My Business Plan: Build Websites < 1 Hour for $300
Mission Failed.
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READ ME - What this is all about: This is about my first Real attempt at the offline business model.
Warning: This is kind of a long post, and I don't have any sweet new method or tactic to talk about. It's more about me realizing that they KEY to Success in the WebDesign related business realm takes TIME and perseverance. So don't be p*ssed if you end up reading the whole thing and thought it was dead boring or didn't even make sense.
I just feel like writing, don't hate.
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Business Plan: Build Websites < 1 Hour for $300. Mission Failed.
Listen, I don't want to sound conceited, but from what I have seen on this posted on this forum in regards to building websites for offline clients, it's was way ugly. (before some of you switch on to "psycho defense mode" and rush to kill, this all changes as you will read about later)
So I thought, what the hell, I could do this better, in under an hour, and charge cheaper too. So I wrote up a business plan which was the title of my post "Build Websites < 1 Hour for $300" and slapped it up on my wall.
For an extra shot of motivation that I usually need before I actually prospect (talk to strangers), I crunched some numbers: $300 x 2 websites a day x 4 days a week x 50 weeks = $124,800.
Results after my first week in business: The exact opposite of what I expected!
Let, me explain - some quick background info: I thought that the HARD part was going to be getting actually clients that could, or thought would, actually pay and take this "web stuff" half way serious. That turned out to be easy. I'm not saying this will always be the case nor expecting it to be, but this time I didn't even have to call. They were all referred to me. The Friday before I was at a gathering with some old friends and kinda mentioned that I was taking this internet hobby to a whole new level, but stressed that I was serious. Come Monday I get two emails via Facebook about people needing or needing help with their website.
Game ON.
I didn't spend 4 years "underground", drive my mother insane, and practically drop out of college just to try and figure out how to make a crappy ebook. No. I'm "pro" in SEO and full blow websites, or so I thought.
I don't have time to Really explain how excited I was at that point, but let me just say I was so ridiculously pumped up about doing this, but as TIME went on that excitement was dwindling.
The Build Websites < 1 Hour for $300 ended up being more like Build 1 Website >/= 80 Hours for $300
(Of course I don't necessarily tell them that I plan to do this in an hour.)
Anyways, my client wanted a "WebSite/Blog", so I used wordpress as the CMS. I got him all set up with hosting and slapped up nice premium template, slightly hacked, with his logo and all in less than an hour.
See Result #1 Here: WiseGuys Lawn & Landscape
Now, the site was not completely done at that time (I still had 15 minutes), But overall I was not happy, and honestly I don't think my client would have been either. Besides, I HAD TO SEE how Long it would take to make a Site that could stand against Real Web Design Companies. So it needed to be custom.
But how could it truly be custom if you don't fully understand the business or the person, you know? That in its self takes more than an hour or two. And I was at a stand still, missing content, personality, direction. And at this point I thought it looked a lot like everyone else's sites.
--There is a reason why, as quoted around here a lot, "Why Websites Cost so Much". Because it takes time to paint your clients picture. You may be able to build yourself a website in a hour, but you probably not for other people.
So I said screw the "time for money value" I am going all out and timing myself to see how long it takes.
80 hours later, and it's still missing a couple of key areas (like an opt in form), here is what I have created based off the code you saw from site one See the Revised Result- http://wiseguyslawn.com/
* I Take Back Everything I ever said (well thought) about people charging "big" money for "simple" websites. Yes, it takes "know how", it takes skill, but most of all it just takes TIME.
I learned that, time for value wise, a lot of people here ARE infact coming out with pretty good websites.
Though I am kind of OCD about design and SEO, so I have to make a decision. 1.) Either charge 3-9 times more to build websites 1-2 weeks at a time. or 2.) Come up with a REAL business plan with SET services, premade designs, and templates.
Starting Monday I am going after number 2, because honestly I really want to be able to say I can Build Websites in Less than 1 Hour for $300. - And still be able to show other designers or clients jaw dropping examples of my work. Oh wait, I forgot for a second, that's not even it, it's the $124,800!
PS: Congrats to all of you and thanks for everything, don't ask.
-Idee
PSS: If you are looking for a discussion, let me know what you think of the site, even if you don't know much about design or seo. Don't, worry I don't compare myself to other people's businesses anymore, I'm virtually harmless, now that my ego has got a swift kick in the face by reality.
