What Actually Happens During a Squarespace VIP Design Day (Behind the Scenes)
When clients book a VIP Design Day, they see "8 hours of focused design work" and sometimes assume that's all they're getting. I understand why—it's right there in the name.
But here's what most people don't realize: those 8 hours are just the visible part of a much larger process. The real magic happens in the preparation before and the refinement after.
Let me pull back the curtain and show you what actually goes into transforming your website in a single day.
The Work You See: The 8-Hour Design Day
This is the main event—the day we work together in real time to bring your vision to life.
Here's what happens:
9:00 AM - 6:00 PM (with a lunch break) I work exclusively on your website while staying in close contact with you via email or messaging. You're available to provide feedback, approve changes, and make decisions as we go.
During these 8 hours, we might:
Redesign and refine page layouts
Update your color palette and typography
Optimize images and visual hierarchy
Improve navigation and user flow
Add new functionality or integrations
Fine-tune mobile responsiveness
Make SEO improvements
Polish every detail until it feels right
You see progress happening in real time. We collaborate. We problem-solve. We make decisions quickly because we've already done the groundwork.
But here's the thing: those 8 hours are only productive because of everything that happens before and after.
The Work You Don't See (But Absolutely Get)
Before the Design Day: ~8 Hours of Preparation
The day before your VIP Design Day, I'm already deep into your project.
What I'm doing:
Reviewing your questionnaire responses and understanding your goals
Analyzing your current website structure and identifying opportunities
Researching your industry and competitors for design inspiration
Planning the optimal approach for your specific needs
Organizing assets and preparing templates
Setting up technical requirements in advance
Creating a detailed task list prioritized for maximum impact
This prep work is crucial. It means when your Design Day starts, I'm not figuring things out on your time—I'm executing a strategic plan.
Why this matters: Without this preparation, we'd waste 2-3 hours of your Design Day just getting oriented. Instead, we hit the ground running at 9 AM.
During the Design Day: Mobile Optimization & Refinements
While the core design work happens during those 8 hours, I'm also constantly checking mobile layouts, testing functionality, and refining details as we go.
Every change gets optimized for mobile immediately—not as an afterthought. Every element gets tested. Nothing goes live without being thoroughly reviewed.
After the Design Day: 2-3+ Hours of Final Polish
Once the intensive 8-hour session wraps up, I don't just hand you the keys and disappear.
What happens next:
Final mobile optimization sweep across all devices
Creating training videos so you understand how to manage your updated site
Addressing any specific needs (like creating Canva templates for future content, if relevant)
Final quality checks and refinements
Making sure everything is pixel-perfect before you officially launch
Plus: You get up to 2 hours of follow-up revisions within one week, and two weeks of email support for any questions.
What This Means in Real Numbers
Let's do the math:
Pre-work preparation: ~8 hours
Design Day itself: 8 hours
Post-day refinements and training: 2-3+ hours
Strategy calls and email support: Included throughout
You're getting 18-20+ hours of expert work, not just 8. The VIP Design Day is structured this way intentionally—to deliver maximum transformation in minimum time disruption for you.
A Recent VIP Design Day: What We Actually Accomplished
Let me give you a real example (with the client's privacy respected).
The project: A single-page website that needed serious refinement and optimization.
What we accomplished in one VIP Design Day:
Complete page redesign with improved visual hierarchy
Navigation improvements for better user experience
Mobile optimization across all devices
SEO improvements throughout
Training videos for ongoing site management
Custom Canva templates created for their future content needs
Comprehensive refinements and polish
All of this was possible because of the prep work beforehand and the follow-through afterward. The 8-hour design day was hyper-productive because we weren't starting from scratch—we were executing a plan.
Why the Behind-the-Scenes Work Makes All the Difference
Without proper preparation:
We'd spend hours troubleshooting issues during your Design Day
Decisions would take longer because we're figuring things out in real time
Mobile optimization would get rushed or forgotten
You'd be left with questions after the day ends
With the full VIP Design Day process:
Every minute of the 8-hour session is focused and productive
Decisions happen quickly because I've already scoped the options
You get a completely finished, polished website
You have training and support to manage it confidently going forward
The behind-the-scenes work isn't "extra"—it's what makes the entire experience work.
How to Get Maximum Value from Your VIP Design Day
Since I'm being transparent about the process, here's how you can help make your Design Day even more successful:
Before We Start:
Complete the questionnaire thoughtfully (this shapes my prep work)
Gather all your content, images, and assets in advance
Be clear about your priorities and must-haves
Review your current site and note what's working vs. what's not
During the Design Day:
Stay available for quick feedback via email
Make decisions promptly (we can always refine later)
Trust the process—I've done this many times
After the Design Day:
Watch the training videos while everything is fresh
Ask questions during your two weeks of email support
Use your revision hours for meaningful tweaks, not total redesigns
Resource: Want to see the full VIP Design Day package and process? Check out all the details here.
The Bottom Line
When you book a VIP Design Day, you're not just buying 8 hours of my time. You're investing in a complete, strategic website transformation that includes:
✓ Extensive preparation so every minute counts
✓ Focused, collaborative design work
✓ Professional polish and optimization
✓ Training so you can manage your site confidently
✓ Ongoing support to ensure your success
The 8-hour Design Day is the centerpiece, but it's the full process—before, during, and after—that delivers the results.
Ready to transform your website? Book a consultation call and let's discuss whether a VIP Design Day is the right fit for your needs.
