Hey there! Selling web development services can be a rollercoaster, but once you get the hang of it, it's a blast. Here's the thing: it's not just about showcasing your skills; it's about connecting with the right people who need what you offer.

Let me throw you back to when I started out. I was this eager beaver, super excited about my web dev skills, but man, finding buyers felt like searching for a needle in a haystack. I started hitting up every networking event, shouting from the digital rooftops on social media, and even tried carrier pigeons (just kidding on the pigeons part). But guess what? The breakthrough happened when I niched down. Yep, finding a specific market or industry that desperately needed my web wizardry was the game-changer. For me, it was boutique fashion brands needing sleek online stores. Once I found that groove, it was like bees to honey.

So, my advice? Figure out your niche. Dive into forums, Facebook groups, or LinkedIn pods where your potential clients hang out. Don't just spam your services; add value. Offer advice, solve problems, be the friendly neighborhood web guru. It's about building relationships. And remember, referrals are your golden ticket. Delight your current clients, and they'll sing your praises to others in their network faster than you can say "HTML." It's a journey, but stick with it, and you'll find those buyers knocking on your digital door. Cheers to your web dev adventure!

Sure, here are five steps to find buyers for your web development service on Fiverr:

1. Create a Compelling Profile: Craft a detailed and appealing Fiverr profile highlighting your skills, experience, and the services you offer in web development. Use keywords that potential buyers might search for.
2. Build a Strong Portfolio: Showcase your previous work through a portfolio that demonstrates your expertise. Include a variety of projects to display your skills across different aspects of web development.
3. Optimize Gig Titles and Descriptions: Create gigs (service listings) that are clear, concise, and optimized for relevant keywords. Use compelling descriptions that clearly outline what you offer, what sets you apart, and the benefits clients will receive.
4. Offer Competitive Pricing: Determine competitive yet profitable pricing for your services. Consider starting with competitive rates or offering introductory deals to attract initial clients and build a positive track record.
5. Promote and Engage: Actively promote your gigs through Fiverr’s platform by responding promptly to messages, providing excellent customer service, and delivering high-quality work. Engage with the Fiverr community by participating in relevant forums or groups, and ask satisfied clients for reviews and testimonials to enhance your credibility.

Remember, building a reputation on Fiverr takes time. Consistency, quality work, and good customer service are key factors in attracting buyers and earning positive reviews, which will eventually lead to more visibility and sales.

Good Luck !

Like many others have said, starting out and finding clients is one of the hardest hurdles to overcome.

Word of caution: stay away from freelancing websites like oDesk, 99designs, Freelancer, Upwork, etc. The clients who go there want something done fast and as cheaply as possible. You won't be creating finished projects that you will be proud to include in your portfolio. On those sites, you are competing for clients' attention, with everyone's profile page looking exactly the same. It is difficult to really distinguish yourself and your skills in that format.

A better option, is to keep a part-time/full-time job to pay the bills, and create projects for yourself to improve your skills and show others what you can do. Buy yourself a domain name along with a web hosting plan, and create meaningful projects for yourself. They don't have to have complicated back-end development (unless that is what you wish to specialize in). I also found contacting small businesses you already have a relationship with, and asking them if you could use their brand and redesign their website. It will be a practice run with a real client, giving them the option to purchase your design and apply it to their live site. I did this when starting out and it really worked like a charm. I asked the client to sign a simple contract, saying I will create a redesign of their website pro-bono (free), host the site on my own server with a subdomain, but if they wish to use the actual redesign they will need to pay for my services to make it live. They wound up loving my redesign and they now use it for their live site. I've also received tons of referrals from them.

When starting out, think about what client niche you wish to specialize in. You'll have much more success if you make yourself a known specialist in a small niche, than you would being a generalist. Think of your passions and what kind of client you would love to work with. For me, I am passionate about environmental responsibility, so my business practices and my focused client niche reflect that. I focus on small business clients who sell environmentally-friendly products, holistic practitioners, and small farmers. I sometimes receive work from clients outside these sectors, but my marketing and online presence is created with my target audience in mind.

