I am not a website designer. I don’t have an artistic bone in my body and couldn’t design my way out of a paper bag. If you want a website that looks amazing, you need to go to one of the excellent website designers who specialise in making amazing-looking websites.  Many can also help you with your branding and all things visual.

I build systems

I, on the other hand, build systems. Sometimes, such a system might include a website, sure. But if the client wants that website to look amazing, I call in a website designer to work alongside me for that part of the system. If the client doesn’t mind if we use a template or they want to design it themselves, then I will (usually) build the website, especially if it needs some specialised coding to make it work with the rest of the system.

The difference is that I am a programmer, not an artist.  I can build you a system to help your business run better.  This might include a CRM like GeckoChat that will manage your incoming leads, follow up with them by text or email, automate your social media posts, and interface with pretty much anything else you are using.  Most website designers don’t do that.  

System for Landscapers

For example, I am currently working on a system I will be rolling out to landscapers (and, later, other businesses).  It has a website, a blog, and a lead magnet (giveaway) form.  However, it also has a CRM on the back end with an email mailing list follow-up, automated social media posting, and lots of training and content provided.

I can also write programs that analyse and manipulate data to improve your internal analysis. For example, I built a solution using Power BI to present his weekly reports in an easier-to-read format for a recent client. I built a system for another client to recycle all their old blog posts into social media posts. I have built a system that several clients use to improve their SEO.  And so on.

Working alongside a website designer

Sometimes, I work alongside a website designer to improve their (and their clients’) lives. For example, I have written programs that scrape blog posts from an old website so they can be loaded into a new website built by the designer.  I have used API programming to interface with AI to rewrite content to be loaded onto a website.

Another way I can work with a website designer is to act as an interface between the company and the designer.  This happened with the website that Sarah Crispin built for PMR Grain.  I was the business consultant for PMR, and I was able to help them understand the website build process better. I also communicated with Sarah on some of the more technical aspects on their behalf.

Like building a car

But I have never called myself a website designer. For those of you who like analogies, it is like the difference between the person who builds the engine of a car and the person who builds the body. I am the engine builder; I make the car (or the website) go. The website designer is like the person who designs and builds the car’s body and makes it look amazing.  Neither of us could build a great-looking car (or website) that performs well without the other.

What do you need?

So, if you want a website that reflects your brand and looks amazing, see a website designer. If you want a system (that might include a website) that does something to improve your business, come and see me.  If in doubt, contact me anyway and I can refer you to a good website designer if that is what you need.