How to Start a Home Based Web Design Business » Getting Started

Start a Web Design Business Links

Allan Collins — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 03:37:33 +0000

Now and then I come across articles on the web that are interesting and helpful. These articles provide you with a solid foundation to set you on the right track towards starting a web design business.

Richard Banfield wrote an interesting piece on the best and worst time to start a web design studio. Richard explains with good reasoning why you shouldn’t start your own company and great reasons why you should. It is definitely a good read.

Kevin Potts on the other hand, wrote a nice article on starting a business. Kevin goes into each detail on the proper steps to take when starting out.

These are two good reads that you need to check out.

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.

Surviving in a Small Local Market

Allan Collins — Tue, 29 Apr 2008 14:00:06 +0000

Photo by slimninja

So you’ve decided to take the plunge and start a web design business. You’ve got a computer, some software, a phone and a list of services you plan to offer. It’s time to let local businesses know that you exist and what great opportunities you can provide for them.

But after approaching your small local market, you may find that only a select few businesses understand the value of a web site. Unfortunately for you they don’t have the budget to purchase your services. Before you give up all hope on your web design career, you can try some of these solutions…

Other Web Site Companies

It’s always a good idea to network with as many people as you can when you are just starting out. This would include your biggest competitors. Often times, other web site companies will get more work than they can handle. Let those companies know that you will be their knight in shining armor when they need work to be done.

Project Bidding Web Sites

You may be tempted to use online project bidding sites to get some work. One tough issue you may face is to convince the client to hire you based on your value and not the cost you will do it for. Many times when a project is posted, the lowest bidder will usually win, mainly because price is the only metric the client can use to choose their candidate.

Pay Per Click Advertising

Believe it or not, web site firms have become successful just off of PPC advertising alone. Companies such as Heritage Web Solutions spend around $80,000 per month on online ads. This brings in about 800 sales per month, which resulted in revenue of over $11 million in 2007.

Referral Commission

Offer your friends and family a commission just for sending work your way. Even offer a referral commission to your clients in exchange for some free work. This is a great incentive for growing your business by word of mouth.

Commenter Suggestions

Is there another way that you can establish your business while living in a small local market?
Let everyone know by commenting below.

How to Improve Your Work Situation

Allan Collins — Thu, 27 Dec 2007 17:48:50 +0000

Do you work for a website company? If not, perhaps you should be looking for companies to work for. One of the best things you can do is to learn the practices and techniques of these companies and find ways (either for them or yourself) to make them better. Once you fully understand how to improve your quality, then you can take the leap of faith on your own.

Make sure that the company you are working for doesn’t have strict agreements for you to follow. I once was going to work for a website company that wanted me to sign a three year non-compete agreement. This agreement basically said that I would not be able to do website design or search engine optimization for anyone else but this company for the next three years. Needless to say, I didn’t get the job due to the fact that I didn’t conform. Case in point, DO NOT SETTLE!

Now just to be clear, non-compete agreements are not evil. They are a common business practice. I lucked out and found a position with a internet marketing and design firm that caters to only the hospitality industry. I gladly signed the NCA stating that I was not able to do web design, internet marketing or hosting services for the hospitality industry during my employment with this company and 18 months after. Which was fine for me.

So, you now have a full-time job in the industry. What do you do about freelancing? If you are working an eight to five job, you will find it a bit difficult to freelance on the side.

There are two solutions for this problem:

Explain to your client(s) that you are working a full-time day job. By being honest upfront will save many headaches down the road.
Once you establish yourself with your employer, ask them if it would be possible to only work four days of the week. This would mean that you would be putting in more hours on those four days, but it would leave an open day just for freelancing. This is the option I took and was lucky to get. By working four-ten hour shifts, I was able to leave Friday open just for my business.

In conclusion, work in the web design industry, learn practices and figure out ways to improve them, try to adjust your schedule for freelancing and be sure to build steady bridges with the companies you work for, since you will need a backup plan if your business fails.

The Niche You Need To Scratch

Allan Collins — Thu, 20 Dec 2007 06:16:20 +0000

When you are just starting out, it is important to find out who your target market is.Â Whether it’s a geographical area or a specific industry, knowing this information forehand can save you a lot of time and money in the future.Â Do your research first and find your niche or specialty.

Here are a few questions to help you find your niche:

What industry/area do you feel could use your services?
What do you know about this industry/area?
Is there a lot of competition?
If so, how can you set yourself apart?
What do you need to do to get started?

Clients prefer specialists.Â

For example let’s say that you have a leaky pipe that needs fixed.

Would you call a plumber or a general handyman?

Both can get the job done, but the plumber is the specialist in this area.

Get to know as much as you can about your niche and become a specialist at it.Â That way, you will know (generally) how each client will want their site setup.Â This will allow you to get more sites out the door in less time, which would result in more profit.

Specialists will usually get paid more than a jack of all trades…Â