Hello Friends. In this thread, we will be discussing how you too can setup and run your own successful website design business. We will consider tips and strategies that will boost your chances to suceed. I will appreciate you making your own contributions too. Please don't fight here. Thanks.

First Step
To suceed in web design, like any other enterprise, you need a plan. This will contain your objective. What do you want to archieve? Who are your targets? Do you want to get employed, setup your own or partner with others? Clearly define what you are aiming at. This will help in giving you direction later as you progress.

You also need to learn web design. Even if you intend to condinate things while employing others to do the job. Its good you also have the skill. Get trained anywhere such is adquately offerred (not seminars please) as they not be aquate enough.

Ones you are armed with the skill, you are ready for the next level in your quest to setup your own web design business.

Show What You Can Do
Practice! Put up some design. Show those around you to see what they make out of it. Disign one for yourself. Design samples. Put the samples in directories (folders) in that your site or put them up in free hosts. This will motivate you and serve as references if you do not have clients you have done jobs for.

Don't be in a hurry to start posing around as a web designer. Develop yourself. You will discover that if you do the right things first, when you come out fully you will be choosing which job to do and not to do and even outsource for others.

How To Charge
This should ordinarily be part of you training. But assuming you were not told, its important you know how to charge for you jobs. Its will be an important component of your web design business. These include:

- How to write a standard proposal for your job prospects ( check www.bplans.com )
- What to charge for (like Domain Reg, Hosting, Design, etc)
- What to offer free (Everyone would like one thing or the other free)
- How to recieve your payment (I recommend 70% - 30%) Don't do paid projects with your money.
- Have your own price list. Say Hosting, Design, etc.

Make research and come up with what is exclusively yours. This way you can build up your web business empaire!

astronp7 - i'm surprise that you the only one doing this,plz keep it up
i wonder wat's going on with the other Webmaster here in NL.

@ NICEUZOR: Thanks friend. I hope they will soon start contributing.

Lets Look At The Tools You Will Need
Their are many tools you will be needing to properly run your new business. But you have to place them on how important and urgent they are. One of the very first is a Personal Computer. I know you will figure out what to do about that. To get a PC consider this two factors - What you are going to use it for and the amount of money you have for it. These put together will hit a point.

You will also need other tools like internet access (start with cafe if you can't afford one now), your web design software and tools, reseller hosting packages (to reduce the cost of hosting your clients sites), and other packages and subscriptions that will boost the services you offer. Join, buy, download, etc only things that you need. I repeat only those you need.

Goodluck. I will be discussing things you should stay away from, later. You can become the next pro, Cheers.

@astronp7

I have just stumbled on this thread and found it to be very interesting. I've been into Web Design since 2003 and hope to learn more and also contribute to the best of my knowledge.

Nice One, I Just Say commend ur thread it has been highly informative and thought Provoking, I Like Ur Web Page Design Layout Keep It Up

@POSTER
your company's site is not good, i mean where you work. take a look at it ok cheers www.Aliphem.com

bring it down and re-upload the site properly

romeo,

if the company's site is not ok, we in the forum would want to see it as u av seen it, hence we require you put up a better xplanation to buttress your point.
At the writing of this thread your site www.Aliphem.com was not loading, do mind correcting that?

tnx

rhemmy
Thanks for your observation and response-------i thought i was the only one that could not load the page.
I was wondering what Uncle Romeo was saying, maybe he is mising Juliet.

Big ups man!

Correct thread


Informative

i really love web designing,i get where i can practise it cos am here in Akure,please contact me,08033581621 or mai through sayhi2bright@gmail.com,thaks

i really love web designing,i get where i can practise it cos am here in Akure,please contact me,07033581621 or mai through sayhi2bright@gmail.com,thaks

Am highly inspired by this thread,it is highly educative and motivating.
 Am a rookie web designer,just finished a programme on digital web authoring from NIIT,and would really want to pursue a carreer in web design.I work with an IT firm and presently undergoing a training on programming,but still have my love and desire to be a perfect web designer.The following are my questions:

How do i get a host,that is hosting my website

How do i get an FTP username and password,as i was told that you need an FTP username and password for any site
you want to upload,and if it is not free,how much does it cost,and where and how do i get it.

Since i really want to improve i would want to do a kind of apprentice with a good
web designer or firm,i would be ready to pay if it is not free.as i want to build on the idea and knowledge i already have.

  Please i need proffessional suggestions,am not an artist,i mean i cant draw.Just have the interest and desire which the greatest driving force for acheiving anything,for me the sky is a stepping stone.Please i would be very grateful for answers to my question.My emal id is harryakonti@yahoo.com,harryakon@hotmail.com,or harry.akonti@gps-ng.com. Thanks in anticipation for your quick and positive response.

romeo:

@POSTER
your company's site is not good, i mean where you work. take a look at it ok cheers www.Aliphem.com

bring it down and re-upload the site properly

rhemmy:

romeo,

if the company's site is not ok, we in the forum would want to see it as u av seen it, hence we require you put up a better xplanation to buttress your point.
At the writing of this thread your site www.Aliphem.com was not loading, do mind correcting that?

tnx

FemiATL:

rhemmy
Thanks for your observation and response-------i thought i was the only one that could not load the page.
I was wondering what Uncle Romeo was saying, maybe he is mising Juliet.

