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The Webdesign Business 5 Surefire Ways To Fail
everal years ago, I
launched a small web design If, on the other hand, you are
company in a rural area of determined to run your web design
California. Market conditions business into the ground, the
couldn't have been better, my following list may be used as an
skill level was above average, expeditious roadmap to failure.
and I had a large pool of
aquaintences to which I could 1. Underprice your services
market.
This is the most common mistake
Within 12 months I went broke. web designers make. The
temptation is to break into the
My business failed because I made business by producing a few cheap
some very fundamental mistakes, websites in order to build a
and made them consistently. portfolio. Don't do it!
I now work in the web hosting Remember that you will only be
industry. I have had the spending about 40% of your time
opportunity to interact with designing sites. The other 60%
numerous self-employed web will be spent hustling up the
designers and have found that the next client. If you think your
mistakes which I made are time is worth $10.00 per hour,
extremely common, and usually consider asking for $30.00. This
fatal. will give you sufficient revenue
to pay for all the non-paying
If you are hoping to make a go of time you spend marketing your
your business over the long term, business.
you may want to memorize my top 5
mistakes, and avoid them like the 2. Fail to set and enforce
plague. boundaries
time and expertise. Don't give
Everyone loves a nice guy, and away either.
the temptation to be one is a
trap which many of us fall into. Remember, you're in business. Try
It's crucial to remember, though, asking a service station owner
that you are in business for one for a little free gasoline. They
primary reason - to make money. would be shocked by your
question. Likewise, you should be
You will, doubtless, encounter shocked when someone asks you to
clients who will pay you for a provide free service.
small website, then end up
wasting all of your time with 3. View your clients as temporary
questions about how to remove
spyware from their computer and Many of us get into this business
requests to add "one small thing" because we love creating
to an already completed website. something new. By the time we
finish a website, we're tired of
You can avoid this, somewhat, by that site (and sometimes that
establishing clear boundaries client) and we're ready to start
with the client from the very a new project, and put the old
start. A contract is useful here. project well behind us.
Make sure that your client knows
exactly what can be expected of This attitude can cut deeply into
you, and what you expect of them. your potential gross.
If your client asks for extras, Over time, your client will need
and you're amenable to providing numerous updates to his or her
them, give them a quote. Never website. updates are sometimes
toss it in for free. The only bothersome, but can add a
thing you have to sell is your significant revenue stream to
your business. More important, a look at maintenence contracts
satisfied client becomes one of with your clients, reselling
the major links in your marketing webhosting, etc.
network.
5. Build pretty websites which do
4. Ignore recurring revenue nothing
opportunities
Your best source of advertising
During the best of times, web is word of mouth. Nothing
designers live from project to generates great word of mouth
project. While finishing one like a satisfied customer. You
project, you will be lining up can build the flashiest,
the next. prettiest, most cutting edge
websites on the net, but it's all
Every business, however, has slow for naught if your site doesn't
stretches. perform.
Unfortunately, your own creditors Every website has a purpose. That
will still expect payment, even purpose might be to sell goods,
when your own revenue slows down. leverage an advertising budget,
disseminate information, assist
A wise web designer looks for in personnel management, or one
ways to provide his business with of a million other possibilites.
some sources of recurring
revenue. Even $400 a month which Your first job, as a web
you can count on can get you designer, is to ascertain what
through a dry spell. the web site is supposed to
do. Once you find that
There are numerous ways to set up "thing" - the thing it
some recurring revenue. Take a should do - make sure that
the site you deliver does that meetings, and to his or her
particular thing like friends and family. A client like
nobody's business! By doing so, this is golden, and will bring a
you will ensure a client who will steady stream of customers to
sing your praises at the Rotary your door.
Club, Chamber of Commerce
About the Author:
John Pierce is a technology writer and the Customer Service Manager for Gold Zero Web Hosting - http://goldzero.com -and the Webmaster for Cheap Webhosting Info Guide - http://cheapwebhostinginfo.com.
Read more articles by: John Pierce
Article Source: www.iSnare.com
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