Looking to start a web design business?
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Re: Looking to start a web design business?
A site is essential. It must be designed well and showcase your skills as a designer. On each website you create, I recommend embedding a small, unobtrusive line saying "Written by Haryp" (or something to that effect).
Re: Looking to start a web design business?
Web design isn't a business to start on a shoestring. Like any other business you need the right tools. The "right" tools depend upon the way you work, your skill level, your budget and your familiarity with professional authoring and imaging programs. You might need to try various pieces of software before you decide what's right for you.
Last edited by Benjamin on Wed Jul 15, 2009 5:47 am, edited 2 times in total.
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Re: Looking to start a web design business?
I started just talking to people I knew. A friend I talked to was in university at the time and I was in High School(grade 9 or 10). He developed a website for a customer in the past and she wanted it redone. I got the job and everything boomed from there.
I ended up doing a photography website for her husband and after that I had 2 professional websites under my belt. Customers could see what I was capable of giving them. Now I'm in university and I turn down business. I typically have someone calling me once a month looking for a website. I've stopped accepting new jobs because of school and the fact that I'm kept busy enough with my ambitions and sites I'm doing for non profit organizations.
References are key! I really got lucky and my first client was willing to try my services without knowing what I could really do. I had run a few sites but never really done something business orientated and thats what they care about!
Some Tips:
- Start local, People want one on one support. They don't want to be on a waiting list. They want to be able to email or call you and have it done.
- Explain everything up front and be ready to issue a quote. Business is about getting stuff done. Thats what matters. Most clients want a quote so they can tell you to get started!
- My first meeting with clients is always in person if available. I go over everything then and find out exactly what they need. From there I give them a rough quote and get back to them if I need to research anything for a complete rough quote. I always give them a rough ball park.
- Be available. Clients really like it when they can email you and get support. I let my clients know that email is the best way to get a hold of me. I check my email dozens of times a day. When they need someonething I take care of it. Thats what they are looking for.
- The client doesn't care what it takes to get the job done. They want it done.
I ended up doing a photography website for her husband and after that I had 2 professional websites under my belt. Customers could see what I was capable of giving them. Now I'm in university and I turn down business. I typically have someone calling me once a month looking for a website. I've stopped accepting new jobs because of school and the fact that I'm kept busy enough with my ambitions and sites I'm doing for non profit organizations.
References are key! I really got lucky and my first client was willing to try my services without knowing what I could really do. I had run a few sites but never really done something business orientated and thats what they care about!
Some Tips:
- Start local, People want one on one support. They don't want to be on a waiting list. They want to be able to email or call you and have it done.
- Explain everything up front and be ready to issue a quote. Business is about getting stuff done. Thats what matters. Most clients want a quote so they can tell you to get started!
- My first meeting with clients is always in person if available. I go over everything then and find out exactly what they need. From there I give them a rough quote and get back to them if I need to research anything for a complete rough quote. I always give them a rough ball park.
- Be available. Clients really like it when they can email you and get support. I let my clients know that email is the best way to get a hold of me. I check my email dozens of times a day. When they need someonething I take care of it. Thats what they are looking for.
- The client doesn't care what it takes to get the job done. They want it done.
Re: Looking to start a web design business?
Agreed, and furthermore:Trenchant wrote: - The client doesn't care what it takes to get the job done. They want it done.
- The client doesn't know what they want. They just want it done.
- Exception on previous rule: if you wrote sloppy specs or an unclear description of what they're getting exactly, then they'll suddenly know what they want after you did it. And it's something way different.
-
jack_indigo
- Forum Contributor
- Posts: 186
- Joined: Sun Jun 08, 2008 11:25 pm
Re: Looking to start a web design business?
Some advice I have:
- If you're a designer, then you need to pair up with two good developers that tend to get along with each other. When one is busy, you could use the other one, and vice-versa. The relationship is mutual. You find leads, do the design, and then route the dev work to them. Or they find leads, send the design work to you, and then do the dev work to complete the project. You need developers who don't compete with each other, but work together. They could be two separate businesses -- they just need to get along and help each other more than compete with each other.
