In life, some questions don’t have an easy answer. Even the simplest queries can have a variety of ifs and buts that qualify our response. For example, consider this: How much does a WordPress website cost?
There’s no way to provide an immediate answer. WordPress isn’t a monthly subscription service (although subscriptions can be part of the deal). No two sites will use the same combination of themes, plugins, and hosting. Each of those components varies in price. And we can’t forget about any custom development work involved.
It’s a challenge for freelancers and our prospective clients. It can also be costly. Providing an inaccurate estimate results in either over or under-charging for your work. That’s not fair to anyone.
Delivering an accurate project estimate takes research. It’s about asking the right questions and getting to the bottom of what our clients need.
How does it all work? Keep reading for tips for understanding the finer details of your projects and giving spot-on pricing.
Learn Your Client’s Wants, Needs, and Goals
Pro tip: Never accept your client’s first answer regarding what they want. Perhaps that sounds a bit harsh – but it’s more like recognizing reality.
Case in point: When someone says they want a “simple eCommerce site,” they may be unaware of the requirements. In the case of WooCommerce, they are unlikely to know how many extensions they’ll need. Odds are that the project is more complex than they realize.
Why is that? Many clients see websites through the lens of a user. A well-made user experience is seamless, with no hint of the underlying complexity below. Thus, that’s how they see the task at hand.
So, basing your estimate on this statement won’t work. You’ll have to dig deeper to learn their wants, needs, and goals.
Be an Investigator
Think of yourself as a private investigator hired to uncover every project detail. You’ll gather the facts and turn them into an accurate estimate.
The questions you ask will depend on the type of site you’re building. But here are a few to get you started:
- What features do you want the site to have? Look for larger items like shopping carts, membership dashboards, etc. It’s even better if your client has examples of these items in action.
- What improvements would you like to see compared to your existing site? Redesign projects are an opportunity to improve how the site looks and works. Find out your client’s pain points and design your proposal around doing better.
- What types of content will there be? Assess how much content the site will house. Think pages, blog posts, press releases, etc. Also, consider any content that needs to be imported from an existing site.
- Who will manage the site’s content? Determine if your client (or someone on their team) will manage content. If so, assess their skill level and the types of changes they will make. This allows you to factor training and back-end customization into the cost.
- How much traffic does your current site receive? The average number of monthly visitors and bandwidth usage can be helpful when picking a hosting plan. It also provides a baseline for future comparison.
- What tasks should users be able to do on your site? The answer will vary by the type of site you’re building. Examples include completing a contact form, managing a user account, checking order status, and paying invoices.
- What is your goal? That could be anything from generating leads to making sales. It’s good information to have from the start of the project.
The above questions only scratch the surface. However, you can use them as a launching pad for gathering information.
From there, ask follow-up questions to get the details you need.
Research Costs
Now it’s time to identify the extra costs associated with your project. They represent items that are over and above your standard rates.
The details you learned earlier should help you identify what you’ll need, including:
- Commercial themes and plugins;
- Custom development;
- Third-party tools and services;
Be sure to note the licensing terms for any commercial products. Theme and plugin vendors often use a tiered model. Choose the license that provides access to the features you need. Also, jot down any recurring renewal costs.
Consider the What Ifs and Other Variables
WordPress projects can evolve as all the pieces come together. You or your client may realize a new tool or feature is necessary. Or you may need to take a different approach to building a feature. These things happen!
It’s worth thinking about these possibilities before you provide a cost estimate. That could save you from some future headaches.
With that in mind, consider:
- What types of revisions will your client want to make?
- How might a feature be expanded in the future?
- What obstacles could get in the way of the project’s goal?
You may not be able to account for every possibility. However, every project has bumps in the road. Add some room in your estimate for this inevitability.
Tips for Putting Together Your Estimate
You have all the project details. The next step is to create an estimate to share with your client.
There are different options for formatting and delivery. We’ll let you decide what works best. However, there are a few things worth keeping in mind:
- Make sure your estimate is legible and written in plain language. Your estimate should follow best practices for accessibility. Keep it as simple and clear as possible. That means limiting technical jargon when possible.
- List what’s included (and what’s not). Clients need to know what they’re getting for their money. So, provide a laundry list of included services and products to fill them in. Be sure to note any exclusions or third-party costs they must pay.
- Cover your legal obligations. Having a legal professional review your project proposals and contracts is always a good idea. That helps you comply with the law and limits your exposure if something goes wrong with the project.
- Include terms of payment and client responsibilities. Provide details about how and when you want to be paid. It’s also worth mentioning how delays in receiving payment/project deliverables might impact the launch date.
- Make it easy for your client to say “yes”. Our industry is all about making conversions, right? Give your clients a way to accept your proposal and make a down payment online. You might even use WordPress for this functionality.
The goal is to create an informative document that helps your client understand the key points of their project. It’s worth the effort as a well-written estimate could be a difference maker.
Create Accurate Project Estimates That Convert
Estimating the cost of a WordPress project can feel impossible. There are so many moving parts and possibilities. That’s why you can ask ten freelancers and get ten different prices for the same gig.
The good news is that creating accurate estimates doesn’t require magical powers. Rather, it’s a matter of gathering the right information and applying what you learned.
It’s also something that improves with practice. Eventually, you’ll develop a process for acquiring project details and researching costs. You can then apply this thinking to all your future projects.
So, don’t stress out over your next proposal. Take it step by step and communicate with your client. View it holistically and try to anticipate how it might evolve.
That will lead you to the correct answer, time after time.
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