Freelance web design is a rewarding way to make a living. You work independently, can work from your home, and work as much or as little as you wish. This means there is no cap on your income. You determine how much you earn each day, week, month and year. So how do you get started and how do you build a sustainable freelance web design career?
Step One – The Research Phase
The first phase will be your research phase. During this phase you will research what it takes to start a freelance business. This includes common expenses, tools required to make a living as a web designer, and how to start your own business. For example, what licenses, certification and permits do you need in your locale to operate a business? Do you need insurance? How will you report your taxes?
You will also want to begin researching your audience. Who needs your services? What can you offer that will differentiate you from your competition? Who is your competition? You might consider specializing in a type of website or in an industry. For example, WordPress customization or the Health and Wellness industry. As you can see, there are many aspects to research.
Step Two – The Planning Phase
In the next important phase, you will begin planning your freelance web design business. It will outline your brand, your services, and your systems. For example, when someone contacts you with a need, how will you respond? What system will you follow to work with your new client? Also, how will clients contact you for business? How will they find your business?
Create your work for hire agreements, your questionnaires and your customer inquiry and feedback forms. These forms will simplify your business and help customers communicate with you effectively.
Step Three – The Action Phase
During this phase you are going to start implementing your plans. You will create your website, and remember that this is a direct sample of your work. You will also start marketing. The most effective means for getting a business off the ground is social networking, email marketing and content marketing.
Start getting active in your industry. Share information and resources on how to build/design an effective website. Become an industry expert people can turn to. Ultimately they will turn to you to design their website, too. Of course, you will also want to have a portfolio of websites to share with prospective customers. You can create a portfolio by creating mock websites. Once you have clients, you can add them to your portfolio. Also consider doing a bit of non-profit work to get a few samples in your portfolio.
Finally, once your business is up and running, continue to be active in your industry. Create incentives to work with you. For example, you might create a referral reward program or a membership program that offers discounts to customers who utilize your services on an ongoing basis.
Making a living as a website designer isn’t difficult. Making a great living takes a goal, a plan and action steps to achieve that goal.
