One recurring theme any web programmer and/or designer will tell you they run into when working on websites for clients, is that clients will approach them and ask, “So – how much does it cost to get a website done?” To neophytes in this field, it seems like a reasonable question – but let’s reel that back and place it in any other category… such as, “How much will it cost for you to build me a house?” Is it a 1 story? Is it a 3-story? Is it a single-wide mobile home? Is it a shanty or a mansion? Does it have solar panels, or just the basics with insulation having an RF factor of zero? Likewise – how much does  a car cost? Are we talking Hyundai or Jaguar? Or somewhere in between?

As an employer looking to have a site designed for your blog, your hobby, your small business, your civic organization, etc., you need to know what your goals are for your web presence. Many small businesses sustain quite well with what is called a ‘business card site’ – basic information on one page – that pertinent contact information on it, and not much else.

It is unlikely that you’d go through the trouble of buying a toll-free number for your business, get it silk-screened on the side of your company car, but never bother to answer the phone, yet this is how many people treat their online presence. Before you build your website – you need to already have a goal in mind. Are you getting a site just so you can say you’re ‘on the web,’ or are you – at the very least – going to use it as a communication tool? If your site has blank pages, broken links, or a ‘coming soon’ message anywhere – you might as well have that toll-free number go to a voicemail message that states, “Welcome to our new phone number. We’re not ready to answer your calls yet, but please call back soon!” YOU may not be very web savvy, but many of your customers are – and when they run into this, they will quickly leave to go to one of your competitors.

When you’re building a custom home – you have a budget limit you have to stay within, and you have architectural plans to present to your builder. Without an outline at the very least, of how many bedrooms and bathrooms you want in the house, the builder will not be able to start. In similar manner, the person you hire to work on your website has to rely on YOU to supply content. You need to have your contact information and a blurb about your company/organization at the bare minimum.

What are the sites you visit most frequently? Have you looked at your competitors’ sites?

Many small businesses and owners of sole proprietorships have been ‘burned’ by vendors in the past – including so-called web designers who took thousands of dollars and never delivered. After this experience, they then decide they will only pay the next person $100 for the same amount of work they were willing to pay $2,000 for with a previous contractor. While this emotional response is understandable – we would not apply that reasoning to any other part of our lives. We would not have a bad attorney, but expect a better one at minimum wage. Nor would we feel good about paying a mechanic to replace our transmission for $100.

This is where references come into play. Freelancers on freelancing.com have the ability to include links to their online portfolios where they may include links to sites they’ve worked on for other clients. You have the opportunity to do your own research – before you make a commitment. When we have a leaky pipe – we often will ask a neighbor if they have a plumber they trust… or if we go online, we may consult Yelp! or Angie’s List for any type of feedback that might be present for plumbers in our area. You can also look for their profile on LinkedIn to see if they have recommendations from colleagues or former clients.

Can you get a legit, decent looking website on the cheap? Yes. There are online services that will walk you through steps to get a cookie-cutter site up and running – but if you want a site that lets you maintain ownership of your own dot-com (domain name) and where you will get professional guidance on best practices – a freelancer with lots of real world experience and an impressive resumé of past clients can in the long run, deliver far more bang for the buck.

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