Now on to the Good Stuff
I am relieved to be done with the very constrictive set of posts giving a waterfront view of website optimization. Now, we can get into the good stuff. What is the good stuff you might ask.
Well, my first stab at the good stuff is with regard to “getting a new website.” I am anxiously anticipating the upcoming posts by an acquaintance of mine at our local grassroots marketing firm. Turns out Sam Swenson, the Blueline web guy, is writing some great stuff about pricing new websites. It is fun and very insightful to get a developer’s view on the industry.
The part that is not surprising, but still frustrating is his absolutely correct answer to the question, “how much should a new website cost?” The answer we all expect and hate — It DEPENDS. Oh, those web developers are just trying to get as much as they can from us right? Wrong. It really does depend. Sam is going into a fair amount of detail about why it depends, and giving you a bit of an idea of what to expect when you go looking.
Here is my diddy to supplement his comments. Do it right the first time. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Measure twice; cut once. And on and on.
The point is, making the right choice of technology, tools, and having a clear vision of what you can and should expect is the only way to spend the right amount. Before you start stumbling over prices you should think first about how your website will support your business (if you are getting a personal website just go straight to the price). Obvious, huh? It is, except when you are immersed in the RFP drill and the fight for control ensues between marketing and IT, etc. etc.
Also speaking of RFPs, it is my opinion, that the less technical your RFPs are the better. In most cases (not all) it will not matter whether your website is .NET or PHP or Cold Fusion, what will matter ALWAYS is whether it will make your business processes better. I think RFPs can stifle the creativity of your service provider, and decrease the quality of the product you get at the end of the day. In my experience, the best “new website” projects have come from the involved parties sitting at a table discussing needs and capabilities.
In closing, before you even worry about how much your new website will cost you should be thinking about how much it is worth. You may spend $70,000 on a new website and still be under-funding it, or you may spend $2000 and get more than you need. It depends. But, considering your company size, resources, and needs there probably some reasonable ranges, and I suspect Sam can help you with that….
