Stuck with my new business..

[Kohai Media]

So, I've started my own web design and marketing agency. It's been a couple of months already, I tried UpWork for about a month, and Freelancer too. No jobs, I'm literally open to anything for the moment I just need something to start, to pay the bills, however I feel like I'm in a sinking ship, each day I have less money, It's reached a point where I can't pay my business administrative expenses. (60€/month).

I'm not here to cry. I'm trying hard, I'm looking for someone who has started freelancing and is willing to share how they got their first clients. Friends / family is not an option, all my family is either unemployed or works for the state.

I bought Jr.Vip hoping to open my own web design & marketing thread, however every time I look at the marketplace I get discouraged, there are many members offering full custom PHP projects and websites for low prices. I'm quite experienced in CSS & HTML and some of the popular CMS'. But feel that I can't compete with those people.

Also I tend to procrastinate a lot by modifying my website even though it's already finished. Maybe I dont want to face the idea of failure.

Any advice on getting clients is welcome, I don't like posting this kind of stuff. I feel dumb and needy, however this is how I feel right now.

I'm also open to working for free, but I find it difficult as people who tend to reach out to me are not serious businessman. Just kids who want freebies, even when they don't need them.

 

[Proxy Cake]

Look into a contact form submitter like the paigham bot - https://www.blackhatworld.com/seo/b...t-the-ultimate-contact-form-submitter.627638/

With this you can automate contacting thousands of websites, all you'd have to do is think of an angle. Maybe offering a redesign to websites or contacting SEO agencies and seeing if they need a whitelabel web designer.

I can't vouch for the software as I've never used it but those are just some thoughts off the top of my head.

Blackhatworld has everything you need! Keep searching

 

[Fynesttrish]

Don't loose hope. Keep being positive,. You could try google paid ads.

 

[Geasy]

I don't know what prices you're requiring since you don't want to open BSTs here. I know prices are very very low, but you get to start somewhere.

At the beginning you shouldn't really set high prices, you just need to get your foot on the work. That way you can create referrals which is the #1 source for most businesses.

Also have a look at this video. He does SEO but the same philosophy can apply to web design too.

I know the beginnings are hard as always, but this is the time where you shouldn't count the hours you putting in.

I'd also suggest trying Reddit and Facebook groups for clients.

If I were you, I'd try to help out as many people as I could and later those can be turned into clients or at least give referrals.

The phase you are is not new at all. Everyone had to go over there, so don't do anything stupid just keep your head high and keep working.

Best of luck to you.

 

[MisterF]

@Kohai Media

You have plenty of options on here such as replying to HAF and WTB threads. Opening a BST costs you a review copy to be tested and $30 a year....

As for this statement; "I bought Jr.Vip hoping to open my own web design & marketing thread, however every time I look at the marketplace I get discouraged, there are many members offering full custom PHP projects and websites for low prices. I'm quite experienced in CSS & HTML and some of the popular CMS'. But feel that I can't compete with those people."

That really is negative thinking. I sell links starting at $90 per link, I'm competing with sellers offering 50 links for $5.
Quite clearly there's a huge difference in the quality of the product being provided.

Look at the content marketplace, I see $3 per 500 words to $50 per 500 words......

If your product/service is good enough, people will buy and pay for quality.

 

[Kohai Media]

Look into a contact form submitter like the paigham bot - https://www.blackhatworld.com/seo/b...t-the-ultimate-contact-form-submitter.627638/

With this you can automate contacting thousands of websites, all you'd have to do is think of an angle. Maybe offering a redesign to websites or contacting SEO agencies and seeing if they need a whitelabel web designer.

I can't vouch for the software as I've never used it but those are just some thoughts off the top of my head.

Blackhatworld has everything you need! Keep searching

Thanks, I'll have to give a try to whitelabel web design.

 

[t2van]

60 euro a month what's that for? You have had big out lays with no income coming in that's your problem there. Same as paying for Jr VIP when a quick look at the marketplace could have given you an idea what you was in for - money could have been spent better. I get investing in your self but seems like a waste.

