Helping You Rock Out Your Site Like A Rockstar!

I freelance and one of things I come across a lot is that even though there are some really great designers, their coding skills lack big time. It is common for me to fix some of the WordPress issues where something was hard- coded when there could have either been a widget or a theme option put in place. This post is mostly directed toward those who do use the freelance boards to post their projects.

Simple things like that help a client with how they can manage their website, especially if they are not as web savvy. A lot of times these websites are for business owners who are not wanting a long manual on how to use their website. They want it to be easy enough that your directions are few and pretty much written for dummies.

Of course there are reason why people might run into a design fail:

• Choosing a bad or not as knowledgeable designer/ coder.
• Wanted to go the cheap route.
• Not making it clear with the designer on what is needed for the site.
• Language barrier. (A lot of freelancers online are from all over the world and sometimes communication does become a problem.)
• Unwilling to learn a little, even if it only takes 5 minutes
• Rushing a design project to be completed.

It is important to gather the information together on what you want on your website before seeking out a designer or looking for a theme. It might take surfing sites to get an idea of a look or a general mock-up. Your site is important as it is your virtual business card to the world.

While you might be impressed with a portfolio, always have questions:

• What does the designer propose to do in order to complete your site?
• Does the designer have a better or more effective method in designing the site?
• How user-friendly will the site be for both visitor and administrator?

Some designers may say that something is not able to be done, but that means one thing: they do not know how to do it. If you just google what you need, you might be able to find someone who can complete your project. There are few things that cannot be designed into a website. Your best bet is to find a designer that even if they cannot complete one element, that they are resourceful enough to refer to someone who can. Reliable designers that have a good reputation online often have knowledge of “who is who” and what they can do.

Have you had a design fail in the past? How did it happen? What did you learn from it and what advice can you give to others?

There are hundreds of opportunities open each day for freelancers. Many of the websites that require a freelancer to bid for a project can become quite competitive. Some of the buyer expectations are high when it comes to quality, but in the same breath, they want it for the lowest dollar.

So, how much should you get paid as a freelancer?

Your expertise can often effect how you decide how much you should earn per hour or for certain projects. As you work on more projects, you know how much time is involved and can develop a good bidding price for future projects.

It is important to give an honest bid. Everyone needs shelter and food, or has a family to provide for. It is understandable that you will want to bid an amount that is fair in your opinion in order to be able to survive. However, some of the buyers can be familiar with how much time a project will take and even though they are looking for the talent, they are looking for the best deal in the end – monetary-wise included. In fact, a lot of jobs posted at freelance websites are created by project managers.

The Ugly Side

But as a lot of freelancers know, it sometimes can feel insulting when a buyer states in their project that they will only pay so much money when the work is nearly twice or three times more. Too often, especially for web and graphic designers, it can be a very ugly experience.

As I had mentioned about project managers early – they will want to make as much money as possible while your cut is merely a portion of what they will bring in. It is a pretty clever method of getting paid as a “middle man” or “middle woman” and not surprising that they will tack their business links onto a site you designed regardless if you agreed to a non-disclosure agreement or not.

Make sure to clarify whether you can claim the project or not. If they want an NDA, then charge more for it. While a project manager may not think it is fair, they are getting to freely put their link on a site they never designed and will be reaping the rewards of some good SEO link juice as long as their client’s site stays open.

Are Freelancer sites effective?

Yes, and sometimes no. A lot of times if you are a freelancer that has great work, but your bid is higher, you might be overlooked. The freelance websites are a great place to find some work, but honestly, a lot of web and graphic designers approach businesses and pitch their services in person or by email or through social networking.

Why? Because this is where a freelancer can build honest relationships.

A lot of times the freelancer websites are good for people starting to build their portfolio. While the price is cheaper, at least for a time there is work and for the future, something to add for future clients to look in on.

Not getting the work and money you deserve?

If you are not getting paid your worth, then you need to find a new way to market your services. Becoming successfully paid freelancer is not an overnight success story in the making. It takes years to do. In the end you are the one that will control when you work and how much you will get paid. As much as it would be great to lay down solid amounts for a freelancer to go by in this article, it would not be much help. There are so many designers with different expertise levels that putting a definite price would be like an A student breaking the learning curve in a classroom of average students.

What are factors that a freelancer should consider when charging clients or bidding at freelance web sites?

Web Designers do not always know it all. A lot of people who hire web designers, usually put some trust into them and sometimes even believe that they can do everything.

