Frequently Answered Questions

I have no technical ability. Are you sure I can use your Easy-to-Edit packages?

The system for editing pages was created for authors. You can type in double spaced paragraphs and call it a day, and when you want links, photos, and more added in, you can refer to my new cheatsheet that I give to my Easy-to-Edit (E2E) clients during training.

I have no time. Can you maintain my website for me?

I can readily maintain Easy-to-Edit (E2E) websites for clients, since working with them is easier for me -- I get more done in less time and it's cheaper for you. We can discuss maintenance plans for both E2E or HTML websites that work for you, from paying a la carte, through recurring fee plans that you might find at other designers. I will not do regular upkeep on an e-commerce website, due to the sensitivity of the environments the applications are used in, but I can do periodic updates, add new plug-in functionality, or fix problems on e-commerce websites I've installed.

I want you to maintain my website. Should I switch my HTML website to the Easy-to-Edit (E2E) website package?

The E2E websites can be maintained much more easily and quickly than a normal HTML website. All maintenance plans are hourly plans of one sort or another. If you plan to have website maintenance in terms of years, you will certainly save money on maintenance fees over the long run. Some HTML websites are poorly created, and any design changes have to be done to every page on the website. If you have a very large website, ask about bulk page transfers to the E2E system.

Do you do odd jobs?

I've been doing a variety of odd jobs for businesses since going into business. Email administration, website programming, giving advice about content development, etc. Please call if you have an odd technical request, and if I don't have a good answer, I probably know someone who does. Many of my clients are odd-job clients, such as Lucid Marketing, Hudson Valley Answering, SBDirect, and more.

We're a non-profit, and we have no money. Can you do our website pro-bono?

I can take on a limited number of pro-bono websites a year. I will not be able to maintain your website once it's finished, but I will offer the same support terms I offer other clients (usually 2 hours of training and 2 hours of support over the next 60 days after project sign-off). I need to limit pro-bono work to local companies, and prefer to take on pro-bono clients supporting causes I feel strongly about. If you're in need of a website but have no ability to pay for it, please don't hesitate to contact us about pro-bono work.

I'm starting a new business and I have no money. Can we work something out?

Normally my jobs are 50% deposit, 50% upon completion. Work won't start unless I get that first 50%, and the final 50% is payable within 15 days, with a 1.5%/month finance charge thereafter, similar to credit card terms (about 18%APR). Alternative 1: I accept credit cards through PayPal (you don't need to have a PayPal account) -- if you have better credit card terms than 18%APR, you should take advantage of it. Alternative 2: I have several discounts and incentives set up to help new businesses: If you belong to the Orange or Sullivan County chambers of commerce, I extend a 5% discount. If you can pre-pay (even by credit card) I can take an additional 5% off. If you are a childcare organization, holistic or organic business, I can extend an additional 5% discount. That's the extent of my ability to knock my price down. Alternative 3: It is possible that we might barter, but I have a hard & fast rule about barter: I won't barter for any service or product I wouldn't pay money for if I had sufficient money. For example: you sell lobsters and want to barter 1000 lobsters for a website. I'm sorry, but I don't really like lobster and certainly would not pay for lobster, so I can't barter for lobsters. On the other hand, there are many products or services I would pay to use. For example (yeah, this is a wish-list item :) ), I could use 2 NEW twin mattresses (no boxsprings) for my kids. I'm not able to buy them at this moment, but would in the future, and would gladly barter with them as part of the payment. Note: All barter is above board -- receipts/invoices required. Barter is taxable by the Feds and the State.

Can you add music, video, and pictures to the Easy-to-Edit websites?

Yes! The best example I have for audio is at the http://crollorganizing.com website. I have YouTube video on this page. Pictures are easy, such as the portfolio gallery at http://simplyflawlessfaces.com. Audio/video on the websites requires add-ons. Inquire for the price.

$XXXX seems like a really high price for a website!

