Marketing a Web Design Business

Hi everyone-

Long time reader, first time poster. I have started a web design
business on the side, thus far I've been working mostly locally and by
word of mouth, but as I am running out of friends in need I'm looking
to do some advertising. I think my marketing background is something
that sets me apart from most designers and am trying to take that
approach.

Obviously, my budget is limited but I was curious to see if anyone has
much success marketing a design business and what did you find to work
the best. Online or off? Currently I'm doing some things with
Adwords and getting a few nibbles.

Any help would be appreciated.

chris

Chris@downbeachdesign.com
http:///www.downbeachdesign.com

Hi,
I've found my best work comes from referrals. When I started I jump started
my referrals by building non-profit sites free. That gave me access to the
board of the non-profits, who are usually business people. I can't remember
a non-profit site that didn't bring in atleast one paying customer. Oh, and
yeah, building non-profit sites free makes me a better person.

Good luck,
Dave

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http://www.Network2020.com/go
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>
> Hi everyone-
>
> Long time reader, first time poster. I have started a web design
> business on the side, thus far I've been working mostly locally and by
> word of mouth, but as I am running out of friends in need I'm looking
> to do some advertising. I think my marketing background is something
> that sets me apart from most designers and am trying to take that
> approach.
>
> Obviously, my budget is limited but I was curious to see if anyone has
> much success marketing a design business and what did you find to work
> the best. Online or off? Currently I'm doing some things with
> Adwords and getting a few nibbles.
>
> Any help would be appreciated.
>
> chris
>
> Chris@downbeachdesign.com
> http:///www.downbeachdesign.com
>

Chris..

Just visited your site.
Before you apply any of those other things mentioned, I think it needs a
few changes, to be honest.

I'm sure the guys in here will let you know more.

Take care,

~zion~

Best Ad outlets for a web design business? Good question.

The short answer is benchmark a shooting star in your arena and find his
one mistake. The long answer is as or more important....


How about letting the advertising serve to support a decision... to use
YOUR company... that is already in play from a personal interaction?



The thing I see is more people throwing their hats in the ring of being
designers, driving up competition and driving down price. So you have to
specialize.. and this takes you to your niche.

so... Where does the rubber meet the road with your having a marketing
background? If it means you can write copy to beat the band... show me
the stats and show me the money. (Research or something to hang my hat
on).

Or if it means that you can rewrite my marketing plan as part of your
package, show me the effects of THAT to my bank account also.. with real
proof that my wife (or CEO) and I will understand in a five minute jury,
tops.

And... Can you qualify and quantify that to me with a free consultation
including spreadsheets left for me to show my CFO partner, Bookkeeping
wife, or vertical stakeholders?

What can you do for me that I will feel within the next 30 days, that
you can prove, and that I can't easily find anywhere else?.

I think that this is where the dialogue begins between you and your
market, and that the advertising question comes only after all of this
is resolved.

That question... WHERE to place ads... is TOTALLY dependent upon these
other issues, unless you're just looking to throw up a few sites and
make some quick mullah, and that's about it.

If you want sustainability... then the question does not start with
advertising, and I'm using 'advertising' in the literal sense.

It's all about Niche, Niche, and Niche again.

BTW, Lower prices is NOT a niche. Fast turn around is NOT a niche. Fast
loading websites is NOT a niche. Ability to talk marketingspeak 202 is
not a niche. Having your web tricks and scripts in a row and talking
techie is not a niche, so be careful.

Those are attributes of your service, former add-ons that have become a
standard part of the creeping amenity dynamic of what you do.

Your Niche , my friend, is simply where others fear to tread.

It's either horribly inconvenient to them, they are ignorant of it is
nuances, they can't make it work from a dollars and cents or sales and
service standpoint, it's against their gut, reach, branding strategy,
mission statement, intellectual reach, language barrier, experience
base, fiscal options, servicability, or awareness, or authenticity.

SO... If bleeding, sappy pet people is what turns you on and turns
others off, then go hang out in the vets room... or the room that makes
their supplies. (No offense to any pet people... just picked that one
randomly.. really. I've had pets myself... but I specifically said it
that way for reasons obvious below).

But that illustrates a point. If you can't literally draw a cartoon
caricature of your typical client (company or CEO), complete with props.
and show it to someone who goes "YEP, THAT"S THE TYPE!!!", then you may
have some more carving to do yet.

If I'm asking you to stereo people, you betcha... right down to knowing
where they hang out on the weekend. And if you do vets, and I ee your
brochure, what the hell are you doing without a puppy on YOUR lap as
you design???

CONNECT WITH YOUR MARKET'S HUMANITY (Those letters are in bold red
type!)

In fact, create a 50 word running description of these people and don't
stop creating it until you can share it with someone who laughs, high
fives you, and goes yep.. THAT'S THEM!.

Just make it a type of person (company) who you CARE about beyond just
Dollar$.

