How to Start a Home Based Web Design Business » Business

Who’s deriving maximum profits outta’ Recession?

prachimehta87 — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 21:13:10 +0000

Recession and profits – sounds weird, isn’t it? Well, sure thing it makes you wonder if someone is really happy with the prevalent recession, but the bitter reality is that indeed some of the industries or rather small sectors in the industry are booming up. And, the biggest sector that has derived maximum profits outta’ recession is the “Outsourcing Sector”.
Well, we’re not referring to any particular industry, but be it web design, IT, writing, marketing or anything else, outsourcing has been in high demand and the medium to large sized organizations are feeling the heat.

Quite obviously, the outsourcing agencies are in high demand simply because they help the big guns curb their expenses by providing cheap labour and nobody wants to give the projects to the mid sized companies who charge 2-3 times of what the outsourcing agencies charge.

So, here comes the million dollar question – when is recession supposed to end? Well, this is as good as asking when a massive draught would end, or the floods will clear up. But, the only difference between natural calamities and recession is that you can’t expect recession to suddenly vanish, while the floods may disappear overnight.

Basically, recession has been the result of slowdown in the cash flow, and with the boom in outsourcing agencies; the cash flow in market is slow but surely coming back to the right pace.

Moreover, the boom in the outsourcing agencies has led to job openings in turn. Therefore, it is expected that the mid sized companies might continue to face economical crisis, but the overall condition may improve.

Probably, by the end of next year, things might be good as ever before, and the common may get the feeling that recession has finally ended, but the pain of the mid sized businesses will be far from over. It would definitely take a few more years to get rid of this misery, and bring the proceedings to normal.

At the same time, new companies and organizations continue to emerge and make profits in the market, by providing good services at low cost – be it web hosting, website design, content creation, marketing, SEO or anything else!

Recession: Blessing in Disguise

Allan Collins — Mon, 28 Jul 2008 15:49:58 +0000

Photo By shyb.

If you haven’t been living in a cave or under a rock, you’ve heard about the tumbling American economy. Many industries are now feeling the pinch of the recession with declines in sales. Although this is very bad news to hear, it may be a gold mine in the making.

Throughout American history, there have been slumps similar to the one we are facing now. Fortunately, we have been able to bounce back from them. Some companies have actually grown to new heights and have surpassed all of their competitors. These companies now are so big that they are unstoppable.

So what does this have to do with a web design business?

If you provide services to a specific niche, it may be wise to find clients who are less likely to be affected by this recession. These clients will be your bread and butter throughout the ordeal and will surpass their competitors down the road. This in turn will allow your company to stay afloat and succeed.

During a recession, many businesses can’t take the heat and are forced to close down. The ones that are able to survive end up having very little competition and become a huge success. The same goes for the web design industry. With the low value of the dollar, many financial analysts believe that outsourcing to offshore countries such as India will decline. American companies who outsourced were able to get ten times the worth nearly two years ago, but are now only able to get two times as the economy continues to decline.

So what does this mean for American and Indian web designers?

American web design companies who outsourced will start to have more overhead and may be forced to shutdown. This in turn will lower the amount of competition in an industry that many feel is over-saturated. For Indian web workers, this will allow them to be more competitive as well and only the strong and the highly skilled will prevail.

So keep your chin up and start to go after the bigger and stronger clients. Work to make them successful, that in turn, will make you successful. Because when it’s all over who’s going to be left standing?

5 Powerful Website Niches That Are Here to Stay

Allan Collins — Tue, 27 May 2008 14:00:41 +0000

When starting your own web design business, it is important to first think about what kinds of clients you wish to service. Do you see yourself providing solutions to a diverse set of customers or do you see yourself focusing on one type of customer? Are you sticking to the local market or are you looking at being global? Here are five industries that you can be a leading provider of…

Photo By adpowers

1. Travel and Hospitality

Looking for a great place to stay in Florida? Nine times out of 10 you are going to use the web to plan for your next vacation. Travel agents, bed and breakfasts, hotels and luxury resorts can double their annual revenue just by having a website with online booking capabilities. By partnering up with third-party booking engine vendors, you will better your chances of being successful in this niche.

