Whether you’re starting a business or taking your current organization to the next level, there’s a good chance you’re having to take a close look at your website. Is it current? Is it acquiring leads and bringing in quality traffic? Are you able to make content changes quickly without having to call your developer? Is the site mobile friendly, modern and easy to use?
The list goes on and on.
You’ve established a need for a new (or upgraded) site, so it’s time to get real with the numbers. You want fabulous but you also want it to be cheap. Can you have both?
The following are comments from web clients that I’ve fielded over the years:
“I just need a simple website. How much does that cost?”
“I know I need a website but I really don’t have the budget.”
“I just need something up for now, once I have the money I’ll add to it later.”
“What about those cheap web builders? Those look nice and super easy!”
“I have a cousin/niece/brother-in-law/intern that can do this for free.”
I will gladly address each of the above one by one.
“I just need a simple website. How much does that cost?”
This is never a question that I can answer straight away. As opposed to “how much is this thing going to cost?” let’s think about the problems you are hoping to solve. What are your business goals and what are the current pain points surrounding these goals? For instance, perhaps you are spending too much time on the phone, answering questions and qualifying leads. What if your website could take care of those initial inquiries for you? Think of all of the money and time you would save!
When someone is looking to explore their website costs, goals and options, a meeting is always a must. It’s essential for us to get to know you, your business and identify the most helpful role your website could play.
“I know I need a website but I really don’t have the budget.”
Starting/maintaining/running a business is no small thing. I get it! I run a business too 🙂 Money is a balancing act and, especially if you have a staff, you need to have a buffer and manage your money very carefully.
That being said, it’s also important not to underestimate the tremendous value of a modern, optimized website–not to mention the weight (and work!) that it can potentially lift off of your shoulders. A website is no longer something that you toss up on the internet and simply hope for the best. Your site is your business proxy and should behave as such.
Let me ask you this: are you happy with the number of quality leads you receive from your current site? What if your website could bring in 20% more business every month (thanks to an increase in awareness, content and optimization)? Say you’re averaging 10k in sales a month, but a properly built and optimized site bumps you up to 12k. That’s an additional 24k per year! Not to mention the increase in authority you would have online and beyond. So if you spent 10k to get that site, could you call that a bad investment? No way!
“I just need something up for now, once I have the money I’ll add to it later.”
Cool! There’s nothing wrong with taking the careful, conservative approach. In fact, if your business is new, you will likely have some kinks to work out anyway and your needs could shift over time. However, much like purchasing a home, I would encourage you to ensure that your starter website has good bones, allowing for easy additions/renovations later on. For example, try to avoid the cheap, web builder route. If you have big plans and growth is on the horizon, choosing a web builder could mean that you’ll have to tear it down and start over later: a money pit disguised as a screamin’ deal.
“What about those cheap web builders? Those look nice and super easy!”
Again, I would avoid this if possible. There is a time and place for these builders and certainly if you’re ok starting from scratch later on, then go for it! They are very easy to use, afterall, and do a lot of the heavy lifting for you. But if you want flexibility and the option to grow, find an experienced developer or agency to build you rock solid WordPress website.
For a quick comparison to WordPress (what we use) vs Wix (a cheap web builder), head here.
“I have a cousin/niece/brother-in-law/intern that can do this for free.”
Okie dokie! If cost is your only consideration, then knock yourself out! But I can’t help but quote this very tired, yet appropriate adage: “you get what you pay for.”
So here’s the deal: websites are no longer just a place for people to land when they Google your name. Your audience’s attention is getting shorter, much more discerning and they will make a judgement call on your business within the first 3 seconds of visiting your website (unless your site takes longer than 3 seconds to load, in which case they will bail and head somewhere different). But if you’re willing to put in the time, money and energy to have a site built with your business goals in mind, then your online success is limitless.
A website is a business investment. A new, properly built site can open doors to additional marketing outlets, become a social media hub, establish potential revenue streams and serve as a place to house valuable digital assets (blog, video, whitepapers, e-books, etc) which continue to rank within Google and attract attention to your business. When considering a new website, it begs the question: what is your business worth to you?
