| # 7 - Email Management Fees: | | | | account. The only things that a Web Design company |
| Now 10 years ago this would have applied, but now | | | | could charge you for is implementation, and if needed |
| with the advent and widespread use of Google's | | | | consultation. Then you should be given access to the |
| Gmail Email Client, this has become a thing of the | | | | email account they used to set up the tools. Because |
| past. When a website is set up, through any domain | | | | Gmail accounts are free, when they set up the tools |
| registrar, you have the option of using Google's | | | | they should create a new email address for you and |
| "FREE" email client to manage all of your company | | | | then provide you with access to that email account |
| emails. This gives you the ability to create new email | | | | so you can login to the site statistics and view them |
| addresses, mange all of your companies emails | | | | yourself. Then, if you have questions about what the |
| through one easy to use web panel, and even use | | | | numbers and information mean, they should be able |
| exchange servers and still retain an email address. | | | | to sit down and have that conversation with you. |
| The fact that there are companies that still charge | | | | This is the other part of the service that they could |
| $100.00 - $200.00 per month for this service is a | | | | charge you for. Because you are using their time to |
| blatant insult to any business owner that pays them. | | | | explain to you what this information means and how |
| #6 - Initial Consultation Fees | | | | the information could benefit you. |
| I never understood how a company could charge a | | | | #2 - Monthly Hosting Fees |
| potential new client for just sitting down with their | | | | This is one of the biggest things that people pay for |
| company to have a conversation about possibly | | | | because they don't understand it and it is big business |
| buying a service from them. If a web design | | | | for web design companies. The average cost for |
| company wants to charge you just to sit down and | | | | yearly hosting through a web design company is |
| have a conversation then there are a few things to | | | | $1200.00 per year, that is $100.00 per month. That |
| think about. First, if that company decides not to | | | | may seem reasonable, but in reality it is extremely |
| take on your website, you are out that fee. Second, | | | | expensive. Consider this, purchasing your own hosting |
| if they are charging you before they even start | | | | can be done for less then 120.00 per year AND any |
| working, what are they going to charge you if they | | | | company can build your site on your server. Meaning |
| do take on your website? Hundreds of dollars per | | | | that it unlimits you when you are looking to have |
| question that you have? Thousands for every page | | | | your site built. Its like going to a Car Dealership with |
| that you want to modify on your site? In the long | | | | an approved loan in hand, you have the ability to tell |
| run you may end up spending much more then you | | | | your prospective Web Design company, "If I don't |
| anticipated. | | | | like your service, I will go somewhere else" and it is |
| #5 - Phone Consultation Fees | | | | extremely easy to do. You control your web design |
| Imagine that you had a question about whether a | | | | companies access to your site no the other way |
| medicine that you are taking will negatively interact | | | | around. So if your web design company is charging |
| with another medication you were prescribed, and | | | | you obscene amounts of money to make little |
| you called your local pharmacy to ask a simple yes or | | | | changes, then you can cut off access and go |
| no question and they charged you $100.00 just to | | | | somewhere else and ANYONE can take over where |
| speak with the pharmacist, regardless of their ability | | | | the old company left off. With a little time and a little |
| to answer your question. How many people would | | | | research, its easy to see the advantages of hosting |
| actually call their local pharmacy? The same line of | | | | your own website. Not just from a financial |
| thought could be applied to your web design | | | | standpoint but from a business standpoint as well. |
| company. If you are considering changes to your | | | | #1 - Charging You For Services You Don't Use |
| website, and want to ask your web design company | | | | This is the biggest thing that can increase the cost of |
| whether changing the verbiage on your site will | | | | doing business on the internet. People don't ask |
| negatively affect how your site performs in search | | | | questions, they just assume that their web design |
| engines, but they charge you just for calling them, | | | | company has their best interest at heart. This may |
| how likely would you be to actually change the site, | | | | not be the case, in most cases the bottom line is |
| ever? No matter how badly the site is performing or | | | | what people are worried about when it comes to |
| how incorrect the information on the site may-be? | | | | business. The simple fact that web design companies |
| Not very likely if you ask me, and that could very | | | | know that you won't ask questions about what they |
| much hurt your company, and turn away customers | | | | list on their invoice means that they can list |
| and that means that you are loosing money. | | | | erroneous services that mean absolutely nothing on |
| #4 - Search Engine Submission | | | | your invoice. Always ask questions about what is on |
| Search Engine Submission is the process of getting | | | | your invoice if your web design company won't or is |
| your site listed in multiple search engines. Not getting | | | | unable to answer your questions about what is on |
| it ranked, in layman's terms letting the search engines | | | | your invoice, this is the red flag to start asking more |
| know your site is on the internet. This is something | | | | in depth questions about what is going on. I have had |
| that some web design companies charge for. This is | | | | clients come to me asking about things that are on |
| "FREE" as in doesn't cost any money to do...ever. | | | | their invoice and I sit down and explain everything |
| There are even tools available on the internet that | | | | that is on it. I have had friends come to me with |
| allow you to enter an email address, and your domain | | | | invoices for $5,000 for a few hours of work changing |
| name, and they will automatically submit your site to | | | | a few pictures on their site. I have seen services |
| over 1000 directories FOR FREE. If your web design | | | | being billed that were never requested, things like site |
| company offers this to you as a service, consider | | | | coding updates, monthly website optimization. I have |
| doing it yourself, or finding another company that will | | | | seen these services performed without speaking to |
| do it for you for free. | | | | the owner of the website and then if these charges |
| #3 - Tracking and Reporting | | | | aren't paid the web design companies threaten to pull |
| This is an interesting thing to cover on this list, there | | | | the site down for non-payment. The best thing you |
| are very few circumstances that a web design | | | | can do when dealing with any web design company is |
| company should charge for this. 95% of the tools | | | | ask questions, and if you don't understand the |
| that are associated with Tracking and reporting are | | | | answer seek clarification. This will save you time and |
| free. Google Analytics, is one of the best out there | | | | money and will make the experience of owning a |
| and it is provided to anyone who has a Google | | | | website less of a headache. |