starting Web Design Business Question

by him77
4 replies
  • WEB DESIGN
  • |
Hello all and thanks in advance for any help...

I have been studying code php/css (not coding mind you) and working with wordpress for over 5 years. I had a friend pay me to do his website recently and he recommend I start a business since

I did such a great job. I was wondering hat are some of the hurdles I should expect?

I work in sales/cold calling and make a great living, but I would love to get out of it and do my own business full time. I also worked at an web design firm a long time ago (around the time I start messing with WP) and sold websites for nothing lower then $5000 each and earning a 10% commission (which was easy for me cause I don't mind cold calling or door to door sales).

Again, thanks for the help and god bless!
#business #design #question #starting #web
  • Profile picture of the author Tony Dean
    Do a couple of websites, hang them on cheap hosting, with a keyword-rich domain name, and sell them on flippa.com

    Start your new business now!

    Remember:-

    "Procrastination is a thief - don't let it steal from you!"
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  • Profile picture of the author Themeplated
    If you're used to selling websites to high-end clients, (e.g. $5000+ per), I'd highly recommend that you get fitted out with a full portfolio website, company and business collateral, and then focus on attracting high-end customers through:

    - A referral scheme; allow your current clients to refer other businesses for a commission, or if you don't have any clients, do some work pro-bono in return for referrals.

    - Events; if you know your stuff, try to get some gigs speaking at business related events (specifically about how a website would help attendees grow their business).

    - Press; try to get press in business publications, both online and offline. Ask to write a weekly column, show them some of your work etc.
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    • Profile picture of the author jamesg3
      As a professional freelance web developer with a strong customer base, I can say for certain that you had better be ready for a lot of hungry days and nights and all those nice things like phones and shoes will be hard to get or keep the first 3 to 4 years. I know over 20 web developers and designers online that I hang with in certain forums and on skype and most of them went back to work for the local gas station or grocery store. Also, if you really want to make money every week, you need help or you need to stay awake up to 20 hours a day on the pc either marketing yourself, searching freelance sites, building relationships, book keeping, doing proposals, scopes of work and NDAs, talking with clients and potential clients on the phone and then you get the rest of the day to design and code but be sure to leave a few hours for the clients you finished uyp with because they dont just leave when the project is complete, they come at you from all directions with stuff like, can you add this or I broke that and what about adding some text for me for free and what about making me 3 more pages FOR FREE!! lol. . So you go to bed at 6 am and get up at 11 am 7 days a week and stay glued to your pc. And save every penny for the times that you don't get a job for 4 weeks at a time. You spend 30 bucks today on some tioy or gadget and then you dont eat next week for 3 days. This is for real and anyone who steps in here and says that no5t true, your not doing anything anyways. I make 1200.00 to 4000 every month and it has taken 3 years to get to this point. I can tell you that I have spent many weeks working off of other people wifi and eating bread while doing jobs. Please do not listen to anyone who tells you different if you are planning to make a living from this. It will hurt you for the first year or 2!!!
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  • Profile picture of the author 0mlm
    Banned
    its tough for newbie
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