Building up your portfolio and a good reputation takes time, so don't expect to be making a sustained income overnight. Before focusing on your own business full-time, build up enough savings to support yourself for at least 6 months. Keeping a part-time job is also a good idea. I started out doing my own projects on the side while working at a software company for 2 years. I eventually saved enough to support myself for a few months, and found a remote part-time job which helped sustain me as I built up my portfolio and figured out the details of running your own business. There is A LOT to know, and you will make mistakes. You will also need to find a good contract lawyer. NEVER do any client work without a contract, even if it is pro-bono. Free projects tend to go on forever, and clients who are not paying you often try to take advantage of your services. Be sure to outline everything you want to include in projects, and what is not covered. Looking into Errors & Omissions (E&O) insurance is also not a bad idea, particularly if most of your clients come from the web.

It took me a good 2 years before I made a profit from my business, but I don't regret it one bit. I reduced my bills to bare minimum and moved out from the big city to reduce living costs. Working for myself is very satisfying, I can't get fired, and I get to choose what projects I work on. Stay consistent, build your portfolio with quality work, and never stop learning. You'll get there!

Please let me know if you have any further questions. :) Good luck!

It's always difficult getting your first customer in any field. Here's how I did it with Web Dev...

1. I started with a social media shout out. On Facebook and LinkedIn I posted my "Website Challenge". Basically, I knew I needed practice and real world experience so I gave myself a 30 day challenge. I offered a "pay what you can" web dev service where there was no haggling over price. I developed sites for people in my network that fit into their website budget.
2. I made sure to over deliver and work together with my first clients. When the project was done, I asked them if they knew 3 people in their network that also needed a website. Generally everyone can connect you with 3 people.
3. When I got the 3 new leads, I asked to be cc'd on an email. I even wrote the email copy. It was very short and sweet describing how working with me was great.
4. This was the start of developing my portfolio, testimonials and other indicators of trust.
5. Before developing websites, I was more into marketing strategy. With my existing clients, I let them know that I was also developing websites as a new service. This was a slow way of doing it, but after time I did get a few sites from them.
6. Don't neglect your own website! Think of your website as a personal trainer does their body. People choose a personal trainer who is fit themselves and not overweight/unhealthy. Your site is your calling card. It's a "look what I can do".

So, to conclude... Start with your own network and slowly branch out from there.

I hope this helps.

Hello.

Well, here are some steps that can be helpful for you selling a website.

1. Before marketing your website prepare it well.
1. Pay attention to your site’s SEO.
2. Create a great and desirable design of your site.
2. Before selling prepare some essential information you’ll need to provide your potential buyers, such as:
1. Your website traffic statistics.
2. Your financial figures.
3. Done with the previous points, you’ll need to find buyers. Make up your mind on where and whom you’re going to sell your website.
1. Decide on your area. Maybe you want to find buyers in your local area?
2. Decide on your niche. This will narrow up your target area. Here you can find some websites where you can sell a website.
4. Eventually you should find someone interested in your site and the negotiation will begin. Most people are actually interested how much a website costs. It depends on many factors: what site is it, how well it is organized, how popular it is, how much traffic it gets? and many other questions. Also, a website’s price depends on how good negotiator are you? Because your site is worth as much as someone is willing to give you for it.

Sell your web development services to local small businesses.

It's difficult to land web development work using sites like Upwork. They are quite competitive, especially if you haven't yet established a reputation within their system.

Fortunately, there's a much easier way to find web development work - one that will also teach you some business skills.

Regardless of how small your town or neighborhood is, it's probably packed with small businesses.

These organizations routinely need basic web development work done. They aren't looking for some stranger from the internet who can do it cheap. They're looking for a friend who can do it right.

