Fitzsimmons and Mills P.C. needed a new law office website for their new practice. As happens quite frequently, we were introduced to these new clients through the Columbia County Chamber of Commerce. Our company periodically includes a marketing postcard in the chamber newsletter. When we met I was told that our postcard was now hanging on the bulletin board in their office.
The project started slowly but was rebooted when we bumped into each other at the chamber’s networking lunch. That meeting put us back on track and within a couple of months the site was up and running.
Building the New Law Office Website
Building a website for a new business is a big responsibility. Because the website is likely to be the first interaction a potential client has with that new business, it is crucial to get the appearance and the content just right. Both law partners in this new business are very busy. They needed a web developer they could trust to take the ball and run with it.
Before any work began we talked about the goals for the new website. We talked about the target audience and relevant search terms. Although this is a new business, the partners are well-established and respected in their fields. They have their individual specialities and areas of expertise, and there is also some overlap. We had to decide which areas to feature most prominently, and how deeply to address the others. We discussed layout and colors, images and graphics. I visited hundreds of attorney websites and shared with them links to the ones I thought had a look that could work for them. As it turned out, we were in complete agreement.
All text was provided by the client and it was my job to find appropriate artwork. The first thing I did was consider the site architecture. How does the information fit together? What should the main navigation titles be? How many subpages will we have? Once I had a clear outline I started thinking about the design. For most projects all decisions involve the client. The project doesn’t move forward until the client signs off at each stage. But in this case, the client had a hands-off approach, trusting our knowledge and aesthetic.
When the design of this new law office website was complete and content added, we met in person and reviewed the site together. The client made minor changes and a few additions, but overall the site was warmly accepted.