5 Myths About Using Premade Themes For Your Web Design Projects

Alright, so you want to use premade themes for your design clients to make your life easier and projects more affordable, but your brain is totally holding you back. I know it’s easy to get inside of our own head and say that what you’re doing isn’t good enough. But before we dive in today, I want to let you know that you are doing nothing wrong as a designer by using premade themes in your projects. You’re offering a different type of service than other designers out there and different people need different options available. Don’t compare yourself to the designers who target different people than you – what you do is amazing!

Now that we’ve got that out of the way, let’s touch on some of the things that are holding you back when it comes to using premade themes for your web design clients.

Myth #1: I’m not a real designer (and why it isn’t true)

The concern that “I’m not a real designer” is the most common one that I hear and the one that bothers me the most. There are different types of designers out there and everyone specializes in their own unique thing. Even if custom web design is what you’d like to be offering, it’s totally fine if that’s just not where you and your clients are right now. You’ve found a unique solution to giving your clients the website they need at an affordable price.

Myth #2: One theme can’t support all my client’s goals (and how it can)

If you were around yesterday, you saw that I’ve got a brand new service for you where we team up to create one theme that you can use again and again for your web design clients. But I know you’re probably wondering how a single theme can support the goals of every client you have down the road.

Now, there is a caveat to this. If you target all kinds of different clients, it’s very likely that the option of using one theme isn’t for you. But if you’re pretty targeted and tend to work with people who have similar goals, you can totally make one theme work. As long as it’s flexible enough to allow for different styles, customizations, and goals to be supported in various ways, one theme can be all your need for your future clients.

Myth #3: Premade themes are limiting (and how we can fix that)

You might also feel like using one premade theme will feel super limiting. Like the last point, if you work with all kinds of different clients, you’re probably right. But since working with similar clients is beneficial for everybody, you can totally make a theme that supports them all. You might decide you want a couple different homepage layouts, extra integrations for clients who might need things like WooCommerce, and extra page templates that not everyone would need, but as long as you plan ahead you can create a theme that won’t limit your creativity or your client’s progress at all.

Myth #4: My clients aren’t going to be okay with it (and why they will be)

I’ve also heard concerns where people think their clients won’t be crazy about the idea of the same theme being used on other people’s sites. Now, if you plan to make everyone’s branding and overall setup exactly the same, I’d agree, but that’s not how you work, right?

With a theme you design with your future clients in mind, you can make decisions like different options you want. Maybe you want multiple homepage and blog layouts, the ability to have the footer in multiple columns or one long row, and of course you always want to be able to easily update fonts and colors.

With those types of customizations at your finger tips, your clients will be thrilled with your final product and the affordable price you’re able to offer by having a set them that you use.

Myth #5: I’m still going to be stuck Googling any changes my client wants (and how you can avoid it)

And last, no matter how perfect your final theme is, you might worry that you’ll still get stuck wasting your nights on Google, trying to figure out the code you need to add to move your menu below the logo, instead of above it.

Struggling with code is always frustrating, but when you have a developer in your back pocket who worked with you 1:1 to create the theme of your dreams, you’ll find that they can jump in and help you out quickly, saving you headaches with any extra creative clients that come through the door.

Bonus Myth: It’s too expensive

If you’ve seen my new service offering where we create your dream theme together, you might be thinking, “Eek, that’s a pretty hefty price tag”.

The truth is, if it was something that wouldn’t pay you back, you’d be absolutely right. I’d never spend more than a few hundred dollars in my business for something that I wouldn’t see a return on.

But with this, you will be able to profit more from each of your projects after making that initial investment. First, you won’t have to pay for themes for your clients anymore and you’ll be able to add a bit extra to your project fees, due to a semi-custom theme being included.

Along with that, you’re being paid back in the time it will save you. I don’t know about you, but if something can save me time in my business, that’s just as valuable as saving money. It either means more time for things I want to do or more time on other money-making activities.

So depending on how much time you’re currently saving fighting with custom projects or premade themes and how much saved time is worth to you, this type of investment can pay you back very quickly.

See? You got this!

It’s okay to feel a little intimidated by the idea of creating one theme to use again and again for your client projects. But it’s not as hard as it seems and with a solid system in place as you work your way through planning and design, you’ll end up with your complete dream theme.

Grab the checklist that will help you plan exactly what a theme would need to be perfect for your web design clients and make a solid plan to build your dream theme!