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Tips on getting a quote for a web site

Putting together a good specification for your new web site is vital if you want to receive accurate quotations and compare quotes from different agencies. A web development project requires a good solid understanding between client and developer of what is required.

Often the best way to do this is to put together a Request For Proposal (RFP), this can be a simple Word document detailing all of the important areas you would like to have in your new website. Also, in the process of putting this document together, it helps you to think about what you want your web site to achieve.

So where do I start ?

At the end of this article I've put together a handy template you can download, but for now here are some things you should think about:

Start with the basics
Write down your company name, what you do and who you do it for. This will help a prospective design company know more about who you are.

Setting a goal
Think about your RFP as a web site business plan, write a statement of what you want your web site to do for your business. It can be as simple as "I want my website to achieve x number of enquiries per month ". Be clear and realistic, if you only have £300 to spend don't write something like "I want global product recognition and want to be at the top of all the search engines".

Describe the look and feel of your new site.
Giving a potential client the right impression is vital if you want to make a sale. Write something like "I want the site to convey a sense of professionalism and friendliness, it should be clean, bright and easy to navigate"

Give a budget
Many people don't like to say how much they are considering spending on their site. Giving a design company an idea of a budget is very important so they can put together a proposal that is closely aligned with what you want to spend. For example, if you were buying a car and had £5000 to spend, you wouldn't want a dealer to try and sell you a £100,000 Ferrari. If you have a limited budget then say so, your design company may suggest phasing parts of the development in order to spread costs.

Time Frame
When does the site need to be live? Are there any trade shows or product launches coming up?

Describe the features required
Write a list of everything the site must have; content management, shopping baskets, order management etc.

Write a list of the pages in the site.
Put together a list of all the pages and sub pages you would like in the site, describe any special functionality that is required on a particular page, for example, contact forms, add to cart etc.

You should now have a basic understanding of what is required in a good RFP. Now download our template document below, fill in the details, and send it out to prospective web design companies. Even better send it back to us!

Blue Monkey RFP Document

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