Millions of people launch new businesses every year. Unlike you, most people do not have the skills to build websites on their own. If you have excellent skills, you might be the agency or the web designer that such companies will turn to for help. If you are interested in starting a website designing business, follow this guide, and you’ll be able to create a smooth and successful web design business.
- Pick your niche:
Selecting a niche as a web designer is very valuable. You must be wondering why you should limit yourself to one niche if you could create web designs for everyone? Well, to begin with, it’s easier to introduce yourself with a specification rather than being general. Instead of calling yourself a web developer, you can say that you create shopper-friendly websites. When you have a well-defined niche, you can easily identify the leads that might fit your business well. When you are open to all types of roles, your job will become hectic and time-consuming. You should choose a niche that you’re passionate about so that you can excel in it.
- Decide on the services you’ll be offering:
Do your research and see what web design solutions are available in the market for your target niche. Besides building a website, you should decide whether you want to incorporate other services like consulting, website management and managed to host.
It would also be a good idea to try considering methods that will bring value to the relationship you have with your clients. That’s because website building technologies have already made it easier for consumers to build a website using such software. Thus, you need to stand out and offer services like logo designing, videography and photography, and web designing.
- Set your goals:
Before you start your business, you must take a moment to plan out your future. If you don’t have a roadmap for your business, it will be difficult to steer yourself in the correct direction. Ask yourself about your company’s mission. What do you want to do, who do you want to serve and why are you doing this. Then, decide which clients are you aiming to attract. Are you looking at yourself as a freelance designer, an agency or a digital specialist? Give yourself a title that will resonate with your role with the clients’. Decide when you want to land in your first paying clients and how many of them will you work with within a month?
- Decide your rates:
Setting up rates isn’t always easy, especially when you’re new in the industry as a website designer. If you avoid charging competitive rates initially, it won’t take long for your clients to ask for discounts or even ask you to work for free—research about the rates of your competitors. Calculate the average revenue that you’re expecting in a month. After that, calculate all your expenses and subtract them from your monthly revenue. If you’re in profit, the price is perfect, but you need to reconsider what rates to set in place if you’re going in loss.
- Decide a name for your business:
This part can be tricky as many people confuse whether they should name the business after themselves. If you start as a solo web designer, it makes sense to add your name to the business title. However, when the workload increases, you’ll have to keep a team. Now, if the company is named after you, it can get a bit problematic. That’s because clients might end up requesting for you if they don’t know you have a whole team working for you. Your business name should be easy to pronounce, and it should be such that you can memorise it properly.
- Set up all the legal requirements:
Legal requirements are dependable on many factors. These requirements can vary depending upon the type of company you own and where you are based. For example, in the USA, you need to pay for the business license and register by filling in state and local taxes. It’s essential to conduct your own research. Open your local government website and make a note of all the things you need to do to protect your business.
- Create digital branding:
As a web developer, you’ll be familiar with this already. Even if you don’t specialise in brand design, you need to establish this element before starting your business. Spend time in building the identity of your brand. You need to have a logo and background, a colour palette and an image style.
- Build the business Website:
If you’re a web designer, you won’t have to worry about this part of the business process. You already know how to build your website using WordPress, so memorise these tips to excel. Ensure that your website is one that the clients would be willing to pay for. Make sure that you include client testimonials, and the website needs to be free of all errors.
- Get the business software started:
Until this point, you might not have spent extensively on your business. You need to buy the right business tools to help you maximise your company’s profitability and productivity. It’s imperative to have project management software because that will help you stay organised and deliver large projects on time. With such software, you can document and develop all your processes. You should also purchase a time tracking tool, human resource software and accounting software.
- Build your online profile:
Before you start looking for clients, it would be a good idea to build your online profile. Eventually, all your clients will visit your website, but it would be a good idea to have a presence on their platforms as well. You can create a Facebook page to engage with your clients. You can also have a LinkedIn page for recruitment.
- Start finding new web design clients:
Technically, all the steps mentioned above will guide you into finding new clients. While you are waiting for your SEO strategy to work in, try to ask former or existing clients for referrals. Meanwhile, you can also connect with your clients on social media. There are many LinkedIn and Facebook groups where you can get in touch with other business owners. Use resources like LinkedIn Pro to find yourself reputable and high-quality clients.
