Have you ever dreamed of starting your own home-based Web design business? Have you hesitated about putting your plans into action? This comprehensive guide contains all the necessary tools and strategies you will need to launch a successful business.Author Jim Smith, a successful home-based Web designer, shares his experiences and advice to help you estimate your start-up costs, manage your cash flow, and stay profitable once your business is up and running. From finding customers to keeping up with changing technology, his step-by-step methods are practical and easy to understand. He even offers tips and tricks on building effective Web sites and tells you how to use the Internet to grow your business.Whether you're an experienced designer or just starting to learn the trade, this guide can help you experience the satisfaction of establishing your own business. Learn All Your Web Design SkillsOrganizing Your Business Getting Clients and ReferralsMarketing Your Web BusinessHiring Employees or SubcontractorsSetting Your Rates and ServicesMaintaining a Steady Stream of Work Getting Paid Use these special features and workbook Business PlanSeven Steps to Presentations That SellStart-Up ChecklistSample Contract Checklist for Hiring SubcontractorsSample Profit-and-Loss ReportGlossary of Web Design and Business Terms
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Jim Smith, the laziest (yet still professional) teacher in town, is a head of school, education consultant, Independent Thinking Associate, speaker and bestselling author.
This is an excellent starter book for anyone kicking around the idea to form a Web Design business. I would go as far to say as: this is the very first book you should read. I had a copy of the third edition and don't know if there are more recent versions but reading a book relating to the internet in 2007, I'm sure you can image how much has changed. Still it's a wealth of information straight from Mr. Jim Smith's own experience through his self-owned business. I felt the straight forward, sample business plan and web design contract at the back of the book made the cost of the book well worth the expense.
I'm not sure many people are starting web design businesses now a days. Squarespace, shopify, etc. have really done a good job of serving the market for businesses that need a website.
So I suspect that this book is sort of a relic from an earlier era but for the time when it was written it was full of helpful advice.