Welcome to the Prep Phase

Congratulations! We are officially beginning our work together. In this guide, we will discuss brand photography, copywriting, testimonials, project communication and preferred partners. Lots of goodness. Let’s dive in!

Brand Photography

Option 1: “I have images already!”
Please gather and send your existing brand photography via a Google Drive folder. You can send the invitation to jena@sundaistudio.com

Option 2: “Let’s bring in a pro!”
If you do not have images that you are happy with and plan to hire a photographer, that is excellent! Below is some guidance on the process.

  • Ideally we have final photos before our kick off Discovery Call. If that’s not possible, then we should have final photos before the Website Design is started. Because of this, I would reach out to your photographer as soon as possible to setup a time and location. Most photographers have at least a 1-month lead time.

  • Instagram has proven to be a great resource for finding local photographers. Check some local hashtags. I also suggest asking any other local businesses who they used and if it was a good experience. Make sure you enjoy the work of your hired photographer. Their portfolio should resonate with you. That means their coloring, their angles, and shoot locations (outdoors vs studio etc.).

  • You should wear what you feel comfortable in! I suggest having at least two different outfits, one that’s more formal and one that’s informal. Regarding specific colors, I would choose colors that reflect your own personality. And when in doubt go neutral (whites, creams).

  • Most photographers will send high-resolution images and web-resoluation images. I only need the web resolution images most of the time but I enjoy having the high-res for specific instances.

  • In a general sense I would make sure to communicate with your photographer that you using these for your website and that you’ll need a few “headshots” and a few wider horizontal images that could span the full width of the website. An even mix of horizontal and vertical is a safe thing to aim for! It’s also a bonus if you can bring some tangible objects like books, journals, florals, greenery and your computer / phone to get some images that can replace ‘stock imagery’.

  • It can range from $700 - $3,000 for a personal branding shoot. Feel free to reach out if you’re comparing options and need advice on who to choose!

Pick your Copywriting Path

Website Copy with Sundai Studio

*Included in your package

How It Works:

Step 1: Open The Prep Phase document right here >
(Please make a copy of this document before editing)

The goal is to have this Prep Phase document completed before our Discovery Call / Kick Off.

Step 2: We will have our Discovery Call where I will learn more about your target market and the desired website structure.

Step 3: I’ll provide you with a customized Copywriting Prompt document based off of this one right here >

Step 4: Watch this video before you start writing!

Step 5: Book a 2 hour Copywriting Call to go over this document. Book your call with me right here >
*I will let you know personally when to book this

Before the Copywriting Call: Please review your custom document and write under each prompt. Try to get this document at least 85% of the way there before our call!

On our call: We will go through the prompts conversationally and I will type into this document, talking through any friction points. By the end, we should have a great first draft I can use for the website.

Copy Edits: I will then present it with the website design. At that time you can visually see the copy and make edits yourself, live on your website.

OR

Hire a Professional Copywriter

“Let’s bring in a pro!”

If you are interested in hiring a copywriter outside of Sundai Studio support below is some guidance on the process.

  • There are so many talented copywriters out there! You may even have an established relationship with a copywriter. If that’s you, awesome! If you are looking for copywriters here are a few I stand behind:

    · Gemini Copy co >
    · Dessa Rose >
    · Zafira Rajan >

  • I would consider myself a “CopyGuide” more than a copywriter. I create copy through the lens of website strategy and proven techniques and then try to add a bit of aligned personality. A professional Copywriter, however is a master at this and can customize strategies for any type of business. They study words for a living! I do not. I build brands. That’s the difference.

    Hiring a Copywriter should save you time. When we do it together, you will be doing the final copy edits so if time is something you don’t really have, then hiring a copywriter could be the perfect fit.

  • Every good copywriter is going to spend some time up front to learn about you, your business and services. From there, they will provide website copy for as many pages as you agree upon.

  • Copywriters range in cost but I’d prepare for your experience to cost between $2,500 - $4,500.

  • You should reach out right away! Copywriters have anywhere from a 3-week to 3-month lead time. Rest assured that I will adjust our timeline and schedule accordingly if we need to wait for our copy to be done! This is a great investment and I will do everything that’s required to adapt.

