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Get Started in Web Development 3
- Thread starter Pigster14
- Start date
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- #2
franklin97355
Technical User
Get a site of your own and make it great. Show people the site and if they like it you have a selling point.
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- #3
If you are hoping to get started on the side, I would assume you already do web design work at your job. You have a demonstrated knowledge to start.
For this reason, you should be familiar with the tools you will need. When I say tools, I mean web design tools. I'm not sure of your area of expertise but that would mean, graphics application, HTML/web scripting editor, any other specialized tools like Flash, etc.
As far as a special license, start with your chamber or local government (Economic Development/ Franchise Tax Board/ etc.). However, it is very likely you could start with just your PC, a printed business cards, and some samples of your work.
Then comes the part that is terrifying to some and a complete blast to others - getting clients. Advertising is passive, slow, and hit and miss - at best. Your best bet is to start with your personal network of people and let them know you are starting this side business.
Then, be ready with a business card and your elevator speech (your 8-12 seconds of business value) and let people know what you do as you meet them.
Lastly, determine your ideal client, market, and buyer. And then take a few lunch times to canvas a business area where that client, market, and buyer exist. Yes, cold call. Create opportunity.
Personally, I've found I find a new client in between 30-70 visits. In my city time of year plays a large part of people taking action on any information.
But I also run a fairly high-rate and tend to be very picky about the clients I want. My criteria: geographic proximity (close to my house), allows me to telecommute, is between 30-200 employees, growing and profitable, pays my rate, fun to work with, etc.
There is no silver bullet but when I started consulting part-time (waaayyyy back in 1992) I would use my lunch to find clients. I averaged finding 1 new client every week I looked.
After a couple of years I had to make the decision to go full-time or turn down work. I went full-time and have spent considerable time working out of my house since.
Things to help you - but not 100 percent necessary.
Billing software: like Quickbooks Pro
A separate work area with small filing cabinet, printer, fax (you can use your PC).
A professional portfolio of work and website to point people to. If you do web design, get an inexpensively hosted domain. Don't do web design and then point people at a member site on AOL or your cable provider. Don't play at business.
If you are in business, be a business. Even if it is part-time.
Don't take on difficult clients - there is always more work. Better to drop a client who is always complaining. I don't mean demanding - demanding is fine - if you produce. But a complaining is never worth the mental noise they create. I've turned down clients that paid close to $5,000/month in business - month after month - if they are miserable to work for. Replacing the income is not that difficult - but peace of mind can be.
Have fun! If you aren't enjoying what you do, evaluate why. Better to make half as much (assuming you are meeting expenses) with twice the pleasure.
Hope this helps.
Matthew Moran
Read my career blog at: Career Blog: Todo esta bien.. Todo esta divertido (it's all good, it's all fun)
For this reason, you should be familiar with the tools you will need. When I say tools, I mean web design tools. I'm not sure of your area of expertise but that would mean, graphics application, HTML/web scripting editor, any other specialized tools like Flash, etc.
As far as a special license, start with your chamber or local government (Economic Development/ Franchise Tax Board/ etc.). However, it is very likely you could start with just your PC, a printed business cards, and some samples of your work.
Then comes the part that is terrifying to some and a complete blast to others - getting clients. Advertising is passive, slow, and hit and miss - at best. Your best bet is to start with your personal network of people and let them know you are starting this side business.
Then, be ready with a business card and your elevator speech (your 8-12 seconds of business value) and let people know what you do as you meet them.
Lastly, determine your ideal client, market, and buyer. And then take a few lunch times to canvas a business area where that client, market, and buyer exist. Yes, cold call. Create opportunity.
Personally, I've found I find a new client in between 30-70 visits. In my city time of year plays a large part of people taking action on any information.
But I also run a fairly high-rate and tend to be very picky about the clients I want. My criteria: geographic proximity (close to my house), allows me to telecommute, is between 30-200 employees, growing and profitable, pays my rate, fun to work with, etc.
There is no silver bullet but when I started consulting part-time (waaayyyy back in 1992) I would use my lunch to find clients. I averaged finding 1 new client every week I looked.
After a couple of years I had to make the decision to go full-time or turn down work. I went full-time and have spent considerable time working out of my house since.
Things to help you - but not 100 percent necessary.
Billing software: like Quickbooks Pro
A separate work area with small filing cabinet, printer, fax (you can use your PC).
A professional portfolio of work and website to point people to. If you do web design, get an inexpensively hosted domain. Don't do web design and then point people at a member site on AOL or your cable provider. Don't play at business.
If you are in business, be a business. Even if it is part-time.
Don't take on difficult clients - there is always more work. Better to drop a client who is always complaining. I don't mean demanding - demanding is fine - if you produce. But a complaining is never worth the mental noise they create. I've turned down clients that paid close to $5,000/month in business - month after month - if they are miserable to work for. Replacing the income is not that difficult - but peace of mind can be.
Have fun! If you aren't enjoying what you do, evaluate why. Better to make half as much (assuming you are meeting expenses) with twice the pleasure.
Hope this helps.
Matthew Moran
Read my career blog at: Career Blog: Todo esta bien.. Todo esta divertido (it's all good, it's all fun)
- Thread starter
- #4
Thank you for the responses.
Actually I don't currently do web design I am more into building databases at my work. I work with Access and SQL Server, but very interested in learning about web design. Thinking of taking a class, just wondering what is all involved before taking classes.
Actually I don't currently do web design I am more into building databases at my work. I work with Access and SQL Server, but very interested in learning about web design. Thinking of taking a class, just wondering what is all involved before taking classes.
You should consider taking on side-work in your area of expertise.
Then start studying web-design separately. However, you could do very well to tie back-end data to the web and let designers do the front-end.
Just a thought.
Matthew Moran
Read my career blog at: Career Blog: Todo esta bien.. Todo esta divertido (it's all good, it's all fun)
Then start studying web-design separately. However, you could do very well to tie back-end data to the web and let designers do the front-end.
Just a thought.
Matthew Moran
Read my career blog at: Career Blog: Todo esta bien.. Todo esta divertido (it's all good, it's all fun)
DeanConsulting
Programmer
I like Matt's suggestion of doing the db work and letting web designer's do the front-end stuff.
I started out this way and it has really paid off for me. I am not that great at web stuff but writing other software and db stuff I can do like nobody's business because that is what I have been doing for the past 20 years. So, I do that stuff and let people I know an trust do all the art work and site design stuff. Makes for a great team and a good learning experience for myself.
I have also found that those people that are good at designing GUI's are also very good at laying out great websites too.
Hope this helps..
nb
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Noble D. Bell
I started out this way and it has really paid off for me. I am not that great at web stuff but writing other software and db stuff I can do like nobody's business because that is what I have been doing for the past 20 years. So, I do that stuff and let people I know an trust do all the art work and site design stuff. Makes for a great team and a good learning experience for myself.
I have also found that those people that are good at designing GUI's are also very good at laying out great websites too.
Hope this helps..
nb
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Noble D. Bell
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- #7
i agree with the last 2 posters. i have spent 7 years doing database driven web applications. i have had several web designers working for me on one project doing the front end and making things look pretty. i think perhaps you are more interested in doing web devlopment. for design i think pretty stuff, pictures, layouts and such. when i think development its php, asp, jsp, asp.net, colfusion... you get the idea. designers are quite common. developers are far less common. use your database experience. that is one area i have seen quite a few deficiences on web developers.
as for something to learn. php is getting very common. it is a good way to start learning about the various issues you have to during web development.
as for something to learn. php is getting very common. it is a good way to start learning about the various issues you have to during web development.
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