Web Design and your customers for 2011

[cmonova]

If you are not already offering web design services then you should consider adding it to your arsenal for 2011. Nothing better than not only support say a small business but also able to take on the web site responsibilities for them with it. With the way the Internet is going a presence is expected and who better to offer it than their "own" IT person.

I think alot of owners get wrapped around the axel with "I am not good at web design" or "I am not good at graphics" and a few other reasons. To me there is really no reason you can't either do it yourself or hook up with someone that can easily provide the service once you get the work.

Everyone here pretty much has a we presence and knows how important it is, well all the other businesses in your communities I am sure feel pretty much the same way.

Nowadays with things like Wordpress etc it's way too simple to do a site and get it out there so there is really no reason not to do it.

Just finished up this site: http://tinyurl.com/33jzx4w

and inlcuded a Facebook business page (Including a custom FBML app):

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Detailing-Plus/179020215453704?v=app_4949752878&ref=ts

Ballpark total $1,500. Simple no brainer and no time.

Think about it, read up on Wordpress, install a dummy site....Too many potential cusotmers out there not to offer this service

 

[cmonova]

The only problem I see with this is a bunch of computer tech companies offering bad web design at a price that someone else can do the job better.

That is why I said "To me there is really no reason you can't either do it yourself or hook up with someone that can easily provide the service once you get the work"...

But, not too sure on your 10-20% deal...That is typically what I "pay" when I source mine out.

 

[cmonova]

Well you can compare it to whatever you would like. Honestly no I don't know I should not of charged "ballpark $1,500" for it, no more than I would critize you for having a package for "as low as $150" which I would not even install Wordpress for.

I make sites that people make money over and over and over again. So yes to me charging $1,500 for a site "any site" is nothing compared to the revenue they bring in. I've had past customers tell me how great their site is, how they have landed jobs for 10K-20K due to their sites etc...So do I feel bad or charging $1,500...not one bit.

You want to do sites for $150...be my guest..

 

[cmonova]

Well to me

As for you charging that company $1,500 for that site is highway robbery.

...Ya i'd take that as a personal attack...maybe I read it wrong?

As far as SEO yep great money there also and I do that myself. But, when I build a site I include that with the package and I will get them on the 1st page for searches. So they don't need to pay me monthy because it's already going to be done. Along with that they are gettting a custom Facebook business page and a listing on 6 "local" portals.

 

[ProTech Support]

I have to 100% agree with you on this one. When I first moved from an on-site tech running out of my house to a retail store, I wanted to provide as many services as I could. One of them was website design and hosting. After just three months, I was making more from the web side of things vs. the repairs. If you can do it yourself, more power to you!

 

[DarDar]

What happened to Bryan's posts??

 

[Elemdee]

What happened to Bryan's posts??

Yeah, uh, confusing when it looks like Dan is talking to himself...

 

[datadatau]

Yeah, uh, confusing when it looks like Dan is talking to himself...

I agree with that, feel really lost reading on this thread.

Good topic though to consider, thanks for the insight.....

 

[cmonova]

Well sometimes I do talk to myself

But, no idea what happen to the post...Went to watch UFC came back and it appears I had a whole conversation with myself.

 

[ProTech Support]

He requested his posts be removed...I wasn't going to remove yours without the say-so from you

 

[TopLevelComp]

I got my foot in the door from seeing a local race tracks website, spent a few nights doing a new one. Showed them the website the following race night, got paid 500 dollars on the spot, they then turned around and did a shout out for the rest of the racing seasons announcing my business name and how I completely redid their website. Since then, I've had clients come to me for redesign and were apprehensive about costs since they'd had a few quotes from local "web designers" (One guy had the nerve to charge a client over 750 dollars for a Microsoft Frontpage design, complete with bright red background and bright yellow font.) all of them have paid cash up front for the designs and generally only require 2-3 fixes.

If you can take your time on potential clients, you can turn a simple web design into a complete business overhaul, including logo, which can run into the thousands when you're talking about designing business cards, brochures, letterheads, ect.

 

[buciotek]

Well you can compare it to whatever you would like. Honestly no I don't know I should not of charged "ballpark $1,500" for it, no more than I would critize you for having a package for "as low as $150" which I would not even install Wordpress for.

I make sites that people make money over and over and over again. So yes to me charging $1,500 for a site "any site" is nothing compared to the revenue they bring in. I've had past customers tell me how great their site is, how they have landed jobs for 10K-20K due to their sites etc...So do I feel bad or charging $1,500...not one bit.

You want to do sites for $150...be my guest..

Completely agree with this comment, I designed a website recently after the business owner was unhappy with a "professional" web design that cost him $250. I obviously charged him more but he was satisfied but the result.