Is my 'Estimate' page a mistake to have up? Would people get scared off by the price of a website they could have?
I would not say its a "mistake", I would just tone down the overall blurb about how cheap you are, its giving the wrong impression. Lol, the good thing is you're not saying "We guarantee to get your site in the top 10 listing on search engines". I hate that on web design companies.
Really? So, 50% before hand and the rest upon completion?
Thats generally how I work. 50% upfront means your customer is genuine about wanting the work done. The remaining 50% owed to you will make sure you get the job done.
Also never underestimate the power of "word of mouth". A happy customer recommending you to another is worth much more than any advert.
I have been trying to do as many free sites as I can for family members (like the Dr. Leducs office one for my dad which I did in 5 hours) to show off.
Don't get me wrong, they are functional sites and to the point. They are just not eye catching grabbing adverts for your company.
If I was looking for someone to design me a website I'd want to be reassured that the company I picked would:
1) Be able to complete what they start out
2) Be available to talk to through the design phase
3) Be there in the future if/when my needs change
4) Be able to give my site a unique character of its own