27 October 2011
Tips on web design inquiries that will get you good quotes allowing you to compare design firms.

After much brainstorming and anticipation you feel you’re ready to order a website that will move your business forward or make your organization stand out from the rest. Great!

You start to look for web design firms that have the style and vibe you are looking for but you also want the best possible Quality Price Ratio (QPR). The end result has to meet your expectations without destroying your budget!

Be prepared

The first thing most people do is send out some inquiries by email or through the developer’s website. The more details you can provide in your inquiry the more accurate the quote will be.

We often get website development inquiries that read as follows:
"Hi, how much for a website?" or "I want a site just like Facebook, deadline is next week…"

This is not the way to go. We can always give a ballpark price or provide some sample pricing setups but it will never be specified to your personal needs. It’s hard to compare design firms without providing the project details and you might miss out on your perfect match because of this.

Checklist

Here are some pointers that will help you to get an accurate quote for your project:

Tell a little bit about your business and your industry, just a few lines will do.

The estimated amount of pages or titles for the pages you have in mind (about, contact etc.).

Do you have a finished logo or do you need one designed.

What social media platforms are you on and do you want them integrated into the website.

Do you want to update the website yourself (CMS) or leave it in the hands of the developer.

List any other special features you would like to see in your website.

Now you are ready!

Send out those inquiries to the shortlist of design firms you had in mind and let’s see what they come up with. Remember that you get what you pay for but the highest quote does not guarantee the best quality. Look for the company that guarantees a fixed price from start to finish, is flexible and able to provide good SEO (Search Engine Optimization) into an original design.

Good luck with your project!