the journey to a full-time freelance web design business
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Cory Miller's slides from the recent WebDesign.com live workshop in Oklahoam CTRANSCRIPT
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
Saturday, November 12, 11
“A journey of a thousand miles begins with the first step.”
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My Journey and Story
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Entrepreneurship is the hardest job I’ve ever had.
Wusses need not appy.
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But it’s also the best one I’ve ever had.
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Goal: To prepare you for the journey & to be successful on it
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It’s all about your compelling visionYour summit. Your mountaintop. Your pinnacle.
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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
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What is your compelling vision that your full-time web design biz makes possible?
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What are your life goals & objectives?
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How does your significant other answer those?
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How does this biz help you achieve those goals and dreams?
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Is it your compelling vision?
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What are you willing to do, give up and sacrifice for it?
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Session Packing for the JourneySession 2
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Essentials for the JourneyLow burn
Support
Skills
Clients
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Low Burn
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Get your finances in order FIRST
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Support
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Skills
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Money, I mean, Clients
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Sidebar: On Cash Flow
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The best way to start is part-time. Build your business on the side with the
safety & security of your day job
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Quick advice for starting part-time ...
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Sidebar: On Risk
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Session Taking Inventory for the JourneySession 3
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Knowing yourself makes the climb easier.
And helps you better know what gaps you need to fill
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Let’s explore .... Personality
Passions
Strengths
Skills / Expertise
Experiences
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PersonalityKiersey.com
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Passions
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Strengths & StandOutStrengthsFinder.com
& Standout.TMBC.com
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Skills, Expertise & Experiences
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Session Getting Your First ClientSession 4
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Clients Mean Revenue
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The best way to land clients is ...
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... a rockin’ portfolio of work
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Your portfolio sells your services.The quality of work in it determines how much
you get paid & how often you land clients
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So how do you get your first client And start building that rockin’ portfolio
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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
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The Client Snowball
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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!
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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”
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Session Building Your Marketing PipelineSession 5
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Your marketing pipeline is about BUILDING DEMAND FOR YOUR WORK!
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Aim at a niche
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Everything you do should add to the marketing pipeline
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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
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Educational, Guerrilla Marketing, and Oh yeah, the use of FREE
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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
Saturday, November 12, 11
On blogging for business
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On email newsletters
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On ebooks
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On video
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On webinars and seminars
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On SEO
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On free themes
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On word-of-mouth
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On networking
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On social media
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On time, patience and other crap you don’t want to hear
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It sucks, but it just takes time ...
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[ Insert Your Compelling Vision Here ]
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Session Leveraging Other’s SkillsSession 6
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You need people.
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My experiences with outsourcing & subcontracting ...
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Different kinds of leveraging other’s time ...
Referral partners
Collaborative partners
Subcontractors
Employees
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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
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Attributes of Good Partners
Dependable & Deliver
Good communicators
Experienced & Qualified
Like-Minded
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Nuts and Bolts Q&Awith Nina East, Benjamin Bradley & Cory Miller
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