---------------------------------------
READ ME - What this is all about: This is about my first Real attempt at the offline business model.
Warning: This is kind of a long post, and I don't have any sweet new method or tactic to talk about. It's more about me realizing that they KEY to Success in the WebDesign related business realm takes TIME and perseverance. So don't be p*ssed if you end up reading the whole thing and thought it was dead boring or didn't even make sense.
I just feel like writing, don't hate.
---------------------------------------
Business Plan: Build Websites < 1 Hour for $300. Mission Failed.
Listen, I don't want to sound conceited, but from what I have seen on this posted on this forum in regards to building websites for offline clients, it's was way ugly. (before some of you switch on to "psycho defense mode" and rush to kill, this all changes as you will read about later)
So I thought, what the hell, I could do this better, in under an hour, and charge cheaper too. So I wrote up a business plan which was the title of my post "Build Websites < 1 Hour for $300" and slapped it up on my wall.
For an extra shot of motivation that I usually need before I actually prospect (talk to strangers), I crunched some numbers: $300 x 2 websites a day x 4 days a week x 50 weeks = $124,800.
Results after my first week in business: The exact opposite of what I expected!
Let, me explain - some quick background info: I thought that the HARD part was going to be getting actually clients that could, or thought would, actually pay and take this "web stuff" half way serious. That turned out to be easy. I'm not saying this will always be the case nor expecting it to be, but this time I didn't even have to call. They were all referred to me. The Friday before I was at a gathering with some old friends and kinda mentioned that I was taking this internet hobby to a whole new level, but stressed that I was serious. Come Monday I get two emails via Facebook about people needing or needing help with their website.
Game ON.
I didn't spend 4 years "underground", drive my mother insane, and practically drop out of college just to try and figure out how to make a crappy ebook. No. I'm "pro" in SEO and full blow websites, or so I thought.
I don't have time to Really explain how excited I was at that point, but let me just say I was so ridiculously pumped up about doing this, but as TIME went on that excitement was dwindling.
The Build Websites < 1 Hour for $300 ended up being more like Build 1 Website >/= 80 Hours for $300
(Of course I don't necessarily tell them that I plan to do this in an hour.)
Anyways, my client wanted a "WebSite/Blog", so I used wordpress as the CMS. I got him all set up with hosting and slapped up nice premium template, slightly hacked, with his logo and all in less than an hour.
See Result #1 Here: WiseGuys Lawn & Landscape
Now, the site was not completely done at that time (I still had 15 minutes), But overall I was not happy, and honestly I don't think my client would have been either. Besides, I HAD TO SEE how Long it would take to make a Site that could stand against Real Web Design Companies. So it needed to be custom.
But how could it truly be custom if you don't fully understand the business or the person, you know? That in its self takes more than an hour or two. And I was at a stand still, missing content, personality, direction. And at this point I thought it looked a lot like everyone else's sites.
--There is a reason why, as quoted around here a lot, "Why Websites Cost so Much". Because it takes time to paint your clients picture. You may be able to build yourself a website in a hour, but you probably not for other people.
So I said screw the "time for money value" I am going all out and timing myself to see how long it takes.
80 hours later, and it's still missing a couple of key areas (like an opt in form), here is what I have created based off the code you saw from site one See the Revised Result- http://wiseguyslawn.com/
* I Take Back Everything I ever said (well thought) about people charging "big" money for "simple" websites. Yes, it takes "know how", it takes skill, but most of all it just takes TIME.
I learned that, time for value wise, a lot of people here ARE infact coming out with pretty good websites.
Though I am kind of OCD about design and SEO, so I have to make a decision. 1.) Either charge 3-9 times more to build websites 1-2 weeks at a time. or 2.) Come up with a REAL business plan with SET services, premade designs, and templates.
Starting Monday I am going after number 2, because honestly I really want to be able to say I can Build Websites in Less than 1 Hour for $300. - And still be able to show other designers or clients jaw dropping examples of my work. Oh wait, I forgot for a second, that's not even it, it's the $124,800!
PS: Congrats to all of you and thanks for everything, don't ask.
-Idee
PSS: If you are looking for a discussion, let me know what you think of the site, even if you don't know much about design or seo. Don't, worry I don't compare myself to other people's businesses anymore, I'm virtually harmless, now that my ego has got a swift kick in the face by reality.
