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Website Design Service Query and thoughts

by brainagogo
17 replies
Hello fellow Warriors,

I have came across lots of threads, blogs and even WSOs that guides you on how to start up your own web design business, how to find leads, how to make cold calls, how to make a lasting impression with your client and yadda yadda the list goes on.

However, I've noticed ONE major problem that wasn't addressed or brought up, ever.
We all know how easy it is to build a professional, nice looking website for businesses with the help of Wordpress and their ever-growing themes that can be obtained for FREE or for an affordable price. And here comes the problem:

When you're done with the website and you deliver it to your client, it's only natural that you provide them their login credentials to the very website they own, yes?
Now when they log on to the Wordpress Dashboard, it wouldn't take a genius (let alone business owners, or executives) to hover and play around with the settings.
It wouldn't take long for them to eventually find out that all you did was upload a theme and BAM, you have created a 'website' out from it.

And with a quick 30 second Google search, they can even find out the price of the theme you have installed. Well, maybe not the exact one but they'll eventually get the idea that they can get stunning looking themes with only $20).
So when they start doubting your 'skill' and question "why the hell do you charge me $199, $497 or even $1000 for something that can be done and settled for under $50?", how do you really dig yourself out of the hole?

Would love to hear your thoughts.
Thanks!
#design #query #service #thoughts #website
  • Profile picture of the author jarod b
    Well me personally, I would tell clients it's because I chose a theme that best fitted their needs, and as a result, it cost a lot. On top of that, I scientifically know what pieces of content to put in front of visitors, so I actually know how to get them involved in taking action...

    But I've never sold a site, so I can only give you theory, mate.

    Yup.
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  • Profile picture of the author WeavingThoughts
    The theme costs $50. Not designing it, installing it, configuring it, uploading it. That takes hours on end if not longer. Try buying a theme and making a website with it. With your level of knowledge, I guarantee you would give up. A theme is a small part of the picture. Just installing it won't make it look like they advertise. Try doing it yourself.
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    • Profile picture of the author dknyrob
      Originally Posted by WeavingThoughts View Post

      The theme costs $50. Not designing it, installing it, configuring it, uploading it. That takes hours on end if not longer. Try buying a theme and making a website with it. With your level of knowledge, I guarantee you would give up. A theme is a small part of the picture. Just installing it won't make it look like they advertise. Try doing it yourself.
      Great point I charge client about $1000 dollars though the theme was only $45. Working with a themeforest theme is not so easy and fast to customize it, so like you mention its the time that you have add in.
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      • Profile picture of the author kevinenrique
        I understand your concern. There is a plug in that will take care of that. It will white label your WP installation and replace the WP logo and WP branding with your logo and brand. Also it will restrict access to some areas. Your customer will never find out.
        I think the plug in is free, when I get back to my office ill post the link.
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      • Profile picture of the author n_touch
        Originally Posted by dknyrob View Post

        Working with a themeforest theme is not so easy and fast to customize it, so like you mention its the time that you have add in.
        I agree with this, I am working on a responsive great theme from them now, and I can guarantee that anyone that does not have experience would quit and do so fast. It is not about uploading a few pictures and being done, it is about the set up and knowing how to make sure everything will work correctly. I get calls from people on a regular basis needing help with their theme that they could not get to work the way they wanted. That and many business owners do not have the time to put into their own site, they are to busy running a business.
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  • Profile picture of the author goodmast3r
    Your selling your service, not the theme, not the software. You are selling your time, your expertise, your knowledge. That's worth more than $199, $497 or even $1000. And for them, it's not just a website, it's their tool to make money. Would they care, if their $500 website generate thousands of profit for them.
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  • Profile picture of the author Colm Whelan
    "Oh yes Mr. Client, I know it cost $50. It was so cheap I didn't even charge you for it. I only charged you for the work involved in turning it into a website, doing your seo, hosting etc."
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    • Profile picture of the author depp12
      Some wordpress themes you can just change the name of the theme without upsetting the structure. You could try it. I have done it.

      So if the clients name was bob's diner you could just name the theme that too.He thinks that theme was made for him then.

      Just an idea...
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  • Profile picture of the author Aaron Doud
    1. Ever techy people don't always want to do these steps themselves.
    2. Others wouldn't have a clue to begin to understand what you did.

    You are selling them a quality website that fits their needs. That is what they care about. If you are worried about how easy it was or think you over charged that says a lot about your product. If your product is crap (even just in your own mind) no one will buy it.

    So are you spending 10 mins producing crap or are you producing valuable websites at affordable prices by using automation?
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  • Profile picture of the author MaxwellB
    Originally Posted by brainagogo View Post

    And here comes the problem:

    When you’re done with the website and you deliver it to your client, it’s only natural that you provide them their login credentials to the very website they own, yes?
    No it's not natural at all.

