A huge number of our clients falls into the trap of paying for a budget / DIY / Build yourself or get a ‘friend’ to build their first website. Some get the first company to come along that gives the cheapest estimate to build their site. We find that these decisions have cost companies huge amounts to lost time / money / business and in some cases will lead to a company going bust before they have had chance let world see what they can offer. Here is an example conversation showing one website owner that made the mistake of going with the first website designer that came along and lived ot regret it and now is stuck as they haven’t made enough money from the business to pay for another website.
[Website Designers] Thank you for posting us a message on Facebook, we are delighted to hear you like some of our websites. We would love to discuss your options for the website, please let me know your telephone number and we will give you a call?
Great to speak to earlier, you sound like you’ll be fun to work with which we love here. Life is serious enough so I think by adding humour into your brand that will help engage customers is an ace way of going. Have a look around at some of our work which I’m sure you’ll enjoy.
As discussed I have attached our rate card here you can read up on the team that will support you in taking your online business to new heights. Once you have grasp of our rates then we can talk about affordability and the investment needed to make a success of it. You are in safe, creative hands here and I hope we can establish a great future together.
[Website Owner] Are these prices inclusive or not and does it include any art work for use for signature strip, business cards, letter heads etc? This may sound a silly question but the ‘Overhaul of all social media channels so you have consistency acres your marketing channels, is this just meaning to link my current FB page and Twitter account as I am a little baffled by what this actually means ?
I just don’t have that sort of deposit , although loving the installment plan! VAT? I havent even traded yet! I wish! I need a rich boyfriend, listen, I tell you what I’ll do, I’ll save up the 3k deposit and then we’ll go from there. I promise I will get back to you, as I really need to have this website as my heart is set on it.
[Website Designers] I know love sorry, you don’t have to go for it all but I think you need it really. What sort of deposit can you afford? We would create artwork for the different channels and also provide you with a campaign suggestions to reach more customers.
[Website Owner] I know I need it and defo want it. I know your probably used to dealing with the wealthy. But I’m literally starting off on a shoe string. I also appreciate this is my problem not yours and feel your work is worth the fee. Now, this is where it gets embarrassing, at this present time I could only manage to scrape up a £500 deposit (I hear you chuckle) and that’s wiping me out so would leave me nothing for suppliers. I just wish I had seen your work when I had the money 3 years ago before I paid for my present car crash of a site ha!
Listen, I’m being honest its all I can do. If you can wait for me I would love to work with you! I am really excited to be able to show off my new site, so as soon as I get the said money I will be back.
[Website Designers] Its really frustrating because without us how are going to make the money – rock and a hard place situation. The problem I have is that a lot of work goes into the project at the start which is why we ask for 50%. I wish we were with you at the start also! Does my head in that people like this take money from people like yourself and deliver poor quality websites and SEO. Keep me posted on raising the deposit and Ill help you as much as I can but probably need something in the region of 2k to get it rocking and rolling. Keep the chin up and think of this as the next chapter which will ACE, I promise you:)
[Website Owner] Frustrating yes very, I even just text my ex asking for half (£1,500) he replied with ‘love you dearly if I had it then I would give it and thought you had a site!’ So, I replied ‘ok what the web site you said was rubbish’ Listen, I will find this money (trust me). Just have a couple of questions for you if I may.
Once I have my site with you up and running will the hosting be done with you guys ? If so what are your fees per annum for this service. Do you update the site yearly i.e changing the copyright year present at the bottom of the site and keeping up with all the new google friendly changes etc? (as these are ongoing to stay with the times) Does this price I have at present include helping me if I have any problems uploading products etc.
[Website Designers] Sorry for the late response. Hosting is £120 pa but id give you 12months free) We would charge for any major updates but little things and help advise we do out of love
If you have trouble convincing suppliers to work with you due to the current website and branding you shoudl tell them that:
We have appointed a new website design agency who specialise in taking brands to market. They have an experienced team of E-commerce developers and content writers which we are working with towards a strategy that will see our products well ranked in Google. We recognised that the quality of the products needed to be reflected online hence why we have chosen such a high quality agency.
[Website Designers] As you can appreciate this is going to take some time however we will keep you up to date on developments as we appreciate you’ll be excited as I am about the new site etc.
[Website Owner]Thanks to your piece on the branding I have managed to secure some premium wholesale accounts based on this! Which is where I needed to be (so much for my designer saying I didn’t need a logo or branding)
I’ve decided to not go live with my current car crash and only going to do it with you guys as I am not cheap or tacky ; ) and don’t want to damage my company before I’ve even started. Hadn’t heard back from that other one, but I see this now as their loss.
I just read prices and added them up ( typical blonde) 5k sounds much much better. What sort of deposit up front are we looking at?
[Website Designers] It’s a small site in comparison to some of the big ones we do. I think we need to spend more time on the brand and deliver a user friendly quirky commerce platform. We usually take 50% deposit and the rest on completion. Let me just look over what we can do and give you a break down then hopefully we can get going;)
[Website Designers] OK so he’s what I think we should do:
Spend 2 days creating the look, which would include your new identity and how your whole business will represent itself: £960
Create the front end design for you new mobile friendly website x 2days = £960
Develop the new website using Prestashop or Woocommerce x 5 days = £3600
RE-create the product descriptions x 1 day = £320
Overhaul all social media channels so we have consistency acres your marketing channels: £480
Total £6320.
If we could do £3k deposit then ill help by spreading the remains balance over the year so it would be £276 pm
Are you VAT registered?
[Website Owner] Love your website designs, can’t help it. Love the colours the concept the way you scroll down the little corner text, simple but extremely effective. like it as its clean lines and simple not busy with loads of unnecessary text! ( which I hate) Just want that behind the scenes for SEO as a ABOUT US – DELIVERY – CONTACT US – NEWS
Def interested in the copywriter also as would need all my description to be original making it google friendly! As wanting is as simple as possible that’s what I like clean lines ( simple like myself ha!) no, on a serious note, I at this point in time just can’t afford it siiigh. I expected you to be high but not that high. However, now I have seen I really really want it! Which has totally made me so depressed!
But I don’t have anything near that amount Pete – I’m not going to lie or waste your time. All I can say is thank you so very much for your time and insight to the fact that I can have what I want and that I clearly am creative and have expensive taste yet lemonade pockets going on your rate card, just don’t have that sort of money, or will I ever have, I’m so sorry, please don’t think I have wasted your valuable time as that certainly was not my intention at all.
[Website Designers] You may have added another ‘0’ onto your estimate here love. I think we could be looking at about £5k if we box clever?! You happy again?