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Creating Your Own Luck In Web Design

On Sunday

In any business, solid opportunities are not easy to come by, especially for the neophyte professional attempting to break into a new market. The web design and development industry is no exception. Although still in its early stages of growth this field of employment has become increasingly competitive over the past few years. There are several reasons for this, not the least of which is the world’s growing literacy in general in what makes the internet tick and the number of schools and institutions that have popped up in recent years promoting this interest. With that being said there are still some “tried and true” business practices a person new to the industry might apply in order to break into this field. Following are some tips and suggestions facilitating that purpose.

Hone Your Craft – Whether a person is a self-taught HTML coder or a well schooled individual with a degree in web design it is important to recognize there is always room for improvement. In an industry that is evolving seemingly daily it is imperative for the new professional to carefully stay abreast of new developments. Knowing the latest javascript and its various applications could be the separation point at which the bigger contracts are awarded. When not directly working on a project it’s a good idea to work on oneself to consistently hone expertise in the craft. There is no shortage of resources on the internet itself to aid in this honing process.

Be Your Own Best Client – All web professionals start out with at least one solid client, themselves. A web designer’s own web site should be the first and best advertisement for his or her abilities. With prices for web space and domain names at an all time low there is no good reason for a serious web design professional not to have a first-rate website with all the bells and whistles available to potential clients. In the same vein of the old adage, “Nobody trusts a bald barber,” decision makers in the marketplace are understandably skeptical of Web Designers who, for whatever reason, do not have such a basic marketing tool in their respective repertoires.

Prepare to Starve (for a little while) – Until a Web Design Professional has built a reputation in the industry and added several credible commercial projects to his or her portfolio, potential employers will be reluctant to even consider them for work. This reluctance does not necessarily reflect on whether an individual may or may not have talent or ability. Other considerations are taken into account, such as general work habits, the ability to meet deadlines, and people skills. Many employers are not willing to risk entrusting such a key component of their operation to someone who has no track record of displaying these basic work principles.

A good way to gain this essential experience is through nonprofits and churches. Most nonprofit organizations have a limited technology budget, the bulk of which is typically spent on maintaining hardware and updating software licenses. There is often not much money left over for web development. In contrast the need for a strong web presence has grown exponentially in the nonprofit sector. Places of worship in particular have discovered the importance of this medium to their membership in recent years. This scenario creates an opportunity for a new web design professional to contribute to a worthy cause and beef up a shallow portfolio at the same time. While there is not much money to be made in these types of endeavors the commercial experience and solid reference material can be invaluable. There are also positive tax implications that may be explored.

New Like You – Another source for potential clients is the brand new business market. Standard business practice in the United States requires new businesses to register a fictitious business name or DBA (doing business as). In most jurisdictions this is accomplished in a public forum such as a newspaper or other periodical. These DBA notices typically include the physical address of the new business. Often other contact information is included as well. These are potential leads for the enterprising new Web Design Professional, as a professional looking website can be a tremendous asset in establishing a brand new business. New business owners are much more likely to sympathize with, and take a chance on an untested Web Designer than their more established counterparts. Depending on their technology budget and business model they may not be able to pay top dollar for these services, but they can be used as foundational stepping stones to get to the next level. In fact, early business relationships such as these can potentially blossom into solid contractual opportunities as both entities (the Web Designer and the new business) continue to grow and prosper.

So basically, while breaking into the business of Web Design presents some difficult challenges, none of them are insurmountable. If the Web Professional stays on top of the newest and latest innovations, and applies them to his or her own site there is a good chance of impressing some clients. Add to those some non-profit organizations and/or places of worship and he or she will begin to develop a diverse portfolio of work in the commercial sector. Finally, an aggressive strategy of pursuing new businesses as clients can serve as a strong foundation in attracting more established businesses and bigger contracts.

This path to success in the industry will take both perspiration and inspiration along the way, but, it’s the satisfaction of attaining a desired goal that will ultimately be remembered.

Enjoy!