    I never give clients any login information...not wordpress, not cpanel. I host/support/maintain all my clients websites for them. They want a change? "Sure no problem I'll have it done soon Dan"

    Anything they need done I will do, and gladly..they are paying me for it.


    I would not recommend any beginner get into the habit of doing what you think is "only natural".


    AND on one last note. FYI you don't just download a theme and install it on a server. There is a lot of customization and design and development that is done to a theme to make it look like a good website. Unless of course you are only charging $497 like your claiming...

    I think your problem is you don't see the value because you think $1000 is a lot for a custom site.
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    • Profile picture of the author Aaron Doud
      Originally Posted by MaxwellB View Post

      No it's not natural at all.

      I never give clients any login information...not wordpress, not cpanel. I host/support/maintain all my clients websites for them. They want a change? "Sure no problem I'll have it done soon Dan"

      Anything they need done I will do, and gladly..they are paying me for it.


      I would not recommend any beginner get into the habit of doing what you think is "only natural".
      Got to admit that most small to medium businesses have an all in one provider like this.

      I have access to a webpage builder/CMS built into our site but I do not nor do I want access to the host and etc. If I need something done there I ask and it is normally done within a few hours on a weekday.

      And I am far more techy than most people who warriors would be selling to.

      Businesses want it done for them in simple packages.

      The company that does our hosting even offers packages for web maintenance for the dealers who don't have a guy like me in house.
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  • Profile picture of the author kevinenrique
    Heres the link to the plug in that does the whitelabeling: WordPress › White Label CMS « WordPress Plugins

    I'm not affiliated in anyway with this, i just find it cool.
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  • Profile picture of the author spesialis
    That is correct, everyone could sign up to godaddy or hostgator, click fantastico, visit themeforest, pick a theme, install the theme, change the logo, input the content.

    My god, I should be starving by now.
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  • Profile picture of the author stone2010
    When you go to the supermarket and buy 1lb of pasta for 99 cents, 1lb of chicken for $2, marinara sauce for $4 some cheese for a few more dollars.. You can make a few Chicken Parmagiana dishes out of that, so why do restaurants charge $19 for a dish? Well because first you dont have to do it yourself, second it is going to be a lot better than yours of course if you choose the right restaurant. The whole point is a lot of things if you do them yourself might be cheaper and save people a few bucks and a lot of people rather pay and have someone that knows what they are doing take care of it. You don't see Lawyers performing brain surgery etc... Charge what you worth and don't worry about that
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  • Profile picture of the author Arzak
    Just wanted to also add that, at least for me, it's a headache just choosing a theme. There are just too many choices. Any suggestions? Do you just use a select few and customize them accordingly?

    A good point is that every Wordpress theme has its own learning curve. You could be spending hours configuring it to get it to look "right." Documentation isn't always enough, that's why there are always so many questions in the theme's comment section. I've had to ditch a theme because it was so difficult to use.

    As for figuring out the theme name/price, from what I've read on the TF forums, you can remove the credit part with the author and change the theme name. There's also a plugin that will hide the fact that you're using WP.
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    • Profile picture of the author DABK
      I noticed you did not say anything about them firing their receptionist and doing the work themselves. I'm sure that if they can run a business they can answer a phone.

      You didn't mention business owners just firing receptionist and their cleaning lady and such because you're clear on the value of answering a phone vs running a business.

      Real life examples:
      A real estate appraiser can do an appraisal in 8 hours and get $300. The guy running a small real estate appraisal business can get $1777 revenue (some $340 in profit + their salary (around here the going rate for managers of the type of office I'm talking about get $4500 a month, so, if the business owner manages the business, you add $180 to $200/day, depending on how many hours they work to get it... $180 is for 10 hours).

      The dentist office I go to gets $110 an hour for me for cleaning. More for other things. I've been with them for 2 years and have yet to see the dentist who owns the office. He's got other dentists and hygienists and other people doing the actual dental work.

      In any given day, he can have his people generating him over $3,000 in revenue. Or he can do the cleaning himself, work himself silly and make $880 in 8 hours. Then he'd have to go spend a few hours marketing, doing the books, cleaning the office, keeping up with the new medications and procedures. He's at 24 hours and he hasn't slept yet.

      C'mon. If they're going to not run their businesses but change a site, they're not doing well, won't have money to pay you anyway, you're better off teaching them how to do it well for a nice, one-time fee. Or, better yet, don't even bother with that kind of person.
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  • Profile picture of the author FA8891
    You're not playing with their money,you worked hard to make a product, you spent time to finish it so you don't have problem but they have problem understanding a real product, good luck and go your way, don't worry.
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