Chris Gratigny

When a client initially contacts me for a solution, they are always going to come with a problem. They need a solution to their problem, and they often know exactly what they need.  Clients come "prepared". They found a widget that does exactly what they need, and they are sure that I need to make this widget work for them. Right? Wrong. It is very rare that someone comes with a problem AND a solution. I am presented with preconceived ideas of what is needed. When I am approached, it is because clients think they need a website. While a website may be what I use to solve the problem, needing a website is NOT the problem. The problem they are trying to solve is often "how can I best communicate what I offer to my audience.". Right now, in 2010, the web is the primary way of communicating your message in mass, but that may not always be the case. Websites as we see them will come and go. Identifying the problem is often a large percentage of getting from point A to point B. When you are able to ask "how can I best communicate what I offer to my audience?", you open the door to countless possibilities. When you ask for a website, all that you will get is a website. If you think you need something, always be sure to ask the question of yourself, "What is it that I'm trying to solve?" Identify the problem as generic as possible, then start your quest for a solution.