Why Does My Small Business Need a Website?
Websites are the YELLOW PAGES of this century!
Traditional phonebooks are cumbersome to have around as a consumer and for the telecommunications industry they are expensive to maintain and produce on an annual basis. Odds are printed phonebooks won’t be around for much longer. For any adult born after 1985, it is doubtful they have a phonebook in their home and if they do, I would bet money they never use it. If you were to ask any student in high school or college “What are the Yellow Pages?” it is nearly guaranteed they will give you a blank and confused look. They use the world-wide web to get all the information they need by using their computer, smart phone and other digital devices.
Although there are a lot of additional benefits to having a business website, the cost can sometimes cause a small business to shy away from making the investment. But is a website really that expensive?
Ask yourself these questions?
- What is your annual marketing budget?
- What percent of your annual revenue can you relate directly back to your traditional marketing expenditures?
- Is your current marketing strategy reaching your target market?
- Do your competitors have a website?
- Can you afford to not have a digital presence?
A few website development options:
- Use one of the many free web development tools available and create your own website
- Take advantage of the digital savvy of someone you know well to collaborate on creating a website
- Find a local web development service specializing in small business website development
- Hire a prestigious webmaster and firm to create your web presence
What does a website cost?
- There is always an annual fee for your specific domain name (i.e. pamlehmann.com)
- The first year is usually discounted unless you want a domain name that is currently in high demand
- Subsequent annual fees for most domain name will average $10 to $20 per year
- Domain name fees are charged to a credit card account annually
- There is usually an annual hosting fee for your website
- Like the domain name fees above, the first year of hosting is usually discounted
- Rates will vary dependent on the services provided and security needed by your site
- Subsequent annual fees for a small website without e-commerce capability will range from $100 to $200 per year
- Subsequent annual fees for a small website which needs stronger security relating to their e-commerce (online store) will probably start around $200 and the price goes up from there
- Hosting fees are charged to a credit card account annually
- The cost to hire professional web development services varies by the firm. We recommend that you work closely with the developer to discuss your needs and goals, always ask for a firm bid and look closely at the work product created for other clients before making your final decision.
- Other possible costs to consider:
- professional logo development
- professional photography
- fees for graphics used
What does Lehmann Business Services Charge for website development?
Our goal is to create a website designed to fit the needs of small businesses and organizations that understand the need to have at least a basic digital presence. If you are wanting a website that compares to, or that competes with, a large firm or brand name in your industry – we will be happy to refer you to some of our esteemed colleagues that are adept at creating some of the most amazing websites you will ever find! Just remember if you want a Ferrari – you will pay for a Ferrari 🙂
Lehmann Business Services will always provide your business with a detailed quote of what will be included in your personal website and a set price for the work to be completed.
At Lehmann Business Services we have two basic web design options:
- A BILLBOARD webpage that features the basic information about your business on a single webpage. We work with our clients to incorporate key details about their product or service using graphics, photos and narrative content. Always including critical contact information, location, hours, etc., as well as links to related sites and social media. This option can easily be expanded by adding more pages at a later date. Cost: $500
- A multi-page website that will include the following pages: HOME, About Us, Contact Us, as well as two or three additional pages of content specifically related to your products and services. We work closely with our clients to incorporate logo, color scheme, critical details about products and services using photos, graphics and detailed narrative content on each page as well as links to partners and supporters. We always include a sidebar on each page of the site which will include your critical contact information, location, hours, payments accepted, directions, social media links and more. This site option can also be easily expanded and updated to meet the ever-changing needs of your growing business. These sites are Starting at $1,500
- To see samples of the websites created by Lehmann Business Services go to our Work Samples page….