the journey to a full-time freelance web design business

The Journey to Being a Full-Time Freelance Web DesignerBy Cory Miller, Founder of iThemes.com

Saturday, November 12, 11

Session Soul Searching Before The JourneySession 1

“A journey of a thousand miles begins with the first step.”

My Journey and Story

Entrepreneurship is the hardest job I’ve ever had.

Wusses need not appy.

But it’s also the best one I’ve ever had.

Goal: To prepare you for the journey & to be successful on it

It’s all about your compelling visionYour summit. Your mountaintop. Your pinnacle.

Your Compelling Vision should ...Inspire you regularlyMove you to actionStir your soulRally your tribe togetherBe a cause for you & your familyBe the BHAG to commit your working life to

What is your compelling vision that your full-time web design biz makes possible?

What are your life goals & objectives?

How does your significant other answer those?

How does this biz help you achieve those goals and dreams?

Is it your compelling vision?

What are you willing to do, give up and sacrifice for it?

Session Packing for the JourneySession 2

Essentials for the JourneyLow burn

Support

Skills

Clients

Low Burn

Get your finances in order FIRST

Support

Skills

Money, I mean, Clients

Sidebar: On Cash Flow

The best way to start is part-time. Build your business on the side with the

safety & security of your day job

Quick advice for starting part-time ...

Sidebar: On Risk

Session Taking Inventory for the JourneySession 3

Knowing yourself makes the climb easier.

And helps you better know what gaps you need to fill

Let’s explore .... Personality

Passions

Strengths

Skills / Expertise

Experiences

PersonalityKiersey.com

Passions

Strengths & StandOutStrengthsFinder.com

& Standout.TMBC.com

Skills, Expertise & Experiences

Session Getting Your First ClientSession 4

Clients Mean Revenue

The best way to land clients is ...

... a rockin’ portfolio of work

Your portfolio sells your services.The quality of work in it determines how much

you get paid & how often you land clients

So how do you get your first client And start building that rockin’ portfolio

Getting clients or portfolio workStart with your own site

Take whatever you can get at first

List who you know & who needs help

Nonprofits, beginning blogger, small biz you love

Design and promote your own pet projects

The Client Snowball

Start somewhere. Anywhere.Build on that first snowball.To get more & better work.To learn more & more.To be paid more & more.So you can launch your journey full-time!

On Pricing & PackagesStart somewhere & increase prices with experience, skill & demandIt’s all about expectations on both sidesAim for $100 an hourYour choice on hourly or project based pricingMake sure you are building to full-time & using time & energy wiselyThree packages to offer initially:

Blog, Getting Started Website, and “Custom”

Session Building Your Marketing PipelineSession 5

Your marketing pipeline is about BUILDING DEMAND FOR YOUR WORK!

Aim at a niche

Everything you do should add to the marketing pipeline

Your websiteThe home and hub for all you do

Keep the lawn perfect and green

It’s your showroom

5 areas to start with: About, Contact, Services, Portfolio & Blog

Educational, Guerrilla Marketing, and Oh yeah, the use of FREE

Educating Guerrillas Like Free StuffI used Educational Marketing, Guerrilla Marketing & Free Stuff

FREE is still valuable marketing tool

Show, Tell, Teach, Sell

Educational Marketing - see Content Rules by Ann Handley

Guerrilla Marketing - see Jay Conrad Levinson’s work

On blogging for business

On email newsletters

On ebooks

On video

On webinars and seminars

On SEO

On free themes

On word-of-mouth

On networking

On social media

On time, patience and other crap you don’t want to hear

It sucks, but it just takes time ...

[ Insert Your Compelling Vision Here ]

Session Leveraging Other’s SkillsSession 6

You need people.

My experiences with outsourcing & subcontracting ...

Different kinds of leveraging other’s time ...

Referral partners

Collaborative partners

Subcontractors

Employees

Advice for Outsourcing“Don’t outsource your soul.”

“Don’t outsource your core competency.”

Outsource the things you don’t do well

Outsource the thigns you hate or drain your energy & passion

Look for & work with good partners

Attributes of Good Partners

Dependable & Deliver

Good communicators

Experienced & Qualified

Like-Minded

Nuts and Bolts Q&Awith Nina East, Benjamin Bradley & Cory Miller

the journey to a full-time freelance web design business

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