This is a term I use when it comes to building a website. Many of the clients I meet who have great ideas for their website but then do not like the revelation of the actual cost to building a website, or maybe in some cases they are just starting out with their business and they can’t afford that big website yet…

This is where a set up job comes into play. I have had many new business owners come to many telling me “my budget is only….I can’t afford something big but I want it to be clean”. This is when I decide to break it down to them with a honest and clean look going forward..

Part 1: Trimming The Custom

I first point out to them if they have a small budget, we cater to that budget, we buy a theme that they like and we rebuild certain parts of it to better fit their needs. Most clients are hesitate about this first,  cause they see these custom websites, and by custom I mean websites with all the crazy effects, design, loaders not built on a theme. And I tell them what the budget for these websites likely cost as well as the time of it and they are quick to realize they can not afford it…yet.

Part 2: The Long Ball

With this realization that some clients come to face, I tell them that they can eventually get to the website you love. Its like buying a car, yes you want a Tesla but maybe you can only afford a Nissan Altima. I tell them if they go all on there and go beyond their budget they might trip before the race even starts. Cause a lot of clients don’t think about other factors when doing a business, like office space, phones, computers, tech, client meals, etc etc etc. And going over budget with a website isn’t always the best way to go.

With a few clients I have had in the past I tell them lets start out with a safe budget, the website matches your style, it doesn’t go all crazy, but yet the theme and customization I can add fits their design, their needs. Cause the website isn’t about what the client wants but what they need. Also with this approach, a few of my past clients get their business flowing and then they come back to me and we go all crazy with their website cause their budget is bigger, they know what works and what will get their bigger and better clients.

Part 3: The Less They Call For Support The Better Job I Did.

Now this one might seem like the weirdest thing to say “Orlando you don’t like having support work?” Well the truth is, I do enjoy helping clients, and I find myself knowing I did a better job when a client can maintain their own website without ever calling me. I do get a call every now and then when it comes to a whoops moment or if a client needs help with updating the website cause they let the updates get away from them. For the most part, I leave the website very user friendly, the client knows how to add or change pages, blogs, banners, etc etc etc. The point of the set up job is to cut down the costs to the client in order for them to better invest in their company and you achieve this by building a very user friendly interface that cuts down maintenance costs.

Part 4: Cutting the Cost and Time

With costs being trimmed and time sometimes being a factor, a set up job has allowed me to quickly get the website done and out the door for them cause there are deadlines and with the idea of a full custom built website taking 6 months at a cost of around 40 grand(sometimes). the client will be in for a big wake up call. This is definitely something that smaller businesses are able to see a lot better. Imagine you have someone that has to release a new updated website cause they are going to something like a convention, that is 2 weeks away, they don’t have the time nor the budget for it. So a set up job can definitely help them out.

In Conclusion…

There are many factors when I decide to label something a set up job. Cost, time, money, availability, these are all factors that help determine what needs to go into a set up job vs a full custom website. It all comes down to clients needs and what they can afford. I believe in being honest and this has helped build trust for clients who have had a bad experience with a developer in the past.

see you space cowboy…