One of the most frustrating things about trying to have a website built is finding out what’s it’s going to cost.
One of the first questions anyone asks is “How much is it going to cost?”
I know this because it’s one of the first questions people ask when they inquire with me, or we get on our first call together.
The truth is, for big & complex custom projects, it’s hard to know what it’s going to cost before we figure out a lot of the details. It’s like asking “how much does a car cost?” — of course that depends on the kinds of features you’re after.
But not every website is a huge, complex, and custom job. In fact, a lot of websites (especially those for small businesses just getting off the ground) are pretty standard.
And if you’re just getting started, the thought of dropping $5,000 to $10,000 (the average cost of a website) probably makes you a bit anxious — I know I would be hesitant.
Many new business owners go straight to the DIY solutions like Wix and Squarespace. While that might save you some cash, it can be a huge time investment, and if you don’t know what you’re doing then it can actually cause costly mistakes that last long into the future of your online presence.
That’s why I’m so excited to announce our new Website Plans option starting off for as little as $200 per month!
What is a Website Plan?
A Website Plan is an affordable alternative to traditional website development, allowing you to pay a flat price, at a low monthly rate to get a professional website for your business.
Think of it like a monthly subscription service (like Netflix or Spotify) that takes care of your website design, hosting, security, and ongoing content updates – all for an affordable monthly fee.
Unlike traditional website design services, there’s no large upfront fee.
Unlike traditional website design services, there’s no large upfront fee. Your website costs are billed month to month, instead of all at once at the start of your project.
This means your website is kept safe, secure, and up to date with no additional charge, leaving you with more freedom to invest your budget into other marketing avenues.
You can read all the details on our Website Plans page, but here’s the TL;DR (too long; didn’t read):
- Plans start as low as $200/month with no large up-front costs
- Professionally designed and optimized for performance, user experience, and search engine optimization
- Includes all of your hosting, security, maintenance, and unlimited content updates
- Websites can be live in as little as 30-days
- 30-day money back guarantee (for any reason)
Within weeks your new, professionally built website will be live giving you the ability to start seeing a return on investment immediately. And because there is no limit to the amount of change requests and content updates you can request — your website can grow and adapt rapidly (just like your business will in its first few years).
The Problem with Traditional Development Pricing
When it comes to the traditional method of buying a website, it comes with two major inherent problems.
First, the upfront costs are unfeasible for most small businesses and startups who could put that money to better use hiring employees, buying equipment, or with other marketing efforts.
Second, investing so heavily in a website before your business really gets off the ground means you’re going to need to have a crystal ball to predict the future of your business.
Let’s talk about both of these issues…
Upfront Costs
The average website costs between $5,000 and $10,000. And in today’s world, you’re going to need a website just to get your business open. That’s a significant amount of money for any startup to invest.
Most businesses severely underestimate how expensive it will be to get their business opened. Between legal and compliance costs, facilities, equipment, and employees, businesses can easily spend $100,000 or more in their first year before they ever sniff anything that resembles a profit.
And unlike equipment or facilities that have residual value if the business were to fail, a website has little or no value to the business if the business doesn’t exist. A website has little equity until the business itself if profitable and sustainable.
For this reason, paying a large sum upfront to get a website live presents a real risk.
Forecasting
I’m sure most businesses like to think they have a solid plan in place before ever opening their doors. But the truth is, every business will change and grow significantly — especially in their first few years of business.
Knowing that change is inevitable, planning and developing an expensive website so early in the game doesn’t make a whole lot of sense. A year or two down the line, when the business has adapted, the website you so carefully planned in the begging could be inconsistent with the business you’re now running.
Predicting this change is nearly impossible, and these your growth will come at additional costs to your website when it comes time to make changes or even rebuild it to stay up-to-date with your business. Going back to your web agency means spending a few thousand more dollars on a website that hasn’t even produced ROI for you yet!
Advantage of a Website Plan
As an affordable alternative to traditional web development, Website Plans mitigate risk and help ensure your website’s long-term success.
Website Plans mitigate risk and help ensure your website’s long-term success.
I’ve written in detail about the 5 biggest advantages a Website Plan has over traditional development — but let’s take a look at the highlights.
Immediate ROI
At $200 per month, it makes it easy for your website to start producing a return on investment immediately. Depending on the price of your products or services, your website doesn’t need to bring in many new customers in order to start paying for itself.
A website that’s paying for itself has equity — something you’re unlikely to see for years with traditional development.
Mitigate Risk
I’m guessing you don’t have a crystal ball, right? That’s okay — a Website Plan is built for those who don’t.
Website Plans come with unlimited content updates and change requests.
This means your website can grow and adapt right alongside your business without ever having to incur additional costs.
Warranty
After your traditional website is built, it’s going to have to be maintained. Professional website management services average around $1,200 per year, which is an additional cost you’re going to have to absorb unless you want to risk your investment.
A Website Plan comes with a built-in warranty, guaranteeing your website is safe, secure, and has plenty of backups.
This kind of peace-of-mind (without additional costs) nearly justifies the cost of a Website Plan over traditional development alone!
Future-Proofing
Did you know the average lifespan of a website is only between 2 and 4 years? Technology changes quickly!
After two years, your website could be severely behind the times when it comes to technology — meaning it will be time to invest again before you know it!
A Website Plan keeps up with technology as it expands, which extends the life of your website indefinitely as long as you’re enrolled in the plan. This could end up saving you $20,000 or more over a 10-year period!
Faster Turnaround
There’s a lot on the line when it comes to traditional development — the large investment means you need to do a lot of planning and testing to make sure that money isn’t wasted.
But there’s less pressure to “get it perfect” with a Website Plan. This is actually an entire movement in the digital world which promotes doing smaller, incremental phases to build an online presence.
Instead of 12 weeks (or more!) to build a website, a website on a Website Plan could be live in just a couple of weeks.
The faster it’s live, the faster it’s helping your business grow!
A Website Plan Isn’t for Everyone
Of course, I’m not putting traditional development agencies out of business here — they still have their place.
For more established businesses or those with highly customized needs, the traditional route might make more sense.
For more established businesses or those with highly customized needs, the traditional route might make more sense.
In order to offer such an affordable solution, of course there are tradeoffs.
Instead of sacrificing quality (which I’d never want to do), Website Plans are limited in scope. If the website you need doesn’t fit within the prebuilt plans, then you’ll have to go the traditional route.
I’ve designed 3 distinct plans (Lite, Plus, and Premium) that cover the most common types of websites businesses have had developed through my agency over the last 5 years.
See if there’s a plan that’s right for you.
If you don’t fit into the limited scope of Website Plans, of course we can go the traditional route and still get your business online — just ask!
Get Started with a Website Plan Today!
Website Plans are officially launched, and there are several businesses already underway with their first month!
You can take a look at the plans, sign up directly on this website, or contact me if you have any questions — I’m happy to help!