Here's how you can get started:

1. Get to know the decision makers within these organizations. One way to do this is to join Lion's Club, Rotary Club, or the Chamber of Commerce.
2. Volunteer your time to these people, even it's as simple as setting up their organization's Facebook page.
3. Eventually they'll start approaching you with more involved projects, like websites or inventory management systems.
4. Charge them a reasonable rate, and meet their expectations.
5. News of an honest, reasonably priced web developer travels fast in these communities. Before you know it, you'll have lots of clients.

This approach will help you can gain experience, make money, and build your reputation. As a bonus, you will help businesses in your community.

We need a bit more information from you first, so I’ll ask the questions and assume (for now) the answers.

1. Can you charge different clients different prices?
2. Do you expect to have a ‘sales conversation’ with a prospect before they become a client?
3. Do you know if each client knows what they want?
4. Do you know what each client wants?
5. Do you know you can deliver what each client wants?

Presuming your answers to 1. and 2. are ‘Yes’; that your answer to 3. is ‘Possibly not but I know I can help them think it out’; that your answer to 4. is ‘I will when they tell me’; and your answer to 5. is ‘If I cannot, I will politely decline the work’ - then I suggest the following:-

1. Help each prospect to realise for themselves what they expect their new website to deliver for them, and to quantify that in terms of gross profit; i.e. its ‘perceived value’ - then get them to tell you!
2. Estimate how much it will cost you to create a website that measurably delivers that return to them - And on the basis that you cannot hope to get a great result first time, include the cost of creating several variants and split-testing them in the prospect’s target market
3. Ensure that the ratio of perceived value to cost of creation is considerable - in the order of 50 to 100 or more times
4. Ensure you would both be extremely happy working together; that nothing in your terms and conditions would frighten them - if not, politely walk away
5. Propose a scope of work that defines outcomes, not tasks, and their unambiguous acceptance criteria; and if timescales are at all important to the prospect, include delivery times in the scope too
6. Set your price for that project at a point that gives both you and the prospect a similar percentage Return on your respective Investments
7. Presuming they give you the go-ahead, adopt the mantra of “If it’s within the scope, it’s within the fee” - In other words you do everything needed, everything humanly possible, to deliver what they have asked for - when they want it - but do nothing that isn’t directly connected to delivering that outcome

I wish you well.

Thanks for A2A Lawrence!

I always sell website not as a just website but as benefits from this site for a customer.

I totally understand that it’s almost impossible to be a professional developer and great salesman at the same time. These professions require a different skill set and even different personalities. Working as developer or designer requires extensive technical knowledge and detail oriented attitude which are introvert skills. At the same time being good at selling requires abilities to be outgoing, persuasive & good in communication, which usually are the traits of an extrovert.

I think that there are 3 major problems with selling websites:

• Wrong Problem

Getting a new website developed is a very stressful experience for customers. Surprisingly, it’s not because they are afraid the website won’t suit their needs, it’s because they are afraid of website development process itself. Exploring this pain and creating a compelling pitch focused on assuring them that you know how to organize the website development process is a key to building an excellent proposal.

• Wrong Pitch

Another common mistake is to focus on the advantages of your proposal. Customers usually get dozens of offers for a website and all of them are full of technical jargon most customers don’t understand, such as responsiveness, optimization, customization, etc. This way they don’t see the reason why they should choose one proposal over another and usually end up deciding based on price.

• Wrong Product

Most Freelancers focus on the most crowded space which is building new websites where they have to compete with millions of other developers and where it is tough to stand out. At the same time, there are over 1 billion websites that are already out there which require changes, updating, and maintenance. And there is hardly anyone there.

But there are simple solutions for that:

• Sell Benefits

Don’t sell advantages of the website. Sell benefits of working with you. For example, instead of promising „a responsive layout”, put it in a way that „a website will be easily accessible from a hand-held device”. This way you underline the gain a customer gets from it and you a avoid technical jargon in the same. But the most important benefit is that a customer will be able to work with you, and you will help him to transform the idea in his head into a fully operational website.

• Make them feel comfortable

In my proposals, I always add website maintenance in a package. It helps me to convince customer because he/she feels safe. The sense of security is important. You can pitch about backups, updates, and tests - this is always a good way. Customers think that this is a very complicated process, but we all know that you can automate it using Multi-Website Management Tools like Perfect Dashboard.

