I need some views on this please.

Priapus

Priapus

Priapus

Soldato
Joined
30 Jul 2004
Posts
10,572
Location
East Sussex, UK
Hey guys.

Well, I've been thinking about this for a few months and, even tried it, to which I enjoyed in doing so. Let’s see how to put this down...

I'm currently working for a computer shop which pays me okay, I guess. I'm also...reasonably happy there but I don't want to be in the same position forever. Due to the last two months events, I have seen that I will probably not progress any higher, staying there as a PC Technician. I don't want to be that when I am 35 or something and still fixing/building computers...

On the other side of things, I'm a person who would not want to be in a position where I am asking myself every month, "Will I have enough money for the rent + Fuel costs". I don't want to be rich, nor do I want to be poor...

So, I have been thinking about getting into web-designs. It's something I can do in my own home, in my own time and not have to answer to a Boss, nor do I have to put up with crap from staff members who think they've been taken on to sit on their butts all day and do nothing + make my life harder by their incompetents’. It's not how it's meant to go. We're all meant to be a team.

Now I simply cannot afford to dive into web-designs now. My plan is to start it off slowly, while working at the current job, then after a year or two, when I have a steady flow of income from the web-designs, I can resign at the shop and work with my business fully. :)

However, I need some help. I'm obviously not 100% sure how to go about this and how to get it going. I still need to read more on web page designs ect..but I am picking it up real fast.

So, I guess I am just asking for some help and pointers of things I am currently unaware of. I don't want to be caught out if it can be avoided.

Thank you for your time.

Robert.
 
Have you looked into prospective clients?

IE, how easy it is to pick up work. If the market is flooded then you're stuffed.
 
This is a market satured beyond bursting point. You will find it incredibly difficult to make any sort of living from making web pages.
 
Well a piece of advice I would pass onto you is:

"There is no better advertising than word of mouth" on the flip side reputations can be damaged very quicky too.

Check out local charities and offer your servies for free to start with, get a few sites out in the wild so to speak and build your "reputation"
 
Don't bother with web design - unless you really *want* to do it. There are far more interesting areas of IT to go in to. I do web development (design and programming) and at the moment I'm trying to figure out what I can do instead.

But I am in a bad mood today, so everything seems ****... :p
 
Hi Gilly,

o be honest, no I haven't. However I have been asked a few times if I do this sort of work and I'm in contact with a lot of people every day, so I could get it out that way. There doesn't seem to be many web-page designers around..and the ones that are around, I am sure I could beat their prices.

Thank you for your quick reply, I will be looking in that area more. :)
 
Well, there aren't many people doing it here, I suppose, but I guess even trying it would't hurt as I have nothing to loose. I won't quit my job + can see if this side of things can work?

Furnace: Well you're right, but what other areas' could I look at. I'm in South Africa so take that into acount. :)
 
Can you actually design though?

So much badly designed stuff out there, just because "It's easy to do"!

The market is over saturated because so many people think "I can do that, how hard can it be", and more often or not make a complete hash of it.

Real designers do all the jucy stuff, they leave the "local shop, girlfriend's dad's mate" stuff to all the frontpage and dreamweaver "designers" out there.

Best way to start is to get together a portfolio of work you have done (fictional is fine), that way you can present your work to potential clients.
 
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Pinter75 said:
Can you actually design though?
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Yes. However like I said, given some time, I will get a lot better at it. I just need to get more informed on it.

So much badly designed stuff out there, just because "It's easy to do"!
Click to expand...

Agreed. I plan to do this, because it's something I would enjoy. It being, 'easy' isn't why I want to do it. Hell, even my current job is easy, but that doesn't mean I'm doing for that reason. I only do things I would enjoy.

The market is over saturated because so many people think "I can do that, how hard can it be", and more often or not make a complete hash of it.
Click to expand...

Agreed. I plan on doing stuff properly and not following others. :)

Real designers do all the jucy stuff, they leave the "local shop, girlfriend's dad's mate" stuff to all the frontpage and dreamweaver "designers" out there.
Click to expand...

Well, I would have to start somewhere. As stated, need to learn more before I do this. :)

Best way to start is to get together a portfolio of work you have done (fictional is fine), that way you can present your work to potential clients.
Click to expand...

An excellent idea. Would you be willing to share more infomation on how exactly I make one of these, portfolio's?

Thank you for your time. :)

Robert.
 
Ok, well it all depends on what service you are going to offer. I bet a lot of companies will want the whole lot, logo, print stuff and website.

This is a good area to get into, as you are effectivly a "one stop shop". You can even set prices on packages for diffrent levels of service. All you need to find is a friendly local printer, and then the ball starts rolling.

But, if you just want to get into web design, then that can be tricker, cos of the points above.

As for a portfolio, start to design some fictional websites, and logos etc. Simply mock them up in photoshop, then you can display these on your website. You can also tell potential clients about when you offer.

Look here for some ideas: http://www.sky26.co.uk/p_corporate_identity.html

It's a site I work on with my buddy.

With design, people will probably hire your services, based on the quality of your work (they need to see it) and price. If you do excellent design at a reasonable price, word of mouth will be your biggest marketing tool!
 
Hi,

Okay, some good pointers there, thank you. :).

I don't mind doing the whole lot, logos ect that's perfectly fine. I do have a 'local friendly printer' as it happens. So that's not a problemo.

So, what you're saying is get some prices/packages together as well, and then try sell it?

Will take alook at the linky.

Thanks a lot for all the help. :)
 
I've been looking after I.T. systems in various companies since an early age and do almost a complete range of things, and I used to do a fair bit of web/graphic design as well. In the last 2 or 3 years though I've realised that so many people are into that now - there's one-man fred-in-the-sheds looking after the £300 4-page setups and the city-centre-office flash outfits doing the proper animated, interactive, scripting stuff. And the big guys all do it so well that it started to depress me when I sat down to try and conjure up something that would compare to some of their work.
You have to have a burning interest to design. You shouldn't just be going down that route because it's an easier life. You could have an easier life doing various other things - buying and selling some specific product for example.

By all means go for it, it's the best way to be if it all goes well and you keep the work coming in, but just make yourself aware of what else is out there :)
 
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