Start with outcomes, not tech buzzwords
Before contacting developers, write down what success looks like: enquiries per week, online sales, booking requests, or credibility for investors. Your brief should include audience, pages needed, integrations (M-Pesa, CRM), timeline, and budget range.
Developers who ask good discovery questions are usually better than those who quote instantly without context.
Evaluate the portfolio properly
- Click live sites — do not accept screenshots only
- Test on your phone over mobile data, not office WiFi
- Check load speed and broken links
- Look for work in your industry or similar complexity
- Ask what they built vs what the client supplied (copy, photos)
See our Serenity Yoga case study as an example of documented project outcomes.
Questions to ask in the first call
- Who owns the domain, hosting, and source code after launch?
- What is included — design, copy, SEO, training, maintenance?
- What stack will you use and why?
- How many revision rounds are included?
- What happens if the project timeline slips — on either side?
- Can you integrate M-Pesa / our existing tools?
- Do you provide a written contract and milestone payments?
Red flags
- 100% upfront payment demanded
- No contract or vague scope
- Cannot explain hosting or handover
- Portfolio sites are offline or identical templates
- Promises #1 Google ranking in one week
- Communication only via WhatsApp voice notes, no email paper trail
Agency vs freelancer vs offshore
Freelancers can be affordable for simple sites; agencies like Breon Studio suit projects needing design, development, and systems under one roof. Offshore teams save money but time zones and local payment context (M-Pesa, Kenyan consumer behaviour) often suffer.
For Nairobi businesses serving Kenyan customers, local or locally experienced teams usually convert better. Compare website costs alongside quality signals.
Why teams choose Breon Studio
We are a Nairobi studio offering web design, development, e-commerce, and business systems with documented scopes, staging reviews, and post-launch support. Call +254 747 148 603 for a no-pressure conversation.