Take a look at the three posts and tell me if you two do not need some eye glasses!! the second qoute was repeating what i have already said and from nowhere a story about Juliet surfaced

The poster is the webmaster of Aliphem.com and the site is not loading properly and i was bringing his attention to that, i hope this clears the air!!

Maxidoe:

Am highly inspired by this thread,it is highly educative and motivating.
Am a rookie web designer,just finished a programme on digital web authoring from NIIT,and would really want to pursue a carreer in web design.I work with an IT firm and presently undergoing a training on programming,but still have my love and desire to be a perfect web designer.The following are my questions:

How do i get a host,that is hosting my website

How do i get an FTP username and password,as i was told that you need an FTP username and password for any site
you want to upload,and if it is not free,how much does it cost,and where and how do i get it.

Since i really want to improve i would want to do a kind of apprentice with a good
web designer or firm,i would be ready to pay if it is not free.as i want to build on the idea and knowledge i already have.

Please i need proffessional suggestions,am not an artist,i mean i can't draw.Just have the interest and desire which the greatest driving force for acheiving anything,for me the sky is a stepping stone.Please i would be very grateful for answers to my question.My emal id is harryakonti@yahoo.com,harryakon@hotmail.com,or harry.akonti@gps-ng.com. Thanks in anticipation for your quick and positive response.

Use google my friend, but i use smartftp

Thanks everyone for your comment. For our company site I am redesigning it for 2008. I hope to put it up soon.

What You Should Avoid
As soon as you make up your mine to setup you outfit, I need to tell you there are chanlenges that comes around. Try your best to stay away from them. In general, anything that will get you into trouble or that of your new business just stay away!

Some of these are:
- Fraudlent sites - people will approach with them and tell you nothing will happen. I need not remind you what will happen to you and business if the Efcc lay hold of you.
- Don't under charge web projects and end up using your money to complete it.
- Don't accept jobs you cannot deliver or have the resouce persons to do it.
- Don't put all you have in publicity. Find effective and cheap way to tell people of what you do.
- Employ only those you need. I recommend you should actively be involved in your business for a start. Get those that will accomplish things you cannot do.

There are others, I hope you can figure out some.

@Maxidoe
Its easy to get web hosting. If you need one, I will give you 100MB web space with 3GB bandwidth, Unlimited email account and a free domain registration for only N5,000 -see details http://emmaezeali.com/hostingall.htm Do compare with others I'm sure you will have your site hosted.

To download CoreFtp - its very easy to use use this link to get one free http://www.coreftp.com/download/coreftplite.exe

Regards,
Emmanuel Ezeali
emmaezeali.com
08059201646

How To Get Alot Of Web Design Jobs
I almost did not want to share this. But that is how I can be helpful. Some of this I have tested out myself and are very rewarding.

1 - If belong to an organization, club, church, school department, etc. Offer to do a very beautiful site for them free. It will amaze you the reference that will come afterwards.
2 - Print quality handbill, well designed and digital colour separation.
3 - Always have your web design complementry card all the time.
4 - Consider posters and banners ---depending in your location.
5 - Talk to people about your area of specialization -----the words will spread.
6 - Design samples, go out talk to prospective clients. Let them see their own version of the web.
7 - Remember your community, do a site for them.
8 - Have a website yourself. . . . , ETC.

If well planned and implemented, in six months or less you will have your hands filled. Cheers!

Guys, why can't we make a useful contribution to this great trend, than attacking each other,

Have been designing website since year 2000. I started my company early this year and have design over 12 website since I started e.g www.rtbriscoe.com,www.briscoeproperties.com,www.abodemindbuilders.net , visit www.zankeypro.com to see more of my works.

My advice:
1) Keep to your words
   A lot of so call web designer in Nigeria fail greatly in this area. They have forgotten that the best form of advert is the word of mouth. What client "A” says about you will determine the decision of client "B".

2) Project Management
   Website is a "PROJECT" it need to be managed properly or else it  could be endless, a client can tell you A and latter mail you to add C, this is why your project management skill comes in. There must be project brief, design a timeline for every project with strict deadline.

3) Content is King
   Get adequate content from your client, when you are at the stage of defining the project, not when you have started the project. Am saying this because a lot of Nigerians don't like written, even a blue ship company can find it difficult to develop content, while this could drag for months, samples of their publications, prints advert and handbills will be of great help.

4) Bill properly
   Don't bill because of your financial situation or else after commissioning of the project, you will start telling lies to your client

In  billing your client consider these following:
- How many people is working on this project
- How lon will this project takes
- Am I billing per hour(not common in nigeria)
- domain & hosting service that will suit your client brief
- Internet connection
- Appilications needed to run on the website e.g live help, e-commerce, sms tools etc.    

