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How to Start a Web Design Business

Kashmira Lad
Is web designing your passion? Do you wish to turn it into a successful career? Here are some guidelines to be followed to start a web design business.
Web designing as a career is gaining ground with the increase in traffic on the Internet. Today, companies need to have an online presence for clients as well as for users who browse for information. This is done to provide an impression about the company or to generate sales for their products.
It is now a profitable business with even small-sized companies opting for well-designed, professional looking websites. Starting such a business can be easy for an individual who knows the basic tools of designing. However, there are things you need to bear in mind.

Know the Basics

In order to provide a good service with some of the most creative page layouts, you need to know the basics of this field. You can either learn it yourself or hire graphic designers and content developers to create stunning layouts.
HTML skills and knowledge of software such as Dreamweaver, Flash, Adobe Photoshop, etc., will be required to understand the nitty-gritty of the business.
Hire people who have strong graphic designing skills with knowledge of scripting to create unique page designs. You will need to brush up on your marketing skills and gain a thorough understanding of the importance of search engines, and how it will help your business.

Design Your Own Website

This will provide clients a fresh perspective about your business. Upload samples of your portfolio. It can include sample sites, and graphic and logo designs. This will help to provide clients an idea about the kind of work you can handle.
Plan the kind of look you need for your own website. Make sure your own company profile is created in such a manner that it generates inquiries. Think whether you need a corporate profile or something quirky and creative.

Decide on Place of Work

Decide whether you want to work from home or set up an office. Web designing can be done in the comfort of your own home. If you are yet to build contacts or develop a strong client base, you can opt to work from home. Once you have a steady clientele and a team of professionals, you can shift to a dedicated office space.

Business Plan

Make a list of your target group and competitors. You can even begin with local businesses and target them. Next, make a financial plan. What are the costs involved? What is the kind of salary you can offer? How much capital can you put in?
Once you decide the total expenditure involved, it can provide you a clear idea about how to go about commencing your business. A focused strategy helps to get better results! If space or money is the constraint, you can opt for freelancers.
There are many such professionals on the lookout for freelance assignments. This will help you to manage time and space issues.

Advertising

As per your budget, you can even plan to advertise. Begin by website promotion with the help of search engine optimization (SEO) techniques. You can opt for banners and advertise online.
Email marketing is yet another strategy to reach a vast audience. Make a list of prospective clients from your friends and business contacts. You can even opt to choose a niche segment. This will help you to design certain type of websites and specialize in them.

Redesign Existing Sites

To ensure you acquire more clients, especially when you have just started out, you can take existing websites and redesign them completely. Make a presentation of the new designs. Once clients realize the new look enhances the image of the company, it will surely get you more assignments!
Lastly, remember that setting up a business is an ongoing task that will require constant attention and dedication. Do not be put off by the challenges, turn them into an opportunity to grow!