What Mistakes Do Entrepreneurs Make When Ordering a Website

How to Avoid Chaos in Website Development: Overview of Mistakes and Their Solutions

According to a HubSpot survey, nearly 70% of website clients do not have clear goals at the start of the project. The result? Constant changes in the process, missed deadlines, and a budget increase two to three times.

In this case, changing tasks during the process won’t work. Initially adding ‘a bit of functionality’ — CRM integration, payment, chatbots, calculators. Then the development drags on for one and a half years instead of the planned three months.

A clear goal is like a beacon guiding you in the right direction. Without it, your website will be adrift on the sea of the internet, like a ship without a captain. Here are three tips to help avoid this classic mistake:

1. Ask a specific question: why do you need a website? If you don’t know, your developer certainly won’t guess.
2. Avoid phrases like ‘for everyone.’ If you think your product is for everyone, it is likely for no one. The more specifically you define your audience, the more precise the result will be.
3. Keep the focus on business tasks. The site should sell, attract clients, address the pain points of your audience. If it doesn’t do these – it’s just a beautiful electronic monument.

What questions to ask? To begin, identify the following points:

• What exactly should the site do? (Sell, inform, entertain, collect applications?)
• Who is your target audience? (Trust me, a site for teenagers will differ from a site for seniors.)
• What main functions and pages should be present?
• Examples of websites you like (and dislike).

When goals are clear and transparent, the developer can offer adequate solutions, and you will receive results without unpleasant surprises and unnecessary expenses. But this is only 50% of success; the rest depends on several important criteria. Let’s look at the top mistakes entrepreneurs face on the way to their dream website.

Lack of a technical assignment: ‘just come up with something yourself’ — the worst idea in your life

Honestly, the most surprising clients are those who say: ‘Well, you’re the experts, just come up with something yourself.’ At first glance, it’s like a compliment. But if you take a closer look, it’s a direct path to disaster. You don’t go to a restaurant and say: ‘Chef, make me something tasty.’ Because the chances of getting snail soup instead of your favorite steak become very high. Similarly, with a website, without a technical assignment, you will get what the executor simply deems necessary.

To avoid such a scenario, do three simple things:

• Write a technical assignment of at least one page. Believe me, even if you only specify the most important things, it’s better than nothing. Developers are talented people, but unfortunately, they weren’t given crystal balls to read minds.
• Describe the client profile. Trust me, a site for mothers with infants and a site for rugged bikers look very different. Even if both sell clothing.
• Provide specific examples. ‘I want it like Apple’ is a bad example. ‘I like the menu like Apple and the cart like Zara’ — now that’s effective.

So stop relying on the intuition of developers. Trust my experience: without a clear specification, even the best contractor is like a ship without a map. It’s sailing, but where to — that’s a mystery even to the captain.

Choosing a contractor: a step where it’s easy to stumble

Admit it: you’ve also chosen a contractor at least once based on the ‘cheap and cheerful’ principle, right? We don’t judge you — we’re all optimists and think that this time we’ll surely get lucky. But the truth is that the lowest price often means either a novice who heard ‘WordPress’ for the first time a week ago, or even worse — a scammer who likes to take advance payments and ‘disappear into the vastness of the universe.’

Here are three things to look at first when choosing that ‘perfect’ developer:

• Portfolio. Don’t be lazy to spend half an hour reviewing works — and you will already avoid 50% of potential fraudsters.
• Feedback from real clients. If reviews are only from mythical ‘Olena’ and ‘Andriy’ without surnames — be cautious. Most likely, it means there are either no clients at all, or their satisfaction is greatly exaggerated.
• Specialization. ‘Everything at once’ is a great name for a pizzeria, but not for a web developer. It’s better to have someone who excels at one thing than someone who promises you a website, a mobile app, and coffee in bed.

So remember: when choosing a developer, you’re not just selecting a contractor, but a partner you will need to sail in the same boat with for at least a few months. Make sure they at least know how to row.

