Lesson 4 · free sample

Cheap Websites Without the Sales Pitch

Adapted from Cheap Websites for Small Business by David E. Sproule · Soft Margins field guide · pamphlet length

Small sites that stay honest.

You are busy. You do not have months for a discovery process that costs more than your first car. Soft Margins treats a website as a tool, not a trophy. Start with the job the site must do, then refuse everything else.

Soft Margins rule: name the job before you buy the build. Visibility, contact, showing work, or selling are different jobs. Paying for all four when you only need one is how cheap turns expensive.

Ask why first

Common honest why lines: be found online (name, hours, phone, map). Show what you do (photos, clear service list). Make contact easy (form, call button, booking). Sell a few things (light shop, not a warehouse). Answer the same questions people keep asking (FAQ). Build trust (about page, testimonials).

You can have more than one why. Rank them. What is the single most important job this month?

Three sizes that usually enough

Launch page. One page. Digital business card with a clear call to action. Good for new shops, word of mouth businesses, and single clear services. Refuse multi page navigation, blogs, accounts, and “SEO packages” beyond basic setup.

Five page starter. Home, about, services or products, contact, plus one of FAQ, testimonials, or portfolio. Good when you need detail and credibility. Refuse a separate page for every tiny product if groups will do.

Light shop. A few products or bookings with a real payment path (often Stripe). It is not a full marketplace. Refuse inventory theatre and custom carts you will not maintain.

What to refuse to pay for (early)

Complex menus you do not need. User accounts for a brochure site. Fancy analytics dashboards sold as magic. Long retainers before the site has a clear job. Soft Margins prefers a working launch page this week over a perfect plan next year.

The full pamphlet walks Carrd style launches, five page builds, light shop options, hosting costs in CAD, and when to call a pro. This lesson only locks the size choice so the sales pitch has less room.

This is practical literacy for small sites, not legal, tax, or accessibility certification advice. Prices and platforms change. Check current CAD fees before you buy.

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