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Here’s the hard truth, plain and simple: Starting any business can be a stressful experience, even if you love what you’re doing! And learning how to start a web design business is a whole different beast. Because there’s just so much to think about! For instance:
- What’s the name of the business?
- What kind of domain extension should the website have?
- Should there be a website?
- What’s the revenue model?
- Where are the clients coming from?
- What about contracts?
- What services should you offer?
- How should you market your business?
- Should you hire or outsource help?
You get the point!
Fortunately, there are upshots to everything in life, including learning how to run a web design business. Take, for instance, the freedom of being your own boss. And the flexibility that brings. (No more swiping that access card and wondering if you’re three minutes late to the office!) Or perhaps you’re more interested in the sheer adventure of being an entrepreneur.
Whatever your reasons, there’s one thing we’re sure of: if you seek a guide that teaches you how to start and run your web design business, you’ve reached the right place. And with that in mind, let’s begin!
1: First, do the legwork. Then do the web design work
The biggest mistake entrepreneurs can make is to put a ton of time, money, and resources into a business that hasn’t got a single client. ‘Build it, and they will come’ is a great philosophy, but it doesn’t always work for new businesses, especially not if they’re in a hugely competitive market like web design.
This is why the first thing you’ll want to do when learning how to start a web design business is to create a portfolio of your work so stunning that clients will want to hire you the moment they see it. And since it’s a web design business you’re starting, you’ll want to design an outstanding website to showcase that portfolio.
We won’t tell you how to design your website, of course. But we will say this: don’t ditch your dream name simply because there isn’t a dot com extension available. The world’s changing, and so are domain extensions. Some of the newer ones might be a better fit than the generic dot com. Might we suggest .Tech or .Site?
2: Tell them what you’ve got
Your potential clients don’t always know what goes into the broad web design category. (Or they would’ve done it themselves!) This is why you must create a sub-niche of services your web design business offers. Are you an end-to-end supplier of services? Is your business a creative design consultancy, and do you provide weekly maintenance? Answering these questions will help you carve out the specialty of your web design business.
Here’s a short (and by no means final) list of services your web design business could offer:
- Complete websites for other new businesses
- WordPress maintenance services only
- Graphic design for websites
- Copywriting and design for websites
- Specialty websites only (such as e-commerce focused)
- Responsive/Fluid design for websites
- Websites for specific industries only
The point we’re trying to make is this: find your super-specialty and run with it. Because in the end, what works for another firm may not make sense for your particular web design business. So don’t just say, “We offer web design services.” Instead, find those exact services and let your potential clients know.
But before you tell your prospective clients about your services, there’s one more crucial item on the checklist. Read on to learn what that is!
3: Make them an offer they can’t refuse
You know what services you’re offering to your clients. But do you know what you’re charging for these services? Because while the price may not be the only factor that helps a potential client decide on their web design partner, it’s still essential.
This does not mean, however, that you have to undervalue yourself or your work and charge lower-than-acceptable-rates. It just means that you have to do a bit of research, find out what the going rates are, and place yourself in the sweet spot – where you are happy with what you’re getting paid, and the client is satisfied that their bank isn’t breaking.
Since this is the industry you already work in, we won’t get into the details of how you should go about your research. But we will help you lay down the foundation on which your new web design business pricing could be based.
Calculate your overheads
Think of everything from the project’s scope to taxes, outsourcing fees, administration fees, software licensing fees, and everything in between. Make the longest list you possibly can. This will help you understand how much of the income will be spent paying others and just running your web design business.
Hourly or project-based?
More and more businesses – web design and otherwise – are moving towards project-based fees. And for good reason. With an hourly fee comes the justification of every hour spent on the project, why it takes x amount of time to do y thing. And so on. With a project-based fee, all of that is already thought of and built into the project one time. That said, you might consider a two-pronged pricing strategy: Hourly for minor work and project-based for more extensive, longer projects. Balance is the key.
Get help
We understand that’s a lot of numbers to think about. The good thing is, you don’t have to go at it all by yourself. This is, after all, the 21st century. And the internet is full of helpful resources for those just starting out on an entrepreneurial journey. Take, for instance, the Omni Calculator. Hit up the site, and you’ll be able to find all sorts of calculators that will help you compute overheads, fees, and more for your web design business.