- Before you take the leap from your day job working in a cubicle or whatever, stay with that for awhile, instead, and get your passive income projects up, first. (Google on "freelance" +"passive income" or visit freelanceswitch.com and read the articles there to see what I'm talking about.) In general you need to be able to pay your rent or mortgage for about 2 to 3 months on this passive income profit, and then have your active freelancing income on top of that.
- Before you take the leap, bundle up everything you don't need and sell it piece by piece on eBay. You'll thank me later when you have emergency cash to draw from when you hit a bump in the road.
- Since you'll be working from home most of the time, if you don't need like that second or third car, sell it. You'll thank me later when you have that emergency cash.
- Got a detached garage? Heck, if you don't mind the noise, you could rent it out for bands to practice in there for additional side cash. Basically you need any kind of side cash you can get, such as a selling stuff from a garden or farm, or passive income stuff from the web, or anything -- to help you ride out the bumpy spots in your income until you get an established client base built up with repeat work.
- Got credit cards? Got balances on them? Then don't become a freelancer just yet. Serious -- you need to get rid of that credit card debt before you even consider the bumpy road of freelancing. Do whatever it takes. The Dave Ramsey Snowball Program. Debt consolidation. Second mortgage on the house to get the low interest debt consolidation. Call the creditors and tell them you want a settlement because you can no longer pay 25% interest. Anything. Just whatever it takes to pay off all these cards before you even think of freelancing.
- You need an awesome portfolio website. It could be as simple as explaining the kinds of things you can do and some sample templates. Later on, you'll want to put actual images of client websites that you've done, as long as they permit you to do so. As for a design theme, consider your competition on webcreme.com.
- If you're still using tables for formatting your sites, you need to start formatting with DIV, UL, LI, and CSS -- use tables only for grid data or perhaps a difficult web form.
- You need to impress your clients. I recommend you learn jQuery Javascript and get really, really good with it. Yeah, you're not the developer, but it will help you in the long run to know this, and it will help your web developers too.
- Find a "chopper" service on the web that converts your Photoshop site designs into chopped XHTML, CSS, and images. You can then add in your own jQuery (when you get the skill) and then feed it to your developers to finish. When you get the material back, learn from it so that you can start do to the XHTML and CSS work yourself without the need of a chopper.
- Keep trying free products on the web and getting used to theming them, such as FluxBB, ZenCart, WordPress, etc.
- Learn the importance of an MVC framework and object modeling. Not that you need to do this, but you need to have a grasp of what good developers think about, and how to have your developers turn out work that is not spaghetti code. Usually good projects will involve objects for DB, ORM, templates, data input and filtering, and then all the "meat" of the website will be in object models in like a "models" folder.
- As the designer, you're usually the person stuck with doing most of the sales work, the requirements assessment (business/project analysis), the risk assessment (gathering risks, necessary proofs of concept for a project), and drawing up a functional spec doc and usually a workflow chart (in Visio) describing what happens when people click on stuff, different states of the app, etc. So, if you don't know how to make a functional spec -- learn it. If you don't know how to use a workflow diagram tool like Visio, learn it. And read a book on project management and systems analysis. And every project has risks. These are things that a developer does not yet know how to do, or needs to learn some new concept first, or just may not work as planned. So, you need to make a risk assessment on those items and determine what your mitigation plans are for those risks, such as developing some proof of concept steps to run first before the project is even considered. As an example -- proximity search in the UK. If your developer needs to build proximity search in a website in the UK, for instance, such as finding car dealers close to one's house, he may need to learn the Pythagoras Theorem and use a proximity database with UK postal codes, northings, and eastings, and this takes a good bit of learning. So, before the project is agreed upon, expect that your developer prove he can do this before you agree to send the rest of the project to him.
- Install Ubuntu Linux on a separate PC and get used to using command line 'ssh', 'scp', and 'rsync'. The experience will pay off because Linux is what you'll find on the cheaper and yet more reliable web hosts.
- Get used to using MySQL, PostgreSQL, and SQLite. Know at least how to install these and import/export tables. Most stuff runs by default with MySQL, although I think you'll find you get better performance on PostgreSQL. SQLite is for very tiny projects or when the client's web host doesn't support MySQL or PostgreSQL (which is rare).
- Read Smashing Magazine religiously and try to keep up with the latest web trends. They make a lot of sense in that magazine. Another bookmark you should look at is freelanceswitch.com, as well as DevNet.