I hope I helped!

A lot of people will tell you to go to sites like UpWork, PeoplePerHour and other job board sites - do yourself a favor and don't touch these with a 10 foot pole.

The only time you should consider using these is if you happen to live in a country where the currency conversion rates are in your favor when converting from USD (for example, India, Philippines etc).

Most people on job boards are not really looking for high quality design work, they're just looking to have something designed quickly and for the lowest price possible. In my own experience, clients you find on those websites are on the whole pretty unpleasant and come with unreasonable expectations.

As annoying as it can be, a lot of web designers still find cold calling works well. I've had some success with this, I've mostly noticed that you have to be very careful that you are calling people who will more than likely want a site, don't just pick up the phone book and start dialing. Do some research beforehand.

You can also try cold emailing, but I haven't heard of this working super well as most people will write your emails off as spam or as a scam.

A free option is to use Reddit, which I actually have actually gotten a lot of work from. http://reddit.com/r/forhire is a great place to look for job listings, or post your own ad for people to see. Most people you come into contact with will be very friendly, and I've had great experiences with all of my clients from Reddit.

If you have some cash on hand, Facebook ads and Google Adwords are also great options. Facebook is particularly good if you are going to be working in a specific niche, as you can easily target people with corresponding interests. Adwords is better for general web design work, but it's a more involved process to target the right people. Of the two, I've had the most success with Adwords.

I've also got a free online course that delves into this exact topic, if you'd like to check that out you can do so here: The Freelance Web Designer's Guide to Getting Hired

Finding the right web design company is crucial for building a website that not only looks great but also drives business growth. Here are some key factors to consider:

✅ Understand Your Needs – Define your goals, whether it's brand awareness, lead generation, or e-commerce functionality.
✅ Check Their Portfolio – Review past projects to see if their design style aligns with your vision.
✅ Look for UI/UX Expertise – A great website is more than just visuals; it should offer an intuitive user experience.
✅ Prioritize Performance & SEO – Ensure they build fast, mobile-friendly, and search-optimized websites.
✅ Consider Scalability – Choose a company that can grow with your business and offer long-term support.

Many businesses opt for agencies that provide customized, AI-powered, and conversion-driven web solutions. If you’re looking for a team that blends creativity with functionality, some firms—like those specializing in bespoke B2B websites and AI integrations—Wantik Technologies can be a great fit.

Selling anything to local businesses is hard! Selling website services can be difficult if the value proposition is not clear. A small business does not easily hand over their cash, so be sure to provide a convincing sales pitch when you do try and convert the sale.

My suggestion: Do a lot of research on the local business to understand their needs before you make a call, meet with them directly, or whatever way you contact them. It is likely that they have a website, so show them their own website and how it could be improved. Or even how their website stacks up to their competitors.

Freelance web design can be effective, but local businesses want help with their websites throughout their lifespan. If you build a site, offer the client continuous maintenance services. This way you are able to make more money, and the client isn’t stuck with a one-time website build.

I have written a blog post on exactly how to sell websites to local businesses! You're free to have a look and comment on the article if you have any suggestions on how to sell to local businesses.

How to Sell Website Services to Local Businesses - Vendasta Blog

Marketing your web development services effectively can help you attract more clients and grow your business. Here are some strategies to consider:

1. Build an Impressive Portfolio:

- Showcase your best work in a portfolio on your website. Highlight a variety of projects to demonstrate your skills and expertise.

2. Optimize Your Website:

- Ensure your website is user-friendly, fast-loading, and mobile-responsive. Use SEO best practices to improve your site's visibility in search engines.

3. Content Marketing:

- Start a blog on your website to share valuable information about web development, design trends, and industry insights. This can establish you as an authority in your field and drive organic traffic.

4. Social Media Presence:

- Create profiles on platforms like LinkedIn, Twitter, and Instagram to showcase your work and connect with potential clients. Share your portfolio, blog posts, and industry news.