Gathering Testimonials

Every website benefits from showcasing testimonials. However, gathering testimonials can sometimes fall to the bottom of our to-do lists. If that’s you, consider this *the sign* to reach out to your past clients.

Please gather these testimonials and any associated images (naming the photos appropriately) and add them to a Google Drive folder. You can send the invitation to the folder to jena@sundaistudio.com

  • If they are able to send you an image of themselves, that is ideal. Psychologically, your future clients prefer to see real humans behind the words. With that said, if you’re only able to gather the words, that’s okay. And for some service providers, like therapists, it’s understood that most of your testimonials will remain anonymous.

  • Right away! Your past clients may take some time to reply to you. That’s why you should send that email or message right away to allow for that that delayed response.

  • You can ask them whatever feels aligning for you and your business. However, a great place to start could be sending these four questions to paint the full picture of their experience with you:

    1. What were you struggling with before working with me?

    2. What was it like to work with me?

    3. What would your life/business be like now if we hadn’t worked together?

    4. Did you notice any tangible results after working together? This can be physically, emotionally, or financially.

Gathering Legal Pages

For your website you will need a Terms & Conditions website page, a Privacy Policy website page, and a Contract for your Services. If you already have these in place, excellent.

If you do not have these yet you can reach out to a lawyer (I’ve used Conscious Counsel before) or check out The Contract Shop right here >

Please gather these legal pages and documents and add them to a Google Drive folder. You can send the invitation to the folder to jena@sundaistudio.com

Project Communication

01

E M A I L

Email will be our main form of communication during your project. If you have a question, concern or just want to share something fun, this is the best way to reach out!

02

V I D E O + V O I C E

I love using Loom to record videos and will occasionally send a voice note if I want to discuss your project in more detail. You are welcome to share thoughts this way as well!

03

Z O O M C A L L S

All of the Presentation Calls and the kickoff Discovery Call will be over Zoom. If you ever want to schedule a check-in with me, you can do that using this link here >

Preferred Partners to take our work to the next level.

Aligned Brand Strategy: Dessa Rose

Dessa is an incredible strategist. She can help you with positioning, target market research, pricing strategy and finding the language for your story and your “why” (an integral piece for your marketing)
Contact: DessaRose.com

Human Design: SoulRush

Bria provides insight into the energy of your business through the lens of Human Design. It’s so fascinating (and fun).
Contact: SoulRush.com

Inner Voice Work: Kaileen Elise

Kaileen is a long-time client of mine with a savvy marketing background. Her offerings are always a joy and if you’re looking for some extra magic in your days, she is a great resource.
Contact: KaileenElise.com

Process Questions

How many rounds of edits do I get?

In this package, I allow one complete new direction for both the brand portion and the website portion. For example, if after you see the design you feel like our entire direction is off, I will create a new version for you. If you enjoy the direction, but have multiple rounds of tiny tweaks to the text or layout; these are smaller, quicker changes so we will continue to revise these until you and I are both happy! However, please review our contract terms. For many of my packages I schedule our project to be over the span of 1 to 3-months + a 3-week grace period and after that time is up there is an hourly charge for any remaining work. While I am happy to make small changes and tweaks to the website, if we are running close to our allotted time I will be sure to reach out and communicate that with you so you can make an informed decision on next steps.

What is the best way to give feedback?

The best way to provide feedback is in a comprehensive bulleted list so when I dive into the site to make edits, I can make all of those edits at once. For many clients they also find it easy and enjoyable to communicate over Loom videos.

How do I buy a domain? When should I do it?

I suggest purchasing a domain right through Squarespace after your website design is completed. You will purchase your domain at the same time as your purchase a Squarespace plan (for your hosting). I provide a video tutorial walking you through this process step by step and am here for you for any technical issues. If you already have a domain, we will move or connect your domain right before we launch the site. This can take 1-2 business days so we will plan and schedule your launch accordingly.

Any other questions?

I’m officially here for you! Do not hesitate to reach out via email at jena@sundaistudio.com