Do you offer web design services? Here's a tip to justify higher prices.

11 replies
When I first started selling web design services, I had a lot of trouble because many prospects are put off by my high asking price.

Obviously I can't compete with budget firms that are everywhere, charging a few hundred bucks for a site. Granted, these sites are pretty much glorified templates, but I still had trouble justifying the (much) higher dollar amount we charged. Just saying "your site will be 100% unique because we code it from scratch" or "we offer unlimited revisions until you're happy", or "we provide on-site SEO to set a solid foundation if you want to rank it in the future" don't cut it because most people we talk to don't see the value in these benefits/features.

So I came up with an explanation that works. When asked about my pricing I now say something to the effect of:

"You want us to design your website because we come from an Internet marketing background. We help your website achieve what you actually want it to do. We know where exactly to lay out certain elements of your site to get visitors to complete the action you want, be it to buy products, join your mailing list, give you a call, and so on. If you hire a designer, they'll make you a pretty website, but it won't accomplish what you want it to do."

Whenever I say that I can see the prospect light up, followed by "Ahh, I see", "Exactly", "That makes sense", and so on. It's really helped me overcome the price objections. I hope it helps you as well.

Sherry
#design #higher #justify #offer #prices #services #tip #web
  • Profile picture of the author CreekChub
    Well said. We need more of this stuff in here - no pitch, no new magic bullet to "crush it" - just simple bits of wisdom that ring true to those of us who are living this thing for real on the outside.

    I'm still getting over the $1500 site hump, as in, I don't hesitate to use that as a base price for standard sites, but then I've worked this angle from day one. "I'm a marketer not a web designer" has been my mantra, even though I like to think I do OK at both.

    Lots of folks can make a pretty website, and everyone wants one. We STILL DO need to make pretty web sites. Ugly, outdated junk that isn't aesthetically pleasing and looks terrible on a mobile device isn't going to sell - I don't care how far above the fold you put your contact form. What sets us apart (theoretically) is that we can make pretty web sites THAT WORK.
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    • Profile picture of the author Biz Max
      Speaking of high value websites. I'd pay good money to have one like this-

      Index

      Sometimes words just can't quite do it. Seeing is convincing
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      • Profile picture of the author CreekChub
        Originally Posted by OfflineGold View Post

        Speaking of high value websites. I'd pay good money to have one like this-

        Index

        Sometimes words just can't quite do it. Seeing is convincing
        I'll bite. What's good money?
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        • Profile picture of the author Biz Max
          Originally Posted by CreekChub View Post

          I'll bite. What's good money?
          'good money' is subjective. I'd pay $5000 for a site like that. They likely paid a lot more.
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    • Profile picture of the author Sherry Han
      I agree - aesthetics is definitely part of it, but for most designers that's ALL of it, and this is the point I try to drive through to my prospects: Just having a pretty site is worthless! Except maybe to wow your friends/family... Is that the only reason you are paying to get a professional business website created? No, of course not.

      Also, where you get each lead is important. When prospects call me after finding me online, I find that I pretty much have to lower my prices a bit or I lose a large percentage of those sales. This may be due to me not having any phone sales skills, or that prospects are better able to compare prices online. Most likely it's a combination of both. But if I meet a client in person, that's when I can really justify charging $2k-3k for a website. That personal touch increases the price point almost naturally.

      Originally Posted by CreekChub View Post

      Well said. We need more of this stuff in here - no pitch, no new magic bullet to "crush it" - just simple bits of wisdom that ring true to those of us who are living this thing for real on the outside.

      I'm still getting over the $1500 site hump, as in, I don't hesitate to use that as a base price for standard sites, but then I've worked this angle from day one. "I'm a marketer not a web designer" has been my mantra, even though I like to think I do OK at both.

      Lots of folks can make a pretty website, and everyone wants one. We STILL DO need to make pretty web sites. Ugly, outdated junk that isn't aesthetically pleasing and looks terrible on a mobile device isn't going to sell - I don't care how far above the fold you put your contact form. What sets us apart (theoretically) is that we can make pretty web sites THAT WORK.
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  • Profile picture of the author kellyyarnsbro
    Nice share Sherry, cool tip.
    I'm now into web designing and stuff and just started few weeks ago, so i am looking for any possible posts here that I find useful for this field.
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  • Profile picture of the author Jason Kanigan
    The case study thread where someone got quotes from a ton of people high and low should show people that prospects are out there who will pay just about anything for a site. It wasn't about the prospect: it was about what the designer felt like charging. The responses pretty much said here's what I can do, and it'll be this much.

    The $200 guys replied, as did the $15,000 guys. What makes the difference? How comfortable the designer felt about what they charged. In other words, the key to higher prices is to start charging higher prices. You'll want to more than double your price, because you want to serve half the number of clients you used to and make the same money, right? This serves as a qualification tool all in itself.

    Now WHEN you talk about price is a question. I talk about it at the end of the process. Lots of people talk about it at the beginning. Might be a good idea to start off with, "Mr. Prospect, before we start exploring your situation, you ought to know that a design by our firm is $5000 minimum. That's because they are so effective in bringing you new clients. Will this be an issue for you?"
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  • Profile picture of the author bizgrower
    circa 2006 - a web designer, cutting edge with a good reputation already (again
    consider the year) charged $10,000 to build a site for an aquaintance of mine.
    It took a month of going over the client's books, inventory, sources, records and
    customers and really getting to KNOW the business. The original site was
    typical "Home" "About" pictures of the owner with famous people in the industry...

    The new site looked like an order sheet for the parts the client sold. Logically arranged
    by most popular, most profitable and so on. And, it allowed customers to order the
    parts they wanted in about two clicks. Within a year revenues went up ten fold.
    Customers were mostly mechanics and did not care about looks at all. They just
    wanted to order what they needed and get back to work.

    So, yeah, when you can cross the line into marketer or business consultant, you can charge more. It's about the value and what really serves the client.

    http://www.warriorforum.com/offline-...out-value.html

    Dan
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    "If you think you're the smartest person in the room, then you're probably in the wrong room."

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  • Profile picture of the author JayBay
    Is there a website conversions guide I'm missing out on somewhere? This is great stuff.
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    What can I do to be more helpful to you?

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    • Profile picture of the author Eddie Spangler
      Originally Posted by JayBay View Post

      Is there a website conversions guide I'm missing out on somewhere? This is great stuff.
      Try this one, its free and pretty good for beginners and you will also witness firsthand how an auto-responder series is used to help in those conversions.
      Website Conversion Guidebook | Infusionsoft
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      Promise Big.
      Deliver Bigger.
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  • Profile picture of the author wajahath
    I agree with sherry.

    I have the same kind of objections whenever we quote our price.

    I even met some clients who wanted to know the price instantly in the meeting with no documents involved.

    "website optimization" or Internet marketing" angle really plays as a friend for us and gets us the order of web design with SEO contracts.
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