean anything to them and second of all if you
are secure enough in your process and the value you add you should
spend all your time talking about the benefits they are going to re-
ceive instead of the technology you are going to use.
No Plugin Talk

18. # 17
Do your homework before you meet with your prospect so that you
can talk to them about the specific problems they may have and any
particular quirks within their industry.
Do Your Homework

19. # 18
Ask your prospect what superpower they think you bring to this
project.
If they decide for themselves that you are above average it is much
easier to charge above-average rates.
Try and do this with some light-hearted humour.
Claim SuperPowers

20. # 19
Busy people do not need business cards.
Make sure you get a business card so that you can follow them up
with your process and on your terms.
Again, busy people do not need business cards.
Don’t Do Cards

21. # 20
Record the initial client meeting on your iPhone so that nothing falls
through the cracks later.
I promise you other web designers are not doing this so this will dif-
ferentiate you immediately.
Record Meetings

22. # 21
Email your prospect a summary of the meeting from your iPhone re-
cording outlining the success factors they spoke about and the an-
swers to the high-quality questions you asked them.
Mention the superpowers they gave you during the meeting.
Email Summary

23. # 22
Reiterate the success factors they spoke about when you submit your
proposal.
This demonstrates you are a good listener but it also gets everyone
on the same page from the get go
Reiterate Success

24. # 23
Avoid writing functional specification documents unless it is a deal-
breaker for the IT department.
Try and avoid dealing with the IT department altogether if you can.
A website is a marketing activity not an IT activity.
Don’t Bore Them

25. # 24
Read“Rework”by Jason Fried and David Heinemeier Hansson.
Enough said.
Read “ReWork”

26. # 25
Use bidsketch to create beautiful and consistent proposals in a quar-
ter of the time.
Your client can electronically approve the proposal or leave com-
ments for clarification.
Use Bidsketch

27. # 26
Re-read your proposal and tighten it up before sending it to the cli-
ent.
Take out anything that is fluff and that doesn’t spell out the benefits
of working together.
Tighten Up

28. # 27
Build checkpoints into your proposal so that your client must sign off
on wireframes, design and development and must pay you through-
out the project.
Avoid the usual 50% upfront and 50% on delivery.
Paying you throughout the project gets greater buy-in from the client.
Checkpoints

29. # 28
I know this is obvious, but I recently received a proposal from a multi-
million dollar software company who repeatedly referenced my com-
pany as Uber the town car service.
I do not work for Uber.
Fail.
Check Grammar

30. # 29
This may go against everything you have ever learnt but I suggest you
do not call to follow-up after you have sent a proposal.
We all know after you’ve been out on a date that it comes off as a bit
desperate if you call the next day.
Besides, you should be too busy to follow them up.
Do Not Call

31. # 30
Instead of calling, drop your prospect into an email sequence that
includes a couple of testimonials from past clients or preferably refer-
ences from people in their industry.
Email Proof

32. # 31
Do not negotiate on your process.
A little bit of knowledge is dangerous and your prospect may suggest
you use a certain plug-in to speed up the process and save money.
You cannot negotiate with a doctor or your mechanic about their
process.
Keep Process

33. # 32
Show the client timeframes and milestones.
Avoid compromising on these timelines just because the client needs
things quicker.
Use gantto.com to show the milestones and dependencies for the
project
Keep Time Frames

34. # 33
Do not discount your price just because the client asks you to or indi-
cates it does not fit within their budget.
If the client really is out of budget then take something out of the
project as a compromise.
Discounting your original price just lets them know that you had add-
ed too much fat in the first place.
Do Not Discount

35. # 34
Drop your prospect into an email sequence that includes articles on
latest trends and technology in the web design space.
This is much more effective than calling them and asking them what
they thought of your proposal.
Keep ‘Em Informed

36. # 35
Email your prospect and article that you disagree with and tell them
why you disagree with it.
Write up your opinion piece as a blog post or better still should a vid-
eo to explain.
Have An Opinion

