Your website is often the first impression people get of your business. A poorly designed or rushed site will put off customers, while a well-built site, with your brand at the forefront of its design and functionality, can drive growth and establish trust.
An old saying resonates with many things in life, and especially in web development:
“You can have it cheap, you can have it quick, or you can have it good – but you can only pick two.”
That rule is a simple way to understand the balancing act when quoting for a website.
Broken down, this is what this saying means:
Option 1: Cheap & Quick (but not good)
If you need a website quickly and super cheaply, you could always knock together something inexpensively yourself if you have some technical knowledge.
But here’s the deal: these sites rarely deliver for your business.
A cheap and quick site is unlikely to be tailored to your business needs.
Off-the-shelf solutions are restricted because they:
Lack customisation: You’ll end up with a generic website that doesn’t achieve your business objectives, nor will it stand out from competitors.
Have poor performance: Cheap hosting and poorly optimised designs can mean slow load times, and they may not respond correctly to different-sized desktops and mobile devices – all of which frustrate visitors.
Miss the mark on branding: Templates barely capture the essence of your brand, leaving your site looking bland and impersonal.
While that might be okay for a hobby or temporary placeholder, it is not a great choice for a business looking to grow. You’re likely to lose customers and credibility in the long run, as the customer’s experience of you does not appropriately represent your business, which will cost you way more than what you save upfront.
Option 2: Quick and Good (but not cheap)
Want a high-quality website in record time? It can be done, but it will cost. Doing great work within tight deadlines calls for bringing all hands on deck. While Everything Sorted can prioritise your project, it will also be costly to make this happen.
Why?
More resources: A tighter deadline calls for more people including designers, developers, and project managers to participate in development processes.
Fewer corners cut: Even when it’s a quick turnaround, Everything Sorted will prioritise functionality, design, and SEO to make sure the end result works for you.
This approach works well if you’re in a bind – maybe you’ve rebranded and need a new site urgently, or you’re launching a time-sensitive campaign. However, it’s not sustainable for all projects, and you’ll pay a premium for speed.
Option 3: Cheap and Good (but not quick)
If you’re on a tight budget but still want a great website, patience is your best friend. High-quality work takes time, and at Everything Sorted, we will carefully plan and build a site that meets your needs without cutting corners.
This might mean:
A phased approach: Starting with a basic site and adding features over time as your budget allows.
Careful research: Time to understand your business, your audience, and your competitors so that the site works for you.
Efficient planning: By allowing for extended timelines, we can work around other projects, which means costs are kept at a minimum.
This would do wonders for small businesses or startups in the UK who need quality but can’t afford a bigger price tag. Though it won’t be instant, you’ll have a site that delivers results without having to break the bank.
Why You Can’t Have All Three
The reality is, good web development takes time, expertise, and resources. If you try to have all three – cheap, quick, and good – something will always give.
For example:
- Cheap and Quick: You sacrifice quality.
- Quick and Good: You pay a premium.
- Cheap and Good: You need to wait longer.
Every choice has trade-offs, and understanding these will help you make the right decision for your business.
How to Choose What’s Right for You
When deciding which two priorities matter most for your website, consider your goals and constraints.
If you’re on a tight deadline: Focus on quick and good, knowing you’ll need to invest more.
If budget is your biggest concern: Go for cheap and good, but accept that it will take longer.
If quality is non-negotiable: Be prepared to either pay more for speed or wait longer for a more budget-friendly option.
What feels like the right balance will vary depending on the specific needs of your business.
All our clients need to meet budget and time-frame constraints, and we’re more than happy to help and guide them on the best approach for their website.
Invest in Your Website’s Future
Before diving into your new web project, remember the rule of cheap, quick, or good – and choose wisely. Investing in the right balance now can save you money, time, and stress in the long run.
And if you need any help figuring out what is right for you, do get in contact with us. We’d love to hear from you.
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