Budgeting and planning for what you don’t yet know
Budgets are by their very nature a balancing act. But when it comes to CRM and website projects, one thing’s certain: it is unlikely the final cost will match the number you first thought of — unless that number has been produced by a very robust process.
Too often, budgets are set before requirements are fully understood. This leads to difficult choices later —unplanned last-minute amendments, cutting features, skipping training, and delaying the launch.
So, how do you budget properly for a digital project?
1. Budgeting comes after requirements, not before
It’s tempting to conjure up an ideal figure — but until you’ve mapped your processes, reviewed your data, and agreed on what success looks like, it will be just a guess.
A short discovery or requirements-gathering phase can make all the difference.
It gives you:
- A clearer scope
- More accurate supplier estimates
- A cost-justifiable business case
2. Budget for what’s obvious – and what’s not
The obvious costs are things like:
- Software licences
- Supplier fees
- Design and development
Less obvious (but definitely as important):
- Internal staff time
- Content migration and rewriting
- Data cleaning and restructuring
- Training and change management
- Post-launch support
- Contingencies
These often account for a significant share of project effort — and are the first things to cause overspend if forgotten.
3. Plan for change
Things will evolve. Requirements might shift. You may decide to make amends, add features, fix legacy issues, or improve integrations along the way.
Don’t forget to include a contingency — typically 10–20% — to give yourself much-needed flexibility.
4. The board will want to have confidence in its decisions
The strongest business case doesn’t always promise the lowest number. It needs to provide a well-reasoned plan, showing where all the costs come from, and to fully explain all the risks.
The board wants assurance the project has been properly thought through. That means proving you have a realistic budget.
A final thought
A well-planned budget does more than fund a project — it shapes expectations, builds trust, and makes sure the project keeps on track.
It is always better to plan for the complete picture before you start than to be caught badly out later.
Ben Sturt is Managing Director of Chrysalis Digital, and has worked closely with Membership organisations for over 20 years, spanning many sub-verticals within this field, leading and supporting on digital transformations for many membership organisations.
With this wealth of experience he launched Chrysalis Digital in 2015, drawing upon the deep understanding and unique challenges within membership organisations. Ben creates and leads digital strategy transformations enabling membership organisations to achieve successful digital outcomes.
Ben will be leading the deepdive session "Building Your Capacity for Succesful Digital Projects" at the Associations UK Congress on 8 December.
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