Welcome to the internet!
A place where people pretty much live these days.
What comes with such a place is this thing called opportunity and one that most will never take advantage of due to the fact that they are usually going to be the ones paying people like you that are looking to cash in.
So if you have a thing for design like I do but with a lot more knowledge in the website development department, then you, my friend will probably make lots of money online.
Today I want to show you how to turn that skill and passion of yours into some dough, so let me show you how you can make money building websites in the most simplest way possible.
For me, I’m not one that knows a lick of coding and that is why I am fine with using things like the Genesis Framework that come out of the box ready to go.
For people like you, well, you’re just that much better.
Now the one thing that I do know is how to make money online and that is why I want to show you how to put the two together.
If that’s what you’re trying to do then this post is for you.
But let’s get right into things as I’m sure you have better things to do.
Put Yourself Out There
Even the most talented website builder in the world won’t make so much as a dime if no one knows that they are out there.
In every field in the world of freelance, visibility is going to be key.
If you want someone to pay you a not so modest sum to build their site for them, they are going to need to see that you are out there, and that you are good at what you do.
Perhaps the best calling card that you can leave for yourself is to design a website of your own that details the professional services that you provide.
The utility of creating a personal website is of course multi tiered.
For one thing, having your own website simply gives people looking for a website designer a place to find you.
With a little bit of search engine optimization, you can have people find you without encountering the sometimes challenging need to find clients for yourself.
Having your own website is also simply going to show people that you are capable of, you know, building a website.
Make it a good one. The same way that no one would want to collaborate with a home builder that lives in a dump, no one is going to want to hire a website builder that has a crummy page.
The goal of your professional website should be to leave other people wanting something similar.
And, of course, a good website is also just going to give your business a touch of authenticity and credibility that it needs and deserves.
All of this said, you may also need to hit up the online job boards and freelance websites when you first start out.
While the ultimate goal is going to be to have the customers come to you, it certainly won’t hurt to make some money and accumulate experience in the meantime, right?
Be Quick
If you are going to be a freelance website builder than you will quickly learn that you have all of the benefits of being self employed (a flexible schedule and a boss that isn’t oppressive to name a couple of things) but you also have all the responsibilities as well.
No one is going to cut you a standard pay check month to month in this field. All of the money that you make is going to have to be generated by you.
If you are going to generate your own income, one thing you will learn quickly is that you are going to have to work fast.
It’s simple: the more work that you get done, the more money that you will make.
Experience will go a long way towards quickening your pace, but there are other things that you can do to further expedite your output.
Using a platform is one of the surest ways to ensure that you maintain speed.
While building a website from scratch is always impressive, it isn’t always necessary. Some clients may be satisfied with a website built on a platform such as WordPress.
Using tools of this nature will help you work fast, it will keep your clients happy, and it may improve your income.
Charge the Right Price
When you are just starting out, the temptation might be to offer your services for a fairly low rate.
After all, you are inexperienced, and how else are you going to get work, right?
While taking the odd low paying job here and there to build a portfolio might make sense, this is certainly a dangerous rabbit hole to fall down.
The more that you take low paying jobs, the harder it is going to become to start transitioning into better paying work.
Why? Largely because the sort of people that pay top dollar for their sites might assume you can’t deliver the quality they look for if your background is in nickel and dime work.
Charging appropriately high rates does more than improve your income. It also establishes that you are worth paying for.
Everyone knows that getting the very best costs money, right?
Right. The best clients expect to pay a little bit for their website.
While the market value for the work of website building can range somewhat radically, we recommend charging at least $75 an hour.
Even if this rate scares away smaller clients, it should still be a lucrative enough income when you do find work to cover the difference.
Impress
Needless to say, if you are going to charge $75 an hour, you certainly need to make sure that your work is worth it.
Not only does this mean that you are going to have to build quality websites, it also means that you are going to need to be polite, considerate, and above all else, on time.
In other words, make it very easy for your clients to recommend you to their friends.
Speaking of which…
Referrals
There is no shame at all in asking for a referral once you complete a job to the satisfaction of your client.
You can even build a space on your personal website that is filled with review s from satisfied clients.
The utility of this practice is obvious. If potential clients can see that you do good work they will feel more comfortable hiring you.
Never Stop Getting Better
The world wide web is a wild place.
Things change all the time, and that includes best website building practices.
If you are going to stay on top of your game you will need to make sure that you stay educated.
This is going to be relatively simple to accomplish, though it may be time consuming. Watch videos, read books and magazines.
Perhaps most importantly, you may even want to listen to what other people in your field have to say. Talking to other professionals can serve to give you ideas of how to run your business, and make sure that you are keeping up with the competition.
How to Make Money Online as a Freelancer – One Customer at a Time