The only way to make sure you can stick to your timelines is to get materials from clients delivered within a specified time. You should never allow a client to submit their materials to you at their leisure. Too many business owners think their work is done once they have finally found a Web designer to do their project. At point of hiring you, they tend to believe they can just pace themselves and get to you when they have time. This will never work if you want to run a successful Web design business.

You need to set parameters for how and when you want materials delivered to you, in order to do work you are hired to do effectively. If you complete 75% of a Web site but have to wait an extra two weeks just to get 3 paragraphs of info from a client to finish last 2 pages; you’re not making most of your time.

When you sign with each client, lay down some specific time periods in which you expect them to deliver all their materials. Instead of sounding like a dictator, explain to clients importance of getting their materials to you in a timely fashion. Help them understand that it is essential so you can complete their site in time frame you have given them. Make sure you also tell them how you want materials delivered to you and in what formats so they are able to get it right first time.

Must Number Three: Get Approval for Everything You Do

Depending on how you run your Web Design business, there should be several steps to each project you do. It is very important that you get approval for each phase of your projects. The last thing you want is to do a lot of work and then have to redo it because someone claims they didn’t approve what you did. You will find times when clients change their minds after you’ve done something and they won’t see how hard it will be for you to redo it. Make sure you get approval before moving on to next step so you can avoid doing extra work or just doing things over.

Although you may find you have a good relationship with a client, it is a good idea to get approval for each phase of your project in writing. You just never know when you may come across a client that decides to change their mind after already having approved something. In order to prevent any problems with a client, getting approvals in writing will help keep everyone in their place. If someone request a change to something they already approved and they want it done for same charge as you bid on in beginning, you will have their approval in writing to back you up when you bring it to their attention.

In Summary:

Implementing these 3 crucial musts into your business practices will not only help you get things done more efficiently; it will make your life much easier. Allowing projects to overlap because clients don’t deliver their materials on time or in proper fashion, is just bad business. Set guidelines for submitting materials, sign contracts with each client and get approval for everything you do and your business will run much smoother and be more enjoyable for you and your clients.

Once again check with your web designer or developer and see if they can perform any of these tasks economically or give you some help. If not, then some of these activities may have to be outsourced. Search engine optimization and submission, and even reciprocal linking, activity of finding link partners, can be contracted from among hundreds of companies offering such services.

You or a designated member of your staff can learn some of these tasks by reading online tutorials, e-books and newsletters (like this one!). Though this takes time, again it gives you flexibility and an ability to work at your own pace and within your budget.

Finally if you can't afford outside services needed to maintain and develop site, and if you are not sure how to train yourself or your staff, a third solution exists in form of Ken Evoy's Site Build It (http://buildit.sitesell.com/webpromote2.html). In which powerful hosting, design, maintenance and promotional tools are provided along with step-by-step guidance enabling complete beginners to build, develop and manage effective websites.

Even before you start your website you should be thinking one step ahead, so that you can develop site intelligently and vigorously, and ultimately be successful in your web project.

Donald Nelson is a web developer, editor and social worker. Hehas been working on the Internet since 1995, and is currently the director of A1-Optimization (http://www.a1-optimization.com), a firm providing low cost search engine optimization, submission and web promotion services.