Website Services
I offer the following services for clients who need a new website designed and built from the ground up.
Grow your business online. Get a professionally designed WordPress site that connects with your ideal prospects and helps you put your best foot forward.
Get speedy, stable, state-of-the-art hosting for websites designed by Creative Hero. Plus regular updates to the WordPress platform, plugins, and theme.
Beat back the bad guys trying to spam and hack your site. Make it as secure as possible with my licensed plugin.
Get professional advice on how to improve your website. Learn how to speed things up, organize pages, structure your text for web, enhance aesthetics, and encourage prospects to take action.
Save time and rest easy knowing your site and its content is up-to-date, backed-up, and secure.
Starting at $300/month
What is your web design process?
During an initial consultation, I’ll get an overview of what you need, ask you about your business and your goals, and see if we’d make a good team. We can meet over Zoom, on the phone, or in person (if you’re local).
I’ll send over a Proposal and Agreement for you to review, which will be based on the discussion we have in our initial meeting. If everything looks good, sign the Agreement and send the down payment.
If you need more than a package offers, you can request additional services. Just let me know what you need (logo, graphic design, custom photography, videos, audio, software integrations, SEO, help with copy writing, ect) and I’ll chat with you about the options.
If you decide to move forward with one or more additional services, I’ll send you an updated Proposal along with Project Details, a Estimated Timeline, a list of Deliverables, and additional Payment Details.
I require a down payment before beginning any job. Depending on the type or size of your project this can be as little as 1/4 and or as much as 1/2 . Multiple payments are often based on project milestones, which we will discuss before I bill you.
Once I receive a down payment, we’ll schedule our first project meeting (Business/Website Goals Meeting). During the first meeting I’ll ask you more questions about your business, goals, target market, competition, and struggles.
I will then go back to my office and research your ideal prospects and competition and create a list of ideas to present to you in our Website Planning meeting.
During our Website Planning Meeting, I’ll present a preliminary site map based on the answers you gave in our first meeting and the research I’ve done.
The site map will include the main pages and sub pages in addition to notes regarding the type of content that goes on these pages.
We will go over the map together and decide if anything should be added or subtracted.
We’ll also create a content checklist and determine which individuals are responsible for delivering text, photos, graphics, logos, ect.
The checklist will be created for each of these individuals and will include due dates for the content they’re responsible for. If necessary, I’ll tweak the project timeline during this meeting.
We’ll also come up with possible domain names. If the domain name you need is available, I will help you purchase it under your name and payment details. If you do not purchase website hosting from me, I’ll also help you get the right hosting plan for your site under your name and preferred payment type.
Should you decide to to host your site with me, you get a certain number of email addresses. During our planning meeting we will determine what those email addresses should be. I help you will set them up and provide the information you need to set the email up Apple Mail for iSO and Mac desktop, Microsoft Outlook for desktop and phones. *Please note, if you have hire a company to provide security for your office computers you may need to involve them in to help you with setting up email. Sometimes they have firewalls installed on computers that makes adding email accounts difficult without their assistance.
After we define the pages you need and before I will build the actual website online. I’ll create and present a static mockup of the home page, a service page, and about page.
You consider the static design and either approve it or ask me to develop it further.
After I’ve made any changes you may have requested to the design, I will set up another meeting to present the updates. You have up to 3 rounds of changes. A round is a group of changes.
Most of my services and packages include 3 rounds of changes. Revisions typically include things like exploring color and fonts and tweaking details. If the included number of changes is exceeded, additional changes are available at $100/hour (my 2021 rate).
I’ll present the finished static page designs during this meeting and have you sign off on it.
Because I typically work alone and I rely on the timely delivery of text, images, and other content that your team is responsible, it can take a while to complete, proof, and test. Please see the FAQ for to learn more.
Photos, video, audio, graphics, and/or text will be added. I’ll also install all necessary plugins, including a security plugin (if you purchase that service from me).
If you need help writing the text for your pages (AKA the “web copy”), I can help you. I charge extra for this service. I also know professionals you can contract with to write and/or proof text.
Please let me know if you need assistance with web copy, photography, audio/video, or graphics when you order a website package. I’ll talk to you about what you think you need for your site and create a new bid with the included service(s).
At this stage I will also integrate your site with your email list provide and branded forms that your visitors can use to subscribe.
My packages included basic SEO optimization for discoverability. I use the free version of the Yoast Plugin for this and set my clients up with Google Analytics for search engine discovery. If you need more features, including website reporting, please let me know before ordering a package that you are interested. I’ll create a new bid with the added service in mind.
All graphics and pages will be optimized for quick download. I can take this further with a CDN (Content Delivery Network), but you need to request this as it is an add-on.
If you would like to target SEO keywords, we can create a list of SEO keywords and work on optimizing landing pages and main pages with targeted keywords that are easy for you to rank for. Note: I have intermediate experience with SEO. If you want a professional to do this, I can help you located someone qualified if you don’t have someone in mind for the task.
