NathanG

That's a traditional way of thinking. It's deeply embedded, along with the emotional and (probably) financial investments made by those commenting here. If you're serious and want to continue the conversation, you're welcome to PM me your skype id. Regards

Kristian, while you may not be aware of it, your recent comments are libelous. I did not “buy” my twitter followers. I would not “engage in Nigerian email scams”. And the website you linked to doesn’t belong to me. And while you’ve been digging through years old posts from another forum, I’ve been setting up deals and making money. I don’t know exactly why you feel the need to be a keyboard warrior. Whether you’re trying to protect your own ego or others browsing this thread. Maybe you need to get more fresh air. Would I change and/or rephrase some of the content in my original post? Sure. But I’ll live with it and move on. Obviously I stepped into the wrong environment, given my temperament. Take care

I hear you, about the tone. What was meant to be helpful doesn't feel genuine. So I apologize for that. And what I appreciate most is the reminder that common web designers wish to remain as they are. You've all saved me a lot of time. Regards

I believe you sidestepped what I was actually talking about. Yes, what you're doing can be a great negotiating tactic. When it's true, and you advertise it well, it can be played to your advantage in a big big way. And, you may. Or you may not. The number of assumptions here is fascinating. I like your passion though.

Thanks for the object lesson in the mentality of common web designers. And to rbtsmith for the opportunity to clarify on a couple specifics. Web designers get hamstrung because of their inability to recognize the value they bring to the table. This is especially true when the client is a small- or -medium-sized business. A good, market-centric website can transform a business and it's owners. Bottom-line; the value itself is not in the design or your ability to make a website. It's in the results of the website. And your invoices should be appropriate for the results you deliver, regardless of the vehicle doing so (template or otherwise... more on this in a second). When you break away from the common ideas of what web design IS and your dedicated association to it as an "industry"... the sooner you'll be free and stop struggling and fighting for client after client to make ends meet. As for themes/templates, here's what I do. I tell the client in advance, in writing, that I can customize an existing theme at a reduced rate. If they want a website from scratch, my minimum billing is $25,000 and has reached over $110,000 in some cases, while working as a freelancer in recent years. The number of themes I'll actually use for a client site are few. They haven't had issues relating to security or performance. I understand your concerns here. Glad you learned JS and enjoyed it. That was the message. Many designers I speak with are using "I need to learn more coding languages" as an excuse for not earning more money. And if they struggle learning those languages, it feels like a barrier or a sign they're destined to be average, rather than focusing on what really matters to clients. Contracts are mandatory before starting work. Always. However, when first talking with most clients, local businesses especially, you don't have to draft long proposals or talk about all the possibilities of what could be accomplished. Speaking as an agency, this could be SEO, PPC, Social Media, etc etc. For me, the 3-step process is usually done over the phone or by skype. Sticking to the details of how the website could help their business, I go into the details of my process and how will help meet their goals. This point was made only because many beginners will be tempted to dig into code to prove their ability (or even their value). The moment a client sees you're willing to bend over backwards to get involved, you've probably wasted your time and certainly lost negotiating power. Regards

