Web DEsign Business ups and downs

First tip: contact your local chamber of commerce for information on how to start your own business in your region, and what you are required to do.

Second tip: learn how to present yourself professionally online and in writing (no more u, ur, or spelling errors) and be aware that your online reputation can and will be seen by some of your clients.

Third tip: learn as much as you can about standards in all aspects of the field, and find respected and dependable people to fill your weak spots.

Fourth tip: get a lawyer and an accountant, and get a contract and a plan for billing sorted out.

Fifth tip: check out the articles on running your own web development business at alistapart.com

HTH,

Suzanne

I agree with Suzanne's tips
The 4th tip of getting a lawyer and an accountant is invaluable! A lawyer will check over every contract, make sure you don't get screwed
And an accountant makes sure you put aside enough for taxes... which I almost forgot to do!
Taxes taxes taxes... they'll kill you

My biggest tip: Keep a high view... there is always a job out there for you, you just have to find it

I think once you have actually started on your own the initial downs can be the frustration of actually getting work, you may go out to see clients but they generally aren't the quickest at getting together information you need/request from them. The ups for working for yourself are obvious but you can be working all hours and it's very hard to 'get away' from work especially if you are doing it from home.

ups and downs of the web design business? yes, there are.

Pro: Relatively low overhead
Pro: Easily run from home
Pro: Market is still relatively good

Con: Sales. I hate sales. Not unique to this industry, I'm sure but be prepared to spend a lot of time doing other than what you'd hoped to be doing be it sales, bookkeeping, researching, etc. If you are on your own, it is not unrealistic that half your hours spent on the business will be unbillable. Keep that in mind when setting hourly rates.

Con: We're a dime a dozen. Everyone and their cousin is in this business it seems. Sure they vary in quality, expertise, and niche but it can still be an obstacle

Con: Again, general to self-employment - erratic income, no benefits, no overtime, no sick days... etc.

Bottom line: If it is merely the design aspect of it that interests you, I'd recommend you get a job with another shop. If you really long for self-employment, just remember that, much of the time, a "web design business" is more "business" than it is "web design"

This isn't web design but is business related, a few years ago I was doing freelance photography, sounds like a glamour job and it is when the work is flowing in and you just have to set up, shoot and reap the rewards. The reason I gave it up is the paper work and other jobs involved. Plus the fact we have more photographers per capita than anywhere else in the world.
Taking the actual photos were about 5-10% of the business time, the rest was spent, finding the work, dealing with the clients (their wants and needs), setting up (plus location work, travelling), getting approvals on test shots, selling the end result, filing all the info away, tax forms, paper work, phone calls, hiring equipment, hiring people (models, stand ins) ...

I'm actually starting to do more and more web design for profit, it's still only a paid hobby and I don't go looking for work but if I can do enough might go into it full time.

My motto: expect nothing - anything above nothing is profit, gain and a bonus.

Good luck

Quote: Originally posted by Busy
My motto: expect nothing - anything above nothing is profit, gain and a bonus.

Now if only that paid the bills

It was great fun as a hobby business. I did that for about a year before taking it on full time.

Gee, I need a *insert toy here* - time to do a web site

Thank you every on who posted, i apprieciate it very much

well no one sed that it would b easy, although i have to say, i want to get into this business, because of the love of it, i started making my first site, a ew years ago, and just fell in love with it. i like(sometimes) the problems that come into webdesign and the joy of solving it later on when i have gone for 2 weeks without sleep

my first page was really stupid, it really look "crap" and know when i look at it i find myself laughing at how lame i was (yes i still have a copy of my first site)

so, now as a get a bit mroe experienced i want to get into it a bit more and start to learn php and databases, logins, forums etc

so, b4 i really start making money off my hobby, i want to know the ups and downs of being in the business

so please keep the advice coming!

Do a few sites for people/companies for free (make sure you have website by you linked on it) and make up a portfolio, once you have done a few sites (don't do any major e-commerce sites) start charging and before you know it you could be in business.
A portfolio is proof of your work, experience and can gain work by word of mouth.

webdesign (or web site making) is fun, I, like you enjoy when they don't work and have to hunt down the fault.

i thought i was the only one the enjoyed the problems with web designing :S i sws getting a bit worried lol o well now i know i'm not the only one

The biggest problem with designing sites is getting some darn content from your client!!!

People think when they buy a website design you know all there is to know from the start. You'd be amazed but people don't even give you simple, obvious things their business hours, directions to get to the business, are they licensed/certified/authorized/etc to do certain kinds of work, etc etc.

Content part is BIG in webdesign

If you can package your web design with content writing. You're offering a whole new different service.

Or if you could setup a 'template' questions and send it to your buyers after they committed to buy your design, that will be great too