- Install ActiveCollab for managing projects, or some other project management tool. It makes a lot of sense. Another thing is an online invoicing tool.
- Expect that your developers will backup their stuff and/or use a CVS or SVN source code check-in system.
- Have patience with your developers. Unless you've been a developer, you may not realize how much work is required for a website to get off the ground. It may look easy to you, but there's a lot involved on many sites.
- I read recently where a guy said to avoid the adult entertainment industry. It's in demand if you're a web developer or web designer. Might sound like some great money, right? Wrong! The guy had one good piece of advice -- it's called extortion, and is a trap you can fall into if you mess with this industry.
- If you're a designer, then you need to pair up with two good developers that tend to get along with each other. When one is busy, you could use the other one, and vice-versa. The relationship is mutual. You find leads, do the design, and then route the dev work to them. Or they find leads, send the design work to you, and then do the dev work to complete the project. You need developers who don't compete with each other, but work together. They could be two separate businesses -- they just need to get along and help each other more than compete with each other.
- Before you take the leap from your day job working in a cubicle or whatever, stay with that for awhile, instead, and get your passive income projects up, first. (Google on "freelance" +"passive income" or visit freelanceswitch.com and read the articles there to see what I'm talking about.) In general you need to be able to pay your rent or mortgage for about 2 to 3 months on this passive income profit, and then have your active freelancing income on top of that.
- Before you take the leap, bundle up everything you don't need and sell it piece by piece on eBay. You'll thank me later when you have emergency cash to draw from when you hit a bump in the road.
- Since you'll be working from home most of the time, if you don't need like that second or third car, sell it. You'll thank me later when you have that emergency cash.
- Got a detached garage? Heck, if you don't mind the noise, you could rent it out for bands to practice in there for additional side cash. Basically you need any kind of side cash you can get, such as a selling stuff from a garden or farm, or passive income stuff from the web, or anything -- to help you ride out the bumpy spots in your income until you get an established client base built up with repeat work.
- Got credit cards? Got balances on them? Then don't become a freelancer just yet. Serious -- you need to get rid of that credit card debt before you even consider the bumpy road of freelancing. Do whatever it takes. The Dave Ramsey Snowball Program. Debt consolidation. Second mortgage on the house to get the low interest debt consolidation. Call the creditors and tell them you want a settlement because you can no longer pay 25% interest. Anything. Just whatever it takes to pay off all these cards before you even think of freelancing.
- You need an awesome portfolio website. It could be as simple as explaining the kinds of things you can do and some sample templates. Later on, you'll want to put actual images of client websites that you've done, as long as they permit you to do so. As for a design theme, consider your competition on webcreme.com.
- If you're still using tables for formatting your sites, you need to start formatting with DIV, UL, LI, and CSS -- use tables only for grid data or perhaps a difficult web form.
- You need to impress your clients. I recommend you learn jQuery Javascript and get really, really good with it. Yeah, you're not the developer, but it will help you in the long run to know this, and it will help your web developers too.
- Find a "chopper" service on the web that converts your Photoshop site designs into chopped XHTML, CSS, and images. You can then add in your own jQuery (when you get the skill) and then feed it to your developers to finish. When you get the material back, learn from it so that you can start do to the XHTML and CSS work yourself without the need of a chopper.
- Keep trying free products on the web and getting used to theming them, such as FluxBB, ZenCart, WordPress, etc.
- Learn the importance of an MVC framework and object modeling. Not that you need to do this, but you need to have a grasp of what good developers think about, and how to have your developers turn out work that is not spaghetti code. Usually good projects will involve objects for DB, ORM, templates, data input and filtering, and then all the "meat" of the website will be in object models in like a "models" folder.
- As the designer, you're usually the person stuck with doing most of the sales work, the requirements assessment (business/project analysis), the risk assessment (gathering risks, necessary proofs of concept for a project), and drawing up a functional spec doc and usually a workflow chart (in Visio) describing what happens when people click on stuff, different states of the app, etc. So, if you don't know how to make a functional spec -- learn it. If you don't know how to use a workflow diagram tool like Visio, learn it. And read a book on project management and systems analysis. And every project has risks. These are things that a developer does not yet know how to do, or needs to learn some new concept first, or just may not work as planned. So, you need to make a risk assessment on those items and determine what your mitigation plans are for those risks, such as developing some proof of concept steps to run first before the project is even considered. As an example -- proximity search in the UK. If your developer needs to build proximity search in a website in the UK, for instance, such as finding car dealers close to one's house, he may need to learn the Pythagoras Theorem and use a proximity database with UK postal codes, northings, and eastings, and this takes a good bit of learning. So, before the project is agreed upon, expect that your developer prove he can do this before you agree to send the rest of the project to him.
