Alex Williams

Seven years ago, company websites would cost upwards of $10,000 and that would NOT include any “e-commerce” or complex content management systems.

Why so much? Well there’s many reasons, but that’s not the point of this article.

Fast-forward to today, and you’ll notice more and more high-cost contracts being turned down and rejected. Does this mean the web is dead? NO! Of course not! Actually, more companies than ever are looking to gain an online presence, even the local grocer with 2 items on special every week.

The problem is that companies are hesitant to blow such a huge wad of cash on something they don’t know will provide enough value to them. When I say value, what I really mean is “money”. They need to know that their website will bring them more customers, therefore more money.

You’re the web expert, so feel free to show them everything that can help increase their profits.

Unfortunately, if you show them everything and offer it all at once, with a 10k price tag, there’s a good chance it will not go through.

I’ve somewhat solved this problem by following a simple recipe: Think small and start from the bottom!

Companies who want a web presence for the first time usually need a few basic things:
- identity/brand/logo
- small static pages with basic generic information (location, contact info, details about the company and what they have to offer).

Sometimes the company already has a corporate identity and logo, which means less work for you, but this could be a good thing.

To turn this small contract into a higher-paying contract, you need to focus on what your client “needs right now”, while upselling what they would “need later-on”.

Give them a lot of attention, pamper them, take care of their hosting, setup their email, keep them in the loop and produce something professional in a timely fashion. This is all good and honest business practice.

When I go to buy a car, I look at the cheapest one available with the options that interest me the most. If the car salesman only showed 1 car with ALL the options, then I would be hesitant to buy it.

As for upselling what they would “need later-on”, you must be clear and tell them what they could have, suggest things they could use (CMS, blog, forum, dynamic photo gallery…), and let them know that you are the perfect person to offer it to them. Don’t be too technical and geeky. Let them know that you’re an experienced professional and you won’t try to sell them a boat when they really need a bike.

If the initial product you deliver lives up to their expectations, be certain they will come back for more. It might take a few months, but you will have gained the trust of that client. When their needs grow, they will know they can count on you to provide them with the extra tools and features they need.

Ultimately, it all boils down to building a good relationship with the client/company, and showing that you’re not just in it for a quick buck.