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Before you make any concrete moves to start
a web design company, you should ask yourself certain questions,
and make sure they are fully answered to your complete satisfaction.
Where is your market?
This is not as simple as deciding that you want to become
a niche business and target certain clients. There will most
certainly be clients out there who will need the type of service
you offer, but how likely is it that you will be able to effectively
reach them?
Having a website seems the logical answer to this, but although
some web designers claim to receive 100% of their business
through their website, you should bear in mind before you
start a web design company that others report as little as
5% of website-derived business, even when their Google ranking
is very high.
That being the case, you should assess the potential for
local business that can be drummed up via word of mouth, local
adverts, brochures and flyers. If you live on a farm in the
middle of nowhere and intend to start a web design company
purely over the internet, you may not be able to realize the
income you desire.
Do you have the skill-set?
Outsourcing to professionals competent in areas where you
struggle is clearly an option, but the skills you do possess
must be practiced to a high level. Establishing a niche for
yourself is arguably preferable to your being a Jack-of-all-trades
who excels at nothing in particular, therefore is unable to
shine.
Web design skills you should be analyzing include:
• Graphic Design
• (X)HTML/CSS
• Programming ability in any of PHP, PERL, ASP, ASP.NET,
and Ruby
• Databases
• Common server software, such as Linux, Windows, and
their associated web server software
• Web technologies such as JavaScript and HTTP
• Copy-writing
To start a web design company you should also have general
business skills in the following areas, or be willing to outsource
to someone who does:
• Sales
• Marketing
• Project-planning
• Time-management
• Customer service
• Accounting
• Contracts and other legal issue
• Leadership (where you intend to create a team)
How will you market yourself?
You might consider the following areas when thinking how
to start a web design company in the most effective manner:
• Create your own search-engine-optimized website so
that potential clients can find you on the internet. Make
sure to include as much information as you can, including
a portfolio and any testimonials
• Work up a press release for your local media
• Advertise in industry publications and the general
press
• Network to create allies and contacts who can provide
you with work or who you can outsource to
• Find a niche, if your skills lend themselves to this
It is not difficult to start a web design company; what is
more of a challenge is creating a web design company that
will stay around for many years to come. Answering these questions
will help to make that a reality.
Best of luck to you.
John
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