This week I started the tedious job of learning to install and customize yet another content management system (CMS) … this time it is Impress, which I chose because it was named 2009’s Most Promising Open Source CMS by Packt Publishing. So far I like it a lot. The modules are easy to install. In fact, the entire CMS was easy to install (without Fantastico’s help) and instructions were clear enough that I could figure it out. That’s something, because I’m not a super-geek. I installed it at Perspectives on Writing and plan to keep working on it for the next few months. I’m in no hurry to launch the site. In fact, at this time (Nov. 2009) the design hasn’t been done – what’s there is a pre-installed theme. I did have one problem and requested help at the Impress site’s message forum. I got help very quickly, so I’d have to say support is available and efficient!

This month I’ve also been writing another novel… this is my other passion in life, besides webdesign. I’ve written eight novels with NaNoWriMo in the past; this is my ninth year. You’re welcome to check out my progress on my NaNoWriMo profile.

Last week I mentioned that I joined The V7 Network. This week I found a link there that answered a question about how to choose a webdesigner. This article, Choosing a Web Designer, gives plenty of qualifications and issues a prospective client should consider. Would you be the webdesigner a savvy client would hire? Could you become that most excellent webdesigner everyone would want in their corner? Consider these points as goals worth aiming toward.

Are you using Reddit? Through Twitter I found out there is a Reddit listing of open directories. I hadn’t been to my Reddit account in a couple years so I started looking around and discovered several Reddits about webdesign. A great place to share information and get feedback on the art of designing websites.

Have you designed business cards for your business yet? You might want to take a look at these very impressive examples: 100 (Really) Creative Business Cards.

Now I’ve got to get back to writing the novel. The CMS building activity will have to wait.

Revised and updated: How to Start a Webdesign Business

This is fun to browse through: Killer Startups – new sites reviewed daily…

Do you use WordPress for your designs? If so you might love this site: WP Scoop. While I was there I found this cool article: 18 Alterntive Ways to Use WordPress. I also like this WP Theme Building Cheat Sheet.

If you’re getting started in the webdesign business you’ll get a lot of help from joining an online community. I just joined The V7 Network and have been a member of the Women Designers Group mailing list for years. When you need help with a webdesign project – there it is!

I lost my job at a local business just over a year ago. With the recession and competition for jobs here in California, I’ve thought about returning to webdesign. That depends on whether I can sell that novel I recently finished revising for the sixth time. I’m submitting it to agents now. I see webdesign as ‘easy money’ in one respect, because lots of people need webdesigners… but not so easy when I consider the time I’d have to put into making it work.

In any case, I’m going to start redesigning this site. It will be an intense project as I don’t want to just toss something together… I’m looking forward to a project that expands my creative design skills and produces a truly unique web experience. How’s that for a goal?

The second section in your marketing plan will be a series of written statements on how each of your core services will benefit your potential clients. It is important to write this out so that you’ll have a strong understanding of exactly how your business will help people. Later, when you’re involved in selling, you’ll find these “talking points” helpful.

One marketing plan I wrote had these statements, which I reprint here as examples:

Example One – Web Development Consultant: “My consultations help small business owners learn to make the most of their site on the Internet.”

Example Two – Web Hosting: “My web hosting provides excellent customer service 24/7 for small business owners seeking a professional Internet presence.”

Example Three – Template Developer: “My blog and content management system templates provide an easy and accessible way to make sites look professional and well organized. Some templates will be unique, one-of-a-kind, artist-created works of art while others will be created with a stricter budget in mind. The blogs will be fully loaded with helpful plugins including automatic backups, and will be ready to use as I’ll offer to do template installation for my clients.”

So there you have it.
1. Choose your Core Services – write them down!
2. Write down exactly how each core service will benefit your clients.

To create a marketing plan for your web design business, you first need to decide what you’ll be offering. What core service offerings will be available?

When I started my web design business I was too optimistic. I thought I could offer everything. I thought that offering a variety of services would bring in more clients. So my original site offered graphic design, web design, web maintenance, internet research, desktop publishing, SEO, logo design, photography, press releases, and publicity planning. I’m really surprised I didn’t include content writing on that list!

Well, experience showed me that (1) web design clients are not hard to get, and (2) I can’t do everything. What I ended up doing was graphic design, web maintenance, and web design, with some SEO and content writing work tossed in on the side.

My recommendation for one-person home-based web design business owners, is to specialize in just a few things. Be the expert. Train yourself well and then take on only the jobs you’d be best at. Yes, you’ll have to prepare yourself to turn some people down. In particular, if it seems the client wants you to do something you’re unfamiliar or uncomfortable with, you can save yourself a lot of stress by saying NO. You’ll find that you earn more and work with a happier state of mind when you choose your projects wisely and turn away the rest.

Of course if you’re starting a large web design firm that will hire specialists in logo design, SEO, graphic design, content writing, and more, you can advertise and get jobs in all those categories. But for the one-person business, it would be a bit too much.

So evaluate your talents and decide exactly what your core service offerings will be. You might also decide now that you’re going to specialize in websites only for horse owners or artists, or musicians.

Here are a few examples:

Example 1 – Graphic Designer: If you’re an outstanding artist you might want to advertise your images to web design business owners. Let them know your artistic talents are available for their web design projects. They in turn will tell their customers that these amazing graphics are available (for a greater price) and you’ll probably find you have more work than you can reasonably deal with.

Example 2 – PHP specialist: If you know how to code PHP you’re bound to be in demand. You can offer your talents to web designers and to the public, with your PHP web design website. You might be able to make a business doing PHP only without dealing with the web design or graphics end of the business by working with a few talented web designers who will sub-contract work to you.

Example 3 – Flash specialist: If you’re good at creating Flash sites, this is a specialty that could be turned into a business, again without delving into the intricacies of design, SEO, and content writing.

Example 4 – HTML/XHTML/CSS specialist: If you’re like me, and are basically good at HTML, XHTML, and CSS, then make those your core products. If your customers ask you to include SEO and content writing skills in a job, you can add these to your contract if you feel competent to complete the tasks well.

Example 5 – CMS specialist: Some web designers specialize in setting up content management systems (CMS) and installing themes. You might advertise WordPress setup, Drupal setup, or whatever you’re really good at.

Whatever else you decide, remember never to offer to do something you are not sufficiently trained to do. You need to be totally confident in your skills. Make sure, before you start your business, to have your education (or self-education) complete and UP TO DATE. Well, the truth is, your web design education is never totally complete, because you’re always going to be acquiring new skills. The thing I’m trying to get at here is that you should be entirely competent to do whatever it is you’re offering as a core service.

Once you know what your specific core service offerings will be, you’ll be ready for part two on creating a marketing plan for your web design business.