This topic came about because I was at WordCamp Columbus and happened to hear an attendee express their frustration over coming to some type of solution with their website. The website was a university site (I will not name) and unfortunately the person who was in the position of the web designer was telling the faculty member in charge of the project that they could not use WordPress and wanted to go back to regular static HTML. Lucky for her, she walked away knowing the solution to her problem and that she could continue using WordPress… and that her designer was not very knowledgeable with the CMS.

For me, it is frustrating to see this going on because even though it is WordPress (it could have been Joomla or Drupal or even static HTML or even a site in PHP from scratch), THERE IS ALWAYS A SOLUTION!

Webmaster Versus Web Designer Versus…

In the past, someone who was well-rounded in all aspects of the site (the design, the development, the content creation, and the marketing) was known as a webmaster. The problem is that there is a big difference between being a web designer and being the writer (content creator), the designer, the developer or even the marketer, and vice versa.

Some have strong talents in all areas, but also weaknesses. I will admit that I do not know it all. When someone says they believe I know it all or I am a genius, I thank then, but tell them that I try my best to find out a solution, but I do not know it all.

Being resourceful is a huge part of being a web designer, both in imagination, natural talent (getting the ideas from your brain to whatever medium you need it to get to), and the actual knowledge to get things done.

• Not all web designers are social media consultants.
• Not all web designers are web developers.
• Not all web designers are writers that can create content or even be well-versed in search engine optimization.
• Not all web designers are internet marketers.

To the web design client

And just in case you have a web designer who says something cannot be done without a plausible reason, they are not resourceful, knowledgeable, or imaginative enough and you should be careful about hiring such people. In some cases, this type of web designer exudes a “know it all” type of personality.

Be careful of these and make sure to have a plan B in effect in case a solution cannot come to fruition.

Yeah, that is pretty harsh to read, but it is true. Most website owners want something positive to happen as a result of web design, even if it is only to make their visitor’s time on their site a bit more pleasant of an experience. Of course, as a side note… the majority of sites I have designed for, both business and blogs, do have some type of monetization plan.

To the Web designer

Know your limitations and overcome them, even if it is to seek out a partner to help finish the job. There is always a way. While content and connecting are important, your web designer has to have an inkling on what works and what does not design-wise. In web design, there are many ways to code and design the elements of a page, and the information to do it is out there. If you need it, find it! If you cannot find it, ask – there are many web design related forums and even designers on Twitter and Facebook that are more than willing to give advice. For WordPress users, developers, and designers, you can hit the Support forums.

I am going to repeat -

THERE IS ALWAYS A SOLUTION IN WEB DESIGN!

So, while web designers do not always know it all… remember, there is always a way through any project.

No more excuses!

A lot of newbies in freelancing ask me all sorts of questions about what it takes to freelance and even how much should they charge. I have even had scenarios tossed at me, like if it was okay to design a site to get exposure. That sparked an idea for a blog post, because I have been there and let me say, DO NOT DO IT. It is not an acceptable payment for freelancers.

Web design and graphic design both take a lot of learning and practice. If you are new and someone approaches you saying they got this cool site that has some traffic, but they need their site designed. Then they ask you if you can design knowing the only payment you will either see is a post, a link at the bottom of the website, or maybe a couple Facebook or Twitter mentions.

IT IS NOT WORTH IT!

Why?

Because even if that site gets 5,000+ visitors a day, only a small percentage is going to scroll ALL the way down to the bottom of the site and actually notice the link or image on who designed the site. Depending on how much time you spent and the quality of work you do, you just gave a free layout away that someone not willing to actually invest in their site.

Giving freebies is cool. I do it sometimes. But, giving someone that could pay a bill or even be money to invest in months of marketing on various sites, it just seems logical to say no. The person asking you for a freebie may grumble, but you walk away starting a smart business that you will make money rather than being fooled and not getting your own ROI.

Think about it. What if the site really was not all that hot as the person said it was? What if the site you designed for totally sinks a year down the line?

So, what are acceptable payments for freelancers in web design?

• Money (obviously)
• Bartering for services. Of course, you do not want to barter for a service that is not of equal value.
• A Simple Thanks – from close friends or if you volunteered for a non-profit charity organization

No matter what, freelancers do not work for free. Something is exchanged. However, it is up to the freelancer to be smart about how they do business. Make sure the payment it is equal to the work. You can still get paid and have the link. FYI: A lot of site owners who have hired web designers do allow for acknowledgment in the form of a link or image at the bottom of their site.

Have you ever been asked to design in exchange for just a link or post mention? If you have bartered for services, what did you exchange your web design services for?