5. Networking:

- Attend web development meetups, conferences, and industry events. Networking can lead to referrals and collaborations.

6. Online Advertising:

- Use pay-per-click (PPC) advertising on platforms like Google Ads and social media to target potential clients actively searching for web development services.

7. Email Marketing:

- Build an email list of potential clients and send them newsletters, updates, and special offers. Email marketing can help you stay top-of-mind with your audience.

8. Client Testimonials and Case Studies:

- Showcase positive feedback from satisfied clients on your website. Create case studies that detail the problems you solved and the results you achieved for clients.

9. Online Freelance Platforms:

- Sign up for freelance platforms like Upwork, Freelancer, or Toptal to find clients looking for web development services. Be sure to create a compelling profile and portfolio.

10. Offer Free Workshops or Webinars:

- Host webinars or workshops on topics related to web development. This not only showcases your expertise but can also help you build a community around your services.

11. Collaborate with Other Professionals:

- Partner with designers, marketers, or other professionals who might need web development services for their clients.

12. Referral Program:

- Encourage your satisfied clients to refer others to your services by offering referral discounts or incentives.

13. Paid Listings:

- Consider listing your services on web development directories or marketplaces like Clutch, GoodFirms, or GitHub.

14. Cold Outreach:

- Reach out to potential clients directly via email or social media. Personalize your messages and focus on how you can solve their specific problems.

15. Stay Updated:

- The web development field evolves rapidly. Stay updated with the latest technologies, trends, and best practices to offer cutting-edge solutions to your clients.

16. Customer Relationship Management (CRM) System:

- Use CRM software to manage client relationships, track leads, and automate some of your marketing efforts.

Remember that marketing is an ongoing effort. Continuously monitor the effectiveness of your strategies, and be willing to adapt and refine your approach based on the results you see. Building a strong online presence and reputation takes time, but with persistence and quality service, you can attract more clients to your web development business.

Having started and sold over 20M in design and related services I recommend starting with three things:

1. Don’t sell design. Sell the results that design work can achieve. Most entrepreneurs aren’t designers so you’ll make the most traction by explaining how your design work can have an impact on key business metrics that they do understand. (conversion rate, visitors, orders, bounce rate, customer retention, etc. )
2. Don’t sell the design as a phase. Often I see designers selling the design work as a phase, such as wireframes and then they sell engineering or development as a separate phase. Try not to do this. By selling a continuum of web services you’re more likely to have the resources you need when you need them. You’ll also build a relationship with your clients where they can call you to solve broad problems.
3. Design is about solving business problems. Make sure you take the time to understand how the business works and how design services fits into that model, and explain how your experience will be best positioned to do that.

I made a video that explains these three ideas in more details:

When searching for a reliable web design and development service provider, Fiverr and Hostinger are two platforms that can help you achieve your goals. Here’s what to look for when choosing a provider, with a focus on using these two platforms:

1. Strong Portfolio

• Fiverr: On Fiverr, you can explore a designer’s portfolio to see a range of projects they’ve worked on. Look for diverse examples that show their ability to handle different industries and styles. The quality of their work should reflect professional, user-friendly designs that align with your brand’s identity.
• Hostinger: While Hostinger is primarily known as a web hosting service, it also offers website builders and integrations with popular CMS platforms like WordPress. If you’re using Hostinger’s website builder, you can look at their templates and customization options to ensure they meet your design needs.

2. Client Testimonials and Reviews

• Fiverr: Fiverr’s review system allows you to see what previous clients have said about a designer. Look for providers with high ratings and detailed reviews that speak to their ability to meet deadlines, communicate effectively, and deliver quality work.
• Hostinger: Hostinger also features customer reviews, particularly about their hosting services and website builder tools. Checking these reviews can give you confidence in the platform’s reliability and customer support.

