Updated
If you haven’t noticed, the web site has been completely overhauled, running completely on WordPress (save the Photo Gallery, which still uses Gallery) using the awesome Twicet theme. Now, I know I offer web design and development as a service so you’d think I would go and design and develop my own theme for WordPress. That’s a valid argument, until you start to think about the time it takes to develop a very sophisticated and sleek looking theme for WordPress. That’s time I just don’t have to devote to myself when I have customer’s jobs to take care of.
Is this a departure from designing and developing web sites? Not exactly, as there is still tweaking and customizing to be done on any purchased theme. No theme or template comes ready to go out of the box. It has to be worked and bent to fit your needs and likes, so there is still some design and development that needs to be done.
What does this all mean for the customer?
My goal has always been to give my customers exactly what they are looking for and nothing less – a professional-looking product while keeping total job costs down. That’s part of the reason I don’t have a fancy storefront. I would have to build that into my costs I charge my customers. While this may drive some customers away from using my services, let me pose this question – Does the final product look any less professional if it did not come from a fancy storefront? I think not.
By using pre-built themes and templates, I can provide my customers cutting edge designs while keeping the total job cost down. This theme cost me $37. That’s barely over the cost of what I charge for an hour’s worth of work. I would never be able to provide the same quality design work for that type of price, even if I tried really hard. It’s just not physically possible.
I have never been afraid of using somebody else’s pre-built themes, templates, software, etc. to accomplish a job. Why re-invent the wheel when somebody has already done it? I understand the want for something custom built and unique, but at a certain point you have to be realistic. Do you have the money, and more importantly, the time to give to that type of project? Even if you did, would you really want to part with that money if you could have something for a fraction of the cost, while still getting the same quality?
For those of you that know me, I’m not out to make a fortune on my customers. Yes, I will make money off of the jobs I complete. My main interest, though, is providing people with a quality product at a reasonable price. I feel that will bring my existing customers back to me and, hopefully, they’ll be so happy with the final product, they would be willing to recommend Speaking Digital to their friends and families in the future.