If you had an employee that worked 24/7/365 and was never late to work, always represented your company in the best way possible, never took a vacation or got drunk at the company Xmas party and never asked for a raise what would you pay them? Suddenly a one-time payment of $15k doesn't seem that expensive. -- Carl Smith, blog comment

While that's not usually the type of project fee you'll see coming out of Eclectic Tech, take a moment to think about what Carl has to say. It's up to you whether to pay a professional to create a website to be a your representative in the world. You can toss something up on the web for very little money, or you can have a professional create something you can be proud to own and get on with doing what your business does. Your website is a beacon for potential customers and clients, why would you hold back on your budget? You want to attract the right clients, answer their initial questions and it's all going to be far lower than minimum wage! Your website is always loyal and dedicated, never gives you lip, you don't need workers' compensation or health coverage for your website, and is an easier way to give people more information about your business when you're out of the office than a phone message system.

You shouldn't hold back, and you should really think through what you need.

What should I budget? Should I reveal my budget?

Here's a great read on the topic of web pricing: http://www.blueflavor.com/ed/thinking/how_much_is_a_great_web_experi.php

My prices are on my website. I'm not going to jerk you around for money. If you have a $100 budget for an entire website, I'm not going to laugh at you, but I'm going to tell you that I can't help you, and try to make some recommendations.

If you come to me and say you have a $995 budget, I'm going to hand you a website package similar to my EasyToEdit Express package. This package has enormous perks -- because I know the software so well, I can create terrific websites and keep the price affordable. You're paying for my knowledge and comfort with the package, and my time holding your hand through the learning process. You don't get something particularly customized for your money, but you get a site, and you get the ability to expand it yourself -- and that's a lot for $995.

If you have a huge intricate custom programminng project to develop, and you come to me with a $995 budget, I'm going to have to recommend you try something else. Conversely, if you have a $15K budget for a huge custom project, you will have instantly convinced me that you take it seriously and it's worth my time to listen, and given me an immediate clue of the complexity the project may entail. I don't take large custom website projects, but maybe your project is less complicated than you thought, and I have a list of people I might recommend you to.

Call for a consultation. I will hear out your needs and the features you want, and honestly tell you whether what you're looking for exists, whether I can do it, who can if I can't, and work out a more reasonable price expectation for what you're looking for, if possible.

How quickly will you have my website finished?

Time is my one finite commodity. -- Criss, Eclectic Tech.

Completion times usually vary most depending on clients getting back to me quickly with their contract, their deposit, their information, their design decisions, etc. Some projects go very quickly, some take a very long time. If you want me to rush on my end, my usual rush rate is 1.5 times the normal price. In other words it's an additional 50% -- if I would normally have a 1-week turnaround on a 3 hour project, and the client wants it tomorrow, I'm going to apply a rush rate. I may increase the rush rate even more for absolutely unreasonable -- but feasible -- prospects. Example: If the client wants a logo design, the normal turnaround is approximately 2 weeks. If they want a logo design today, firstly they had better be available all day to consult with me on it. I would be cramming 2 weeks worth of communication, research, creativity, design critique, refining, etc. into a day. It is possible to do, but it's not only an additional 50%. In a case like this it will be at least double the rate. A rush logo at a 50% rush fee would be about 3-7 days to completion.

Why do you have a rush rate?

I charge a rush rate under certain circumstances because I have to push other work (designing, programming, marketing, advertising, billing, accounting, networking, client relations, projects...) aside to handle rush work. It causes me undue stress, causes me to juggle my commitments, which has health and social implications, and I'm afraid you have to pay for those in terms of money, since you can't give me anything else to compensate for it.

Why do you charge project rates instead of hourly rates?

I'm generally efficient when working on client projects. AND sometimes there's a snag requiring research, learning something new, exploring uncharted territory, or doing something I've never encountered before. I feel that making my hourly rate public is necessary for my ethics, but contracting by the hour on well-defined results-based projects is unreasonable. I discourage using hourly rates for my package-based work. The beauty of flat rates is that it creates a win-win situation: If I am efficient, I get a bonus. Whether or not I am efficient, you'll never be surprised by the final bill: you know exactly what you're getting and exactly how much it will cost.

What discounts do you offer?

I offer specific discounts on Easy-to-Edit websites & add-ons.

I offer a 5% discount to members of the Orange & Sullivan County (NY) chambers of commerce.

I offer a 10% discount to:

• child care professionals (including teachers, schools, and child care centers)
• holistic businesses & practitioners
• organic businesses
• Registered educational non-profits

We also offer a 5% discount on Easy-to-Edit websites if the client pays in full at contract signing.

For any other discounts or incentives, keep an eye on my Sale page.

More to come....