3. Experience and Expertise

• Fiverr: On Fiverr, you can find web designers with expertise in various platforms like WordPress, Shopify, or custom HTML/CSS coding. Choose a provider with the technical skills that match your project requirements and experience in your industry.
• Hostinger: Hostinger offers easy integration with popular CMSs like WordPress, making it simple for you or your chosen Fiverr designer to build and maintain your website. Hostinger’s platform is user-friendly, even for those with limited technical experience, and supports a range of website types.

4. Customization and Flexibility

• Fiverr: Fiverr designers offer both template-based and fully customized web design services. Look for a designer who can tailor their work to fit your brand’s unique needs, whether you want a simple, elegant site or a more complex, interactive design.
• Hostinger: Hostinger’s website builder allows for significant customization, even if you’re not a professional designer. If you’re working with a Fiverr designer, they can easily use Hostinger’s tools to create a site that’s perfectly customized to your specifications.

5. Communication and Collaboration

• Fiverr: Clear communication is crucial. On Fiverr, you can message providers directly to discuss your project before committing. Look for a designer who is responsive and willing to collaborate closely with you throughout the design process.
• Hostinger: If you’re using Hostinger’s website builder or hosting services, their customer support is available to help with technical issues, ensuring your designer can focus on the creative aspects of your site.

6. Value for Money

• Fiverr: Fiverr provides a wide range of pricing options, making it easy to find a designer within your budget. Compare packages to ensure you’re getting the best value for the services you need, whether that’s basic design or a full-scale web development project.
• Hostinger: Hostinger is known for its affordable hosting plans, which can complement your web design needs by providing reliable, cost-effective hosting. Their plans often include features like free domain registration, SSL certificates, and easy WordPress installation, adding value to your investment.

7. Scalability and Future Growth

• Fiverr: When selecting a Fiverr designer, consider their ability to support your website as it grows. Look for designers who offer ongoing support or who can scale your site with new features as your business expands.
• Hostinger: Hostinger’s hosting plans are scalable, meaning you can upgrade your resources as your website traffic increases. This ensures that your site remains fast and responsive, even as your business grows.

By leveraging Fiverr for finding a skilled designer and Hostinger for hosting and additional tools, you can create a robust, professional website that meets your current needs and can grow with your business. This combination offers both the creative flexibility of Fiverr’s diverse talent pool and the reliable, cost-effective hosting solutions provided by Hostinger.

Here are a few strategies you can use to sell web design services without a website:

1. Social media: Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Twitter, and Instagram to promote your services and showcase your work.
2. Freelancing platforms: Consider using freelancing platforms like Upwork or Freelancer to find clients and bid on web design projects.
3. Marketing materials: Create marketing materials like business cards, brochures, and flyers to promote your services and provide potential clients with information about your offerings and experience.
4. Referrals: Ask satisfied clients to refer you to their friends and colleagues, and offer incentives for successful referrals.

If you wish to sell web design services online, these are **10 top spots** to do so:

1. **Freelance Marketplaces** – Sites such as Fiverr, Upwork, and Freelancer enable you to post your services and get in touch with customers globally.

2. **Personal Website** – Have a portfolio website where you display your work, client testimonials, and prices to secure direct customers.

3. **Social Media Sites** – Advertise your services on LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter to connect with potential clients and businesses.

4. **Specialized Job Boards** – Sites such as Toptal and 99designs focus on high-quality freelance design work and have serious buyers.

5. **Web Design Communities** – Participate in forums and groups on sites like Reddit, Behance, and Dribbble to network and discover job opportunities.

6. **Local Business Networks** – Visit business networking sessions, chamber of commerce gatherings, or local online directories to find local clients.

7. **Cold Outreach & Email Marketing** – Reach out to potential clients directly by email or LinkedIn with a tailored pitch and portfolio.

8. **E-commerce Marketplaces** – Sell pre-designed website templates or design packages on marketplaces like Envato and Creative Market.

9. **Affiliate Partnerships** – Partner with digital marketing agencies, developers, or hosting firms that can send clients your way.

10. **Word-of-Mouth & Referrals** – Happy customers can recommend you to their friends, so offer great service and incentivize referrals.

