Day 69: My First (paying) Web Design Project Approved!
I just want to share a recent website design breakthrough.
Apart from my goal to create my first niche site to learn affiliate marketing, I have decided to explore the opportunity to create websites for local small businesses here in Canberra, Australia.
This is for the purpose of making some web related earnings now while I build my niche site, ballersgearntechreview.com.
So last Thursday, 16 Oct, I have closed a deal to re-design a website for a local carpet cleaning business! This is my first paying client for a Web Design project since joining WA!
It's not quite an affiliate site, but I will be applying what I have learnt in WA regarding SEO, keyword search, how to make money online, use of social media, etc.
I have tried to design websites for paying clients a few years ago (I was using Joomla, which is a similar tool like WordPress), but this is the first time I charged for a fee to build the site AND charged a monthly fee to provide ongoing support! By doing this, I am able to create an ongoing income from this project!
Risk
By building sites for other people, there is a real risk of diverting my focus and time away from my own niche site like ballersgearntechreview.com.
Benefit
By taking on a project like this, it will help me to further develop my skill in WP.
It will also give me opportunity to explore various ways to make money online.
I am able to make some earnings now by creating websites for other people/businesses!
The earnings I make help cover the cost of my annual WA premium membership!
Strategy
At this stage, I am only accepting clients that have fairly simple website requirements. For example, since I do not have a lot of knowledge with e-commerce I am not accepting such projects yet.
I am hiring an assistant to help me populate the site. This will help leverage my time in creating this website. I do not intend to work on the website on my own.
Estimated hours on the project: 15-20 hours.
Project fee: I charged my client $950, then for subsequent years, the fee is $249 /year for hosting the site (in WA) and provide support e.g. minor updates to the site.
Note: The $249 /year, has been reduced to $120 /year since my client's requirement is to host his website somewhere else instead of in my WA account.
I just want to share that there are other ways to make some earnings online apart from affiliate marketing, but weigh the risks and benefits before going ahead.
Also, formulate a strategy to only take on website projects that you know you can confidently deliver.
I hope this blog will be of benefit to anyone in the WA community.
Recent Comments
11
If you want my two cents, Dennis, I think it's great! I say the benefits outweigh the risks. Do this one well and others will come knocking at your door. There's no reason why you can't keep your niche site. It may take a back seat, but you go where the money is. Go for it!!! To OUR Success!
Hi Dennis! That's great news! I don't have experience in charging others to create and maintain a website for them yet, so I can't help you with that. For my business plan, however, I read that you can calculate an hourly rate and see what your competitors charge.
You don't want to be "too cheap" for people to doubt your skills, but also not too expensive.
When you know your hourly rate and you multiply it by 20, you can then see if you charged too much or not.
See more comments
Congratulations. Multiple streams of income --- not bad!!! Keep working it. ~Debbi
Thanks Debbi, I am in discussion for more web design projects with hosting hosting fees included. :-)