- Install Ubuntu Linux on a separate PC and get used to using command line 'ssh', 'scp', and 'rsync'. The experience will pay off because Linux is what you'll find on the cheaper and yet more reliable web hosts.
- Get used to using MySQL, PostgreSQL, and SQLite. Know at least how to install these and import/export tables. Most stuff runs by default with MySQL, although I think you'll find you get better performance on PostgreSQL. SQLite is for very tiny projects or when the client's web host doesn't support MySQL or PostgreSQL (which is rare).
- Read Smashing Magazine religiously and try to keep up with the latest web trends. They make a lot of sense in that magazine. Another bookmark you should look at is freelanceswitch.com, as well as DevNet.
- Install ActiveCollab for managing projects, or some other project management tool. It makes a lot of sense. Another thing is an online invoicing tool.
- Expect that your developers will backup their stuff and/or use a CVS or SVN source code check-in system.
- Have patience with your developers. Unless you've been a developer, you may not realize how much work is required for a website to get off the ground. It may look easy to you, but there's a lot involved on many sites.
- I read recently where a guy said to avoid the adult entertainment industry. It's in demand if you're a web developer or web designer. Might sound like some great money, right? Wrong! The guy had one good piece of advice -- it's called extortion, and is a trap you can fall into if you mess with this industry.
- Christopher
- Site Administrator
- Posts: 13596
- Joined: Wed Aug 25, 2004 7:54 pm
- Location: New York, NY, US
Re: Looking to start a web design business?
Actually the client knows their business much better than you ever will. They know exactly what they need and the relative importance/worth of various things you might implement. You may have a hard time getting that information until both of you can speak the same language. Treat them respectfully as Domain Experts and use may of the well documented methodologies to improve communication in both directions. The client will get what they needed and keep coming back. You can charge premium rates for that.Apollo wrote:Agreed, and furthermore:Trenchant wrote: - The client doesn't care what it takes to get the job done. They want it done.
- The client doesn't know what they want. They just want it done.
- Exception on previous rule: if you wrote sloppy specs or an unclear description of what they're getting exactly, then they'll suddenly know what they want after you did it. And it's something way different.
(#10850)
-
afam_ifeanyi
- Forum Newbie
- Posts: 1
- Joined: Sun Jun 14, 2009 6:26 am
Re: Looking to start a web design business?
it is a great thing to have the whole world being able to view your products online anytime that is why the website thing is the best thing that has happened to business 
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marketing_india
- Forum Newbie
- Posts: 4
- Joined: Fri Feb 15, 2008 2:11 am
- Location: India
Re: Looking to start a web design business?
Web Design business is highly competitive business. If you have experience in Web Design then the first thing others will observe is "How Creative is your website?"
Your own website needs to be most creative if you are really serious about web designing. This will prove as a deciding factor.
Along with this you can try some promotion techniques such as SEO, twitter promotion, or maybe PPC to advertise your services.
You can also become active members of various web design forums which will allow you to advertise your services in the signature section.
I hope it will help you.
Your own website needs to be most creative if you are really serious about web designing. This will prove as a deciding factor.
Along with this you can try some promotion techniques such as SEO, twitter promotion, or maybe PPC to advertise your services.
You can also become active members of various web design forums which will allow you to advertise your services in the signature section.
I hope it will help you.
Re: Looking to start a web design business?
Our rules specifically forbid it:marketing_india wrote:You can also become active members of various web design forums which will allow you to advertise your services in the signature section.
Forum rules wrote: 14.2 You may not advertise in your signature.
Re: Looking to start a web design business?
I wrote a blog post last week about how clients should choose a web development company. It might help you figure out what they're looking for.
http://blog.ooer.com/?p=238
http://blog.ooer.com/?p=238