Marketing Tip - July 07
Professionals can be expensive - but I don't know what I'm doing...
Developing a website can be more of a headache than a joy. Web development isn't a skill that is quickly and easily obtained, but hiring a professional can be expensive. So how do you decide whether to do it yourself or hire a professional?
The DIY Website:
| The Pros | The Reality |
| It's cheaper | Sure, if you have everything you need - software ($600) and skill ($500-$1500 for course) |
| It's easier | Sure if you or an employee has the skill and the 15+ hours |
| I can maintain it myself | Again, if you have the time and the skill. |
| The Cons | The Reality |
| The site doesn't look professional | The site ends up looking unprofessional and your customers don't want to purchase from it |
| I am CONSTANTLY maintaining it | You are spending hours and hours on it when you could be focusing on running your business |
| Time to set it up | It cost you a small fortune in time and money to set up |
The Professional Website:
| The Pros | The Reality |
| It looks fantastic | It looks great and your customers get a professional image of your company and are happy to purchase from you. |
| Somebody else did it | A professional handles the lot - you don't need to know html code or what an FTP server is. |
| Somebody else maintains it | The professional handle any updates and problems. |
| The Cons | The Reality |
| It cost more than my first car | It cost you in the vicinity of $1000 to $3000 dollars - but how much would it have cost you in time and money to do it yourself ($600 for software, $1000 for a course, 15-40 hours of your valuable time?) |
| I don't have much to do with it | GREAT! More time to spend on running your business! |
Tips for Getting What you Want From your Web Developer:
| Shop around - Smaller web design firms and freelance designers may be considerably cheaper than large, high profile firms. | |
| Ask for samples of their work - Are their other sites aesthetically pleasing? Are they well laid out and easy to navigate? | |
| What does the price include? - and do they provide a fixed price or charge by the hour? An average website could take 15 -35 hours to construct. And what do they charge for future updates? | |
| Will the web developer also host the site? Some developers may require you to host with them. If not, will they organise the hosting for you? | |
| How many draft designs will they offer you - and how many changes to the design can you make prior to construction without an additional fee? |
Planning Your Website
| Navigation | Keep navigation clear and simple across the top or down the left hand side. The golden rule for visitors is "don't make me think". |
| Content | Again keep it simple and concise. People will not read a lot of text on a computer screen. |
| Links | Avoid underlining text unless it is a link - users expect anything that is underlined to be a link. |
| Images | Images or graphics will brighten up your site and make it more visually appealing. Bear in mind though that images on other web sites, and in most print materials, are copyrighted. Sites for royalty-free images include:, Microsoft Clip Art (free) or iStock Photos (charge a few dollars). |
| Other expenses | Don't forget domain name registration, website hosting and search engine fees |
MOST IMPORTANLY - GET ONLINE
In today's competitive market a website is an essential business tool. More informative, and more accessible to your prospective client's than your business card or brochure.
Whichever road you choose to travel - the DIY or the professional website, one of the most important marketing decisions you can make is to have an online presence.