What Are The True Costs (I notice you use “from” in the pricing)?

The true costs for the service are the ones you see. The reason “from” is included is, sometimes, clients wish for additional services, such as eCommerce, written copy in order to build up the brand, or more focus on post-launch analytics. These elements are time-sensitive, and other costs may need to be added, according to need.

How Do You Engage to Understand Customer Needs?

Initial engagement begins with a questionaire/Project Brief through Notion, which assists to gaining a snapshot of where the company presently sits in the market, the audience, what goals you are looking to achieve with the website. Sometimes - with new or changing companies - this may require some research prior to the brief, and a moodboard to help with the look and feel of the site. This can also assist with the story-telling and the brand elements, most especially.

Do You Need All The Copy Before Design?

Not all all. If a company wants to supply copy and direction, Formant & Thread can work with that. However, I am also a copywriter (and novelist/postgraduate in Critical & Cultural Studies), and more than equipped to build out the copy to reflect the narrative, the brand and the wider context of the copy, if required. Often, initial copy direction is used within the wireframe process, to guide the direction and useability of the site, with polished copy added to the final design before build out on Webflow.

What Sets You Apart From Your Competitors?

Formant & Thread offers both in depth research and insight into narrative UX. Competitors often provide good websites that are product-focused, but without the knowledge of impassioned engagement with customers. Such sites may sell in a crowded market, but often don’t attain the loyalty a growing company needs to survive and expand year on year. At a highly competitive rate, Formant & Thread comes to a company with a plan to future-proof your brand: to offer story, CMS where required, the skills to easily expand a profile, and to remain agile in a competitive, dynamic market. Once instated, your site becomes easy-to-adapt by your own company, so saving you costs in the longer term.

How Can I Be Sure You Are Heading in The Right Direction?

Formant & Thread understands that a company is sometimes uncertain of the right direction, and will sometimes rely on its shareholders to set the direction. We remain transparent every step of the way, and provide a concise report on decisions made throughout the process, that may be revised at any point, to ensure maximum reassurance.

How Are Your Views on Ai?

Ai can be extremely useful. I am adept in utilising html, css, js, and Python. As we move towards an Agentic set-up, and automated processes, both for businesses and potential customers, the use of Ai will become vital for performing specific tasks.

However, I would contend that an excellent knowledge of aesthetics and design (something I excel at as a postgraduate in the history of modern culture) is vital to enjoining brand to market, creating (but able to precisely subvert) expectations and future-proof marketing your identity.

Do You Offer Retainer Services?

For some clients I offer UX and blog copy services. These are often 1 x tweak (e.g. an animation, or page refresh) + an SEO-optimised blog of around 500-1000 words, per month. The cost of retainers is according to need, but £170.00 is a ball park. I would request that the agenda for the month allows an 8-day window.