Starting a basic Web Design business

[Catfish0221]

Hello, I have been doing HTML, CSS for maybe a year and I have thought about making a small and cheap Web Design business. Almost everyday I'm learning somthing new to use in my pages, I know that a year is not long but I have thought about making it for people starting their own Small Business and that just want to be on the internet. I would provide support on getting their page online (Purchasing a Domain Name, or show them how to host their site for free) and try to have polite Customer Service.

Thanks for any help/ideas.

[Eliamendoza]

Im interested,

I live in Tegucigalpa Honduras, where most companies still do not have proper pages. I can get you local clients, you desing we both make a profit

[KH_Global]

register domain name, hire web space, develop web pages about your company and host it. Start looking for business at elance, odesk, limexchange, guru, scriplance, ifreelance, etc. I am sure you will get ample business.

Robert

[michael_terry]

I've been developing websites since I was fourteen, now 25. It has been my full-time job since getting into the "real world." Opening a business like this can be easy and difficult. First, all you really need is a website and word of mouth to get it going. That's pretty cheap - pay for a domain+hosting, do a little homework and get your website up and running. Build one website, do a good job and word of mouth will bring in more.

A problem that you will experience is your competition. It's not likely to be the competition down the road that runs a business similar to you...it's the template design companies. I can't tell you how many times you'll get "well i can go online and get something for $100, why should I pay $8000 for your service?" This will be your main roadblock. You need to be able to differentiate yourself from those template companies. 9/10 you'll get turned down because of this reason, but don't let that get in your head. Just keep chugging along.

Best of luck and let me know if you have any specific questions.

[SmoothEntrepreneur]

If you do, I have some suggestions for you:

As a business owner for a number of businesses, when I look for a web designer, I make sure that a) they have an amazing website that is interactive and has social networking integrated into it. This shows that they understand how the internet works big picture, b) that they advertise themselves as SEO marketing too, because the most important SEO work is built into the very foundation of a website, and must be done from the very beginning, and c) ranks well in google for searches like "award winning web design", "professional web design firm", etc, d) advertises their programming and coding skills, because I want my designer to code my site as well, and e) a small firm with 1-5 people.

[lawinc]

As you can see, if you design a lot of websites for people, the money can really start adding up. So not only will you be earning money for your web design business, but you'll also earn recurring commissions for domain names and web hosting.