Did I say that? And in an ad/ marketing forum? (Getting out my flame
retardant outfit) oops... That slipped


Think: Authenticity in positioning, underserved markets. and then for
one whole day, think like a Harvard MBA, look for where you can gain an
"UNFAIR advantage", then hit that market like a lion. Be there like it's
your house.

Each market has it's 'realms'. It's time zones and availability
patterns. It's golden hours to connect.

Don't expect to do accountants if you like to sleep all day. Don't
expect to do artists if you only want to work 9-5. Walk in the same
realms as your niche. BE there where and when they need you to be.

Use your industry background, (industry other than advertising) to
brainstorm what you know like the back of your hand. What have you (and
your wife) done the most of? This is your niche. Unless this segment is
dying, then drop it like a hot potato or keep it only as a hobby type
thing. Then pick the second best thing that you **know.

Now, you want to know where the business conversations are happening for
this niche... and just maybe this IS in a trade journal, hmmm.. Could be
the local Toastmasters. Or coffee house. But wherever this discourse is
happening, be there helping people. Advice, tips, consultations... just
be known for being there, and being dang good.

As for national rolling' out, be there in the convos of your market
virtually. If you do medical industry sites, those sites have a
different feel, font, and voice than sites for family entertainment and
vacations. So plop yourself down right smack dab in the middle of the
insurance payment and malpractice discussions webboards for those
medical officers.. (or whatever it is that they talk about) keep a sharp
email sigs up and running. Don't be there selling'. Be there helping
them with faulty scripts advice, getting better search engine placements
or dealing with their webmaster, ...whatever you can do to earn your
ticket to be there.

And even with all this, it does not get you the sale. It just get's you
the call. Then you have to convert interest to desire and go from there.

HOW TO BUILD A 10,000.00 ad budget overnight:

Want a $10,000 Advertising Budget?
Read On!

Spend 50.00 an hour (or whatever you're worth) and hire yourself to do
the above. Keep doing it and building reputability and momentum in your
niche. Get a rep for knowledge, caring, and RADICAL customer service.
Pay yourself on paper, and hire yourself until the budget is gone. I
thinks that's 200 hours worth of promo you just bought, you big spender
you.

~zion~

** Do something you know, so that you can do it in 1/2 the time,
therefore doubling your hourly income

"Chris" <jchrisrodgers@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:cbunn60vu7@enews3.newsguy.com...
>
> Hi everyone-
>
> Long time reader, first time poster. I have started a web design
> business on the side, thus far I've been working mostly locally and by
> word of mouth, but as I am running out of friends in need I'm looking
> to do some advertising. I think my marketing background is something
> that sets me apart from most designers and am trying to take that
> approach.
>
> Obviously, my budget is limited but I was curious to see if anyone has
> much success marketing a design business and what did you find to work
> the best. Online or off? Currently I'm doing some things with
> Adwords and getting a few nibbles.
>

Check out http://www.elance.com

I use it to purchase services from time to time. It looks like a good deal
from the supplier side too.



> Any help would be appreciated.
>
> chris
>
> Chris@downbeachdesign.com
> http:///www.downbeachdesign.com
>


--
Greg Leman
Carolina Sauce Company, Inc.
http://www.carolinasauce.com
A wide variety of sauces and specialty foods over the web.

Thanks for the reply. Totally made me rethink the strategy. I've
been just doing the referral thing for so long I haven't really
considered many of your points until now. Gracias.

projectteamiii@hotmail.com (Tech 22 22) wrote in message
news:<cc2r8l02k3j@enews1.newsguy.com>...
> Best Ad outlets for a web design business? Good question.
>
> The short answer is benchmark a shooting star in your arena and find his
> one mistake. The long answer is as or more important....
>
>
> How about letting the advertising serve to support a decision... to use
> YOUR company... that is already in play from a personal interaction?
[ Excess quoted material elided by moderator. -JimL ]

You're welcome, let us know how it turns out

~zion~

On 2 Jul 2004 18:02:02 GMT, "Greg Leman" <nospamplease@spamco.com>
wrote:

>
>
>"Chris" <jchrisrodgers@hotmail.com> wrote in message
>news:cbunn60vu7@enews3.newsguy.com...
>>
>> Hi everyone-
>>
>> Long time reader, first time poster. I have started a web design
>> business on the side, thus far I've been working mostly locally and by
>> word of mouth, but as I am running out of friends in need I'm looking
>> to do some advertising. I think my marketing background is something
>> that sets me apart from most designers and am trying to take that
>> approach.
>>
>> Obviously, my budget is limited but I was curious to see if anyone has
>> much success marketing a design business and what did you find to work
>> the best. Online or off? Currently I'm doing some things with
>> Adwords and getting a few nibbles.
>>
>
>Check out http://www.elance.com
>
>I use it to purchase services from time to time. It looks like a good deal
>from the supplier side too.
>
>
>
>> Any help would be appreciated.
>>
>> chris
>>
>> Chris@downbeachdesign.com
>> http:///www.downbeachdesign.com
>>

Actually my very first web design client was a neighbor of mine. It
was before I even thought about a web design business. He had showed
me his family's website that had been made by a designer and then I
showed him my webpage. He liked mine so much and he asked me who
designed it and was surprised when I told him I designed my page
myself.

