Why is a consultation useful? We’d like to share some of the reasons.
For the best results for your money, you need to like the people, you must work well with them, and you need assurance that they will be in business for a long time to come. The “right” people will not necessarily charge you more than the “wrong” people, and in addition can offer you much more value for your money. We have seen this time after time.
A large number of developers are fronts for companies off-shore. Your work will be passed off to someone in India or the Philippines for a fraction of what you are paying the developer. There’s nothing wrong with developers sending their work off-shore, but you may have difficulty having your site updated in six months or next year. A visit to a company can assure you it is local and will be here next year.
When you look for a quote, remember you’ll be working with a person, not a computer. Visit people in their offices and get a feel for them. See who is willing to give you their time and has an interest in your business. They will soon be offering free marketing advice, tips on getting more out of search engines, and generally helping you market your business during and after the site development.
Lots of people phone and say they don’t need a meeting – they just need a quick fix for something. But in many cases, the quick fixes turn into lots of emails and phone calls that could have been resolved in one free face-to-face meeting!
When people book a visit with us, we discuss many things that make a huge difference. Some factors to consider:
• Inflated prices or hidden costs
Many developers give inflated estimates because there is no way to tell what you really need. Others quote ridiculously low prices. Both are guaranteed to not go well! We like to assess your needs then give you some options at different price points.
• Choosing the right kind of programming
There are many, many ways to build a website. You need a solution that will meet your needs now and in the future. 50% of our work comes from people who chose the wrong solution and need their site re-built. We’d like to explain your options so you are better informed in the first place about the option you choose. Put yourself ahead of the game!
• Making you competitive
You may be seeking to compete with other companies or services. In this case we would approach your site very differently than if you just asked us how much a site costs. If we know who your competitors are, we can analyze how their sites are made and what kinds of search engine optimization they have – and then make your site better in every way.
• Researching the content of your website
Finding or developing the content is the largest unknown factor in giving you a phone or email estimate. We’ll give you excellent feedback on your material and outline what you need.
• Ongoing costs of having a website
People are often concerned about ongoing charges, and rightly so. However you might find out it costs you very little, if anything, for updates. In our case, we don’t have a monthly charge. We don’t charge for updates that take only a few minutes.
• Do-it-yourself websites
By phone or email, almost everyone asks for a site they can update themselves. Unfortunately many people find it more difficult or time-consuming than they expected, and their sites are rarely updated. This is okay for a personal site, but not so good if you’re trying to get a business off the ground. A longer consultation can help us assess the best solution for you.
• You’re online – but does anyone know?
Your website or blog is online – now what? We’re very proactive about getting your site up and well optimized for search engines! A more detailed discussion of your needs always generates lots of additional free marketing ideas.
If you would like a consultation with us, we would love to see you. You’ll leave with a clearer picture of your goals, what it will cost, and a better sense of how to prepare for your site development – whether you use us or not.
We can also discuss your needs in more detail by email or phone. It may take two or three emails to sort things out. Just call 604-731-7020 to get started.