Here are three red flags indicating a bad contractor:

• ‘Jack of all trades…’ — the contractor takes on everything: today a website, tomorrow SMM, the day after plumbing. If you encounter a ‘universal soldier’, it’s better to steer clear. A good specialist has a narrow focus and always knows the limits of their expertise.
• ‘Portfolio under construction’ — no examples of work or ‘coming soon’ instead. Usually, this hides either a complete beginner or an old master of shoddy work. Trust me, no one hides a quality result.
• «Disappears from the radar» — communication in the style of ‘I’ll show up when I want’ is a worrying signal. A good performer is always in touch. If you have to look up the developer in a horoscope or flip a coin to find out if he’s available today, better not risk it.

So, friends, stay vigilant and always listen to your intuition. Trust me, it never lies — unlike bad contractors.

Savings on design and UX: why it hits your wallet

Let’s be honest: nobody likes overpaying. But when it comes to design and UX, the desire to save often backfires. If you’re the kind who says ‘The main thing is that the site works, the design is just decoration,’ then the outcome is predictable. Visitors will be lost on the site like in a dark forest, sales won’t increase, and you’ll wonder why ‘people don’t buy; after all, our prices are the lowest on the market.’

A website is not just information, but also atmosphere. Like in an expensive restaurant — you don’t go there just for the food, right? UX is the same service that makes people come back, leave money, and recommend it to friends.

Here are typical mistakes businesses make:

1. «That’ll do» — an entrepreneur thinks it’s enough to just load a template, add a couple of photos and a phone number. In reality, without quality design, the user doesn’t understand where to click and goes to where it’s clearer.
2. Too much creativity — when the desire to surprise outweighs common sense. Remember the old joke about the ‘too smart’ waiter who served dumplings in a coffee cup? Well, an excess of originality in design works exactly the same way – zero effect but lots of irritation.
3. Saving on UX — when the user doesn’t understand where to order a product, how to access the cart, or where to find delivery information. If a client feels like Sherlock Holmes, they’ll be better off investigating a competitor’s site.

Remember: design is not just a beautiful facade. It either helps a business earn money or quietly ‘steals’ money from your wallet. So always think about your client, because they ultimately determine what your site should be like.

Ignoring mobile version: how to hand over customers to competitors

Remember how, about 10 years ago, we were amazed when someone bought something via phone? ‘Wow, ordered a sofa through a smartphone — can you believe it!’. Now it’s strange when someone uses a computer at all. Don’t believe it? According to Statista, more than 60% of all online purchases worldwide are made from mobile devices.

Here’s a classic scenario: a businessman launches a site, invests soul and money into it, but when it comes to the mobile version – ‘who would order my furniture or sneakers from a phone, it’s inconvenient!’. Familiar? Now let’s face the truth: the smartphone is almost an extension of the modern person’s hand.

Do you seriously think that your potential customers will wait half a minute for the site to load on their smartphone, then try to hit a microscopic ‘Buy’ button with their finger? No, they will instantly switch to a competitor’s site, where everything works smoothly and they won’t even see the range because the site took too long and was inconvenient to load. Only after optimizing the mobile version can sales increase.

To ensure your business doesn’t become the ‘hero’ of sad statistics, remember a few simple rules:

• Check the site yourself: visit from a phone and try to buy your product. If you feel like a ‘bull in a china shop’, imagine how your customers suffer.
• Speed of loading is crucial: every extra second of loading — minus 7% of potential customers (according to Google data).
• Don’t skimp on mobile adaptation: a good responsive design is not a luxury, but a necessity, otherwise it’s money down the drain.

Remember, if your site is not mobile-friendly, your client won’t want to ‘befriend’ it either. And they will go to competitors who value this friendliness much more.

So, friends, the mobile version is not an extra bonus, it’s your main trump card. Don’t miss the chance to make your user happy right now, because your competitor is already waiting around the corner.

Underestimating SEO Optimization at the Start: Why It’s Costlier Than It Seems

Most developers often hear from entrepreneurs: “Let’s launch the website first, and then we’ll deal with your SEO.” It sounds about the same as “I’ll install the wheels later, right now the main thing is that the car looks good.” You wouldn’t drive a car without an engine, would you? Well, a website without SEO is a beautiful but immobile car in the garage.

Suppose you had a website made, at first glance, it looks really good. But a few months after launch, there are still no clients. Why? Because SEO was ‘forgotten’. In such a case, you will have to completely redo the structure and texts just to make a slight appearance on Google. And that’s extra costs, nerves, and lost time.

