In the past I’ve used Webflow to complete two large website gigs. One of the clients still hosts their site on Webflow (using the Webflow CMS + hosting plan) while the other client asked me export the completed site and send the zip to them to be hosed elsewhere.
Recently I was recommended to a potential third client, but the client has reservations about working with me. He owns a startup that has recently found market fit, will be growing very fast very shortly, and needs a new website. He has no technical team to do it, though.
The client is concerned about working with me on the basis that it would be built using a “website builder” rather than hand coded, and that I “don’t know how to code” might be problematic. Note that I told him I have 3 years experience using Webflow, the site can be completely exported in a beautiful zip, and that he can even host it in Webflow on a custom domain.
Does anyone have any advice on how I can turn his hesitations into confidence about working with me despite the blocker that I don’t know how to build a Webflow-level website from scratch via raw coding? Also, in the future, should I avoid mentioning to clients that I am using Webflow?
At this stage, you’d better avoid mentioning Webflow on first encounter. This is my personal observation. You’d better tell clients that you are producing html web sites.
Now all the hype is Wordpress. No matter how ugly, cumbersome, glitch rich it is, people deem it as the proven household solution. You would not be able to convince (the majority of) them with any argumentation or demos. They know that everybody else is using Wordpress and that’s it. You don’t beat a herd instinct with logic
You should be up front with what you are using. Webflow is just a tool that you need to explain. I don’t describe Webflow as a Website builder. I describe it has a visual HTML and CSS writer. I find that description prevents being lumped in with Wix and others.
What I do is ask the client more specific questions about their hesitation. Webflow is great but does have limitation that might not work for a client. Especially if they think they might need complex development.
You should have an open discussion about the tools you use to make sure that you and the client are the right fit, not all clients are.
If I didn’t know how to code the last thing I would want to suggest is that I building HTML websites from scratch (without a tool). Then find myself in a situation where I have to explain that I can’t do some piece of development because I don’t know how to code. That is a recipe for a bad client relationship.
Direct your client to watch this video and then explain that Webflow isn’t a site builder, because it’s not.
Explain that Webflow generates semantic markup that even the most experienced developers would have a hard time replicating/doing better.
Educate your client on the reasons you chose Webflow as a designer.
Educate them on what a designer is and why your time is valuable and better spent designing their user experience versus making them feel good by hand coding a site.
I’m a full stack developer that builds SPAs for companies/startups, from scratch and I still use Webflow for the majority of my client sites. Once the Webflow team finally releases their API things are going to explode for development with this tool.
I get tired of setting up gulp/webpack, sass libraries and site generators for client sites. It gets old having to integrate with PHP based CMS platforms. Supporting sites like this is annoying as well, I much prefer to let Webflow handle everything for me and let me focus on designing new features/experiences and creating content.
If the client still doesn’t get it at this point, find a new client. Life is way too short to deal with people like this.
things are going to explode for development with this tool.