web design company in their meeting room

5 Tips for How to Approach a Web Design Company as a Prospective Client

We get lots of emails from people who need a new website, which is fantastic and some are really nice and easy to reply to but with the others we wonder if it’s even worth the effort of replying. If you are trying to find someone to work with on your website and are sending out emails as a way of making that first contact, here are some tips for how to approach a web design company as a prospective client.

The reason we are giving these tips is, you want to use a web design company who is busy, who has so much work they are a bit picky about who they take on because these are the really good web design companies. But if you don’t approach them in the right way then they won’t choose you.

1 – Do your research and find out the name of the person you need to contact in the web design company.

Sometimes this information might not be available and if that’s the case, then that’s fine. But if there is an about page on the website which clearly gives the name of the team member who seems the best person to contact, then address your email to them. This shows you are genuinely interested in working with that company and it shows you put effort into what you do, so you’re likely to be an easier client to work with. It also shows a level of respect which is essential for a good working relationship.

2 – Check that the web design company actually offers the services you want or need.

Web design companies and agencies can either be very niche and cover a very specific area when it comes to creating a website or they can offer the full package. For example, through 2nd Floor (our mini agency) we offer branding, web design and build and all of our websites are built to high standards to help with SEO but we aren’t SEO experts and we only work with websites we have created we don’t host or sort out existing websites but other companies will take on existing projects and are SEO experts.

We are all different and so, when you send an email listing all your requirements for a project, make sure it’s actually worth you sending the email by checking out the services on offer or if you aren’t sure exactly which services a company offers, ask in the email what it is they do from your list, don’t just ask for a quote for it straight away.

3 – Think about your budget first. 

Now, I know it’s hard to come up with a budget if you have no idea what a website costs but, if you are honest with yourself you must have some idea of what you are prepared to spend. There have been many times when people have told us they want a bespoke website, that money isn’t a problem but when we give them a rough estimate based on an initial chat they then tell us they can’t spend that much. When this happens it feels like we have wasted our time and we do feel slightly less inclined to work with them.

Be honest with your budget because there are different ways to create websites these days. You don’t need to go fully bespoke to get a really professional website that functions nicely so if you have thousands of pounds then great but if you have £600 say that. It may mean that a bespoke web agency won’t work with you but they may signpost you to their friends at Ready Steady Websites® who can help – we web people do talk to each other and know the right people for the job if we aren’t it!

If you approach us in the right way with all the right information we can help find the right people for you by referring you on and that makes life easier for you!

4 – Give a timeframe (and stick to it) or state if you don’t have one.

If you know you need your website live within a month to tie in with an event your are going to, say that straight away, there’s no point either party wasting their time discussing a project if the web company doesn’t have the availability straight away. But if you do tell a web company you have a set timeframe you need to stick to it from your end too. Don’t say you need your website in a month and then take three weeks to provide the images and copy and still expect your website to be completed within the timeframe!

5 – Respond when you get a reply.

If you have done everything right and you get a reply from the web company, whether it’s a ball park figure or a “sorry, we can’t but try these people”, whatever the reply, make sure you take time to respond. It’s just common courtesy and something that seems to have got lost in business. If you don’t and you decide down the line that actually that company might be the right fit for you and you get back in touch, then your lack of courtesy may go against you.

We have worked with far too many clients who treated us like their minions and now we are at a certain point in business it’s just not happening anymore. If you want to work with the right people who will help your business flourish, then treat them right, a simple thank you goes a very long way!

Helpful Resources for Picking the Right Web Design Company and Planning Your Website

If you are wondering whether we might be the right people for you to create your website with, then you can use our Plan Picker to see whether one of our template plans would work for you. And if you’re currently planning your website, then check out The Website Handbook which will support you through that process and also help you to choose the right method for creating your website.

Photo by Jason Goodman on Unsplash

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