To avoid falling into this trap, remember these simple things:

• SEO is the foundation of the website. It needs to be laid from the very beginning. Later will be costlier, believe me.
• Correctly chosen keywords are money in your pocket. If users don’t find your site in search, they won’t know you exist at all.
• Speed is also SEO. Google loves fast websites. And so do your clients.

SEO is not just a trendy fad; it’s a way to stop catching clients with a net in thick fog. By investing in SEO from the start, you save time, money, and nerves. It’s better to pay an expert once than to expensively fix an amateur’s mistakes later. Remember: a website without promotion is like a Ferrari in the garage that you never start. Beautiful, expensive, but of no use.

Lack of clear communication: why “make it look nice” doesn’t work

Do you know that awkward moment when you asked the designer for “something stylish,” but got a pink-toned site with cats? And it’s too late to shout: “I meant minimalism!” There are many such stories where clients assume contractors read minds. But in reality, telepaths are rare.

Ordering a “site like the competitors'” without any details or technical assignments will likely get you just a regular catalog instead of a full-fledged online store with ordering capabilities. Developers will do “as they understood,” and no one will be satisfied with the result.

So, if you want to get exactly what you envision, do three simple things:

1. Write the technical specification like a detective novel: detailed, clear, and intriguing so that the developer wants to read further. This is no joke — the more specifics, the less chance of error.
2. Agree on deadlines as if it were a first date: if you don’t agree on timelines from the start, your site might be under construction forever, and you will repeatedly hear: “it’ll be ready soon, just a bit more…”.
3. Stay connected: regular meetings or at least a video call once a week acts like a vaccine against disappointment. Better to ask ten times than to lose nerve cells once.

And trust our experience: if you want to get a perfect website, avoid abstract phrases like “make it beautiful.” After all, everyone has their own concept of beauty — some think of Dali, while others think of the black square of Malevich.

Remember that “normal” and “nice” are classic killers of any website order. Developers are not mind readers from a magic battle to understand your thoughts from afar. The clearer you articulate your requirements, the fewer surprises you’ll receive at the end. And to back this up, I’ll share my communication rules with contractors:

Underestimating budget and timelines: why “fast, cheap, and quality” is an adult fairy tale

Admit it, who among you has ever heard the fairy tale phrase: “I’ll do it fast, well, and cheap”? If you hear these words, I advise you to take your feet and run as far away from there as possible. Because it’s like trying to find a unicorn in a city park: beautiful, but unrealistic.

Developers often hear ‘I want a website in a month and twice as cheap as the competition.’ But for such clients, there is only one answer: either it will be fast and expensive, or cheap and later, and the combination of ‘all at once’ is fantasy. Sound familiar? Most likely, such a customer will go to others where it’s cheaper, but there’s a chance they’ll return sometime later with a website that looks like Frankenstein’s monster: a heap of parts that don’t fit together. The result? Almost twice the planned costs.

Remember these golden rules, proven by my own experiences:

• The only thing that’s cheap is air. If a developer offers you unrealistically low prices, there’s definitely a catch somewhere. Either they don’t have the skills, or they’ve decided to practice on your project.
• Deadlines are always longer than promised. Murphy’s law states: ‘What can go wrong — will go wrong.’ Allow extra time to avoid falling into the rush trap.
• Calculate the budget with a reserve of at least 20-30%. It’s not a whim; it’s reality. Additional costs will emerge as unexpectedly as utility bills in winter.

It’s better to set realistic timelines and budgets from the outset. Believe me, this will save not only your money but also your nerve cells, and as we know, they don’t regenerate.

Remember: a website is an investment. It’s better to spend once on something that works than to constantly repair what breaks even before launching.

Refusal of Analytics: Business with Blinders On or How Not to Make the Same Mistakes Twice

Imagine deciding to lose weight, but you throw out the scales, cover the mirrors, and choose clothes by feel. Absurd? But that’s exactly how entrepreneurs behave when they don’t use analytics on their own site. You don’t know why people leave, why they don’t buy, and why they’re suddenly not interested in your products anymore.

