Hi
I did not look through the infos of all of you guys, but I'm pretty sure that some of you have some kind of web design compagny, may it be serious or more as a hobby.
My question is
Do you guys have to make lot of advertising or have to talk a lot about your web design thing, or do you get hits, and by the way clients, by simply putting a link to your site into your signature ? Do you get frequent work, or do you work from time to time ?
I'm just asking because I just strated doing bussiness on the web, posting in some forums and getting some logos and websites to do. I just wanted to know how you guys did your thing.
Thanks
Web Design
Hi
I did not look through the infos of all of you guys, but I'm pretty sure that some of you have...
&nsbp;
#2
exogen
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- Designer
- 13 posts
Apprentice Designer
Posted 23 May 2004 - 02:29 AM
I've just recently started participating in logo design contests (on other sites) and it has kept me pretty busy. Granted, winning is not guaranteed -- it sounds like you are looking for guaranteed work from a client who requests your attention specifically. That I'm not sure about, but there is an abundance of work to be done just from entering contests.
#3
bigyou
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- Designer
- 82 posts
Apprentice Designer
Posted 23 May 2004 - 02:42 AM
I was effectively talking about some sure clients.
I'm getting used to contest and offers on forums. I started participating a month ago I think. What you said is true though, nothing is garanteed. You ain't sure about nothing until you see the money in your bank account. But you are also right saying that there is a lot do. No doubt about it. And lets face it, contests are fun. And they let you do what you want, since you don't have to fit exactly what the client wants since he doesn't give anything until he/she likes.
By the way, I have some logos for a contest to do
I'm getting used to contest and offers on forums. I started participating a month ago I think. What you said is true though, nothing is garanteed. You ain't sure about nothing until you see the money in your bank account. But you are also right saying that there is a lot do. No doubt about it. And lets face it, contests are fun. And they let you do what you want, since you don't have to fit exactly what the client wants since he doesn't give anything until he/she likes.
By the way, I have some logos for a contest to do
#4
LoriL1212
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- Designer
- 28 posts
Junior Member
Posted 24 May 2004 - 01:00 AM
Hi - New to this forum, but can add to this thread.
I have been a freelance designer for seven years.
I get tons of business from forums - and not contest style, such as this. I have just begun to come to these so that I can hang with other designers, and eventually participate. I cannot begin to count the mass of probono stuff I have done for others in forums, but for every five things I have done at no charge, there has been one person who wanted to pay for something.
I get a great deal of biz from freelance sites like Guru, and RentACoder among the many I frequent. Guru sends at least one job a week my way - but, I DO pay for my membership there, and that does help to secure the jobs. I would say that these type of sites are about 60% of my business --- I have done quite a bit of work with some of them, and have high ratings. Absolutely worth the $$ I pay for my memberships.
I also have my website listed with all "design related" websites - just because that helps the Google rating. From that, I do get a few jobs from passers by - and even more from the links to me from previous projects.
That is all the advertising I have had to do - so that totals about.... $ 500.00 a year, and that is NOTHING in comparison with the income
I have been a freelance designer for seven years.
I get tons of business from forums - and not contest style, such as this. I have just begun to come to these so that I can hang with other designers, and eventually participate. I cannot begin to count the mass of probono stuff I have done for others in forums, but for every five things I have done at no charge, there has been one person who wanted to pay for something.
I get a great deal of biz from freelance sites like Guru, and RentACoder among the many I frequent. Guru sends at least one job a week my way - but, I DO pay for my membership there, and that does help to secure the jobs. I would say that these type of sites are about 60% of my business --- I have done quite a bit of work with some of them, and have high ratings. Absolutely worth the $$ I pay for my memberships.
I also have my website listed with all "design related" websites - just because that helps the Google rating. From that, I do get a few jobs from passers by - and even more from the links to me from previous projects.
That is all the advertising I have had to do - so that totals about.... $ 500.00 a year, and that is NOTHING in comparison with the income
#5
exogen
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- Designer
- 13 posts
Apprentice Designer
Posted 24 May 2004 - 01:15 AM
I'm curious Lori, what IS your income like from just doing freelance design? And I'm assuming you do both web and graphic design? I much prefer graphic design over web design when it comes to client interaction -- what percentage of your income comes just from graphic design vs. web design?
#6
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- Guests
Posted 24 May 2004 - 01:59 AM
In my opinion the essencial point in getting "sure clients" is forming a good portfolio which shows that you are capable of doing serious projects. Once you have such a portfolio you can advertise it on forums. A signature on a big forum can bring up to 50 visitors a day to your portfolio website.