37. # 36
E1mail your client articles from Smashing Magazine to show that you
are at the top of your game and following best practices.
Show Credibility

38. # 37
Email your client links to inspirational talks at ted.com by influencers
and entrepreneurs from around the world.
They will love you for it.
Show TED Talks

39. # 38
Email your client case studies.
If you don’t have case studies read the book by Jonathan Kranz and
create some case studies that will help you attract new clients.
Case Studies

40. # 39
Let your client know that the window of opportunity for you to work
on their project in the next three months is closing becasue there are
other projects on the slate.
Be prepared to walk away.
Window Closing

41. # 40
Make a great product such as a WordPress plug-in or a design UI kit
like Blaz Robar did with the layout lab.
Email your client and show them what you’ve been up to.
It’s kind hard to argue on price with a designer or developer whose
products are being used by hundreds of other designers or develop-
ers .
Make Product

42. # 41
Use Gather Content to collaborate with your client on the content for
their site.
The earlier you can get buyin to your process from the client the eas-
ier there will be to manage throughout the project and the safer they
will feel in your hands.
Content First

43. # 42
Design as much as you can in the browser.
Seeing a website come to life in the browser is a much nicer experi-
ence for your client and helps you manage their expectations.
Tools like easel.io make this a pleasure
Design In Browser

44. # 43
Present clickable prototypes to your client early in the process and
see how fast decisions get made.
Using something like solidifyapp.com can rapidly increase the speed
of implementation.
Clickable Prototypes

45. # 44
Use the canvas theme from woothemes.com to show your client what
you are talking about rather than trying to explain it in a document.
Proof of Concept

46. # 45
Show your client the deadlines for the project right from the begin-
ning.
This includes your commitment to them and also outlines they com-
mitment to you in terms of providing content, approvals and most
importantly payment.
Show Deadlines

47. # 46
Collaborate with your client throughout the project using something
like basecamp.com
Having all of your milestones, files, discussions and to do items in one
place keeps everybody on track and shows you are a professional.
Collaborate

48. # 47
Refuse to launch anything on a Friday.
Refuse Friday Launch

49. # 48
Find somebody within the client’s organisation who can champion
the project and you.
This person will be the one to help you get the project and start when
it inevitably starts to derail .
Client Champion

50. # 49
Premium plug-ins save you time and give you the peace of mind that
you will have premium support and a healthy development cycle
moving forward.
Gravity forms is a great example of a premium plug-in that really is a
game changer.
Use Premium Plugins

51. # 50
Document your processes and workflow so that you can produce con-
sistent results and share your methodology with your team, whether
they be local or remote.
Cloud-based services like box.com make this a breeze.
Document Processes

52. # 51
Suggest specialised WordPress hosting and explain to your client why
it is more expensive than Bluehost or GoDaddy.
There really is no excuse not to use wpengine.com
Premium Hosting

53. # 52
If you need to use their existing hosting environment make sure you
check that it is compatible with WordPress.
Check Environment

54. # 53
Tell your client that you are adopting best practices throughout the
project and email them links to the resources you are using to devel-
op your best practices
Best Practices

55. # 54
Avoid scope creep.
Adding new features throughout the project is a disaster and will
destabilise the relationship.
Exercise mutual respect and politely say“no”- unless the project
budget expands accordingly.
Avoid Scope Creep

56. # 55
Show your client the development site at early stages so they can see
you are pro actively working on their project.
You can have a lot of fun with lorem ipsum and placeholder images.
Preview Early

57. # 56
Advanced custom fields make WordPress even easier for your clients
to use to manage their content.
If you are not using it, you should be.
If you are, well done.
Use ACF

58. # 57
Check the website in all modern browsers even if your client has not
requested it.
Using browserstack.com is easy and fast. You can then let your client
no their website is cross-browser compatible.
Cross Browser