5) Don't do it alone
   Base on my experience, you rarely see a good interface designer and at the same time a perfect code master (developer). For small project you can go away with this but if you are working on a large website (e.g www.rtbriscoe.com) you need some to help you out, am telling you, to build a website "No be small thing". You will do the design alone, you alone will do the design presentation, you will also be the project manager even the account officer etc.

6) Build Relationship with your works
   In every project look for a unique service about your client, and tailor a solution towards it. This will improve you skill and will make your website career interest because every project will have it own uniqueness. After the project follow-up with your client call them regularly to know if the website is helping their business.

Let me stop here for now.

pls can ur server handle dis Technical Requirements

Dolphin requires the following pre-requisites for your server:
Linux/Unix (Red Hat, Debian, FreeBSD, Mandrake, etc.) or Windows OS, Apache Web Server
PHP 4.3.6 and higher (safe_mode must be Off, exec() must be allowed and allow_url_fopen also must be On) with mbstring, domxml and xsl extensions (they are required to run Orca forum and support UTF-
MySQL 4.1.2 and higher
GD library compiled with TrueType fonts (for photo processing) or ImageMagick as an alternative
Sendmail or Postfix
shell or another interface for setting Cron Jobs
20MB of disk space and 1MB of MySQL DB space for installation
8MB of disk space and 50KB of MySQL DB space for an average user

Otherwise you will not be able to install and operate Dolphin properly.

HostForWeb is recommended hosting.

NB! This post on the Boonex blog implies that root access and a dedicated or virtual server is required for hosting.

If you all the above requirements are met on your server then you are ready for installation.
thanks hope to hear from u soon

romeo,

u actually made it look like the site was yours, www.Aliphem.com looks like a site u are showing as a good example as against www.bplan.com astronp7 earlier referred to, he never mentioned www.Aliphem.com, you did, it connotes a meaning off from what u wanted to drive home. And with the eye glass, man get off that, address the issue and not the person.

tnx.

rhemmy:

romeo,

u actually made it look like the site was yours, www.Aliphem.com looks like a site u are showing as a good example as against www.bplan.com astronp7 earlier referred to, he never mentioned www.Aliphem.com, you did, it connotes a meaning off from what u wanted to drive home. And with the eye glass, man get off that, address the issue and not the person.

tnx.

You better start paying more attention when reading things next time!! he works in Aliphem and the guy astronp7 did not find my post annoying or bad and i wonder why you guys are foaming in the mouth

Hello Friends. I am glad for all your comments. I hope you all are planning for 2008.

Let Look At Branding
As plan to setup your own web design outfit, its important you cosider one of the 21st century's corporate considration --Branding. The reason is that it will go along way to stamp your image in peoples mind, so you easily come to mind when your specialty is needed. Some of what to consider include:

- Business Name (Register with Corporate Affairs Commission atleast Biz name)  [url=http://www.biztrek.com/articles/Naming%20your%20business.htm]Tip on choosing a name[/url]
- Logo (Get a good graphic designer to do one for you, if you can't do that yourself) Sample logos
- Choose your colour (I recomend 1 or atmost 3)
- Your website (Should be branded to match your logo and colour)
- Slogan (Impressive but simple - Be original)
- Complementry Cards, Letterheaded paper and reciepts sholud match your brand. ETC.

I wish you all the best.

astronp7

i think i will stick with ur advice, we are all grown ups, and not riff-raff.

ride on brother.

Nice and useful thread.

Include your reference on every single website you create, you never can tell who will browse through your slients website and need your services.

Create a good relationship with every single client of yours. dont just do away after you have completed the job and gotten paid. learn to call them once a while, text them, and also send gifts to them during seasonal periods like xmas, sallah, easter and the rest.

Open up to your clients that you would appreciate it if the link you up to their friends and colleagues ( this one no be begging na marketing)

Learn to do some cheap jobs if you see the client as someone who doesnt want to pay much but has a very good prospects of linking you up to other people. i.e people i the entertainment industry and consultancy fields.

For more business strategy and general branding feel free to call me on 01-8127254 or fizofly@yahoo.com
Goodluck

Like someone said in regards to a client stating A now and later stating B, you need a TOS (terms of service), in order to regulate the entire process.browse other established web design outfits and see thiers.it'll will save you a lot of misunderstandings and unnecessary costs.also, ensure you refer your client to the terms of service for clarity,

You should also check out http://naijaconnects.com/?action=myownwebsite& It offers a very easy application that allows you to make websites and it is free! , including hosting.

Nice thread man.


A rule of thumb - Do not try to reinvent the wheel. Copy codes and give proper credit to make your task as a web developer easy. I use dynamicdrive.com frequently, because I can reuse most of their codes for free.

@ Panache
I agree with you. For instance your client wants the site to display time and date, why go through the hordles of maybe learning how to write java only to design the script (except you want to go into programming). Because they are so many tools out there you can use, even free.

So, I will recommend you join webmaster membership site, before you start a web project that you search the web to see what others are doing - it will give you idea of where you are heading to, and be creative in your work.

Cheers!