Everyone is different. Yes, it is cliche, but when it comes to negotiating a freelance project between buyer and provider, no transaction is the same.

It could be based on the employer or the actual freelancer, or what type of project is involved.

The problem is communication. In freelancing online, you are more often to step into a transaction with someone who may be from a different country, not speak your language as their first language, or even have similar religious beliefs.

It is important for both parties to remain professional and courteous. If a buyer or even the freelancer is rude from the get go of the project, it might not turn out to be a successful tranaction. OR, the project is completed and both parties never speak again.

Freelance Etiquette For the Buyer:

Remain professional. Thoroughly check the freelancer’s portfolio and make a fair and educated decision. If there are any questions, ask right away. It is better to ask them before the negotiations are completed, rather than remain confused and question later when the project has already began.

It is important to make sure that you as a buyer remain in good standing with your freelancer as a lot of the freelance sites offer ways for you to be rated and receive feedback. Also, think about it – your profile on those freelancer sites can be found on the search engines. SO if you have a company website associated with your freelancer site, you might be hurting your business reputation as an outsourcer.

There will be freelancers out there who are real duds, but the ones who are good, normally go above and beyond what the project requires.

Think quality rather than dirt cheap, but be smart about it. Freelancers have to make a living somehow. Be thoughtful on how long the project may take, how much effort may be involved, and even how much the cost of living it currently- even at minimum wage. In the case you are a regular outsourcing company, you may want to may sure you are charging your clients enough so you can pay your service provider adequately.

Last of all, buyer’s should be open minded of suggestions from their freelancer. It may be something more effective. At least make sure the freelancer knows you are taking their advice into consideration. While it is your site and you have your own agenda, some things might be better when new ideas are applied. It might not hurt to ask ahead of time what suggestions your freelancer has. It can actually tell you how knowledgeable they are. For example, in web design, if the freelancer can explain in detail how to approach they will apply certain methods to complete specific parts of project that are challenging, it really really is reassuring for the buyer.

Freelance Etiquette for the Freelancer

Remain professional. Yep, had to say it. It works both ways. While you do want to make the deal, make sure to give the buyer some type of outline on your work method. They want to be assured you are going to complete their project to their expectations.

Be open minded. If you cannot, do not even continue trying to make the deal. If you are not open minded about the project, especially in web design, then you do not have enough experience in design nor conducting business.

Be honest! This is a big one. There are so many “horror” stories and complaints out there about some of the freelancers that failed or even conned others. Make sure to be upfront about yourself and your methods. You could even face legal strife if something goes wrong because you were not truthful!

Charge honestly, but do not let yourself get steamrolled over.. Some of the freelance sites out there, there are a lot of people looking for very affordable service providers. It is necessary that while you have to charge to making a living, that you might want reflect on how much time you will actually be working on a project. A lot of the freelancers are usually people who have not gone mainstream. What is meant by “going mainstream”, in relation to a web designer, is that the designer has constant stream of clients and referrals that keep them from taking smaller side projects on the competitive freelance boards – they no longer really have to fight for projects.

The buyer is paying you to do a project for them – not a website that is yours that you got money to make. Some freelancers get so wrapped up and emotional about their work and forget- it is NOT their site; it is the client’s site. Make it how they want it to be. If you give them suggestions and they choose not to take your advice, then let it be. In the case you are right about your advice and the client changes their mind later, they may employ you again to make the changes.

Kind of like Burger King’s little slogan – “Have It Your Way.” Let the client have it their way in the end.

Overall, both sides of the freelance project must come together to make sure the task is done.

Have you ever had a bad negotiation as a buyer or a freelancer? – What happened?
What suggestions do you have for both sides of the freelance negotiation?

Trust and working with freelancers is a big thing online. I see a lot of it and sometimes I have to experience it with some first time clients. A lot of people take time to earn trust – some easier than others.

It might be due to experiencing the bad side of human nature where lying and stealing might have been an issue. The thing is – when it comes to online, even though we might put our pictures, our voices, information about us or our families, and our hard work, the constant struggle of earning another person’s trust is there. It especially is there when working too.

Earning trust usually is not all that hard. You just have to be genuine and honest. Now, when I mean honest, I mean, not ‘blunt in your face rude’ kind of honest. I mean the ‘tell the truth and be polite about it’ kind of honest.

However – what happens when you earn that trust? Or how do you know if you earned someone’s trust, especially when you are being paid to work for them?