59. # 58
Use the proposal as a constant reference guide throughout the
project to make sure everyone stays on the same page.
This is the project that everyone agreed to.
Stick To The Proposal

60. # 59
Send chocolates and champagne when the website goes live.
It’s the little things that count.
Just make sure they are good quality.
Celebrate

61. # 60
Send an email to the client congratulating them when their website is
launched.
Tell them how much you have enjoyed working on the project and
how proud you are that it is now live.
Send Congrats Email

62. # 61
Say“thank you”when your client pays you.
Say “Thank You”

63. # 62
If you do nothing else from an SEO viewpoint for your client make
sure you use WP SEO by Yoast.
It does so many great things out of the box your client will think you
are a genius.
Use WP SEO by Yoast

64. # 63
Verify your clients website with Google’s Webmaster tools.
It takes less than two minutes and ensures that Google knows about
the website and will come visit.
Verify with Google

65. # 64
Give your client the details of their host and make it perfectly clear
who they need to call when their website or email’s crash.
If you host a website then set up a support desk and show them how
to use it.
Give Host Details

66. # 65
Don’t send your client and invoice the day after their website goes
live.
Schedule your emails and invoices so that there is at least 72 hours
between a deliverable and a bill.
Eager for $$$?

67. # 66
Install Google Analytics on the website and show your client how to
log into Google Analytics and check their stats.
Even if they never do it (which they probably won’t) they will appreci-
ate it nonetheless.
Install Analytics

68. # 67
Use managewp.com to manage all of your WordPress websites from
one dashboard.
Updating core installations, plug-ins, running security checks and
scheduling backups is easy and adds massive value to your client.
Use ManageWP

69. # 68
Tweak the caching of your clients website for maximum speed.
Search engines and users love fast websites and with the number of
plug-ins and services are available there is no excuse for slow ones.
Tweak Caching

70. # 69
Do not use“admin”as the admin username and use strong passwords.
WordPress may be secure out-of-the-box but it is extremely vulner-
able to hackers once plug-ins and clients get involved.
Premium hosting will help.
Secure WordPress

71. # 70
Type“site:domain.com”into Google and check whether or not your
client’s website is in the index.
Of course, replace domain.com with the web address of your client’s
website.
Check The Index

72. # 71
Schedule regular backups of your client’s website and have been
stored in third-party storage services like Amazon S3 or Dropbox.
Schedule Backups

73. # 72
Provide video tutorials to show your client how to use WordPress.
Juat because you know how to use it doesn’t mean they will.
The Video User Manuals plugin allows you to set this up in two min-
utes.
Provide Video Tuts

74. # 73
Submit your client’s website to digg.com and email them a screen-
shot to show them you are sharing the love.
Digg The Site

75. # 74
Shoot a quick welcome video that explains the dashboard to your cli-
ent and embed it in the dashboard so it’s the first thing they see when
they login.
Embed Welcome Vid

76. # 75
Show your client how tou se the Google URL Builder tool so they can
tag their links and track what’s working and what’s not when they
share links to their website on the internet.
If you don’t know how to use this tool, learn. It wil take you 5 minutes.
Link Tagger

77. # 76
Schedule reminders in your calendar to follow your client up 30, 60,
90 and 120 days after launch to make sure everything is running
smoothly and they are on track to achieve the success goals they told
you about in the initail meeting.
Set Follow Ups

78. # 77
Ask your clients for feedback on how you could improve your process
and approach.
Get Feedback

79. # 78
Read“The Referral Engine”by John Jantsch.
It’s available at amazon.com for ten bucks.
Read This Book

80. # 79
Plant the RSS feed for your blog in the dashboard so everytime your
clients login they get your latest posts with your awesome, helpful
content.
Oh, make sure your blog is full of awesome, helpful content.
In Dash RSS Feed

81. # 80
Add your clients to your email list so you can continue to nurture
them with your value-adding emails.
Make sure you write value adding emails.
Add Clients To List

