[Charlie]

I'm interested in building sites for local businesses for free, just to gain experience and a portfolio basis. When emailing local businesses whats the best way to put my message across without confusing them as to why I'm doing it for free, and as well as explaining what service I will be providing them with? How do I go about hosting/domains?

Just need some advice, thanks.

[Renaissance-Design]

Don't work for businesses for free - contact charities instead. Businesses can afford to pay for a designer. If you work for free, they'll undervalue your work and give you the runaround. Charities are accustomed to accepting donations and being appreciative, as well as being more deserving of free work.

[CityCM]

I'd echo the above. Contact charities if you want to do free work. We've been doing a couple of charity sites lately and it's amazing how much appreciation they have whereas a business wouldn't give a monkeys.

[brightonmike]

I did work for the YMCA when I was starting out. Was very rewarding.

[4colourprogress]

Yeah I agree Charities are the way to go!

[Charlie]

Thanks for the suggestions guys, good ideas. Good ways for finding local charities?

[Ste Hughes]

you must know of charity shops local to you? a hospice? something like that. just walk in.

They won't eat you

[porkchops]

Another +1 recommendation for charity work.

When I did my charity work I typically had the charity provide the hosting and domain, or I'd arrange to set it up for them provided they pay for it.

Then, any design or development work was free. One of the sites I did actually turned into a paying client who has come to me with two different projects to work on (and more to come), so it can also be a great marketing tool.

If you just explain that you are a design student or new web designer that is trying to build a portfolio most charities will be more than happy to let you give them free work.

[Sogo7]

Charlie, on 17 January 2012 - 08:59 PM, said:

Thanks for the suggestions guys, good ideas. Good ways for finding local charities?

St Peter will almost certainly have me flamed at the gates for saying this but approaching charaties on an individual basis can be a waste of time, instead go for the jugular and get in touch with the people who do the direct marketing side of the fundraising for them such as CSDM Ltd of Ross on Wye. There are countless others just read the return address of an elderly relatives junk mail.

They will have daily contact with many charaties and
may be able to put your offer across more favourably.

[pilgrim_fgau]

I can honestly say that I done my first website for free and never again! It still haunts me to this day, dont get me wrong he does now pay for any changes, but as said above, you will get the runaround, and at the end of the day, businesses are there to make money, they wouldnt give you a product for free so why give them yours for free?

I know the feeling of thinking you have to be extremely cheap or free to get your first couple of clients, but being only on my third client at the minute, I can honestly say that he is more than happy to pay, and it is a fair bit to be honest. He even said me that I could add anything I wanted to the site that I thought would enhance it, something that I would want to showcase in my portfolio and he is more than happy to pay. Im glad I have worked with this guy as it gives my work some value at least, making me think I have to be a bit harder and more firm with new clients.

But definitely, a charity is definitely a good one to do