Web Design Business: If you could start all over again?

Web design is tough because you've got so many competitors and so many people who will undercut your prices to get the client. I don't do web design, (it's the only thing I've stayed away from as I suck at graphics). But if I were launching one, I'd go into a specific niche and own that niche. Say it's websites for dentists. I'd own that market. I'd also give them MORE then just a website.

PPC-Coach has some good advice about going into a specific niche and then dominating that niche.

I do mobile website design (linked to QR Codes) and if I could start over it would be that I paid more attention to my early clients. Although it seems obvious now, I got so focused on selling mobile websites to new clients that I didn't spend as much energy as I should have on upselling existing clients on other services.

Also, when I first started I was a little bit shy in asking for a high price for my services. I thought it would be easier to go in with a cheaper price to get the deal. As I gained confidence in selling my services I slowly raised my prices. I realized that some people looked at my prices as too inexpensive and I lost the deal because of that. Don't be afraid to charge a fair amount for your services. There are plenty of businesses out there who will pay $3,000 - $15,000 for a good website so there is no reason to hustle around to do a $500 project.

I hope this helps!

-Ben

You are dead on. It is far easier to ask for more money for more services from someone already doing business with you versus going out and finding new clients. The costs are dramatically lower for existing clients.

Yeah, I was very naive about this at first and now I make a lot more money from existing clients than new ones. Plus, it's just easier. You can call up the business owner and they know who you are and already trust you. It's definitely important to look at the lifetime value of a customer/client, not just the first service you sell them.

-Ben

Hi,

If starting your new web design business, I suggest you start at a lower price. Try to investigate the other companies' packaging prices and then you can lower your price a bit and add a little more to the packages. I know you wont earn very big at the start but its a good start to build up your name. Then you can raise your prices up a little.

Best Regards,
Jeff

While it's necessary to offer competitive prices, remember to consider the costs of doing business when you set your prices. Another practice which makes sense (but not all freelancers and small business owners do it) is to get a partial upfront payment before beginning a project.

I've made a few bucks with web design since 2007 using WordPress. The trick is having your own system to develop sites fast. I use frameworks and my own child theme templates so I can get a design done quickly. This gets the site out the door in a couple of hours.

The other trick is to find existing non WordPress sites and offer to upgrade their web presence using WordPress. Forget chasing those who don't have a website yet.

As far as pricing, if you target your prospect properly you can get anywhere from $800-$3000+, plus upsells if you're into that type of thing. (I am) Mobile Ready Sites are hot right now.

Offering a low price to get a job is a fail. Price according to your target.

1) Package solutions in a way that creates burning desire in prospective clients while eliminating competition.

2) Charge more than the average for the market -- positioning myself as a premium solution (average $5,000 MINIMUM per solution)

3) Dominate the market sooner rather than suffer analysis paralysis trying to figure out every little detail first.

Now go get 'em!

~Dexx

yeah to many competitors :-(

Never sell yourself to short. Figure out what your website designing is worth. I had a pain in the a** client that I only charged $274 for a website ( I was new back in the day ) anyway, I finished a fully professional site with a call to action and she didn't like it and wanted it 100% different... always charge more you will get less picky pain in the a** people.

my 2cents

I agree with PPC-Coach, which is Niche-ify.

If I were going to start a web design company that only focuses on web design, I'd pick a vertical that wasn't too saturated and focus on just that niche. I'd get in bed with a few clients, offering it for FREE to get a better understanding of the market and what they're looking for.

Then I'd great components that would be incorporated into the website that makes my designs stand out, convert high and have a higher-perceived value because they're focused "specifically for YOU (specialty)". Then you'd have the market cornered not just as another web design company, but a strategic web design that integrates ease of use, higher conversions and increased flexibility for prospects to your clients.

Back then, when Mozilla came out, you'd get an error for each un-found image. Ah, memories....

That being said, if it had existed, I'd have started with Wordpress and always made sure to collect between 75 to 100% of my fees ahead of time.

I'd also make sure *not* to assume the client knows how to use Google (you'd be surprised how so many people think you can only visit sites by *first* typing them into Google, and *then* clicking on a result. Typing the address into the address bar...it never occurred to them.

Hope that helps!

Whoah. I love reminiscing these kind of stuffs I get big smiles when I read about how you were doing with those "unfound" images. haha.

I guess I would do what Im doing now, every day is a chance to start over.

This is right up my alley because I have always been able to use my graphics skills and html skills to make money even in a competitive niche. You have to think what you can offer different and package those skills. For instance, my typical client is someone looking for a better and well maintained website because someone really screwed up theirs. I then slowly sell them my main valuable skill, the PPC/analytics loop as a package. It is not hard to look smarter and more likely to match what they are looking for when they have only dealt with art school wannabies that know NOTHING about marketing. (dont mean to sound arrogant but 99% of the webguys I know do not know squat about their client's business needs).

If I had to start if over, I would have focused more on making it look like I was offering something highly customizable, but is in fact cookie cutter with an edge. This allows me to do less and less work for more and more money.

I would have also asked (almost insisted) that if the site is generating income for them that they write or recommend me to bigger and bigger clients. In other words, I want to be known as that guy that really knows MORE than just webdesign. Then let the chips fall where they might.

I would use more online website designers to create site. I really like moonfruit and I created a couple sites for my clients using that. Since I travel alot, I need to able to edit sites on the fly. It's hard sometimes with dreamweaver.