8 Things to Know Before Requesting a Website Design Quote

Planning to create (or redesign) a business website for your service/product to market it online? I would say you are on the right path, as every business needs a website. Depending on business goal a website can be simple 5-6 pages serve as a brochure or even a simple blog, which provide information which your potential customers might be looking online. Creating a website for local or small business is an essential thing which every business owner should think off. So, If you have made your mind around getting a website for your business and seeking for a quality website design quote from a website designer, this article will provide some great information to get started.

These are some few essential information you should gather before you approach any website designer or web design agency. It’s a homework that every person or company looking to design a website should be doing. Why is this important? because when you contact any website designer without essential information about your website plans. You will be wasting your time. You may look unprofessional, therefore some company and individual freelancer might not entertain your request for website design quote.

Plan before requesting a website design quote

Following are the 8 Essential piece of information that you should gather or prepare before asking a website designer for a quote.

What are the goals/purpose of creating a website?

You might already have a business plan which will give you some of the answers to the below question. If not then, first of all, ask yourself these questions and make a note for a website designer.

  • The main purpose of opening a website?
  • What do you want to achieve from the website?
  • Who is your target audience?
  • Your expectations for your site?

A website is expected to bring returns on investments. What type of return are you trying to get from your new website? Think on along the lines of how this website will help to grow your business.

How will your customers find you?

One of the important things a website need is a traffic and this traffic can only come when your website is constantly getting attention from your potential customers. Before you open a website, you should understand that there are millions of websites on the internet. So, if you want new customers to be able to find your website, you need a marketing plan for launching a website and move forward.

what is your plan for marketing your website?

  • optimizing for search engines (SEO),
  • content marketing,
  • paid ads,
  • classified,
  • local directories,
  • social media marketing
  • or traditional media marketing?

Whatever the path you take to attract your website. You will need to ask your design/developer to optimize your website for such and such results.

Actions website visitor takes on your website:

Every website should accomplish something. You might have a simple need depending on your website goals. You might what visitors to click “Call Now” so they can talk directly and take a sale rep, or fill out a contact form or request a callback, or engage on the blogs by posting comments, or subscribe to your blog or download an ebook in exchange for an email.  All these actions can help you fulfill your website goals, which may be the following;

  • Get more inbound leads
  • quote requests/phone inquiries?
  • Brand awareness?
  • Educate their audience?
  • Build Email List?
  • Encourage sales?
  • Social media interaction?

However, this all helps a website designer/developer to understand the scoop on the project and will able to find a solution which works for your business goals. Most of all help to determine website design cost base on time and effort to accomplish the results.

Outline the pages you want on your website (Create a Sitemap)

Based on all information you have collected so far, think what information you what on your website? try to create a sitemap; a list of pages you want. Having a sitemap for your website is going to be an important to understand your website structure and content goes on the web pages.

Creating the sitemap for your website designer, help him to determine the website design cost and will also help the website designer to plan and effectively communicate the logical presentation of your website content, so your customers can easily understand your website’s content.

Next step would be creating content and finding images that your website designer will use for creating your business website.

Website design look and feel.

It’s ok if you don’t have an idea about how your website design should look. Most web designer understands that you may not have design background that the reason you are hiring a professional website designer who can help figure out the best solution.

But if you have an idea/reference to share with your designer, that’s great. This will help the website designer in the process and you might save some money. Most of the time designer will help you to figure out the layout, color, and element to use on the website pages. So try to make mind around the design you like before asking for website designer quote.

Find the budget you want to spend on your new website.

This is another very important aspect you need to critically analyze before approaching a website designer. What is your budget? How much do you willing to spend on your website? Most of the time website designer ask about your budget to figure out the best solution they can provide you within a budget.

Also, whether a solution is dynamic or a static website, you need to be sure of your pocket size before creating a website for asking for something which may be unreasonable. The strength of your website does depend on how much you invested in building a professional and optimized website.

If you are serious about commissioning a website, tell your website designer about your budget and ask him how he can help you to achieve the desired results. and see its that’s worth to you. If you aren’t serious, just curious about the pricing then just email asking the web designer to provide an estimate or ballpark range which will satisfy your curiosity and save the designer’s time from working to prepare an accurate quote. Check out the pricing guide for the different type of website.

Proposed launch date

Many time I receive an inquiry for quoting a website project and the deadline for the project are not realistic at all. So if you are making a contact with a freelance website designer, make the proposed launch date in realistic for a website designer to a quality website for your business. If proposed launch date is not realistic, the designer you will let you know.

This help website designer to organize/schedule your project in their workflow. When you propose a launch date and expectation from the freelance website designer, make sure all pieces to require to create your website (content/image, domain, hosting etc) is ready.

Keeping a website updated and live.

Creating a local/small business website is not an issue, the main question you should ask yourself is this; How much time am I willing to sacrifice and commit to my new website? Most websites suffer because there is no continuity in updating the website and its contents. Handling a website is definitely not an easy task, so before you open a website you should be sure of the amount of time, effort and commitment you will give to the website.

Also, your website may need a regular maintenance based on your goals. some simple task you may to it yourself with little training such as content update, adding new content, updating images, creating new pages, publishing/formatting blog articles. On another side, some technical stuff such as creating your website backup, updating the plugin, monitoring the website for a potential hacker, improving SEO, monitoring website traffic or removing error from webmaster tool etc need a monthly maintenance plan to keep your website running smooth. Feel free to ask your website designer what you would like to include in the maintenance plan.

Bonus information:

Domain Web Hosting and Email

Every website on the internet needs a domain name & hosting space and both have a recurring fee. The domain name needs to be renewed every year and the hosting service is monthly or annually. Website designer offers such service at an affordable rate for their clients. and help manage those service for you.

On-going Search Engine Optimization

Usually, a professional website designer will keep SEO in mind when designing and developing a website. but after website launch, you need to help with submitting your website to local/popular directories to list your business. you website designer can help you with that usually requires an extra cost.

Website Content / Image

In terms of website content/image for the website, most of the company and freelancer except client to provide material for the website as it’s in the best interest of the business owner. If not, you may ask for such services and that comes at an extra cost.

Hope this article will help you in the process of creating or rebuilding your company website project. Let me know in the comment below about the challenges you might have faced during a website designer hiring process.