Building Your Own Website vs. Outsourcing it
Posted on July 4, 2007 - Filed Under Website Starter Tips
How Much is Your Time Worth?
Building Your Own Website vs. Outsourcing it
There are basically two different camps out there in the world of the Start-up / Small Business Owner.
- Those who insist on doing everything on their own.
- Those who find the right people for the right job, even if that cost money.
Now, we can easily say that if you’re struggling to even make the next lease payment for your office or storefront, then hiring someone to do a super custom website design may not be the best decision. However, it also does not make sense to spend all your time doing something that only steals time from what you should be doing. Many new business owners fail to realize that it is impossible to do everything. Therefore you must choose your battles wisely.
Here are some life-saving tips on how a small business or start-up company should go about getting a website:
- Assess Your Situation
- Are you already knowledgeable in website design and implementation?I
- If so, how knowledgeable are you? Do you already know how to implement the elements you want to do have within your website? Or will you have to learn?
- Time: Are you already extremely busy just running your business? Can you really justify spending hours learning a new trade, and then countless hours through trial and error designing your website, only to find (usually months later) that you never really finished and it looks nothing like you had hoped?
- Do you understand website techniques that will ensure a positive experience for your clients? For example: functional designs, intuitive layouts, internet marketing… etc
- Make a Decision:
- Determine where you are in your situation. This may seem implied in the first tip, but the reality is that many people get stuck just after they realize that they do not have the skills or the time and never move forward. Don’t let this happen to you… make a decision and move forward. If you landed (as most small business owners would) in the “No Time” or “No Website Skills” or “No Time and No Website Skills” then keep reading…
3. You Have Choices:
- Hire someone for a fully customized website. This can range from $1500 to upwards of $20,000+ (depending on what you need).
- Purchase a template. Many will say this is a bad thing, pointing out that your site will be like all the other sites. Well, this is a false notion. There are millions and millions of templates out there to choose from. Not only that, given the advancements CMS (Content Management System) functionality, there are another million ways to make your template look unique. You don’t have to know a lick of website code. For the small business or start-up that just cannot afford a $1500 custom website, finding a good template website can be THE best way to get online quick and have all the functionality you would want or need for a fraction of the cost.
- Do a hybrid site. It is very possible to find a company that will take a template (usually one that they have designed) and trick it out with a custom flash banner. This hybrid option might get you the “custom” look you want for less than a fully customized site. Remember this usually works if you only add one or two custom pieces to the template website. If you end up customizing too many things on the template, you will probably end up paying more.
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