Website 911

At The Pridham Group, we love building websites. And we should, because that’s what we do. We love pixel perfect layouts, staying above the fold, colour pallets, and calls to action.

But what we love more is when a client truly understands what we do.

This was the case when we were approached by Khryspn Jensen of Life Start Training. 

Khryspn needed help. She came to us, practically in tears, with a website that was unfinished and non-functional. She just wanted someone to make it work – someone to do what they said they would do.

That’s when we stepped in and took over.

We listened. We heard. We understood.

In less than a month, we redesigned, redeveloped, and reworked Khryspn’s website into a fully functional website that is not only aesthetically pleasing, but functions as it should … creating leads, converting those leads into clients, and, more importantly, into sales.

But don’t take our word for it … read what Khryspn had to say about her experience:

With any start up, you weigh your options. Where can I save costs? Where do I really NEED to invest my money? Often times, things that you really should spend your money on end up a little too low on the priority list. This is exactly where I was two years ago when I needed to get a website up and running. After numerous quotes coming in over $4000, I decided it was money I just didn’t have. It was then that I made the decision to hire someone doing websites “on the side” (for what seemed like) a low hourly rate. A year and a half later, two “on the side” web developers later…here I sat with well over $4000 sunk into a website that had yet to be finished, functional or aesthetically pleasing.

At my breaking point, I fell into Mark’s office (almost in tears) losing revenue on a daily basis with no access to my own site and essentially no online presence. He understood (because he’s seen it before!), quickly picked up the pieces of my disjointed website and transformed it into the crucial asset it was meant to be. In less than a month, Mark was able to help me truly showcase what Life Start Training is all about and customized the right e-commerce platform for my online bookings. I have access whenever I need it and he’s always a call or message away. He listened carefully and was able to merge my vision with his specialities, making it modern and user-friendly for customers and easy to manage behind the scenes.

If there is one thing I’ve learned, trying to be frugal when it comes to your website is like flushing money down the toilet. Working with real professionals is worth the investment, and now I’m in a position for my website to actually boost my business, instead of just dumping money into a website that was clearly broken beyond repair. I highly recommend Mark and only wish I had learned this lesson a year and a half ago!

We see this almost every week in our industry, however, there are some things you can do to make sure you are in good hands when choosing a website agency:

1. Ask to see examples of their work. Any designer worth their salt will have an up-to-date online portfolio of their work. Ask for a link to their portfolio to see if their work is a good match for you. Have a look at the quality of their designs, ease of use and the functionality.
2. Make sure they have the knowledge and experience needed to create the functionality that you require. How long have they been in business? What training have they had? What are their specialties?
3. Ask about project management. How often will they meet with you during the project (either in-person, on the phone or via video-conferencing) to update you on their progress and to get your feedback. Hint: It should be at least once a week.
4. Make sure their websites are designed responsively (mobile-friendly). How many devices, operating systems, browsers, and resolutions do they test on?
5. Ask about their Search Engine Optimization techniques. They should have a solid knowledge of local SEO and their past work should be proof of it.
6. Ask for references. They should be able to provide at least 3 clients (not friends or family) who will give them glowing references.
7. Set aside an appropriate budget. A properly built website will require a realistic investment.

There’s a lot to consider when choosing the agency you want to work with. Hopefully, this article pointed you in the right direction.