I was chatting with an old friend who is looking for a firm to redesign his website. He wanted a completely custom site built from scratch, AI bots for customer service, an interactive homepage, custom-built connections to his accounting and project management software, CRM integration, a robust SEO and social media strategy, and world-class security and accessibility standards.

His initial budget was $4,000. For the type of site he described, that is not even half the cost of the deposit for a site Clay+Group would build.

Sidenote: Our projects can range from $1,500-$50,000 depending on your needs. Check out our pricing and service guide or inquire about our pro-bono program.

My friend felt a bit discouraged after hearing that he’d need a few more dollars to be taken seriously by firms who design unique websites without the help of existing WordPress, Wix, and Squarespace templates. But after our chat, he had a better idea of what it will take to get him online with his budget while creating a plan to include all his must-have’s and a few optional wins.

Create a list of needs vs. wants.

Before reaching out to a firm, write down a list of everything you’d want for your website. This is typically done by organizations who have written RFPs. After you’ve created your list, highlight the top 5-10 features that are critical to get you online. That could include things like:

  • An SSL certificate
  • A contact form
  • A blogging feature
  • 5-7 subpages
  • Social media integration
  • Mobile responsive and accessibility standards
  • A user-friendly backend with training

When talking with firms, ask if they’ll present you with two options: your ‘critical for launch’ estimate and your ‘wish list’ estimate. Both estimates will help better inform your decision to move forward with your project as quickly as possible.

Plan to launch your website in a 2-3 phases.

Part of the sticker shock that comes with website projects is putting everything on your wish list in the first phase of your website redesign. While a reliable firm like Clay+Group can handle a large project upfront, it is often a smarter budget choice for partners to phase out the work so you’re not frontloading costs for the site. When your new site launches, I guarantee that you’ll want to make changes to existing features while also expanding on nice-to-have design and function. Designing your site in phases will help absorb some of those hindsight expenses and give you the flexibility to make investments in the site as it is helping you increase your organization’s revenue.

Ask about the firm’s capacity beyond website development.

Whether you are creating a new website or redesigning an existing site, there are several tasks that your firm may not have capacity to complete. This could include video production and editing, social media strategy and implementation, search engine optimization, photography, creative writing, and copyediting—all tasks that can easily double your project estimate if you have budgeted only for the website. While some firms have all those roles in-house, others will either outsource the work or refer you directly to boutique firms or freelancers for an estimate. We typically save our partners money by building in costs for these deliverables to handle the work in-house or by hiring a freelancer within your existing budget to help support the work.

Hire the right firm the first time!

I cannot tell you how many clients come to C+G saying, “I was working with another freelancer and was completely disappointed in what they delivered.” Unfortunately in design industry, you typically do not get a refund or “store credit” for work you do not absolutely love. It is important to research your preferred vendor before you hire the firm. Look at its previous work, but also ask to see projects it may have worked on but cannot publicly disclose its involvement. Ask for references! Any firm can perfect its pitch, but there is nothing like an endorsement from previous happy customers. Meet with the firm over the phone or in person to get a better idea of its responsiveness and how it will communicate with you throughout the project. Overall, an experienced firm like C+G will be able to gain the insights necessary and advise you on budget-friendly options. Feel free to consult with 2-3 firms to get a range of options and can assess who is the best fit for your business.