Hi,

If you have a Facebook account which you use as your web design account (I don't use a page, just a separate 'person' account named after my company), do you accept friend requests from fellow web designers?

 

I've not been accepting such requests so far, I think of them as competition and so don't necessarily see the point in having them associated with my page.

 

Do you feel the same? I'm wondering if I should relent and allow fellow designers on. Any thoughts welcome!

Firstly, that's a violation of Facebook's TOS. Use a Page.

 

Secondly, why would we give you advice on here? We're your competition.

I use a page, as that's what it's for. You get far more insights into visits etc, much better idea to ditch the extra account and use a page.

Yes, i do accept friend requests from other developers/designers. The whole point in Social Networking is to 'Network'. If you ignore other designers you're removing yourself from a vast ecosystem that will help you build your business in the long run.

 

Make sure to keep an eye though to make sure they're not using your page to advertise their own services. Discussion, however, should be encouraged.

Nobody ever adds me

I don't necessarily agree with the Page holding weight over the User Account - facebook makes it very hard to market your page without being seen as spamming (I've experimented with several fake accounts - & there's only so far you can go before they get removed). My business user account has nearly 2000 friends yet the page has way less than 200.

 

But besides this, isn't debate best held on forums such as here while facebook is used for advertising your product? I mean, wouldn't advertise to fellow designers.

People who use normal accounts for their business really ****ing annoy me. You could've been my best mate for 20 years, but if you try to add me from an account that represents a business, you'll be blocked and reported before you can blink. I've practically given up on using Facebook because of all the spam and pushy marketing that goes on.

 

Use a Page, like you're supposed to - and work on being a Page that people will want to Like. Otherwise you're not signal, you're noise.

But besides this, isn't debate best held on forums such as here while facebook is used for advertising your product? I mean, wouldn't advertise to fellow designers.

 

2 things: no, and no.

 

Facebook is not a direct advertising medium. I'll say that again. Facebook is not a direct advertising medium. Direct advertising on facebook is like walking into the pub and handing out double glazing flyers. No-one wants to know, and even if they click "like", they're doing it largely from a sense of etiquette or to indicate a potential, but probably remote future need.

 

Facebook is a place to build networks and talk to people. If all you ever do is talk about your business, people will very quickly start to ignore you, and remove your updates from their timelines.

 

Why wouldn't you advertise to fellow designers? Don't you want to be offered their overflow work?

I request friend-request no-one on my account - other businesses (yes there are loads using user accounts) request me, all 2000 of them. So no harm done. Let individuals run their business how they see fit, it's not up to you!

Anyway, this thread was not intended to be a debate about pages, just who you interact with.

Anyway, this thread was not intended to be a debate about pages, just who you interact with.

 

Do you accept Facebook friend requests from other web designers?

 

 

Looks like it to me.

 

 

Nobody ever adds me

 

** Goes off to add Jock **

Why wouldn't you advertise to fellow designers? Don't you want to be offered their overflow work?

 

That's a fair point, but I do know of unscrupulous individuals on a friend's fb design account directly messaging someone that had asked for their services on their wall. Anyone have any thoughts on being able to guard against situations like that?

That's a fair point, but I do know of unscrupulous individuals on a friend's fb design account directly messaging someone that had asked for their services on their wall. Anyone have any thoughts on being able to guard against situations like that?

 

There is no way I guess other than to make your page as brilliant as possible showcasing work and hope that your fans ignore the shady approaches.

There is no way I guess other than to make your page as brilliant as possible showcasing work and hope that your fans ignore the shady approaches.

 

Ha! I guess so! I've still not heard any solid arguments for allowing fellow designers in that over-ride the concerns I may have though. I've an open mind on the subject.

That's a fair point, but I do know of unscrupulous individuals on a friend's fb design account directly messaging someone that had asked for their services on their wall. Anyone have any thoughts on being able to guard against situations like that?

 

Simple. If they post on your Wall asking for something but will happily deal with anyone who jumps on them, they're not the sort of client you want to have or keep. Work with clients who want to work with you specifically.

^ this

That's a fair point, but I do know of unscrupulous individuals on a friend's fb design account directly messaging someone that had asked for their services on their wall. Anyone have any thoughts on being able to guard against situations like that?