82. # 81
Send your client the Beginners Guide to SEO from SEOMoz.
Read it yourself first.
It’s awesome.
SEOMoz Beginners

83. # 82
Suggest content experiments and ideas for split testing on your cli-
ent’s site.
A small tweak could have a major impact on your client’s business.
If you don’t know how to do this, learn.
Suggest Split Testing

84. # 83
Send your client the Beginners Guide to Social from Mashable.
Read it yourself first.
It’s awesome.
Mashable Social

85. # 84
For less $100 per year you can give your client all the videos they will
ever need to teach them how to use the internet for business.
From Google Analytics to search to social to email marketing and eve-
rything in between.
You can get it at grovo.com
Give Premium Grovo

86. # 85
What? Who? Where?
Make a video explaining how to use Google Analytics Multi Chan-
nel reports and send them a mobile friendly version of the video to
watch.
Elevation.
Give GA MC Video

87. # 86
Use visual.ly to send your client a beautiful infographic outlining their
Google Analytics main metrics and movement every week.
Boom goes the dynamite.
Beautiful Analytics

88. # 87
Setup a campaign using myseotool.com and send your client a brand-
ed report every week showing them the movement of their website
in search engine rankings for their top keywords.
They’ll think you built the internet.
Branded SEO Reports

89. # 88
Make a note about theior website in evernote.com and send it to
them out of the blue.
Better still, set a reminder in your calendar to do this 34 days after
they launch so you don’t forget.
Send Them Evernote

90. # 89
Showcase their site on your portfolio and send them a link showing
them what you’ve done.
If you are not proud enough to put it on your portfolio ask yourself
why you’re working on this project.
Portfolio Piece

91. # 90
Find a great book at Amazon that you know would benefit them and
send it to them in the post as a gift.
You wanna put your fees up or not?
Post Them A Book

92. # 91
Use pingdom.com to track the uptime of your client sites and their
competitors.
Of course, theirs will win, right?
Use Pingdom

93. # 92
Introduce your clients to the wonders of HubSpot.
Their free content is amaaaaazing.
It will not put you out of a job.
It will elevate you.
Intro To HubSpot

94. # 93
Continue to ask good quality questions about your client’s business
so you can learn how you can better serve them.
Continue Asking ???’s

95. # 94
Find an awesome local event on eventbrite.com that will benefit you
and them and invite them along.
Pay for them.
Invite To An Event

96. # 95
If you believe they are worthy, nominate them for a local business
award.
If you do not believe they are worthy, see slide #89.
Nominate Them

97. # 96
Discover useful apps that will benefit your client and email them links.
Easy.
Send Useful Apps

98. # 97
Just because you have a great relationship with them doesn’t mean
you should say“yes”to everything.
Challenge them, say“no”and ask“why?”
Say “No”

99. # 98
Nine months after launch, schedule a reminder to check their site for
broken links and email them a report outlining the issues.
Broken Link Check

100. # 99
Use Google’s PageSpeed Insights to check the page speed of their site
and let them know where they’re humming along and where they
could improve.
Explain that Page Speed is a factor the influences search engine rank-
ings.
Check Page Speed

101. # 100
Twelve months after launch remind them of their initial goals and suc-
cess factors and see how they’re doing.
Remind Goals

102. # 101
The easiest way to get referrals is to give them.
Refer THEM A Client

103. # 102
There’s more.
Here’s the bonus.
But Wait!...

104. # 103
I promise you.
The quickest way to increase your fees and elevate yourself above the
pack is to lose your hourly rate...
because everyone else is too scared to.
Lose Your Hourly Rate

105. # 104
Troy Dean is a digital strategist, online marketing coach and co-found-
er of the Video User Manuals plugin.
You can connect with him at troydean.com.au
You can get the plugin at videousermanuals.com
Now go Elevate!
About The Author