4: No client, no business
So. You’ve done all the background work. You’ve laid down a strong foundation. You’ve created your brand spanking new website that lists out all your core services and showcases the best of your work. And you know how much you want to charge for these services. But all of this is in vain if your web design business has no clients.
Luckily, we’ve got another mini-list for you! This one should help you understand where and how you can attract new clients. And remember that, like many aspects of your web design business, this list must evolve with time.
Choose a great website name for your web design business
Being in the web design business, you will need to make a great first impression. And since web design is what you’re offering, your website is your calling card. Our top tip would be to choose a name that’s unique but still easy to remember. More importantly, break through the clutter online with a new domain extension, one that lets your audience know that you’re different.
There is a range of new domains to choose from, ranging from a .Online that serves any online business to a .Site that literally translates to website. If you’ve chosen a niche for yourself, you could choose one that favors that niche, for instance, .Tech. Of course, you could always go with one that screams creativity and .Space hits all the checkboxes for a design company. Think about it; you simply can’t go wrong with a name like webdesign.space.
Beyond the website into social media.
You’ve built a great website. But how do you get people to visit it? The first rung on this ladder is social media. Create your presence on the most popular (and most relevant) social media sites. This shouldn’t be a one-size-fits-all strategy. Instead, you should aim to leverage each site for its own superpowers.
For instance, LinkedIn is great for B2B contacts. On the other hand, Instagram is wonderful when you want to showcase your work visually. Twitter could help you establish your authority over time, and Reddit may put you in touch with fellow entrepreneurs.
Get offline.
While social media is a fantastic way to promote your new web design business, it can sometimes be impersonal. This is where your existing network comes in—friends from school, college mates, former colleagues, and family. Let everyone know about the business. And ask them all to spread the word. You’d be surprised how quickly news can spread on family messaging groups!
Attend industry events.
All year round, across the globe, all sorts of industries host events to bring together investors, entrepreneurs, clients, and the general public. Very often, these can be the best places to find potential clients.
Try to attend as many relevant industry events as possible. This will help you create a more robust network that might bring you immediate business and create a pipeline for the future.
So be ready with a simple, effective pitch for your business. And be prepared to send out dozens of emails to strangers every month because business development must be a constant for your business to develop.
5: Oil the machine
We started this article with a hard truth. It’s only fair now that we come to another tough truth towards the end of the piece. Your new web design business isn’t all about the good work, the strategizing, marketing, and closing of deals.
Because running this business, any business, has a lot to do with…well… running the business. And this will have you wear all sorts of hats.
Suppose you’re going at the business alone. In that case, you might have to be the Chief Executive Officer, the mail carrier, the accountant, the marketing manager, and every other role in the company. If, on the other hand, you choose to have employees, there’s hiring to think about. And salary payments, R&R, retention, and so on.
The trick is to streamline as many processes as possible, so you don’t have to keep going back to the drawing board to think about problem-solving. As with the rest of this article, here’s another sub-list that you might find helpful when running your web design business.
Incorporate.
While it’s possible to run a business without actually incorporating it, it’s always wiser to formalize things. There are tax benefits, legal status, and credibility that come with incorporation that a freelancer doesn’t always automatically have. Remember to check local regulations and hire a professional to help you with the incorporation process.
Administrate.
This is likely the driest, most tedious part of running a business. But without it, your web design business may become inefficient or fail entirely. So remember to:
- Keep all your books in order, perhaps with the help of a professional CPA.
- Decide if you want to hire full-time or outsource, or both.
- Keep marketing the business, so there’s never a dry spell threatening finances.
- Regularly update pricing, contract clauses, and proposals.
- Either hire an accountant or make sure your invoices are all up to date.
Get in touch with other web design business owners and find out what else you must do to keep your business running smoothly.
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It may be difficult in the beginning when you’re learning how to run a web design business. There may be times that will make you question your decision to start off on your own. But as overwhelming as it may be, your own web design business can be equally rewarding. Especially as the business grows and you learn new things. Because remember, the more you learn and know, the more authority you have in the business. The more authority you have, the higher your chances of getting better-paying clients. So keep getting those certifications, keep completing newer courses, keep visiting industry seminars, keep updating your website, and keep believing in yourself.
Don’t forget to bookmark this article so you always have a ready reckoner for your web design business.
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