Did you know you can start an online business today with less than $50?  Web design has been around since the start of the Internet and is not slowing down anytime soon.  A lot more people are creating websites than before.  These consists of sites to build personal branding, brick and mortar stores that need an online presence and our favorite type of business- the dot com.  With the tools available today like WordPress, Joomla and Drupal, it doesn’t matter if your 15 or 50.  As long as you can deliver the work, you’ll get hired.

Do You Have The Qualifications?
I’d seen my share of web developers and clients so I have a good sense of what makes good qualifications.  First, you really do need to have an eye for design.  You don’t need to be a Picasso but if you can identify which website template looks best for a given client, then you’re OK.  Second, treat it like a business with consequences if you don’t deliver.  The clients on the other side of the table usually have a budget and they don’t want to go over.  Being a developer, I know how much things cost and am always looking for a good deal.  However, if a designer can sell me that their price point is worth the money, I wouldn’t mind going with them.  But, if I’m paying for something that’s over my budget, you better exceed my expectations.  If you don’t, you will never work with me again.  Finally, show the client that you have initiative.  This can be shown by how quickly you respond to emails, phone calls, etc.  I also like it when a designer suggest ideas that I hadn’t thought of.  One client I worked with before said that they are paying for not just the work that they ask for but also the thought-leadership (big word essentially meaning creative thinking).

Where To Get Started
This is simple.  Most designers use Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator to do their work.  If you work from home, then put a profile on Elance.com and Guru.com.  Start replying to job queries.  If you want to build an offline business, start going to networking events and tell people about your web design business.  Every week, I meet new web designers at networking events.  So if you want to stand out, say something unique about yourself- why you got into the business, where you look to go with the business.  In another words, sell me not as a web designer but as a person with a vision and I’ll buy your service.

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