FAQ . A live model you can use.
I am often asked by clients in the midst of building out their first website, if they need an FAQ page or post. And if yes, what to include. (Frequently Asked Questions.)
Well, that is a great question ;-) What follows is a real-life sample based on my own business, which you can use to spark ideas for your own site. I have included questions that I really DO get asked quite often. Some are general, others really detailed and unique to my industry. Your may already know what's unique to your industry. If not, just Google or Bing "FAQ for X industry", and discover a treasure trove of ideas.
And if you are prepping for a first prospective client interview, it also helps you to be ready for any unplanned questions they may ask about your policies and practice that go beyond product/service specs.
Now, it's time to shape your Q & A content.
Here are a few of the most-often asked questions we hear. Feel free t adapt them for your own. You are invited to email us as well, to ask any specific questions or send us your comments. Thank you in advance!
Wait a minute, did you change your company name?
How do you work with clients?
How green are you?
Why do photos and graphic images sometimes look terrific online but terrible on printed materials?
Why does’t my email show your images or multiple documents as attachments?
What is your email address protection policy?
What do you advise about copyrights, release rights and other business ownership rights?
Do you earn a commission when you refer clients to other vendors?
What if my question is not answered here?
Please scroll down to read the answers below for each FAQ sample.
1. Wait minute, did you change your company name?
Indeed I did. It was a terrific16 year adventure for me as "Mozaique Media Arts." When we ushered in the year 2000, I chose a non-traditional spelling to liven up the word "mosaic" to reflect the inventiveness of both my clients and my work. Why Mozaique? Because it combined traditionally separate disciplines, recognizing that creative thinking always shifts old habits into new harmonies and establishes new, more elegant patterns.
Like our clients, I have a pronounced tendency to invent new ways of delivering value in their chosen field. It was natural that we communicate clients' unique offerings with an equally unique “Mozaique” of media, message, design and planning.
Now, as I focus on speaking, and events for groups in addition to consulting, I have more ways to share my 4+ decades of experience in "The Marketing Deal" as The Wow Whisperer.
It's the right time to reclaim a word —Deal— that has some pretty strong meaning, both good and bad. My book series (in the process of beocming and appo, stya tuned!) inspired this shift. I love sharing the auhttnetic excitement of a win-win-win deal, and the energy takes to "BE. The Deal" together with you!
2. How do you work with clients?
The Wow Whisperer (that's me) is having a terrific time working one-to-one, and facilitating Wake Up Your Wow! for private clients.
I also do a lot of online and live speaking events. Speaking options are many, and you can learn more from our downloadable One Sheets.
Our Services are time-based, with three options to serve the Independent Business Owner: Retainer, Custom Projects or Consutling Packages.
Many clients consider us their dedicated outside marketing resource, and a fixed basis Retainer makes budgeting hours more predictable.
Other clients need an accelerated schedule for media or trade show deadlines, and we can easily accommodate that, too. We are happy to provide budget range estimates upon request. Learn more here.
We consult remotely. As we all adapt to the digital age, many of our clients prefer to work with us by phone and Internet Vidoeosessions. Email allows us to be practically paper-free, with proofs, text drafts and administrative communications transmitted via standard email (short messages only via text), or our FTP service for larger files. Printers and other vendors find this extremely workable, as well. Meet Diane A. Curran here.
3. How green are you?
As computing technology advances, we’ve been able to cut our use of paper and ink consumption by more than 95% over the past several years.
We encourage clients to use emails or online conferencing for most project workflows. Clients are most enthusiastic about seeing and proofing design & writing work online.
We use free-to-clients FTP transmittal for large files, and provide master documentation via electronic files instead of hard copy paper or CD.
Going green saves time and trees. Lately, I’ve noticed my local neighborhood trees smiling much more frequently when I stroll by. My office is far less cluttered, too!
We are happy to assist clients to find related green resources/vendors where possible as well.
4. Why do photos and graphic images sometimes look terrific online but terrible on printed materials?
Printed materials render color based on pigment in the cmyk colorspace, and the Internet uses reflective electronic impulses in the rgb colorspace.
In addition, images for print need to be at least 300 dpi (dots per inch) to look good, whereas online images look just fine at 72 dpi if they’ve been properly sized.
Online images must be small in file size, especially for web sites, to keep the page load time as fast as possible.
These days, many sites allow you to upload large image files, but the site may reduce the output, removing some pixel density, and if you then download the resulting file, it will be low res, and not suitable for print use.
Archiving your original photos and images will allow you to retrieve high resolution files when you need them for print usage.
5. Why doesn’t my email show your images or multiple documents as attachments?
We always send proofs as either PDFs, PNGs or JPGs, but some users do not realize their own email software settings are displaying these documents “inline” as “pictures,” or the software appends a confusing file-type name to the image.
Just access and follow your email help screen for download instructions.
If your settings cannot be updated to allow any access, just let us know and we will send proofs via our FTP service so you can download using the provided link.
6. What is your email address protection and Opt-In policy?
Your email address will never be rented or sold by us. We comply with the CAN-Spam Act (see link below) for our own protection as well as that our clients and colleagues.
Our Opt-In and subscription choices always include the option to request and receive expedited updating, or removal, of your email address from our system at any time.
Lt me emphasize: we never rent or sell our own subscriber or client email addresses.
Please visit the CAN-Spam Act site for more info on legalities in the U.S.
7. What do you advise about copyrights, release rights and other business ownership rights?
Intellectual property and creative works are valuable assets to any business. We advise clients to legally protect their own assets of course with copyrights, service marks, etc. Trademakrks are increaisngly challenging to obtain, and a qualified Trademark Attroney is your best resourcw for that pursuit.
We also advise that they obtain specific, written permission before attempting to use any logos, taglines, text, photos, images, video, music, etc., which they did not create or commission themselves for development.
Even when using testimonials, specific permission, sometimes even written releases, should be requested, especially if there is a need to protect the privacy of clients or sources.
Confidentiality agreements may be needed in certain circumstances as well.
It is always best to ask and discuss, rather than guess or assume, while taking extra care to respect the creative and intellectual property (IP) rights of others. IP Attorney can be an essential rsoeufc,e epsiually if youtrs ar ein dange rof compromise.
Special Note: Never assume that because an image is served up by Google images, or any other search engine, that it is free for you to use as you wish. Many—even most images these days— are owned by someone just like yourself, and are protected automatically, even specifically, by copyright. Others are owned by commercial photo stock houses or corporations. They will pursue legal collection of unpaid royalties on their intellectual property if they catch unauthorized or unlicensed use. Software tools are far more sophisticated now, so it's no longer an idle threat. 'Nuff said.
8. Do you earn a commission when you refer clients to other vendors?
When we provide consulting services for clients, we take no commissions on vendors or media, for example printing houses, radio placement, technical service partners, etc.
We document all project time and provide that record with our electronic (green!) invoices.
Any affiliate programs or joint ventures for which we may be eligible to receive compensation are provided only as an option, not a required resource, for any client project.
9. What if my question is not answered here?
We’ll be updating our FAQs with the most-asked questions, and look forward to you contacting us with suggestions at any time.
In some cases, your question may apply uniquely to you, and we’ll be happy to respond accordingly. Thank you!
• • •
And there you have it.
Keep your FAQ conversational, like you would if answering face to face.
Think through key facts and include relevant details. Be concise yet complete.
Offer readers the options to ask other questions via email, text or phone.
— Diane A. Curran