 

Well i agree with the guys above BUT you could just message the person on Facebook asking for their email address (or giving them yours) then delete the post off your wall.

Also, vet the people you're allowing to be friends as it's a pretty simple task to identify those that will spam and/or use these methods to hijack your possible clients.

Also, vet the people you're allowing to be friends as it's a pretty simple task to identify those that will spam and/or use these methods to hijack your possible clients.

 

Ok, but surely vetting the people you allow brings us back to the original point - those likely to try to pinch work are those who are your competitors!

If they look like a company that will pinch work, don;t allow them.

Facebook is ****e for finding work, it's for networking.

 

Simple. If they post on your Wall asking for something but will happily deal with anyone who jumps on them, they're not the sort of client you want to have or keep. Work with clients who want to work with you specifically.

 

hey times are hard - I'll design for anyone that is honest enough to pay me!

If they look like a company that will pinch work, don;t allow them.

Facebook is ****e for finding work, it's for networking.

 

yes but doesn't networking also find you work? I do social networking for a couple of businesses in that basis.

hey times are hard - I'll design for anyone that is honest enough to pay me!

 

Please refer to man many threads on this forum often titled something along the lines of...

 

"OMG my client shafted me!", "Client not answering emails" and the old time classic "Client wont pay".

Please refer to man many threads on this forum often titled something along the lines of...

 

"OMG my client shafted me!", "Client not answering emails" and the old time classic "Client wont pay".

 

Haha! I'm not that naive or new to the game to likely fall victim to such scams, although I appreciate it can happen to anyone. But any business that gets offered a site at a cheaper price by someone else immorally busting in on your potential work would be fool not to go with the best option for the best price. That's business I'm afraid.

I've been added by a few webdevs and have accepted them, but always regret it. Just get bombarded with messages all the time.

any business that gets offered a site at a cheaper price by someone else immorally busting in on your potential work would be fool not to go with the best option for the best price. That's business I'm afraid.

 

That's entirely the wrong sort of business. Anyone who shops for professional services (whether it's a solicitor, an accountant or a web designer) the same way they shop for a tank of petrol or a loaf of bread is in for a shock. You'll get the same loaf of Hovis from Tesco, Sainsburys or anywhere else - it's a commodity, and the only thing informing the decision is price.

 

If another designer is undercutting you, it means one of three things: they're charging less per hour than you because they're not as good at what they do as you are, or they're delivering less functionality than you, or they're deliberately lowballing in order to get the work. The first two are bad for the client, the third one is bad for the client and the designer, who finds himself locked into a race to the bottom along with everyone else who sells a finite resource (their time) and chooses to compete on price.

The way I do it is facebook is for personal stuff (unless its my actual web design page - which is a business page) and twitter for web design contacts

If another designer is undercutting you, it means one of three things: they're charging less per hour than you because they're not as good at what they do as you are, or they're delivering less functionality than you, or they're deliberately lowballing in order to get the work. The first two are bad for the client, the third one is bad for the client and the designer, who finds himself locked into a race to the bottom along with everyone else who sells a finite resource (their time) and chooses to compete on price.

I do tend to agree, I've quoted a low price to get business in the past only to be royally stuffed by not making a penny on a rather complicated database driven site - but you live and learn by your mistakes I guess.

The smart move is to learn from other people's mistakes, which is why I share as many of my own on here as I can, to stop people from having to make them for themselves.

 

Great piece of advice from Mike Monteiro:

 

Above all, never take on bad terms to get a job. There are worse things than being poor. Namely, being poor and owing somebody your time.

There's nothing like the feeling of hate that comes from doing work that you failed to properly quote for.

Bet you don't get these issues on google +

Google plus is the way forward maaaan!

 

There's nothing like the feeling of hate that comes from doing work that you failed to properly quote for.

Bet you don't get these issues on google +

 

I can relate to that! Yes, Google+ is also - allegedly, if you read between the lines - good for your SEO as well. Not like Google to be biased of course.

There's nothing like the feeling of hate that comes from doing work that you failed to properly quote for.

 

QUOTED FOR TRUTH!

 

I was recently in this position. I had to beat another quote, but never wanted the work, just the money - I beat the quote, got the job and resented ever taking it on in the first place.

Edited September 21, 201214 yr by jamesosix