How To Earn Additional Income As A Website Creator For Local Businesses
INCLUDED HERE IS A 'WEBSITE BUILD SCHEDULE' DOC. FOR YOU TO USE WITH YOUR CUSTOMERS
If you are seeking to earn additional income while growing your online business have you considered offering your new skills to other business owners by creating a website for them?
Not only can this be a nice income earner, it will develop your own skills further and build your self-confidence.
Many business owners, particularly sole traders have not a clue how to put a website together. What’s more many of them have no desire to either!
You have only to peruse your local high street to notice all the small businesses out there, or check in your local trade magazines where they are advertising their services. Give them a call or send them a small flyer offering your services.
SWAPPING SERVICES
In a recent WA blog I wrote of my first experience how creating a website for a tradesman more or less happened organically, through conversation.
You can read that full article here.
In this instance, I did a swap of services, which worked out brilliantly! It has now given me the impetus to do more of this and create an additional income stream to my hypnotherapy practice.
Just be aware that it will of course take your time and you may need to consider this if you already have a busy schedule. However, even just one or two per month could give you enough income to cover your household bills! Or it could pay for a vacation, or it could buy you an item you have been wanting!
WHAT TO CHARGE
Just in case you are wondering, the fee I agreed upon was £500 or approximately $800 US. But it is really up to you, just make sure you do ask for a decent fee.
Although you can find people on the web offering a website for lower fees, in many instances a local web designer will charge thousands of pounds or dollars. Also remember that you are offering a personal service and if you can agree to and make changes to their website with 24 hours that is worth its weight in gold to them!
You can start lower and ask for more as your become more experienced.
As a result of the blog, which you can read here, I was asked how I proceeded with my new customer. It is always a good idea to have in writing what you can and will do for the fee or swap of services that you are agreeing to.
This keeps things simple and clarifies the process so there are no anomalies later on. You will have a list of the tasks that you know you are capable of completing for them and it acts as a check off list for you.
WEBSITE BUILD SCHEDULE IN PDF
I have created a copy of the list that I compiled for my customer, which you can download here. You will simply need to create your own copy – it’s currently in pdf format – and insert the details where indicated.
You can of course add or subtract from the list as you wish and just use this as a guideline or you have my permission to use as is. If there is something on this list you are not sure how to do, you will find a training on it in the WA tutorials, so there’s nothing in the way to hold you back! J
Although I have added a few lines at the bottom of the form indicating an agreement between myself and the customer, this is just a simple wording that I created myself and you may prefer to consider something more legally binding.
Personally, I doubt it will be necessary. It’s really just a guideline so that both you and your customer know exactly what is expected of you. If your customer then wants more work you will be in a position to ask an additional fee without quibble.
OTHER CONSIDERATIONS
Remember also that if you purchase a domain for your customer, you will be the one to renew the domain in subsequent years. You can buy an initial domain for 2 years for under $10 and this will impress the customer if you include it in the price.
You may at this stage also want to agree on a fee for subsequent years’ maintenance of their website, hosting fee and additional uploads such as blogs, videos and pictures. Don’t get caught out and remember to always mention this up front – people don’t like surprises where their money is concerned.
HOW TO HAVE IT RUN SMOOTHLY
Be clear from the outset and you will enjoy the work and come across as an expert website creator!
I explained to my customer that I could provide him with an attractive, user friendly website that will have him ranked on page one of the local directories. I then showed him my hypnotherapy site which is indeed on page one of my local directory.
Many people do not know how to do this so you really will seem like a magician to them and they will be amazed by your abilities and truly thank you.
You can download the Website Build Schedule here.
Have fun with this and if you have any questions please ask away.
Recent Comments
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Thank you Janice. I'm also a big fan of going local - I mean, you can literally dominate whatever niche you choose in this way PLUS provide a valuable service to your community. Thank you so much for sharing!
That's so true Louellen - I think we just don't see the full value of what we have in hands here until a few months into the program! :) And you are most welcome!
Great idea, have a couple of friends that just started business's that need help. Thanks for the copy of the worksheet.
As a long-time website dev, I believe you're selling yourself short if you don't incorporate recurring income from website clients. That is my big, big regret that I've been trying hard to rectify over the last year :)
This is a fantastic idea! Do you mind sharing how you are incorporating recurring income into your mix? Thank you and God Bless! ~Cathy
Hi Arp, I believe I did allude to recurring income under the paragraph 'Other Considerations'. Obviously the fee charged is only for the first year and I think I said about arranging subsequent fees with your customer from the outset.
I absolutely agree that no one should sell themselves short - I too have done that enough in the past! I was intending to create another blog on this topic! :)
Thank you very much for commenting, it's much appreciated :)
Cathy, just make sure you point out to your customer that this is the fee for the first year. This could be incorporated into the form or just create a separate form with details of what you will do.
As far as my client was concerned I verbally explained it was for the first year and said that depending upon what his requirements would be we would come to an agreement later, he was fine with this.
Quite often your customer is so new to this that they really don't know what they want. Remember if you do estimate a price that you can always reduce it easier than you can increase it so make sure you do cover your costs and value your time accordingly.
I hope this helps.
Amazing stuff Janice. Thanks for your generosity. I bookmarked ....to be used in the future. Have a blessed day.
Hilda
Wow! Thank you, Janice! You are amazing and your willingness to share your success ... and how you do it ... is truly "paying it forward". Thank you again and God Bless! ~Cathy
Janice, that sounds sweet, but I'm a long way from that level of expertise at this time. But, I'm filing this away, because that time will come. Thanks.
Thanks Janice, in about three years, when I am good educated and have automated my skills, I keep this in mind as option, Loes
This looks like excellent advice, Janice, for folks who have those skills and are interested in this line of work. I'm nowhere near that point yet. I wish you all the best in building websites! Thanks for a great post! (I read it even though I don't understand all of it.)
Thank you Carla, if there's anything you need clarifying just ask. It suddenly will all come together though and you'll be delighted by what you have learnt. It's a bit like learning another language, one day you realize you are fluent! :)
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Thank you Janice. I am going to email the post to another WA member, in case he hasn't seen it. It will be ideal for him.
All the best,
Brandon
You're welcome and glad to be of help :)