For those of you who haven't realised, the world is currently in major financial 'blip'. Due to banks dishing out credit too willingly to people who are not prime borrowers, we are facing tough times in the global market.
As a result of this people are tightening the proverbial belt, businesses are closing down left, right & center, there are job losses all round and it is generally not a very nice time. Luckily, whenever there is a recession, there are still opportunities to make money.
I am sure many of you have been stressing like crazy about the possibility of making it from one month to the next. Don't fret though, because I believe that this is now the perfect time for web designers and developers alike to make money.
In a very broad term we are in the advertising business. We create websites for people who want to showcase their products, their brands, their names etc. With the current crisis people are now looking for ways to market themselves more effectively so that they can make it by each month.
This is where we step in.
If there was ever a time to be a Web developer, that time is now. People and Companies all over are looking for ways to expose themselves and we are effectively, one of those ways.
The other day I met a bunch of fellow webbies and in almost every conversation, I was asked which websites I have worked on, which they would know. Each time I said 'none' and the look on their face was priceless.
"None? NO WAYS! How do you make money?" Came their response, assuming that the only area to make good money is through the 'Big Guns', if you will.
So who are we targeting? In my mind, it is pointless to think of the corps. For one, there are many big web companies who, either already have all the corps on their books, or the corps themselves have a whole floor full of web developers and marketers who are thinking of the "Next Big Thing". On top of that there are other, not so big, web firms who are chasing the corps so that they can get them on their books. My point, then, is that the web world is saturated, but only on certain levels.
I will use us as an example. Generally when you start as a freelancer it is to do some work for the guy down the street. As you get better and gain more experience you look for the bigger fish, then once you have caught a couple of big ones you look for the really big ones. Since the volume/price ratio is inverse in this case, as you step up each level volume of clients decreases but prices increase.
This is great and often works if you execute everything well etc. But what we discovered is the following (in the wrong order):
- Start-ups / Freelancers: Saturated, these days everyone is a freelancer. They have all done about 5 or 6 websites, their work includes stuff for their neighbour Joe Smith and the jewelery store next door to the company they work for.
- Big firms: Saturated, not in the sense of the amount of big web firms but in the sense that they control most of the big brands. Tough to get into and, when there are recessions, even tougher to survive in.
- Medium firms: Still space. Why? Because Many start-ups only get as far as that and often medium sized firms grow into large firms too quickly and therefore get killed off.
Now, you may think that I have gone off on a tangent. But there is method to my madness.
This is what we have done: instead of progressing to bigger names we have decided to stay focused on SME's (Small & Medium Enterprises). We believe that while everyone is jostling for the big names they are ignoring the huge pool of average size companies looking for a website. Medium sized firms do a lot of work for Medium sized businesses. Medium sized businesses are where the work is at right now.
It is therefore time to think like a medium sized firm and start targeting medium sized businesses. Based on our experience this is the kind of package to offer the SME's:
Sell them:
- A Clean, modern looking design which will establish or create their brand ID
- A Showcase of their products or services
- A Blog to generate talk about their products, services and ethics
- Contact details
- About Us
- Possibly, a News Section depending the size of the company
Remember that the people who will be visiting these sites have usually already heard of the company through and friend and want to find out more.
So, Don't Sell Them:
- Forums
- User Surveys
- User Logins with profiles and friends lists
For every big brand looking for a new web firm there are about 10 small companies who are also looking. Sure the money is not as good, but what you lose out in one big check you make up in 10 smalls ones. Because you will (hopefully) be doing work for 10 small companies instead of 1 big one you must figure out a way to rapidly deploy the above spec. We have got it down to 3 days from design to approval.
As mentioned earlier, businesses are looking for new or improved ways to market their brand. It is your responsibility to enlighten those who are looking. This type of opportunity is not going to hang around forever either.
Financial forecasters are saying the worst is still to come. That means that the current gap in the SME market is going to close relatively quickly. So I suggest that you get the ball rolling today, get out - go 'SME shopping'.