#7
LoriL1212
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- Designer
- 28 posts
Junior Member
Posted 24 May 2004 - 02:06 AM
Actually, ALL my income is from Web Design - I am not "into" heavy graphic design, and more produce clean, crisp web sites. I don't do logo design, or database.
I CAN do everything, but choose only the web site design. I turn NO business away however. I have logo designers and programmers at my disposal.
I make anywhere from $250 - $800 for template design, and in the range of $1000 - $2000 for sites. I do at least one full website a week, and have clients that need bulk templates in the lesser template design rate.
I 100% agree with resurepus's statement that a strong portfolio (and client list) is the most essential. In fact, it is my experience+my design style that keeps my business thriving
I CAN do everything, but choose only the web site design. I turn NO business away however. I have logo designers and programmers at my disposal.
I make anywhere from $250 - $800 for template design, and in the range of $1000 - $2000 for sites. I do at least one full website a week, and have clients that need bulk templates in the lesser template design rate.
I 100% agree with resurepus's statement that a strong portfolio (and client list) is the most essential. In fact, it is my experience+my design style that keeps my business thriving
#8
bigyou
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- Designer
- 82 posts
Apprentice Designer
Posted 24 May 2004 - 02:32 AM
Building a strong portfolio is sure a hard task, but to me it looks like kindergarden in comparison to getting a good client list. I know it takes time. But most of the clients that can be found over forums seem to be not that serious about design. I just have to think about poeple asking for a template and only willing to give something like 20$ or even more frustrating, someone expecting to get a good looking, professional logo for under 25$. This to me is a non-sense. But thats another story. Most poeple are not looking for long term relation but more for one-shot deals and jobs.
I guess its all about knowing where to look, combined with a bit of luck. Since you're telling us you are earning over a 1000$ a week, then it must not be an impossible task to acheive.
As far as syle is concerned, I got to agree that it will mostly make your bussiness run. Once you found a style, keep it. But this is sure difficult. I myself have problems with that, since I eat minimalistic design and I find it hard to get clients who will like minimalistic things where white is well present. So I'm working to get my skills palette wider.
I guess its all about knowing where to look, combined with a bit of luck. Since you're telling us you are earning over a 1000$ a week, then it must not be an impossible task to acheive.
As far as syle is concerned, I got to agree that it will mostly make your bussiness run. Once you found a style, keep it. But this is sure difficult. I myself have problems with that, since I eat minimalistic design and I find it hard to get clients who will like minimalistic things where white is well present. So I'm working to get my skills palette wider.
#9
morganlh85
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- Designer
- 11 posts
Apprentice Designer
Posted 04 June 2004 - 05:02 AM
Most of the work I get actually comes from handing out business cards to people I know, who pass them on an refer me, or from people who casually mention to me that they're looking for a website. When you're an independent designer I find it's nearly pointless to advertise a lot on the web, except maybe for locally targeted sites like newspapers, etc. But sometimes it helps a lot just to let people you know know that you design, and they will remember you when someone mentions to them that they need work done. Have business cards ready at all times!
#10
Lord_Gandalf
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- Designer
- 60 posts
Apprentice Designer
Posted 04 June 2004 - 05:22 PM
Morganlh again nailed this one before me. Business Cards and word of mouth is everything in business especially creative work. Think about it.. if you had 5 or 6 grand and wanted a site built, would you throw your budget at some dudes on a forum you've never met, or would you consider meeting someone that was recommended to you?
Get to know people in business through family and friends. It's vital and anyone will tell you its tough to make a living online but having business relationships often give you the most surprising results!
Get to know people in business through family and friends. It's vital and anyone will tell you its tough to make a living online but having business relationships often give you the most surprising results!
#12
lovelesslove
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- Designer
- 20 posts
Apprentice Designer
#13
bigyou
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- Designer
- 82 posts
Apprentice Designer
#14
Dualbase
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- Designer
- 12 posts
Apprentice Designer
Posted 19 November 2004 - 02:10 PM
hello Youan,
as a starting business, we are actually in the same situation as you (even more in the same town
) . At dualbase we are 2 peoples comming from France, so that's doubling the challenge (new in Quebec and new in webdesign business).
We started our business 1.5 month ago.
And the best things/contracts we get is actually 100% through real life meeting. In that order :
- accidental (!!!) meetings (from business card dropping/talking with everyone met)-> show up portfolio (at least mainly offline and at home (!!!))-> f*ckin hard talk with prices -> and then signing contracts.
That's not really working the way we expected.
