Benjamin Franklin once said…
“The bitterness of poor quality remains long after the sweetness of low price is forgotten.”
It’s a quote that holds true, especially for business owners like yourself who face numerous challenges when setting up a business. One of the biggest pressures is attracting customers, and having a well-designed website plays a crucial role in that.
With 75% of consumers admitting to making judgements on a company’s credibility based on the company’s website design, it’s essential to put your best foot forward and make a great impression. Your website is a place to showcase your story, advertise your unique offerings, and attract new customers.
Now, when you’re starting your business, it’s understandable that budgets can be tight. This often leads many business owners to seek out low-cost or quick website solutions. They might choose a supplier solely based on the lowest price and fastest turnaround time. However, this approach can lead to problems down the line.
As a business owner, you have many expenses to consider, such as bookkeepers, accountants, and internet service providers. When choosing these services, you evaluate your options based on the value they provide in terms of support, features, and how well they align with your business needs.
The same mindset should apply when selecting a website designer because building a website is an investment in your business.
A website should be viewed as a valuable asset that not only attracts customers but also something that saves you time with features like online bookings and payments.
Opting for a “cheap website” might fulfil the basic requirement of informing customers about your business, but it may not meet all your business needs. There are various factors to consider in website design, like:
- are the pages structured correctly and optimised for SEO?
- is there a strategy to drive traffic to your website?
- does it track your visitors with analytics?
- is your message compelling for them to take action and contact you?
- is your website saving you time in administration costs?
This is why it’s crucial to see your website as an investment rather than just something to get done quickly and inexpensively. You want your website to be a valuable asset for both your potential customers and yourself.
How a Cheap Website can actually cost you more
When you obtain quotes for your website, you will find they will vary in price and often cheap website design quotes aren’t always what they seem.
Cheap website prices can often equal low quality and can reflect the standard of service provided.
Let me explain why.
I designed a website for a client, he was so impressed with the outcome, he recommended my work to a business friend of his.
His friend liked what he saw and called me to talk through what he wanted for his website.
The conversation went a little like this…
Me: How can I help?
Them: Well, this guy did my website for me and I have never been happy with it. He now keeps invoicing me for stuff and I have no idea why, and what any of it means.
Me: Okay, let’s take a look at your site. Whats your website address?
[He told me and, I looked up his website, and at first glance it was pretty ordinary.]
As the discussion progressed, he mentioned what he paid for the site.
Them: I paid around $1,200 for the website.
After some discussion of what he wanted to achieve with the new website, I put together what I thought would work best for him and sent the proposal.
I called to explain everything within the proposal and he was a little uncertain about it, as the proposal I provided was higher in cost than what he had paid for the previous website.
However, he liked the work I did on his friend’s website and was happy to go ahead.
The cost may have been more, but I offered him better value and a thorough understanding of what he got for his new website, including ongoing costs.
Now let me be clear, there is no problem paying $1,200 for a website.
But if you are unhappy with the result for whatever reason I can’t see it as money well spent.
We launched the new website and the leads to come in at a much higher rate than before.
So now, his website actually cost him around 25% more that what it should of.
Why? Because he paid for it once, and then had the extra cost of doing it again the right way. Not to mention the loss of leads due to a poor conversion rate of the older site.
He’s much happier now, because he has a website that is actually working for him and his business, and bringing him more clients.
By choosing the wrong supplier, you could be losing potential customers in the meantime by having a substandard website portraying your business.
“Price is what you Pay, Value is what you Get.”
The above statement was quoted by Warren Buffett, widely considered the most successful investor of the 20th century.
When you first start looking for a website design company, you’re going to be basing a lot of the decisions that you make on the cost.
It’s natural, your budget is important to this decision. If you shop around you will likely see a variety of prices presented to you.
However, don’t just focus on the cost, look a little deeper and choose the quote that also offers you the best value.
There is a lot of things to think about when building a website that really works, such as;
- Clear and Easy to Use Navigation.
- Visual Design and Usability
- Content and Messaging
- Mobile Friendliness
- Your Branding
- Website Speed, and more…
Achieving all these aspects takes time and expertise, and low-budget websites often have to compromise on certain elements due to budget constraints.
Successful businesses understand the value of a well-designed and optimised website. They recognise that such websites not only attract customers but also provide a positive return on investment.
A visually appealing and user-friendly website encourages visitors to stay, explore, and consider doing business with you. On the other hand, if a website looks outdated, slow, or difficult to navigate, visitors are likely to leave quickly.
The Average Person Judges a Website based on its Looks — A Cheap Website will be often be dismissed
It takes 50 milliseconds (that’s 0.05 seconds) for users to form an opinion about your website, and whether they like your site or not, and whether they’ll stay or leave.
People on the internet are drawn to websites that are attractive to look at and that make a great first impression.
First impressions count, and the first is the one that will hook in your customers.
I spoke to a friend of mine once about this and he said:
“I look at the aesthetics of the website. If the website is ugly, slow or hard to navigate, I don’t bother.
I just search for someone else.”
So it’s no wonder…
38% of people will stop engaging with a website if the content/layout is unattractive. Source: Adobe
38%, that is over a third of your potential clients gone!
As you can see, appearance and your content matters.
The best thing that you can do is look at your competitors at how they’re doing and this will help you understand the standard for which you should be aiming at.
To ensure you’re meeting the standards set by your competitors and creating a positive impression, invest in quality design and content. Present your visitors with a website that reflects your brand and offers a great user experience.
This investment will pay off in the long run as customers return for more.
Conclusion, a Cheap Website Can Harm Your Business
A cheap website can harm your business by giving potential customers the wrong impression.
Treat your website and brand as important investments that are vital to your business’s success.
Don’t devalue your business with a cheap and ineffective website. Instead, seek value in the services provided by a professional reputable website designer, and consider the potential growth of your business.
As a substandard website, with little value to your potential clients could be pushing your customers away straight into the arms of a competitors.
Contact AOG Design today, we can help you with cost-effective website solutions that not only reflect your brand but also provide a positive return on investment.