My point is that maybe you should start with your immediate area (at
least at first). If you have them keep a stack of business cards
because you never know when you will get an opportunity to give them
to someone.

You should also have a business plan so that you can plot out your
stragedy. Let's say that someone has your business card and they want
to know more. What kind of contact information do you have? What
about some kind of promotional material/marketing material that has
more information on it for those that want more information?

I don't know what your specifics are but since I suggested that you
start locally, take a look around your area. Are there any local
clubs or organizations. How about your local Chamber of Commerce -
which is a good place to network.

And don't forget about your current (and past) clients as well. Do
you have some kind of follow-up material for them? Again it depends
on what kind of work that you have done for them in the past but it
doesn't hurt to have a record of all your clients and what you have
done for them and possible follow-up ideas that you can pass on to
them.


Rose
http://members.aol.com/Roseb441702/consult.htm
"Can YOU Make Money on the Internet?-YES!"

Hi There--

Have been a web designer for a few years now. I can't agree more about
the niche thing. I've found it easy to network to low budget clients.
- the SOHOs.

Do you have a profile of your ideal client?

Where does that client like to hang out?

One organization that I've found that is more grounded and practical
than the AIGA is the Graphic Artists Guild (unfortunately acronymed
GAG)

Here's their website:

http://www.gag.org/

They have a lot of helpful advice on their website.

The general advice I've gotten is to hang out at the Chamber of
Commerce and other business networking events and network your tail
off.

Hope this is helpful.

Lee

Rose.. is this the Rose with the baking company? (Brownies if I remember
correctly)..
Just wondering --

And to the Initial Poster...

There is indeed a place for your neighbor in your business life... but
it may not be center stage.

Times have changed since web designing began...

Specializing in one software function and building codes is no longer
enough unless your working for a team and subcontracting as an
Adhouse...

So careful fellas...time for you guys (and dolls) to begin to specialize
in your web design markets. And hey it's fine to do some generalized
Generic things out the back of your shop.... but if your websites are
all for totally different parts of the economic sector and totally
unrelated markets AND all over the country... (retail, wholesale,
intangibles, glamor, white goods, your brother-in-law's personal site,
NPO's etc. etc), your impact on clients won't be as good as a
"specialist" will.

If this is new to you, or news to you, beat feet over to "Two Dimensions
Design" advertising agency website and Hang out there soaking up their
Ideas like wise old uncles, and letting your imagination run wild. These
are the guys who made "positioning" fun again after the old Harvard
MBA's about beat the life out of the concept in the eighties and turned
it into a science when its 50% an art.

Decide which industries you are going to go after, (For example, Health
and Wellness... or Foods Products) get yourself a good swapfile and
content sources, writers or what ever is supporting your time savings
within those markets, and set out to grab 80% of your business from this
target base...

Market yourself as a PARTNER in the field...
Be ready to buy some soup-and-sandwiches as you power lunch at the in
town bistros.

Speak the lingo and speak it well... Develop a business Identity around
the specialty.. As Jeff Lantz Would say, "Write a special Report" on it,
or start a Blog. If you start a blog (weblog) there is software that
will distinguish you from spam to your audience and auto connect with
them when you add your entries several times per week.

So...... Niche Market.

Or your customers will soon become your competition by troops (as in
do-it-yourself) or worse, you're going to be eaten alive with price
slippage, amenity creep, competition, and inhouse secretaries and IT
techs turned Frontpage website gurus.

By the time those companies learn that the entire site needs to be
rebuilt (because it does not play worth a crap) or they loose dollars or
orders due to website or ordering malfunction, slow load times, etc...
the competition will be even steeper. Especially with the whole
international job shopping thing going on with a $59.00 Complete Job
coming out of (name your country... I refuse to accelerate your demise
by naming it for you).

When the best designers go for a job, he has mastered the art of showing
his portfolio. He is an expert at what NOT to show (in addition to what
TO show). He will rarely show you more than 7 Items, even though he has
maybe 50 samples to pull from. He has mastered the art of appearing to
be a specialist in YOUR particular type of project -- or he really IS.

You will see yourself as his client, and you will want his services.
You will ask for a price break, but instead he will add on a small
service (free registration or whatever). He will not drop his rate, and
you will hire him anyway.

See he's clearly the only specialist in your needed area that you have
seen thus far.

Just some thoughts from a guy who knows some great webmasters who work
at Walmart due to improperly pricing/ promoting their services...

"Please don't let this happen to you."

~zion~