Value for Money From your Northern Beaches Web Design Company?

In a market sector that can be confusing, daunting and sometimes a little intimidating it can be easy for companies to take advantage of this to provide a sub-standard service and charge a premium for it.

How Do You Know That You Are Getting Value From Your Northern Beaches Web Company?

I love the Internet and have seen the impact using it correctly can have on a business. I still believe it is one of the most cost effective mediums for marketing and growing your business in these competitive times. That is as long as you are getting value from the company that you trust to implement this for you.

As in any market there are great suppliers and there are those that may not be so great, I want to make sure you can get the best supplier out there and that they deliver the best value for your buck. The fact is most of the suppliers out there are doing a great job and delivering real value for their clients, unfortunately I still come across too many people that have received sub-standard service and sub-standard work for a price that does not match the result, so what can you do to ensure you get value from your web company?

Do Some Research

To be informed is to be prepared. Spend some time reading up on the Internet or through magazines, about websites and marketing online so that you understand the basic concepts and what is the standard in terms of technology and approaches. This way you can show the web company you have knowledge about this area and that they cannot pull the wool over your eyes or bamboozle you with jargon.

Speak to Other Clients

Ask for references, read testimonials and even contact previous clients to get their feedback on the quality of work and level of customer service. You can be sure that a client who received a low level of service will be more than happy to share their experience with you. If you do not like what you hear walk away.

Don’t go by Price Alone

As the old adage says “You get what you pay for”. Yes you can get a website for $500 but will this be designed and optimised for your business and really work hard for you? What other value will you get for this price? I often here people say they paid someone to build a website and nothing happened, building the site is only the first part in your online strategy. Can the $500 company support and advise you on-going? As a guide you should be looking at around $1500 - $2000 investment for a good quality website package to get you started effectively.

Shop Around and Match, Like For Like

Get your web company to explain exactly what you are getting for the price. Ask them to justify the amount they are asking you to invest and see where you are getting the value. Speak to at least two providers to compare approaches and inclusions to see what suits your needs the best. As mentioned in the previous point, don’t go on price alone, go by what seems to be the most well thought out and appropriate approach. Don’t try to play off companies against each other on price as this will only end up with a price war that ends up with reduced quality and service.

These are just some of the things you can do to try and ensure you get the best value for your online investment. This way we can make sure the expectation of quality and service is raised in the business, resulting in better work and results for all.

If you would like any further advice or ideas for places to start finding our more about the Internet, websites and online marketing in general please get in touch.

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Ivan Slade is a Director at Flow Interactive, a Manly & Nothern Beaches Web Design consultancy which aims to help make technology work harder for you. He has over 15 years IT experience across the digital space covering web design and development, multimedia, graphic design, online marketing and much more.

Ivan believes in utilising technology to fulfil business needs, making use of the most appropriate source whether it is existing, new or free, to help businesses achieve competitive advantage. He is a Certified Internet Webmaster, has the equivalent of an IT degree as verified by the Australian Computer Society and is a self confessed geek with a passion for all things digital.