Hello, Being new to the forum, I wanted to provide you some value to get started... When put into action, this can be one of the MOST PROFITABLE POSTS you’ll ever read. I’m going to give you the exact concepts you can use to earn 10x more as a web designer, in 90 days or sooner… Bruce Lee famously said, "The less effort, the faster and more powerful you will be.” And I describe this as “SIMPLY POWERFUL” – which is also useful in business. So, is it really possible for you to be financially-independent as a web designer… without complicated coding or programming, while you have more freedom to enjoy your life?… YES… that’s what this is about… CONVENTIONAL WISDOM IS ALMOST ALWAYS WRONG You may think you've tried it all, or seen all, when it comes to SUCCEEDING as a web designer. Then, out of nowhere, you stumble upon something totally new... something that causes everything to just ‘click'... That’s exactly how it was for me as I used these strategies to transform my own life. And I’m hoping to give you the very same “YES!” moments by sharing them with you now. >>> THE BIG SECRET: IT’S ALL ABOUT MONEY <<< 1. MOST CLIENTS REALLY DON’T CARE ABOUT DESIGN Don’t take any of your client’s design requests at face value. All they really want are RESULTS. The moment you understand this and speak to that during your conversations, the more control you’ll have over the project and the smoother everything will go. Know this: Your only job is to understand the desired results and commit to helping clients get those results using a website. Their primary desire is usually for money (or camouflaged terms like “increased revenues”). Getting there can be accomplished through “more sales”, “more leads”, “more calls”, “more donations”, etc. These are just milestones to getting the MONEY. And which milestone is preferred should direct the basic function of the homepage. Now, look at it another way… 2. FOCUS ON PROFITS, NOT PIXELS This idea is simple, yet has many implications. Essentially, the goal for every client is PROFIT. And the goal for you must also be profit… if you wish to enjoy your work for very long. For example, I recommend you get comfortable avoiding design awards or recognition within the “design community”. They’re not required for you to earn a great living. Your best clients really won’t care about that stuff. And I’ve known plenty of designers with awards and empty bank accounts. Instead, go for SIMPLE websites that communicate clearly to visitors. These pull an easy win for clients. They’re also much faster to build and easier to maintain. Starting with purchased templates or themes can be great for such purposes. However, even those can be more complicated than is necessary, so be careful. Since taking on this mindset I’ve stopped stressing about the latest design fad (except responsive/mobile coding). My client’s are happy, my income has SKYROCKETED, and a lot of time has been freed up to enjoy other things in life. And have you considered… 3. THE WEBSITE IS YOUR CLIENT’S MOST IMPORTANT ONLINE ASSET The website is the only thing we have full control over, relatively speaking. Social media accounts like Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter… these are great for getting attention and customers, yet the only property that’s truly OWNED is the website. It’s constant. It’s reliable. And it’s the ultimate online representation of brand. So when the client goes wandering off into those other areas, you should calmly yet firmly bring the focus back to the website (this happens to be where you’ll make the most money). You’ll also find the work gets EASIER when you… 4. BECOME A SPECIALIST Specialists earn more and get more respect. You should be a website specialist. Don’t worry about social media, it’s always changing. Don’t worry about designing logos, business cards, stationary and all that stuff. You won’t find many thousand-dollar bills hiding under those rocks. Instead, just get intimate with the TRUE PURPOSE of the client’s website, especially the homepage. Also, understand this: when you see a lot of opportunity, it’s important to “know when to say no”. It’s just easier when you focus on the most valuable asset. Then simply give feedback on the client’s other activities, looking out for their best interests. And when clients push non-website tasks onto your plate, just make referrals (and get a bonus or “finder’s fee” whenever possible). This gets the work done, lets you keep your specialist role, and helps you avoid overwhelm. >>> YOU ALREADY HAVE WHAT IT TAKES TO SUCCEED AS A WEB DESIGNER <<< 5. ROCKSTAR STATUS AND AMAZING SKILLS ARE NOT REQUIRED With so many resources available, especially templates and themes, it’s simply not required for you to become a “great designer” personally. Yes, it’s nice for ego. However, many rockstar designers fall into a serious trap: thinking better pixels should equal a bigger paycheck. As described above, this is rarely the case anymore, especially when you can install Wordpress themes for $5k+, Yes, you’ll naturally get better at design the more you do it. Just don’t let your skill dictate how much money you earn… because there is not a direct