3 Tips For Launching Your Design Company’s Website On A Shoestring Budget

As a design company, it can be a little tricky to think about your own website’s design. After all, with a tremendous amount of ideas and inspiration, there are quite a few choices regarding what you could do. However, like most projects, time and money can be some significant costs (even if you’re doing the design yourself), which is why I’m providing a few helpful tips on how to think about your design company’s website. Check them out below:

Establish A Budget

One of the first steps you should consider when looking to launch your design company’s website is what’s your budget and how much you can gain out of that. Not only will this be an awesome chance for your company to have a financial refocus, but additionally work towards the goal of having your site been an investment that will last years to come. And no matter if you feel as though you can take over designing the site yourself or want to outsource it, you need to establish a budget to maximize your ROI.

In carving out your budget, start by listing out the different aspects you plan to outsource. No matter how big or small, these items are important to include, as they’re what’s going to dictate your price and how you can work that down. For example, according to UpWork, the average copywriter costs between $200 to $500 per page for a website, which to some can be somewhat costly. However, by looking at how you can possibly minimize copy or write it yourself at some points could save you a tremendous amount.

I’ll note that while it’s great to cut some corners to save money, don’t skimp too much or you’ll run the risk of missing your mark. Remember, a big thing with design is the quality of your website, as it’s practically the biggest selling point you have. Use it wisely as an investment to truly maximize your growth.

Pick Some Design Schemes

Once you’ve established your budget, it’s time to start looking at some design schemes. As you most likely already have a solid understanding of this process, it’s never a bad idea to review some case studies or sample page templates, garnering some inspiration. Furthermore, try to use this process to step out of your box a little bit and see what type of other work is out there (especially if it’s fitted with some cool bells and whistles). All-in-all, studying design schemes is going to be important, but it’s the science behind them that really make them special.

When studying design schemes, look at the different aspects to each, as well as how you can apply them to your own business. For example, LucidPress states that color can increase brand recognition by as much as 80 percent, which is a pretty staggering statistic when you consider a company is more or less “owning” a color. By being able to implement a color scheme into your website that allows you to start laying claim to an aesthetic, your design company will not only receive more recognition but additionally be proven as one of the best they can do. Because while this part is going to be one of the most challenging, it also just might be what garners you the most business.

Let Your Portfolio Do The Talking

Finally, in compiling the content for your site, it’s important to remember that your work should speak for itself. While it can be good to sell yourself based on the skills or design you put into your own design company’s website, the names highlighting the different work you’ve done and what separates it from your competitors will be a must. According to Impact Bound, with the average website costing between $15,000 to $20,000, you’ve got to come correct to ensure others that they’re getting a good investment. And one of the first places you can get started with that is in your portfolio.

Make a list of the projects that you’ve done, as well as what you did for them. The more recent the work, the better, as it will highlight best practices that you’ve started with. From a one page flow for a tech startup to an intricate eCommerce site for a coffee roaster, see what type of design work you feel like exemplifies your skillset, as well as what that offers to others. The overarching goal here is to showcase the design elements that will make your potential customers know the exact product they’re buying, ensuring that you’re able to sell your best every time.

What are you most excited about in creating your design company’s website? Comment with your answers below!