May 12, 2007 - 7:05am
Heh. No one is answering.
Heh. No one is answering. Maybe we aren't "doing well" on a local level?
For me, the best thing is word of mouth. I'm not "doing well" as in many, but I have enough to keep me busy and I'm not yet giving up my "real" job.
I live in a small town. I've done some marketing letters and had zero response. I've also dropped off my card personally. I've made a comp for someone (spiffing up her very icky existing site design) and emailed it to her; no response. I get work because somone knows someone. My first local website job was for a friend; he is very active in the chamber and has recommended me. I am working now on a site for the town itself, which is giving me and my biz a lot of free advertising to local business people.
Price fixing laws would even forbid, as I understand them, discussing high-mid-low. We can't help each other set rates. It is not from the TOS but from the feds. /unsure.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":unsure:" border="0" alt="unsure.gif" />
May 12, 2007 - 11:45am
No one is answering because I
No one is answering because I find it very common in this forum.
I am not doing as well as I hope I would but making enough to live in Chicago city.
I always target small to medium size business and in that field, cost of building a website has dropped a lot due to outsourcing companies from China and India. But the good news is in most cases, they are not able to deliver what they promise and if a business owner is serious about his/her business, they will come to you but the budget will be small.
Hope this helps.
Rate section removed by WeBBy; as noted above, it is illegal to discuss rates.
May 12, 2007 - 5:06pm
A couple thoughts in no
A couple thoughts in no particlular order:
1) Get a few sites in your portfolio, even if you have to do them cheap (but never for free). Word of mouth is the best advertisement.
2) Sign up for "Google Local". http://www.google.com/local/add/businessCenter
You'll likely never hit page one for keyword web design. You MIGHT be able to get page one for key word "web design yourtown". If you sign up for Google local you will very likely show up on page one for your town since most businesses don't know about / use this feature.
3) You'll never be cheap enough, so don't try. Focus on small business owners who don't know what they don't know. Explain clearly what they need and why. Don't sell them more than they need. Deliver what you promise at a fair rate.
4) Don't underprice your monthly hosting.
May 12, 2007 - 7:05pm
rscottj @ May 12 2007,
Focus on small business owners who don't know what they don't know. Explain clearly what they need and why.
Now *that* is a good summary, esp. this part: "who don't know what they don't know". /rolleyes.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":rolleyes:" border="0" alt="rolleyes.gif" />
Good people,
I seearched this forum to see what was working as far as marketing but felt even the best threads were a little vague. I thought (if its OK) to pose a more pointed question.
7 years after quitting this business (web development) I have now recently returned to find it very saturated even on the local level.
I'm very curious - those of you who develop and are doing well, would you be willing to share what works on a local level as far soliciting clients?
I'm not asking about online solicitation, I imagine there is a reluctance to share those secrets since we all are potential competitors on the web (or is there?), but what works in your neighborhood? Direct mail? cold calls? Bullhorn on the street corner?
I know pricing has changed a lot as well. In corprate America where I was for 7 years I saw invoices that would make your hair stand up from web developers the company used as vendors but now I see people doing sites for so little money that I wonder why they dont quit and do something more lucrative like go work for K-Mart!
I believe somewhere in the TOS we are prohibited from discussing prices directly (correct me if I'm wrong) but it would help if you maybe mentioned if you are on the high, mid or low end of the pricing scale.
Looking forward to replies,
George
deCross Digital
Advanced Web Development
(973) 333-4540
http://www.decrossdigital.com
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