4 December 2011
An account of the cosultative approach highligting how cost effective a webite could be for a customer

Our aim is always to enter into a consultative conversation with the customer where we can find out what they want from a website which is commonly more business. But most businesses have a range of services, some more profitable than others. As designer we all have our preferred type of project.

If we can guide our conversations to a point where we are discussing the customers best type of work and we can find out some basic detail, we can use this info to highlight to the customer how the site can be very cost efficient for them.

The account that follows is the second half of ‘Converting a No Money Objection into a Design Project’

Customer. Well that would be great, nobody would argue with more customers but at what cost?

Web Designer. Well the cost will be reasonable, that’s for sure but it will depend on what you really want the site to do. I don’t want to quote you for functionality that you don’t really need. Let me ask you, if I was a customer on the phone to you right now, what would you most like me to be asking you for? Is there any part of your work that you’d like more of because it’s more profitable, or maybe because it’s quick work and you can get more done?….

Customer. My best work is small extensions, mind you I’ll take any extensions, but the small ones are the best as the profit’s in them and they don’t an age so I could do quite a few in the year.

Web Designer. And how many of those jobs could you take on over the next 12 months do you think?

Customer. 4 or 5 but it’s getting them.

Web Designer. So if I wanted an extension of say a study put in over my garage with an on suite loo so if we sold the house it could be an extra bed room, how much do you think that would cost me?

Customer. I work on a ball park figure of £1650 per cubic meter all in, first and second fix of everything, so think about how big it would be and work it from there.

Web Designer. OK well it’ll be 2 and a half meters high by 3 by 4 so that’s what…30 square meters so it would cost me about 50k yeh.

Customer. Sounds reasonable.

Web Designer. Is that about the average size job you do?

Customer. Yeh, well maybe between 40 & 50.

Web Designer. And from builders I know they make about 20% on that so you’d gross about 10k from a job that size.

Customer. Maybe, but where’s this going?

Web Designer. Oh sorry, I should explain, we could create a site for you that attracted all types of work from your little brick laying jobs fixing a fallen wall, through to knocking out walls and making rooms larger, right up to building houses. But it might be better for you, if there’s a particular type of work that you really want to target, to create a site that is especially about that type of work… a small to medium size extension specialist site so to speak.

What sort of area do you cover? Only within the county or further a field?

Customer. Mainly within the county. So let me get this right, I could have a website to pick up any kind of work, or I could focus on the big stuff. Could I do both?

Web Designer. Yes you can have a site that covers any type of work or a specialist site for the big work, which would you prefer, all types of work or focussing on the big work.

Customer. Is there a difference in cost?

Web Designer. If you have the site covering all the sides of your business it’ll be larger than a site focussing on one area which may make it more expensive. I thought it might be a better for you financially to consider a smaller, less expensive site that focuses on the best type of work. If you only get 2 jobs out of the site in the following 12 months the site will have paid for itself ten fold, you’d have brought in 16 to 20 thousand if they’re average size jobs. So how would you feel about focussing on the big stuff you do?

Customer. You said ten fold so m I looking at sixteen hundred to 2 grand for the site?

Web Designer. Would that represent good value to you for a site that could bring in 16k over the next year, and then of course you’ve got the word of mouth, or as we said the word of Facebook, from the work you’ve done which could produce more work.

Customer. What hidden costs are there? What do I pay in total?

Web Designer. I take it that it does represent good value as long as there’s no hidden extras and there’s only the on going hosting and site care we provide which is £10 per month.

Customer. Neither here nor there, so describe to me what I’d get then…..