Three pricing tiers that cover 90% of local SMB work
1-page conversion site: $800-$1,800. Hero, services, social proof, contact, booking. 2-week delivery. This is the most-requested deliverable.
Multi-page site (4-7 pages): $2,500-$6,000. Hero, services, about, blog, gallery, contact, FAQ. 4-6 week delivery.
Retainer (hosting + monthly content/SEO): $200-$800/month. Lock these in from day one - they're 80% of long-term agency revenue.
How to anchor your prices
Don't anchor to your hourly rate. Anchor to the prospect's monthly Google Ads budget (most SMBs spend $400-$2,000/month on local ads). Your site is the conversion layer those ads need; charging less than 1 month of their ad spend is leaving money on the table.
When pitching, lead with: 'You spend $X on Google Ads. Right now those clicks land on a site that converts at under 2%. Get that to 5% and you double your inbound. Site one-time, then $400/mo to keep it sharp.'
Quoting: tell, don't ask
Never ask 'what's your budget'. State your packages, list what's included, and ask 'which of these fits?'. SMB owners respect clarity and are confused by open-ended pricing.
If a prospect pushes back on price, don't discount: trim scope. 'We can do the 1-page version at $1,200 instead of the 5-page at $4,000' preserves your margin and your positioning.
Retainers: the agency unlock
One-time builds are a hamster wheel. Retainers compound: at 10 retainers x $400/mo = $4,000/mo recurring before you start any new work.
Bundle retainers with the build: 'Site is $2,500 one-time + $400/mo for hosting, security, and one content update per month. 12-month minimum.' Most accept; the few that don't, walk.