The web design industry is always evolving. But despite constant technological innovations and ever-changing trends, one thing remains certain: fostering client relationships is essential to long term success. 

Your role as a web designer goes beyond designing beautiful websites and helping clients grow their brands. You are a business owner whose ability to maintain healthy relationships with clients is equal—if not paramount—to delivering exceptional work. Satisfied clients become brand ambassadors, choosing to work with you again in the future and referring you to their networks. 

To unlock the key to building and nurturing positive client relationships, we interviewed successful members of Circle, Squarespace’s partner program and professional community of web designers, developers, entrepreneurs, and other freelance creators. In addition to their roles as Circle members, they are Community Leaders, an opportunity that recognizes members who have made significant contributions to the community.

Katy Carlisle, Allie Astell, and Kelsey Gilbert-Kreiling know how to maintain strong client-designer relationships. They also know what not to do. Ahead are 10 mistakes to avoid making as a professional web designer.

The most common ways to reach clients are through paid, earned, and owned media…

Instead, you can find out how to reach your audience on a more personal level, and deliver the right messages…

Ideation describes the sequence of thoughts—from the original concept to implementation…

They are platforms that bring together two or more distinct but interdependent groups of customers. Credit cards, for example, link merchants with cardholders…

The customer journey mapping illustrates the experience of customers from the first contact to conversion.

Well, the market very often adopts an attitude of distrust in the face of and intrusive advertising campaign.