Expanding a web design company is not everyone’s cup of tea. There are some folks who are just content being a freelancer and getting contracts as they come. For those who want to run their website design company as a business, here are some tips in how to expand your business.
1. Take every website design quote seriously
One exception to this rule, of course, is spam. All other leads you should take seriously. If during your conversation with this potential client it begins to sound like they really don’t have a budget that you can work with, don’t be afraid to say no. Remember, every contact is a potential future contract or at least you have expanded your network.
2. Maintain relationships with your clients
You may have had a great relationship with your client when they first contracted you to design their website. In fact, they may have been a great referral for you. But then you get a call from your client you haven’t heard from or contacted in a couple of years and they inform you that they have a new web design company building their new website and they want the code to transfer the domain name. At some point, it happens to the best of us.
You want to maintain contact with your clients because you want to be the first company they think of when it is time to upgrade their website. You can do this by providing a company newsletter that goes out to your clients at least every two months. This newsletter should only be filled with tips and tricks such as how to update their website rather than marketing to them.
3. Join a business networking group
There are several business networks that cater to businesses you may consider joining, such as your local Chamber of Commerce, BNI group, Rotary club or others that business owners often join. You should get your name out there and build your business reputation.
4. Don’t think of yourself as a freelance designer
If you do not want your business to grow, just go from contract to contract. But if you want your business to grow, start thinking more like an entrepreneur than a starving artist. If you begin to think like a business you will begin a plan to move away from the main one person show and hire talented designers and programmers to build the websites. This will enable you to connect with clients and potential clients and to focus on building your business.
Questions Often Asked By Web Design Customers
1. “Can you build the type of website I want?” This is one of the most important questions to ask. You can generally get a reasonable idea of the answer to this question by checking the web designer’s portfolio. If you can see examples of sites they have created for other companies in the same line of business as you and those sites look similar to what you have in mind, then the answer is more than likely going to be yes.
2. “What online marketing solutions do you use and do you have case studies/testimonials to prove that your techniques are successful?” Once you’ve established that a web design company can build a site to match your precise requirements, you need to consider how they will market your site. Particularly in the case of small businesses and companies just starting up, a well designed website is as good as worthless if potential customers can’t find it. Optimizing text to make it search engine friendly, designing e-mail marketing campaigns, managing pay-per-click campaigns and offering advice on affiliate marketing programs are all examples of the ways a professional web design firm can help you with Internet marketing.
3. “Does your company provide additional services such as web hosting or graphic design?” Small business owners often like to have all of their web related matters dealt with by one Web Design Company. Not only does this make the whole process easier to keep abreast with, but it can also work out cheaper if you have an ‘all inclusive’ package of services.
4. “How will you maintain my site once it is launched?” You need to know that your site will be managed properly after it has been launched. Bear in mind things such as the need to update content regularly, make modifications to the site’s layout and the possible expansion of your website once your business gets recognized. If your website has a content management system then you can update/add content yourself but changing the layout or enlarging your site is a job for the professionals.
5. “How long will it take to complete my site and how much will it cost me?” If you’ve received similar answers to the above questions from the designers you’ve talked to, this final question will probably determine which web design firm gets your business. A fixed price quotation is generally going to be a better bet than one based on hourly rates. If the web design firm is going to offer additional services such as Internet marketing and web hosting you may be able to negotiate a yearly fixed price contract.