Can you please explain this “basic website” thing in better detail?

Having a website is a critical component to your business or cause. Getting a website up and running is normally very costly, but we’ve created a business model that allows us to make it happen for you far cheaper.

In business we have what we call a “minimum viable product”, which means that you just get the ‘thing’ out there at a basic functioning level, so it starts making money. As you make money, you improve the thing, and in turn it generates more money.

The ‘basic website’ is a minimum viable product. It’s just some basic information about your business or cause that tells people what you do, and gives them a way to reach you.

 

How do you keep your prices so low?

MYD Websites is committed to helping others get their website up and running at the lowest cost possible. The business model we've developed achieves this goal in part by doing the following:

• Having a basic framework that we use repeatedly as opposed to building your site from scratch

• Asking our clients to self-direct in some simple places, such as filling out questionnaires on their own as opposed to having an agent ask the questions
  

• Allowing those who want more guidance to purchase service blocks to get as much extra guidance as they want.
  

• Booking service time with our client service team to build your site, as opposed to having instant access. Doing it this way means we don't have agents sitting around waiting for your call.
  

• Pre-paying for your services instead of spending money on an entire department dedicated to chasing people for payment.

This is a new way of doing business, but it’s incredibly beneficial for our clients!

 

What are the upsides of working with you?

The savings!

Our business model allows you to get a starter site up and running for a very low price, and then build a more detailed site piece by piece as your revenue grows. This means you’re spending less to get in front of your audience, which is a huge advantage when you’re starting out! The money you save can be directed to other areas of your endeavor, to strengthen its success.

The other upside is that we don’t try to bind you to us. There are no contracts, so if you ever decide you no longer want to work with us, you're free to go. We want you to be here because you're pleased with our service, not because you're stuck here.

 

What are the downsides of working with you?

As your business or cause grows and you add components to your website, the results can be pretty dynamic. Although it is extremely rare, because we’re building your site on a software platform, we occasionally run into limitations. You may want your website to do something very specific that, despite our best efforts and workaround attempts, we may not be able to make happen.

If this happens, there are two directions to consider: try something different, or consider that you may have grown to a point where having a developer custom-code a website for you is your next direction.

The other downside is that our client service isn’t instant. Sometimes we have more demand for service than we have agents. Like any business, this ebbs and flows. There are times when you’ll have to wait longer to get a meeting, where other times it’s the next day. We’re usually pretty quick, but setting your expectations that it could be several days before we can help you, is a good idea.

We are growing too and always looking for ways to improve; so if you can be patient with us through our own growing pains, the return for your patience is a savings far greater than any other provider offers.

 

How do service blocks work?

You choose a service block based on the service you need, pay for it, and follow the steps outlined in the block you’ve chosen. 

Unused service blocks expire 30 days after payment, at which point you lose your investment (unless the error happens on our end, in which case we’ll make it right), so don’t book until you’re ready to invest the time to complete the process.

 

How much do service blocks cost, and why can't I see them?

Service blocks are for exisitng clients only. They vary in price based on the service you require, and range from $30 for things like minor changes, to $150 for things like connecting payment portals.

 

Can I book more than one service block at a time?

You can book as many as you need, but each block is an independent task. This means that, for example, if you book two blocks of work, it may be done by two different agents. Regardless of which agent is handling the work, your meeting time for each block will be separate. If organization and task tracking are not your strong suit, you may wish to work on only one block at a time.

 

If I book a service block with a virtual meeting and I miss my appointment, do I get a refund?

The majority of the time in a service block is used by our agents to make the changes or additions you’ve requested. This is done using the information you’ve submitted on the form, and this work is completed before the virtual meeting. The meeting itself is so that you can look over the completed work to make any tweaks or see if there are any errors. If you don’t attend the virtual meeting, we just change your site per your written instructions, thus, no refunds will be issued for missed meetings. Please log in if you’re running a few minutes late, as our agent will wait for you for 5 minutes past the start time.

 

If I have a problem with my site, do I need to pay for a service block to fix it?

Service blocks are for editing and adding to your site, not fixing problems. Customer service is free and always will be. If you’ve booked a service block and our agent sees that it’s a customer service issue, they will transfer your problem to customer service, where a refund will be issued if applicable, and your problem will be handled free of charge.

 

What’s on the Basic Website questionnaire?

• Identifying information like your name and email address Etc

• Information about your business or cause, such as your business name, industry, where you operate, etc

• What copywriting (text) you’d like on your site (see the Basic Website Example page to see where you’ll need to give consideration to copywriting). If you choose not to include your own text, we will provide you with some generic, industry-related text.

• Whether or not you own a domain, and if you don’t, how to get one.

• If there’s anything else we need to know about your business

• If you have any feedback

What are your policies on down-time?

Although this hasn’t ever been an issue to date, because hosting is run through a 3rd party, we can’t guarantee up-time. If you’re experiencing a lot of down-time, we’ll do everything in our power to go to help you resolve the issue with the hosting company, and if the issue can’t be fixed, you’re free to sever your relationship with us, and move to a different host. You aren’t bound by any contracts.

Why do I have to purchase my own domain, can't you do it for me?

Owning your domain is really important. Your domain is part of your business' identity, and ownership over it prevents website developers from holding you hostage and/or setting a very high price to sell you your own domain.

We want you to be a customer because you're pleased with your service, not because we've made it impossible to leave.

Buying your own domain sounds intimidating, but it's very, very easy. In the questoinnaire we send after you purchase your Basic Website, there are easy to follow, step-by-step instructions (and some good advice!) so you can get your domain on your own if you don't already have one.

You also have the option to book a service block if you want one of our experts to guide you through the process, but we've never had anyone book for that, because it ends up being far easier than people imagine!

 

If I leave, can I take my website with me?

You own your domain (website address) so you can take that wherever you want. However, just like many other websites, your content is built into a platform, and if you leave, the content isn’t portable as-is. You could copy the content manually to try to create a visual duplicate, but if you’re going to do that, why not just stay here? :) 

 

Do you save a backup copy of my content?

No. It would drive our prices up if we had to save a copy of everyone's content. We strongly recommend that you save your images and keep a digital notebook with all your copywriting in it. If something happens to your website, it's good for you to have this as insurance.

What is your refund policy?

This company was started with you in mind, and we genuinely want you to be happy. This is to say that while we will issue a refund if it’s the only way to make things right with you, we ask that you work with us to try to find a resolution first. What we’re aiming for is a positive outcome instead of you leaving.

How do I cancel my service?

We don't want to trap you where you're not happy, so it's really easy to leave. But before you go, please consider emailing your help desk for a solution. We really do want you to be happy with our service, so if we can make that happen, we will. If you still want to go, log into your customer portal (link will be in your email after Stripe processes your payment), cancel your service, and go forth with our best wishes for success in your future endeavors.