Last November, we received about three potential client inquiries requesting help with building a website they wanted to launch in December. Needless to say, we turned away each of those projects. We’re certain we were not the only ones who did.
Amazingly, these potential clients were surprised to learn that their requests were last-minute. In their minds, one month or so is plenty of time to build a brand-new website or complete a website redesign. It’s not.
We feel pretty bad about not being able to accommodate these requests. If we could, WebDevStudios would have the capacity to help everyone who comes to our virtual door.
The reality is we can’t. Here’s why:
- Ongoing Clients: WDS is very lucky to have a group of clients who require ongoing development and keep us busy. Their projects are already booked on our calendar.
- New Client Projects: Most of the potential clients who contact us to build a website do so in advance. That allows them to be placed in our work queue, guaranteeing that their projects will launch by their selected deadline.
- Contracts and Legal: Paperwork always takes more time than anticipated. It can generally take two weeks just to finalize the language in agreements and prepare the documents for signature. We can’t kick off your project until we have an agreed-upon signed contract.
Now that I’ve clarified that our ongoing clients and clients who contact us with plenty of lead time receive priority and that our team builds websites during the usual office hours, you can understand why last-minute requests are not accommodated.
Having explained that, I hope that the following information guides you to plan ahead so you don’t find yourself being turned away from a website agency.
How much lead time do you need?
Lead time varies depending on the scope of work. My best recommendation is to begin contacting website companies at least 3-4 months ahead of your desired launch date.
This is the point when you’re collecting quotes and interviewing prospective website partners. If your key stockholders of this project require a lot of time to debate and decide on a partner, you may want to build in another two weeks of lead time, especially if you have a legal team involved.
Once you have chosen your website partner, it could take 3+ months to build a website.
Why does building a website take time?
There are all sorts of factors that affect the amount of time needed to build a website. These are only a few.
- In order for a website project to be successful, it cannot be rushed. At WebDevStudios, we make thoughtful decisions about your projects. We don’t believe in rushing to meet an unrealistic timeline. Do you want your new website project rushed or done correctly?
- New requirements were uncovered during the project. Adding more tasks to the website project means adding more time, too.
- Limited work hours influences a project. I can’t think of a single website agency that operates 24 hours a day. Like I said before, our team works the usual business hours. We don’t believe in overworking our staff. If we did, we probably wouldn’t have one.
When should you plan for your next website project?
Are you looking to build a website with a spring launch date? Contact us now.
Want to launch in the summer? You can reach out to us in March. If you’re looking to launch over the 2023 holidays, I hope we’ll hear from you in August.
Planning ahead is just smart. WebDevStudios wants to make your website project a priority and get you in our queue. We can’t wait to talk to you soon.