Overview
What is a Client Portal and Why Do Web Designers Need It?
A client portal is a dashboard for easy client management and onboarding.
It brings all your interactions with clients into a secure, centralized platform. From scheduling meetings, to working on projects, to sending documents, creating intake forms, and more.
We'll cover:
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Why you need white label client portal software
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Features to look for in a client portal
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How to choose the best client portal software for your web design projects
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Setting up and customizing your white label client portal template
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Managing client projects effectively with client portal software
Let's get to it.
Client Portal Software for Web Designers (White Label)
Manage your clients with a simple client portal made for web designers and agencies.
Why You Need Client Portal Software For Your Business
Why is white label client portal software a big deal?
When you send new clients to login to some generic third-party site, it can make them apprehensive. Is the site secure? Will their sensitive information be safe?
White label software allows you to provide a fully branded experience that's simply an extension of your business. That way clients feel secure that they're still working directly with you. They'll never know you didn't build the software from scratch.
Rather than being distracted or worried, they'll simply be impressed by your professionalism and attention to detail as you deliver a smooth client experience from onboarding to project completion.
More specifically, it allows you to:
1. Use your own branding, colors & custom domain to connect clients to the portal directly from your website to your client portal, creating a seamless experience.
2. Customize forms & templates with your own branding, questions and design to gather exactly the info you need in the easiest way possible for you and your clients.
3. Tailor your onboarding pages & reduce clutter for an intuitive, user-friendly client experience
Features to Look For In A Client Portal
Apart from white label functionality, there are some key client portal features that will really matter to you as a web designer - and many that won't.
Here are the key features you'd want to see in a client portal solution for web designers:
Clean & Intuitive Interface
You live and breathe good UX, so don't settle for anything less in a client portal. It should be intuitive enough for even the least tech-savvy client to navigate, with file sharing and communication tools that ensure ease of use.
Avoid bloated platforms with features you'll never use – they just create confusion.
Customization
Your portal software should be flexible enough to fit your projects and way of working. Look for software that gives you granular control where you need it. For example, being able to customize the dashboard view for different clients or projects can be a major plus.
Direct Messages
Time to give your inbox a break. Your client portal should bring the bulk of your client communication into one accessible place with direct messaging. Real-time notifications are also a plus to keep the ball rolling when you're on a deadline.
Integrated Scheduling
No more back-and-forth trying to nail down meeting times. The portal should offer integrated scheduling with automatic reminders.
Task Management and Deadline Tracking
The client experience is much better when they can easily see what's happening on their projects, and what still needs to happen, without having to email or call. Your portal should give your clients (and any team members) a clear breakdown of tasks and deadlines on every project, and integrate this with a calendar view so everyone can see at a glance where the project is at.
Automation with Templates
The best portal software should save you time with customizable templates and automations for key aspects of your client onboarding (eg. client intake templates), so you don't have to keep reinventing the wheel for every client or project.
Invoicing and Payments
Your client portal should allow you to automate invoicing for your clients, and ideally integrate collecting payments directly. This feature alone makes it worth the investment in the hours saved on admin and improving your cashflow.
Security
When you're dealing with sensitive client data and potentially handling online payments, robust security features are a must-have.
Choosing the Best Client Portal Software for Your Web Design Projects
Finding the right client portal software (or CRM) as a web designer can be tricky.
Here's a simple approach to help you narrow down and find the best option:
What Do You Need?
Take stock of your current client management process and pinpoint the areas that could use the most improvement. Decide what features are non-negotiable and will make the biggest difference in your workflow.
Research and Compare
Explore the various client portal platforms available, comparing features, pricing, and user reviews. Look for solutions that are specifically designed for solo professionals or agencies, and use free trials to give them a test drive.
While you're at it, try out ClientManager free for 7 days. It's an all-in-one project and client management solution designed by web designers, for freelance web designers and agencies. We think you'll like it 🙂
Think Long-Term
Choose a platform that can grow alongside your business and adapt to your changing needs. Look for a platform with good customer support and a pricing structure that aligns with your budget.
Scope Creep:
When the project inflates beyond what was originally agreed, it can put strain on your team and make it tough to meet deadlines and expectations.
Customize and Launch
Once you've found your perfect client portal, customize to make it your own branded client portal, with a custom URL. Test out integrations with your existing tools, and start test driving it with your clients.
You'll soon be on your way to transform your business.
Setting Up and Customizing Your White Label Client Portal Template
With customizable client portal software like ClientManager, it's easy to create a secure client portal to help your business stand out from the crowd, in less than 5 minutes.
Check out the demo here:
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ClientManager is the simple client onboarding & management tool.
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Managing Clients with Client Portal
Setting up your client portal is about making your life easier, managing projects effectively, and giving clients a better experience.
Maybe you're already familiar with some of the portal software options out there. Maybe you've tried a free tool that didn't quite cut it. Or maybe you just need a shortcut to finding one of the better options without hours of research.
Either way, we're here to help.
ClientManager is an all-in-one project management and client management solution designed specifically for freelancers and agencies.
As a small team of web designers and developers who understand the ins and outs of running a solo business or agency, we've designed ClientManager to be the ideal CRM solution that gives you the tools and features you actually need, without the fluff.
ClientManager’s white label client portal software makes it super easy to set up a custom portal, manage projects, collaborate, and streamline your client interactions all from one dashboard, so you can keep everything running smoothly.
Features include:
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Client Requests
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Schedule meetings
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Client onboarding
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Easy contract & proposal builder
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Customizable intake forms and templates
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Secure file sharing & document management
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White label branding & URL for your business website
We’d love it if you tried ClientManager's free for 7 days.
Most users tell us they love the interface, user experience, and simplicity.
Here's to smashing it out the park with your web design business and client relationships this year 😊
Thanks again,
Kyle & CM Team