2. Real Estate

Photo By thinkpanama

Ever since the internet boom began, real estate agents have been focusing hard on getting a good web presence. But after the bubble had burst and search engines began to ban numerous real estate websites, many were left with the belief that having a website was a waste of money. Although currently today this niche is still popular and very competitive. Many successful website companies in this niche are selling affordability over quality.

Begin by speaking with your local board of Realtors and seek to become a website vendor. The board will then be able to refer new clients to you. Seek partnerships with MLS providers and work on a marketing pitch that will set you apart from the rest of the competition.

Photo By Joe Gratz

3. Law Firms

Every day there are numerous search queries for legal related matters. This brings excellent opportunities for law firms. The downside is that many attorneys or law firms do not fully recognize the marketing potential of a website. It is up to you to show them what they are missing.

Photo By jenn_jenn

4. Finances

With the U.S. economy in a debt crisis, many are turning to the web for answers. Debt consolidation or consulting firms are profiting big from this and so can you. Locate these financial advising companies and sell them your services.

Photo By Sarah Mae

5. Education

Currently the tech-savvy generations of students are searching for the next step in their educational lives. A majority of college, technical school and university websites need a lot of TLC. Locate the decision maker at the institution and offer to provide web site maintenance services. Once a service level agreement is intact, it will be easier to up sell a site redesign in the future.

And there you have it, five great niches you can focus your web design business around. By focusing on only one niche, it will allow you to sell your business as a leading provider for that niche. Remember that the education, finances, law firms, real estate and travel niches are here to stay. Capitalize on the opportunity and build a solid business around it.

A Peek at Business Phone Systems

Allan Collins — Mon, 05 May 2008 14:00:21 +0000

Photo by limonada

Communication is the key to success when it comes to your business. It is important that the client is able to get in contact with you when they need to. Vocal communication is the second best form of communication after face-to-face. When youâ€™re not talking to your clients face-to-face, you need to pick up the phone and speak to them, since tone cannot be detected in an email.

Selecting a decent phone system is a vital step towards great communication. There are many different types of phone systems and providers out there and some will work better for you than others. Whether you are working from home or working in an office, your phone should work perfectly each time. Letâ€™s take a look at some of your options…

The Work at Home Freelancer

For the one-person show, you can look into voice over internet protocol (VOIP) providers such as Vonage. Requiring only a high speed internet connection, you can get a nice quality phone system for a lower cost than your typical landline phone company. They even offer toll-free numbers for five bucks extra per month.

In The Office

If your business has employees that all work together in an office, it may be smart to invest in a Shoretel phone system. This system uses VOIP similar to Vonage. You can setup as many extensions as you need each with its own voicemail. A T1 connection is recommended for best performance.

Big or Small

If you already have a phone line, you can try out GotVMail. GotVMail is a great solution for any size of business. You can setup extensions, a custom auto attendant and a toll-free number at no additional cost. There are many other great features available to choose from.

Conclusion

Communication is important and shouldnâ€™t be overlooked when it comes to business. Choose a service that works best for your needs, whether you operate a one-person show or a company with numerous employees, a phone system for your business is crucial.

Health Benefits for The Self-Employed

Allan Collins — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 14:00:00 +0000

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What are your health care options for being self-employed? Let’s find out…

Your Spouse’s Employer

If your significant other has a job, perhaps their employer offers health care benefits.

Private Health Insurance

Getting private health coverage can be a difficult at times, especially if you are not exactly in the healthiest shape. Many insurers will refuse coverage to those who have a pre-existing medical condition. On top of these stipulations, you may be stuck with a very large deductible before coverage can begin.

But let’s say that you head over to ehealthinsurance.com and select a plan with a high deductible. Your next step should be to look into a Health care Savings Account. It’s a pre-taxed savings account just for medical expenses. This way you will have money saved away just for medical expenses that aren’t covered by your current insurance (such as prenatal care).

A Part-Time Gig

Some companies offer health benefits to their part-time employees. So perhaps you my need to work a few hours at your local Starbucks until you can find a solid solution to this problem.

Any Ideas?

Do you have any ideas on how to get health care coverage while you are self-employed?

Please comment below…