Analytics is like a best friend who honestly tells you that you have something stuck in your teeth. Tools like Google Analytics will show you exactly where you’re losing clients, what they like, and what outright annoys them. Without this, your business will resemble a ship with a captain persistently ignoring the map.

How to make analytics a friend, not a foe:

• Install analytics from the first day your site goes live.
• Regularly check the data: if something goes wrong, you should know immediately.
• Make decisions based on numbers, not on your gut feeling (even if it’s very convincing).

Remember: ignoring analytics is like ignoring traffic light signals. It may work out once, but after that — it’s a matter of luck.

Complex navigation and overloaded design: why the client shouldn’t play detective

You know that feeling when you visit a website and think: “Where is the ‘buy’ button here? Is this a quest?” The irony is that entrepreneurs often want to make the site so ‘unusual’ that the client gets lost, like a freshman in an unfamiliar university building.

A website is not an abstract art piece where you need to guess the author’s intention. It’s a space where the client should feel easy, clear, and comfortable. Believe me, if a visitor doesn’t find what they’re looking for in the first 5 seconds, the next 5 will be spent on moving to your competitors.

What to do so your site doesn’t become a ‘maze’:

• Remove all the excess: less is more, but clearer.
• Test the site on friends: if a friend couldn’t order your product the first time, then a stranger surely won’t.
• Minimize the customer’s path from entry to purchase.

Remember: clients love simple solutions. Otherwise, why would fast food and delivery services exist?

Lack of a website promotion strategy: or why “launch and wait” — is a road to nowhere

Imagine you’ve opened a café in the middle of a desert. Cool interior, scrumptious coffee, but no customers. Why? Because you didn’t tell anyone you even exist. Sounds absurd, right? But this is exactly what a business looks like that creates a website but forgets about its promotion.

You can, of course, sit and wait for customers to come on their own, but in real life, the only ones who come on their own are the tax authorities. And you know what? Your website will be languishing somewhere on the tenth page of Google, where customers usually look only under hypnosis.

How not to fall into this trap:

• Plan your advertising campaigns even before launching your website.
• Don’t forget about SEO: being at the top of Google is not a privilege, but a necessity.
• Engage with social media. People love to sneak a peek into businesses through social media—so let them see you more often.

And remember: a website without promotion is like a Ferrari in a garage that you never start. Beautiful, expensive, but useless.

How 6Weeks helps entrepreneurs avoid classic mistakes

Be honest: are you also tired of spending money on a website that then works like a car without wheels — looks fine, but won’t take you far? You are not alone. Most entrepreneurs make the same mistake: they launch a website, wait for customers, and then wonder why they don’t come. But there’s good news: with 6Weeks, you can avoid these pitfalls once and for all.

Why Choose 6Weeks

Because you are an entrepreneur, not a programmer. You want to grow your business, not spend months on a website that still doesn’t sell. 6Weeks solves your main problems immediately:

• Quick start: in 6 weeks, you get a ready-to-operate website.
• No technical complexities: we handle everything from design to technical settings.
• Real results: our websites are created not for beauty, but for profit.

At 6Weeks, we create template online stores on WordPress, ready for active promotion from day one. We don’t just hand you a website and say, ‘good luck with your business.’ No, my friends, with us, it’s simpler: right at the start, you get an optimized site ready for promotion on Google. We set up the basic tools for future advertising and SEO. All that’s left for you is to hit the ‘go’ button!

Conclusion: How to Stop Making Mistakes and Create a Website That Works

Let’s be honest: we’ve all made these mistakes before. We also wanted to do it cheaply, quickly, and beautifully. But reality quickly taught that these three desires simultaneously are like three different roads leading in different directions.

So, now you know exactly where those same pitfalls are that novice entrepreneurs love so much. And if you have carefully read the article, you are already one step ahead of competitors who only dream of the ideal website but do nothing about it.

To secure your success, we will give you one simple piece of advice: don’t be afraid to ask questions. Communicate openly with developers, discuss the budget and deadlines in detail, write clear technical specifications, and test the site as if you were your own client.

And now, friends, a question for you: are you ready to change your approach and create a website that will bring in clients and money, not headaches? If so, act today. Not tomorrow, not Monday, but right now. Because success loves those who don’t procrastinate. Contact the 6Weeks team and get a website that will fully meet your requirements.

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