how much does design cost

To determine if they are a good fit for the project

One of the first things a web design agency will ask you is what your budget is.

This is because they need to know if they are a good fit for the project and if they can deliver everything you have requested.

If your budget is too low, the agency may be unable to provide you with the level of service you seek, and you might need to either alter your scope or look to use a freelancer of off-shore service.

On the other hand, if your budget is high, the agency may not be able to handle the project’s scope, and you’ll need to go to a larger agency.

Most WordPress agencies have a budget range that they feel comfortable working within.

There is a lot of variance in the bottom range of these budgets, but an agency with integrity will tell you if your budget is too large for them.

This is crucial for the success of your project: working with a WordPress agency that can deliver what you need rather than one that gets greedily excited about the money and worries how they will deliver your site later on.

To create a realistic project plan

Once the agency knows your budget, it can create a realistic project plan.

This plan will outline the scope of work, the timeline, and the cost. This will help ensure the project stays on track and within budget.

There may be a suggestion for a phased approach to the project for smaller budgets, with an MVP delivered in the first phase and phase two planned further down the line when more budget becomes available.

To avoid scope creep

Scope creep is when the project starts to grow beyond its original scope.

This can happen when the client adds new features or functionality to the website.

If the agency does not know your budget, they may be more likely to agree to scope creep, which can lead to cost overruns.

One thing that we advise clients is not to invest heavily in ideas or functionality without any data to back up the need for the additional work.

As WordPress is so flexible, new functionality can be added when there is a need for it, rather than adding functionality (and cost) for development that is often seldom used by visitors.

One good example of this is animation; designers and marketers love it, but to the end user, unless it actively improves UX, it does nothing for them.

Just like adding extra ice to a drink won’t make it any colder, expensive JS and CSS work is often not required by your users, but is desired by the brand stakeholder.

To provide transparency

By knowing your budget, the agency can provide you with transparency about the project’s costs.

This will help you to make informed decisions about the project and to avoid any surprises down the road.

We tell clients what we can achieve within their budgets, not what they need to spend.

For startups and smaller businesses, especially charities, this is an important part of budgeting and quoting a project.

If you tell an agency that you don’t have a budget, your proposal request goes to the bottom of the pile, or you get something wildly over your expections.

If the price you are quoted is under, over or as expected when you receive it, you did have a budget, or at least a price you were willing to pay, so sharing this upfront saves everyone a lot of time and money.

To build trust

Sharing your budget with the agency shows that you are serious about the project and willing to be transparent.

This can help to build trust between you and the agency, which is essential for a successful project.

It takes a lot of time to assemble a proper website proposal, at least 3 hours if you include the initial meetings, research, writing the proposal and providing appropriate case studies.

If you approach five agencies and ask them for proposals, that’s 15 hours of work (at least) for the agencies, and as it’s often the senior staff that provide quotes, your request has cost the industry around £600 in people-hours to get the proposal to you.

You’ve also had to invest your time meeting everyone and reviewing proposals, so that’s another 15 hours.

Good WordPress agencies don’t want to waste your time, and they certainly don’t want to waste theirs, so trusting your shortlisted agencies with your budget is important.

Conclusion

By knowing your budget, a web design agency can provide you with the best possible service.

They will be able to tell you what can be achieved, what can’t and what can be reworked to get it inside your budget.

They can create a realistic project plan, avoid scope creep, and provide transparency.

This can help to ensure that your project is a success.


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