LINK NO 1:

THIS VERY WEB SIDE FOR SELLING

Well, if you have a website that doesn’t bring in sales and leads, you may have a tough time convincing business owners you can design a website that will do that for them.

Business owners don’t want web development services. Did you realize that? They want customers, leads, and sales.

So, if you truly have the skills, design your website as if you were the business. Then you can say ‘of course I can get you more customers, leads, and sales- my website got you, right?’

Secondly, answer this question: Why, of all the web developers in the world, should I choose you?

That’s how you reach out to business.

Having sold close to 20M+ in design and related services I recommend starting with three things:

1. Don’t sell design. Sell the results that design work can achieve. Most entrepreneurs aren’t designers so you’ll make the most traction by explaining how your design work can have an impact on key business metrics that they do understand. (conversion rate, bounce rate, customer retention, etc.
2. Don’t sell the design as a phase. Often I see designers selling the design work as a phase, such as wireframes and then they sell engineering or development as a separate phase. Try not to do this. By selling a continuum of web services you’re more likely to have the resources you need when you need them.
3. Design is about solving business problems. Make sure you take the time to understand the business and explain how you’ll be able to do that.

I made a video that explains these three ideas in more details:

Tough question, and in-order for me to answer that question I would have to learn more about you and your abilities.

Are you a good communicator? Would you consider yourself a good salesperson?

If you answer yes, that’s great! If you answered no, then you might want to team up with someone (pay them) to sell your service as you learn to sell.

I have a YouTube channel where my only objective is to teach others about the website design business.

The video I created this evening my help, it is called “How to Sell Websites?”

I hope it helps and I'm here to answer any further questions you may have.

Chris A. Hughes

First of all write calculate it day to day expense and your income on monthly base and not just yearly yields because if your company is small and startup anyone purchasing it will be more concerned about your day to day expenses and your monthly transaction value.

Secondary count its buyer base and especially repeated buyers because repeated buyers only considered as loyal customers and assets.

Thirdly your goodwill and that could be calculated by liabilities you have to banks,investorsor anyone involved in your company.

Your potential buyer could be as a small company is startups and college grads because they are more interested in acquiring a pre-setup infrastructure business.They could acquire with a loan or funding from bank and other mid level investors.

Just put your information on facebook and other social media specially tagging youth and business groups.

I always use the same answer because I think that is an easy way to calculate your rate per hour.

As a developer, you will have to work a lot. Let’s imagine you work for a client that needs constant changes. And there are even nights when you are working on, days without much sleep. Would you want to shut everything down at $3/hour? Probably. Then get the rates up.

As a starter, I would suggest you considering a rate at around $30/hour to get you started and still earn some cash. I did work even for $20, it was a good experience, but I would never place such rate again.

If you are going locally, then use an average they charge at your local place/country.

Remember, even if a theme is priced at $50, the cost of development/design is probably started somewhere at $5,000 or up. That is why they are prices like that at massive markets, because they need to sell a lot of them to start earning:)

If you could make a living even with $10, then start with that. But remember those sleepless nights and if that rate would be enough for you to not stress about it.

Good luck with your development career:)

I think it's great that you are designing for web. It's a great field to be in. I think however it's probably best to start on a smaller scale and work your way up to the larger companies. It will give you a chance to gain more experience and you might even find that the smaller clients can be just a lucrative as the larger ones!

What you are talking about above is what we call the "push" technique that we teach at 1WD.tv. We talk about meeting someone and finding out what their "pain point" is... like meeting an attorney and realizing that they do not have their own website for their name. You can create a simple 1 page website (with little to no coding) for them -- put it on your server and then show it to your prospect. We teach you ways to get the potential client to say yes to this. Check out this video that talks about this.

If you are interested in learning to succeed financially, using WordPress to deliver solutions to clients, then you'll find what you need at 1WD.tv - Freelance Web Designer Training

We have over 300 free videos, and all the training on how you can become a better entrepreneur as well as customizing themes and plugins and code.

