Deciding how you are going to get your site built is a huge decision. Here is some guidance to help you make the decision.

If you are thinking about having a small business web site made, you are probably in one of two groups.

1. You have an existing business "in the real world". Now you want to give it a presence on the internet.

OR

2. You want to start an online business based on an idea you have.

Here are some things to think about before you start creating a web site.

• What is it that you want to accomplish with this web site?
• Do you have some names in mind for the domain name? (Your ".com" name)
• Is there a certain look or feel that you would like for your web site?
• Do yourself a HUGE favor and look around on the internet for awhile. Make a note of the sites which you like the general layout or style of.
• Remember to keep your customers in mind. What style of format at they likely to respond to the best?

Keep these notes for reference later on so that you can have a web site which has a style you want. You may even want to print out well designed sites for reference. Make a note of what types of pages on the site you would like to have for your own. For example you may know from viewing other sites that you want a:

• Main page
• Sales page
• Contact / Feedback Page
• "About us" page about your company, etc.

By knowing ahead of time the number and types of pages you want, you can save yourself a "hard sell" job by a web design firm.

A lot of profit is made by adding on additional pages that you may not feel are necessary to your site. By knowing ahead of time what pages you are looking for, you can avoid being over sold to.

Picking a Web Page Designer
This can be a critical decision for you. Many smaller businesses may try and go for the "friend of the family" to try and save money. Usually it is a case of someone well intentioned who is learning how to design web pages.

You should not have anyone be designing your site without seeing a portfolio of previous sites that they have done.

Any cost savings you see at the beginning by having a less experienced person do your site is going to cost you missed opportunities down the road. A professional looking site builds confidence and trust which translates into more customers.

Remember to keep in mind the style of site that you were interested in having. If it appears that the site that you had in mind is out of their skill level then this is one good reason to go elsewhere.

Hiring A Web Design Company

If you are looking to hire a web designer, you may want to ask any friends or associates who have a web site. You should also pay attention to the web sites that you like when you are online. Usually at the bottom of each page, there is a direct link back to whom ever designed the site for them.

You can then go to the design companies site and look at the portfolio of sites that they have done.

Your next step would be to directly contact the clients of the sites this company has done. You can do this without contacting the design firm. Most businesses would be happy to share their experiences with you.

If you can get someone who is responsive to talking to you about their web site, you can ask the following questions:

• What was your experience with the web design company?
• How long did it take to get the site up and running?
• What type of customer service do they give you when you need it?
• Do you mind giving a rough approximation of how expensive the site was for them to design?
• Do they have a reasonable monthly or yearly fee?
• Are there any negative things you have had dealing with them?
• Would you use them again if you had needed another site?

Contacting a Web Design Company

Once you have gotten enough good feedback, you can determine if you want to consult with this company.

They should offer you a free consultation and an approximate price quote based on what your needs are.

At this point you should know approximately how many pages you have in mind. They may offer suggestions for more which you can decide to do or not.

If you want to get up and running as soon as possible, you should prioritize the pages which are most important to you. That way those pages can be created first to get you up and running.

The Bottom Line: How Much Is It Going To Cost?

No one can come straight out and say a site should cost you x amount of money.

There are many variables involved. It usually revolves around a simple concept. The harder and more time consuming features you want, the more it is going to cost you.

For example a site with a database for a catalog of some sort is much more labor intensive than a site without it. There are usually maintenance type issues, troubleshooting issues etc. These all add up to a more time intensive site.

On the other hand, a pretty simple straight forward page with a few photos and text should not be costing you thousands.

I have done many business web sites for just under $1,000. They were pretty straight forward.

I have also turned down sites which I could have charged several thousand for but truthfully were not worth the logistics for my smaller design company. There is wisdom in knowing when to say no.


By doing some homework now, you can save yourself some time and money down the road.