correlation between “good design” and “good money”. You really can earn six-figures a year with the basics you probably already know. This means… 6. YOU ONLY NEED HTML/CSS TO EARN A GREAT LIVING The bedrock of web design is HTML/CSS. And getting familiar with these are all that’s necessary to experience a reliable income. Changing theme or template graphics may require an editing program like Photoshop. However, you typically won’t need to do anything complicated there, either. And let me emphasize this point by saying… 7. YOU DON’T NEED TO LEARN JAVASCRIPT/PHP/AJAX/JQUERY/RUBY/WHATEVER This is a big one. It’s tempting to learn additional coding/programming languages. Yet, you should only do it when you really, really ENJOY it. Because it’s simply not required to be SUCCESSFUL. Here’s the truth: when you want big checks, you should feel 100% comfortable knowing these other topics may only be distractions. They’re not worth the time and stress (unless you enjoy them). And if a client requires something beyond HTML/CSS, there are plenty of people willing to help you. One thing: the only situation where learning additional coding languages might be good is for a job, because studios and other employers may care about that stuff. And this really isn’t about you keeping a job. You can have freedom instead. The next step is realizing… 8. CLIENTS WHO NEED YOUR HELP ARE EVERYWHERE Even with all the web designers in the world, I never have trouble finding top-dollar clients. They’re literally EVERYWHERE. And because most designers are unreliable and don’t care about real results… it’s now even easier to gain clients. Here’s another reason why: businesses with websites have already been sold on the idea. Yet, whoever did the site is usually long gone. The designer (or studio, even) didn’t stick around to make sure the website does what it’s supposed to do. You just need to see if the client’s goals are being met (hint: they usually aren’t). Then offer to HELP get more and better results. >>> HOW TO GET THE MONEY <<< Now that you know you should care about getting results for the client, specialize as a designer, and focus on HTML/CSS… here’s how you get more money… 9. DIAGNOSE THE CLIENT’S PROBLEM Websites are supposed to help businesses. And the vast majority of websites are either underperforming or mostly useless. When you know what to look for, it’s easy to approach nearly any business, large or small, and offer to see if their website is doing what it should. Ask about their #1 goal. See if the homepage is meeting that goal directly. And when it’s not… 10. OFFER THE SOLUTION, WHICH REQUIRES THEIR COMMITMENT The best solution - for you and for CLIENTS - is to optimize their homepage to meet their #1 goal. Examples: Is the homepage cluttered? Is navigation complicated? Is the site covered in stock photos? Are the words and phrases appropriate… selling the click, requesting contact information, asking for the first step toward a sale? After knowing what you’re dealing with, offer a monthly commitment to improve the results of the website OVER TIME. For example, you can do simple split-testing using Google Analytics. Make subtle changes weekly or even monthly, depending on how much traffic the site gets. You can bill these services with a PayPal subscription. If the prospect won’t commit to a monthly billing, offer to UPGRADE just their homepage to better serve its purpose. When they like the RESULTS you give them, offer the monthly commitment again. And by the way… 11. GET PAID UP FRONT, BEFORE YOU DO ANY WORK This should go without saying. However, because we’re so eager to HELP clients, it’s tempting to dig into code for free just to “take a look under the hood”. Don’t do it. All you need to do is: 1) Type in the URL 2) Hit enter 3) See what shows up When you see the website can be improved, ask for money to get involved. Anything beyond this 3-step evaluation is time and energy wasted. There doesn’t need to be paperwork. There doesn’t need to be a long, drawn out process with multiple solutions and services offered. Get this: when you finally have CONFIDENCE in your abilities and a true understanding of how valuable your work is… even a portfolio is unnecessary. (I stopped “showing my work” back in 2007!). Now… 12. HERE’S WHAT TO DO NEXT Listen, my advice and these strategies can really improve your income and lifestyle as a web designer. Yet, you still need to find prospects. You need to make sales. And you need to help clients meet their goals. When you have HTML/CSS skills… and when you truly desire to serve your clients… and when you desire to quickly boost your income, without stressful, time-wasting activities… It’s time you get on a better path. To begin, you can reply below with your questions. After doing this successfully for over 14 years, I really want to help you earn good money while enjoying your life more, with free time away from the computer In my another post I’ll give more specifics on how you can charge much higher prices for your web design services, without fancy presentations, without a big portfolio (or any portfolio at all), and without learning complicated coding or programming languages…