You do NOT need any prior experience, as we focus on a "modular" teaching method that works well regardless of your level.

The goals is to learn while you earn and not merely learn a bunch of random skills.

Everything we teach has a specific purpose on delivering a solution for a client "pain point" and we also provide the logic, psychology, and marketing for you to get paid (up front) for delivering the same.

In sum... if would like to become financially independent as a designer, developer, or just a WP "curious" end-user....check us out (start with the Quick Tips - 1WD.tv - Freelance Web Designer Training).

Here’s my attempt at brevity:

1. Build a brand story about yourself and your partners (if they exist). While you are selling your product, the client is hiring YOU, not your services.
2. Find a product/service that sets you apart. Do you build sites faster than your competitors? Can you guarantee that your sites will load faster than the competition? Do you have an amazing copywriter on staff that can write powerful copy that sells? Something that has worked for me: guarantee that the site you build will load in less than 2 seconds. Of course, don’t guarantee it unless you know you can do it.
3. Show up with questions for the potential client, not just the answers. People like to know that you understand their challenges. Websites are typically engines for marketing, and a company hiring you to build a site usually wants more clients. Ask them what their goals are, and let them talk through everything. Don’t answer any questions until you have the full story. Even then, only provide the answers that you need to. Come back to them with a full proposal that shows you were listening, highlighting the exact issues they are facing and how your website will solve them.

These are 3 short tips, but they are the product of 20 years of selling website design and development services. I hope they help!

Having started and sold over 10M in design and related services I recommend starting with three things:

1. Don’t sell design. Sell the results that design work can achieve. Most entrepreneurs aren’t designers so you’ll make the most traction by explaining how your design work can have an impact on key business metrics that they do understand. (conversion rate, bounce rate, customer retention, etc.
2. Don’t sell the design as a phase. Often I see designers selling the design work as a phase, such as wireframes and then they sell engineering or development as a separate phase. Try not to do this. By selling a continuum of web services you’re more likely to have the resources you need when you need them.
3. Design is about solving business problems. Make sure you take the time to understand the business and explain how you’ll be able to do that.

I made a longer post and video that explains these three ideas in more detail here.

Be Abstract
Try doing a mood board instead and wireframes instead. A mood board is just a collage of colors, fonts, and other items to set the feel of what the website will be like. Wire frames are just outlines of the layout with out anything to detailed (try googling both). This keeps style and structure separate and generally makes it easier.

MAKE A CONTRACT
This needs to be first and foremost. In the contract define every that will happen, when it will happen, how much you expect to be paid, whether this covers updates in the future, who does the hosting, how many revisions, etc. I've been royal screwed over by people by not using a contract. And I know what you are probably thinking, "No I can trust [client name] they seem nice." but that doesn't matter, make sure to use a contract.

Down Payments
Take a 35-50% down payment before you start working, this will ensure you don't get wishy-washy clients who make you do most of the project then back out.

How will the content be delivered?
I signed did a site once where we agree there would only be 20-ish pages and I would get paid exceptionally well for those 20 pages. Normally clients type up the info and send it to me in a word doc and I just copy it into the CMS.

Nope not this client. They didn't have digital copies of the content anymore. They only had a big stack of papers in a huge binder clip. They wanted me to hand copy all the content onto the site, as well as use the little links at the bottom of the page for the URL. It literally looks hours of extra work to do this.

that's the stack of papers.

So this is also something to take into consideration.

Most people tend to price their services too low. If you are a freelancer, you should charge more than you would receive working for someone else. You will have extra expenses and will be doing things (marketing, etc) that are not billable.

If you are just doing html, and css, start at $50 per hour. Then as you add skills increase it to $100, $150 +.

Realize a lot of value is tied up in price. If you price low, the quality of your work will be perceived as low. You will get the clients who look primarily at price, and will want the world for pennies. Keep your price up and you will get rid of these clients (which trust me on this, it’s a good thing).

There is no moral obligation on price. If you price too high, people can choose not to use your services. You will know in time and you can adjust down.