15 Comments
Very cool post. Just found your site recently. This is exactly what I have been doing.....going after the small and medium sized businesses / start ups etc. The economy in the States has inspired so many to start their own company...come up with an idea etc...Many Realtors especially are trying to start new businesses as they are feeling ill these days!
Very smart post. You hit the nail on the head
Totally agree. This is how I have been sustaining myself mostly this year thru small to medium sized businesses. Good insights.
Absolutely, as it has already been stated, you hit the nail on the head. I am currently working for a larger corporation, but am freelancing on the side. Just waiting for the right moment to be able to take the "plunge".
Thanks!
I actually find it nice to work with small businesses since you can get to know the owner or manager. Working with start-ups, on the other hand, can be maddening because of the "I need to start earning money, so everything needs to be done yesterday" mentality.
Tough times are always an opportunity for good quality work to be done and paid highly for. When the market tightens clients start to pay more attention to your past reputation. Produce quality work and you will win again and again.
Hey guys, Just recently found your site, and the content on this site is amazing. You use the blog like a normal person should. Not pretending to be absolute know-it-alls like most Internet Computing companies do, thats probarbly the main reason why i enjoy reading the articles posted. Not only are they helpful in most cases, but theyre real. (if that makes sense haha)
Anyway, back on topic. I am a Freelancer whilst studying at College, but I also work part-time at a Web Design Company, and to be honest, the credit crisis killed them because of some of the minor things they did wrong. But that was mainly due to the Second owner. We were a big company around a year ago, but then the two owners had differences, and so they split. And then the company split. He took his boys, we kept ours. But were getting back on track again now. We have a plan for 2009 which should make us alot of money because of this credit crisis, and I am looking forward to seeing if we pull it off successfully enough.
I also couldnt agree more by advertising yourself to the smaller companies rather than the bigger companies, because the smaller companies are always looking for ways to become more well-known and get their word on the street in a variety of ways.. And usually these companies dont have a website. Or if they do, it may aswell as have the the following in big red letters all over the site "Epic Fail." And then i cook up a spicey & sexy online marketting plan which they cant refuse! Whereas if I went to a big company and presented myself I would probarbly get turned down due to my age so they would doubt me because of that, which is wrong. Ive been told Im talented for my age.. Which is 17.
Interesting post. Id always assumed that freelancers never get the corp jobs anyhow and the main fishing was in the small/medium pond. This is good news for me, someone who is still doing the jewelry store next door sites. I can set my goals a little lower! But in a good way.
The main problem Im having is finding work that isnt word of mouth. If I have some spare time, it would be nice to go to elance or one of those sites and pick up a bit of quick cash. But those sites are saturated with firms posing as independent freelancers, or by the masses of developers and designers from less-than-wealthy countries who will "do design for less than $50".
Great article! I totatlly agree with what youre saying. Although Ive only been freelancing for about a year now, the majority of my business has come from small to mid sized businesses.
And thanks for those selling tips too.
How on earth do you manage to get from design to approval in only 3 days& I have customers who take 3 months.
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1. I want to work online ..
There are some thin if the legitimate work as a line there. Most are sites and marketing study for the site owner rich, not you. The only thing is true legitimacy Ebay, selling things you already own
2. Many companies all over the world need your opinions on their products. They will send you a simple online survey forms, where you need to fill it out and they pay you money.
www.onlineuniversalwork.com
1. I want to work online .. There are some thin if the legitimate work as a line there. Most are sites and marketing study for the site owner rich, not you. The only thing is true legitimacy Ebay, selling things you already own 2. Many companies all over the world need your opinions on their products. They will send you a simple online survey forms, where you need to fill it out and they pay you money.
www.onlineuniversalwork.com
Great post! I agree with going after medium size business. One of the positives of it is that turnaround time for approvals is a lot less on a small / medium business than it is on a large corporation where it has to go through legal department, marketing, executives, etc.
I am right now working on a small project for a big company: A customized Facebook Fan Page, and while I wait for text, images and approvals, Ive managed to complete 3 other Fan Pages.
http://www.facebook.com/mdostudio
Now, you guys have the process down to 3 days from design to approval?.. You put Speedy Gonzalez to shame...