How to actually launch a website yesterday
So, here’s the secret to time travel… it doesn’t exist. Yet.
Okay, so I was lying with the title, but now that you’re here you may as well keep reading. “We need the site launched yesterday,” is something we hear all. The. Time. But, until George Carlin comes back to life and gives us all time-travelling telephone booths, the best we can do is launch as soon as possible.
The key to getting a website launched ASAP is being helped by someone from the future being crystal clear with the direction. There are 2 key areas that you need to lock down before speeding through the circuits of history project.[/intro]
Be really honest with the “why”
Understanding the true reason behind any project can be a chore. But it can also uncover some really helpful insights. That June 1st launch date? It’s quite possible someone just made it up to throw in a planning document and August 30th would work just as well. Sometimes it’s not though, so it helps to understand why. Try some of these questions:
- Why is this website project such a priority?
- Why don’t you have the time to do it over the next few months?
- What is so awful about your current website that it can’t stay online for another day?
Agencies have a hard time asking these questions because they don’t want to seem pushy or difficult to work with. So, if you come armed with clear answers and reasoning, they’ll be able to align quickly and understand where you’re coming from. They’ll also really appreciate your honesty.
Get all Sophie’s Choice on the “what”
Okay, tough conversation number two. You’ve confirmed and made sense of the launch date, so now you can put together a timeline and talk openly about what can reasonably be accomplished by the deadline. I’d recommend starting with a list of changes and features you envision for your new site. From there, go through each one and ask these questions:
- Why do we want to have it?
- Do we actually need it NOW?
- What would happen if we did it later?
Too often a website gets thought of as a one-and-done project. But the reality is, websites should be treated like agile engineering projects with ongoing versions and releases. Thinking about each change and feature like this allows you to get it done quickly while prioritizing key components.
Get started with a website brief-in template
We use this with all our clients and it is a great way to get aligned right off the bat. So, give it a download, fill it out, and get moving on the website of yesterday!
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