I have a BFA and over a decade of web design experience -but while I enjoy the design and creation of the work, I hate the business of it. The haggling with clients who always want more for less. Clients who can't commit to a design decision and want everything changed twice, three times, etc. Clients who can't help but go through the completed site trying to find flaws -even creating issues where none existed before. It's not every client, but most of us who have been in the business a while have had our share of nightmare jobs and clients. I feel like I'm constantly rewriting my terms and conditions and modifying my contract template to try and prevent the next nightmare, based on the last. Perhaps I'm just not cut out for the business, but for me, those kinds of headaches rob the work of all joy and excitement and are really starting to burn me out. This has led me to wonder if there isn't a better way to use these skills. A business model that may not be as exciting and creative, but has fewer headaches and unknowns. Easier to manage and sustain and perhaps even a business model that makes money off of accumulated residuals. One such idea I've been mulling over is a web design business that focuses on local Realtors as my clients. A premium website for their property listing. A more formulaic approach to the actual site design, a few templates to choose from for a beautiful, modern, responsive site that showcases their listing information -but no custom sites. Possibly charging monthly based on the number of listings/sites per Realtor. So long as the Realtor continues selling properties and they see this as a valuable tool that helps them do that, it should provide me a long term, sustainable revenue stream. Pick up a few of these Realtors and a few more -in time, I might actually have a relatively headache-free income. Sure, it'd be less exciting than a new, different, custom website for each new client with a random business -I imagine the work would mostly consist of changing out listing details and photos, but it could work... I'm interested to hear your thoughts. Have you also wondered if there is a different way to make money with web design? Some way to minimize the client craziness? Specialize? Simplify? What have you come up with?
How about hiring a guy to do that for you and devote yourself to art? Hire a guy, spend some time to teach him and let him work for you...
Hi Leonidus, if I understand your suggestion, then I agree 100%. With a simplified, set formula for the creation and management of these industry focused sites, I should be able to train someone to switch out images and real estate listing information easily, so I could focus on more creative things. I've actually tried training someone to handle the sales/client-relations side of my traditional web design business, but find that it doesn't always help. It's just another person in the mix who is also trying to get on the same page as the client, then communicate that information accurately to me -then usually I will end up doing the extra work anyway when the client changes their mind or complains that the Client Rep didn't understand their request to start with, etc. Or worse, the Client Rep who doesn't really know what they are talking about when it comes to the amount of work required for this 'tweak' or that 'minor amendment' and go making promises that I have to deliver on. The end result is the same: when the client has options and creative freedom, the potential is high for messy and inefficient projects with wasted time and agonizing client hand-holding -except now I'm also splitting the pay with someone who was supposed to be making my life easier. That's why I'm wondering if there is a Web Design business model that takes the client guessing games out of the equation...
Maybe you can work for other existing companies. It will take away all your headaches, bring you constant regular work, and if its a big firm, you might even earn more then what you do on your own. Alternatively, what about you making premium wordpress themes and selling in marketplaces. Its automated, and have alook at the prices and sales numbers. For some people, the recurring income would be amazing, you making the designs you want, noone hassling you or annoying you. Another option might be to focus on artwork alone (not building sites at all) perhaps this is a better option for you. Moving forward onto design, clients are going to want better solutions then what they can create on their own. Many people are now in a position where they know they can just join any host, install wordpress, choose a theme (free or paid), and get decent results. So if you are planning on not offering custom designs, while thats ok, the price you can expect drops dramatically. A custom built wordpress site tailored to a client might be $3k-$5k, but one from a template, is worth $30-$1000 IMHO, keep offering your current services, but you need to increase your price to cover for your time. Other firms quote and add on 20% on top in case they have hassles and revisions and blow outs. And when the shit really hits the fan, it doesnt matter, as what they covered themselves in the margin and can make it up on the next project. Additionally, Its normal to have limits on revisions, etc, and have this in contract. You have the client sign off at the wireframe, and at the design level. Once the PSD is done, and they signed off, there shouldnt be any revisions allowed for free. Think about it, once I buy a car and its delivered, i cant change my mind about the colour and if I do, its at my cost not the dealerships. I do know people that have had clients request changes, and so on (not websites) and the response was that the company delivered everything exactly as per the contract, and from that, charged an appropriate amount for the changes. So if someone has signed off in writing at the PSD level for $3k, and demands changes at the end, you finish your project as per the contract, then tell them the price to make all their requested changes. Make the PSD's for the changes, have them sign off on it, and go from there. Even if you do them a favour and do all the changes for free, this system helps them understand and respect you and your time and make definitive decisions rather then being indecisive. I might think my changes are a "5min job" but it might take you hours.
indeed professional means professional. choosing a web builder is not a choice. you ruin your reputation. working for customers and having a pay per site and also per monthly management is the best way to use those design talents, anyway. You just need to explain clearly in the agreement how many times they can make changes to the design and in which way.
Meh. You will always find some clients that are harder to work with. If you offer your work cheaply you'll attract clients who wants the world for 10 bucks. But that's the beauty of working online isn't it? You can build your clientlist quite easily. Simply dont work with the clients that have demands way above your current pricepoint / agreement. There's also a few things to look out for. Personally i don't like working for clients who make threats like: "If you don't do this within xxx ill post a bad review on your thread" vs "If you do this within xxx, i'll post a great review!"