Once I have the basic pages built and all text, photos, videos, audio and graphics inserted, I will present the site to you for a “test drive” in another meeting.
Note: this version of the site is not ready for the public. It will be hidden behind a “coming soon” holding page. I’ll guide you through the site during the presentation.
Afterward, I’ll create an account for you so you can log-on to the site and explore it further on your own time. Use this time to proof the web copy, check the links, test the email forms, and try the site on various computers, operating systems, browsers, and devices. I’ll show you how to do this if you don’t know how.
After your project is finalized and approved, I’ll send you the final invoice. See the FAQ on this page to learn how to pay. Once the payment has cleared, I’ll turn off the “coming soon” holding page and make your site “live” (visible to potential site visitors and the search engines).
How does Managed Website Hosting work?
I have a reseller account through a trusted hosting company with state-of-the-art servers and great customer service. Among other perks, my hosting includes a free Auto SSL, nightly backups, and Raid 10 servers. My reseller account also provides me with tech support, which allows me to resolve hosting issues my clients may have.
I will ensure your WordPress plugins and theme are updated and will make minor changes to text, which may include:
- Updating contact info
- Removing or adding employee info
- Updating links
- Updating one or two pictures
- Updating details on a few products or services
Large changes include: new sales pages, website features, or added functionality. These changes are quoted before starting.
How does Enhanced Website Security work?
I build websites using the WordPress platform. 40% of all websites on the internet are WordPress sites. It’s very reliable, but because it’s popular it’s also a target for hackers. To combat the bad guys, I install iThemes Security Pro on my client’s sites to secure and protect them from attacks.
Detection is important in your website’s security strategy and will help make your site more resistant to attack. But, should a bad guy succeeds in hacking your site, I’ll know and will be able to limit the damage they do.
FAQ
I require a percentage of the total before starting projects, and the remaining balance at the end of my role in the process. Depending on the website project, the initial payment could be as much as 1/2 and as little as 1/4 of the the total.
You’ll receive an electronic invoice with a contract. The invoice will allow you to transfer funds from your bank to mine or mail a check. If you would like to make a credit card payment, please let me know before I invoice you. I will set it up for card payment, but will have to include a convenience fee.
I have a very small team at Creative Hero (at the moment we are a two-woman band when it comes to websites), so I have to schedule work accordingly.
I’ll create an estimated project timeline for you before beginning a job. The completion date depends on the type of website or website service I’m delivering. The entire process can take as little as a few weeks or up to a few months. Don’t worry, I will update you on our progress on a consistent basis so you’re never left hanging.
Logos and websites take longer to develop than my other design projects. Determining factors also include a project’s scope of work and how quickly I receive questionnaire answers, feedback, content, and design approval.
In my 20 years as a professional designer, I’ve probably had one or two clients that didn’t like their final design(s). This is due to the amount of research and discovery I perform at the beginning of the design process. I do a lot of talking (with you), thinking, researching, planning, and more talking to make sure I get it right.
After the R&D phase, I’ll provide you with a static mock-up design and a site map. If you have changes, I’ll make the necessary refinements. If you exceed the number of changes allowed in a package, additional revisions are available at my hourly rate at $100/hour (as of 2021). I will let you know if you exceed the allotted changes, give you a price and time estimate, and wait for your approval before moving forward with additional revisions.
Should you decide to end our business relationship, we can part ways. But I’ll keep the down payment to cover the work I performed and the ownership rights to the site I created. You keep the domain name that I set up under your contact info, and the hosting plan if you purchased from someone else. If you purchased managed hosting or enhanced security from me, I will cancel the plan(s) and you will not be billed again.
If you have an existing site or graphic design project and you would like to reimagine it, I would be happy to talk to you about the options. But I don’t make minor tweaks to designs someone else created.
You’ll have input, and we’ll work together to make it perfect, but please allow me do the creative heavy-lifting. It’s my expertise.
I understand. This is significant investment, and you need to be sure you can trust me to do the job right.
If you’re uncertain, please explore my work and the testimonials on my site. If you like my style and think you can work with me, use the contact form below to set up a free 30-minute consultation. This will help us determine if we’re a good fit. And if you still have reservations, there is no-obligation to take things any further. :)
About
Hi I’m Jen Rhodes, the brand consultant and design expert behind Creative Hero. I can help you stand in bold contrast to the competition. Discover the clarity you need to differentiate your business and attract the people you’re meant to serve.
About
Hi I’m Jen Rhodes, the brand consultant and design expert behind Creative Hero. I can help you stand in bold contrast to the competition. Discover the clarity you need to differentiate your business and attract the people you’re meant to serve.
About
Hi I’m Jen Rhodes, the brand consultant and design expert behind Creative Hero. I can help you stand in bold contrast to the competition. Discover the clarity you need to differentiate your business and attract the people you’re meant to serve.
Get Started
Interested in the Spellbinder Logo & Brand Identity Package? Send me a no-obligation email using the contact form below, or get in touch at jen@creativehero.net. Introduce yourself; tell me about your business. And I’ll get back to you during the workweek within 48 hours.