Some signs you have earned their trust:

• Are they friendly? Are they eager to engage with you?
• Are they reading what you share or write?
• Are they buying your stuff or referring people to you?
• Are they open to your ideas? And in the case they have suggestions, are you listening to their ideas?

If a person does not trust you, they are more than likely to be a little abrasive, have little contact, or perhaps have no confidence in your product or a hard time believing what you say.

If someone is working with you and you have already done a project, but still a bit skeptical to continue with others, stop working and find a way to make sure both parties are on the same page.

How can you work with someone you cannot trust? It is moot to keep working with anyone as the contract could end badly with no work being done and lots of arguing going on.

For example, in freelance web design, it is not uncommon to have a client that has had a bad past experience with another freelancer, or they are so intimidated by the process that they have gone to all the wrong people to get advice – and it is the designer that has to sort it all out. Business in general, or even freelance web design, if you are paying someone to do work for you and you cannot trust them to do the job and give you advice on the services they are performing – you made a huge mistake from the beginning.

Last Thoughts On Trust

As I said – be genuine and honest. Be prepared to answer questions if someone asks. Communicate and engage. If you cannot do it – stop. If you do not know, say so, but also direct them to the right place. This makes you honest and resourceful.

Trust can be a hard thing to earn from some people and easy for others. What do you advise for freelancers still having the issue of earning trust from their employers?

There are so many freelancers out there, and there are people who get jobs and outsource them, claiming the credit of the designers they hire. These people are known as project managers, or depending on how they conduct business, they might even be considered con artists.

Being a project manager is okay. For myself, I do my own projects, but I am sure for traditional project managers finding a good freelancer is tough – especially one that is not with a team of people handling the project you really only want only 1 or 2 people to even have their hands on the project.

The problem is a lot of project managers are popping up with websites. While I could easily point out a few people, I will not. I will though give advice for people who are project managers or are contemplating on becoming one.

Advice to Web Design Project Managers:

• Be transparent about your business. If you are outsourcing, make sure your client is aware of it. Putting on your website that YOU are the one designing is a untrue. For some clients, it could be very alarming, especially if they want to keep their project under a Non-disclosure policy. Be truthful with your designer and developers as well.
• Be prepared to negotiate with a web developer or designer if you are claiming their hard work. While you paid for it, if the details of licensing is involved, you might face some legal issues. (Some project managers may put their link up on the client’s finished site, but allow the designer to put the work as a “joint project” in their portfolio.)
• If you are wanting to provide web design work that is affordable to clients, you might not be able to afford a web designer, especially a talented one. Some of the freelancers out there may have a minimum set on projects. Make sure if you get paid, they get paid decently.

As for anyone who has had their site done by a freelancer, it is important that you know how your site is being done and when it is yours, what you can do. If the project manager is not able to explain, then it is more than likely they did not design the website.

For some people, this might not be important, but for those who want to keep their projects private, a project manager who outsources is not always the best choice. For some web designers and developers, project managers can be nice to have, but truthfully after personal experience with several, the honest ones are just about “a dime in a dozen.”

What is your advice to outsourcing project managers? What is your advice on how a client can find out in the most polite way how their project is being handled?

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Consultations with clients can get pretty in depth and take some time. Some of the process is for the client to get information to see if they would be comfortable enough to work with you as their freelancer. Other consults may be asking for advice.

Your time is valuable, even when consulting. Normal consultations that might take 20 minutes or half an hour are great, but what happens when you are required to drive to a location to do a consultation? Do you just do it for free?

What if the consult is technical advice to correct a mistake or improve?

When should consultations cost?

Consultations should cost if the time used is taking long. Half an hour or more might need some compensation. It all depends on you as the freelancer. If you feel it is a good investment to do a free consultation in person, that is your choice. However, commuting time, gas, and more – that poses to be an expensive investment.

While you are wanting to land a job, most of your clients should be aware that if you are meeting with them outside of email or phone, it is a courtesy to provide adequate compensation. For myself, while I do not charge, I often am invited to lunch to do a consult and the client pays. It is not always expected, but I have never had to pay my own meal during an in-person consultation. It ends up being comfortable and I can get a better idea of how to deliver a good product for my client.

However, I have found lately I have had to charge for some technical support time that I had to either work or provide detailed advice. I normally charge my per hour fee and that has been acceptable according to some of my clients.

While I would love to always do free in-person consultations, it just is not logical. I recommend if you do, but you have been unsure of whether or not to charge, simply consult your clients. Ask them if they believe it is fair. Or, ask your peers in your niche?

Do you charge for web design consultations? If so, do you have advice to anyone unsure of trying this? If not – why?