For "online" promotion we started indexing in search engine, but that's really really hard to get a decent listing position with the keywords "Montreal, webdesign". For directories the same problem occur... Globally the better you want to get listed the more expensive is the bill. Then we start to learn SEO but we are sure now that contracts may not directly comming from the website (even if we get nice traffic and feedback).
For now we are focused in a "human to human" promotion (forums and Real life talk), concidering our website as a tool to support what we are talking about.
Actually our best "promoters" are our clients.
Keep up the good work,
Laurent
as a starting business, we are actually in the same situation as you (even more in the same town
) . At dualbase we are 2 peoples comming from France, so that's doubling the challenge (new in Quebec and new in webdesign business).We started our business 1.5 month ago.
And the best things/contracts we get is actually 100% through real life meeting. In that order :
- accidental (!!!) meetings (from business card dropping/talking with everyone met)-> show up portfolio (at least mainly offline and at home (!!!))-> f*ckin hard talk with prices -> and then signing contracts.
That's not really working the way we expected.
For "online" promotion we started indexing in search engine, but that's really really hard to get a decent listing position with the keywords "Montreal, webdesign". For directories the same problem occur... Globally the better you want to get listed the more expensive is the bill. Then we start to learn SEO
but we are sure now that contracts may not directly comming from the website (even if we get nice traffic and feedback).For now we are focused in a "human to human" promotion (forums and Real life talk), concidering our website as a tool to support what we are talking about.
Actually our best "promoters" are our clients.
Keep up the good work,
Laurent
Our little Montreal website design company
Dualbase design
#15
David
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- Designer
- 14 posts
Apprentice Designer
Posted 22 November 2004 - 03:22 AM
Hello,
I have been visting this forum for quite a while. I was actually not very into the contest thing itself. Nonetheless, I kept visiting this site and I have finally signed up (Woohoo). I see that most of the time you take part in a contest, you really have to have time on your hand. I have been designing for about roughly 3 years now. It wasn't until earlier this year that I wanted to start a company. I am sure you would get alot of hits by simple giving someone you portfolio, but that doesn't really count as a word of mouth or have the same effect as giving someone a business card or being reffered.
Internet is sorta different. It is THE new business tool used most widely but has some downs to it also.
Thats all I would have to say for my first post on the board.
I have been visting this forum for quite a while. I was actually not very into the contest thing itself. Nonetheless, I kept visiting this site and I have finally signed up (Woohoo). I see that most of the time you take part in a contest, you really have to have time on your hand. I have been designing for about roughly 3 years now. It wasn't until earlier this year that I wanted to start a company. I am sure you would get alot of hits by simple giving someone you portfolio, but that doesn't really count as a word of mouth or have the same effect as giving someone a business card or being reffered.
Internet is sorta different. It is THE new business tool used most widely but has some downs to it also.
Thats all I would have to say for my first post on the board.
Intellix Design Studios
Portfolio: Intellix Design Studios
Current Porject: Global Cricket
Portfolio: Intellix Design Studios
Current Porject: Global Cricket
#16
liquid2d
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- Designer
- 8 posts
Apprentice Designer
Posted 15 December 2004 - 06:21 PM
In my opinion the essencial point in getting "sure clients" is forming a good portfolio which shows that you are capable of doing serious projects. Once you have such a portfolio you can advertise it on forums. A signature on a big forum can bring up to 50 visitors a day to your portfolio website.
I agree with you resurepus, most of the business that comes to me is because of the impression my portfolio makes on potential clients.
#17
derukureetsu
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- Designer
- 41 posts
Apprentice Designer
Posted 04 January 2005 - 04:56 AM
I had a "test" run to see what I could do in a fairly low-paying forum when it comes to graphic designing. Ran for 3 months with the only ad in my signature, as well as one topic in the advertising section which is rarely bumped, if not ever. Got USD115-135 which I thought was amazing.
That was until I came here and realised just how much money graphic designers CAN earn.
I'm currently making a website. From reading online guides about starting a website, espicially that of graphic designing, I've got some idea as to what I should do.
Advertise on free search engines. There are numerous websites that allow you to join these search engines and directories automatically. Some have trials in which you can manually submit, but on their site, your information for a few search engines and directories, before you have to pay if you want more.
That was until I came here and realised just how much money graphic designers CAN earn.
I'm currently making a website. From reading online guides about starting a website, espicially that of graphic designing, I've got some idea as to what I should do.
Advertise on free search engines. There are numerous websites that allow you to join these search engines and directories automatically. Some have trials in which you can manually submit, but on their site, your information for a few search engines and directories, before you have to pay if you want more.
[Sihen Productions - Graphic Designing that...]
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