How are you pitching for work on Upwork? Show me your pitch for a job and share a job url can be here or in a PM I get 10k jobs on Upwork as well as the $100 stuff it's all down to how you pitch and how you search - I use it to pay for holidays, new cars or some bill that comes up it takes MORE than a month to land it.

Web is saturated as heck. I left after doing it for over 20 years (although I never kept up the trend) you need to focus or become a specialist in an area and then market your self that way.

Depending on where you live networking is key for local clients but most won't pay the money you need and there will be at least 5 other people there doing what you are doing.

I've said on here loads before. Work out a formula to what you need to live off:

£1000 a month. (a month is 4 weeks)

£250 a week (5 day week - I work 4 as you don't deploy on a Friday)

£50 a day (8hr day)

£6.25 per hour.

You need to add about 50% to what ever your total costs are that month for profit, tax and savings.

Once you work all that out you might be over pricing your self don't worry about $50-60 jobs to start with you need to look at that 4 week figure that's your target.

Now you got all that in place. Start to pitch PSD Design or PSD to HTML jobs at your day rate for 1 page or 5 pages / wp template for your weekly rate to local agencies. WRITE TO THEM don't email like the 1000s of other people do. Hand write the envelope so they open it - anything printed looks like junk. Stand out. Make a name for your self.

 

[Kohai Media]

60 euro a month what's that for? You have had big out lays with no income coming in that's your problem there. Same as paying for Jr VIP when a quick look at the marketplace could have given you an idea what you was in for - money could have been spent better. I get investing in your self but seems like a waste.

How are you pitching for work on Upwork? Show me your pitch for a job and share a job url can be here or in a PM I get 10k jobs on Upwork as well as the $100 stuff it's all down to how you pitch and how you search - I use it to pay for holidays, new cars or some bill that comes up it takes MORE than a month to land it.

Web is saturated as heck. I left after doing it for over 20 years (although I never kept up the trend) you need to focus or become a specialist in an area and then market your self that way.

Depending on where you live networking is key for local clients but most won't pay the money you need and there will be at least 5 other people there doing what you are doing.

I've said on here loads before. Work out a formula to what you need to live off:

£1000 a month. (a month is 4 weeks)

£250 a week (5 day week - I work 4 as you don't deploy on a Friday)

£50 a day (8hr day)

£6.25 per hour.

You need to add about 50% to what ever your total costs are that month for profit, tax and savings.

Once you work all that out you might be over pricing your self don't worry about $50-60 jobs to start with you need to look at that 4 week figure that's your target.

Now you got all that in place. Start to pitch PSD Design or PSD to HTML jobs at your day rate for 1 page or 5 pages / wp template for your weekly rate to local agencies. WRITE TO THEM don't email like the 1000s of other people do. Hand write the envelope so they open it - anything printed looks like junk. Stand out. Make a name for your self.

$60 is for the accounting of the business. Thanks for the advice, I'll send you my pitch in a few minutes.

 

[Nut-Nights]

Op simple advice, Go search client with offline methods.

 

[t2van]

$60 is for the accounting of the business. Thanks for the advice, I'll send you my pitch in a few minutes.

But you don't have any income to warrant the accountant? That's 720 a year for nothing? Stop paying them. Walk away from that service plenty of online tools will do the job or excel for free. It's all you need to start. If you get stuck end of your tax year just get a book keeper to check it over - if you get stuck post it on Upwork

For that kind of money I hope you give them all your paper work in a plastic bag and walk away letting them sort it all out!

Look forward to it!

 

[Kohai Media]

But you don't have any income to warrant the accountant? That's 720 a year for nothing? Stop paying them. Walk away from that service plenty of online tools will do the job or excel for free. It's all you need to start. If you get stuck end of your tax year just get a book keeper to check it over - if you get stuck post it on Upwork

For that kind of money I hope you give them all your paper work in a plastic bag and walk away letting them sort it all out!

Look forward to it!

The thing is I live in spain, and here it is quite a hassle to set up a business and also expensive. So I decided to open one in Estonia with e-residency so I can have an ltd and charge businesses all over the world legally.

 

[MisterF]

The thing is I live in spain, and here it is quite a hassle to set up a business and also expensive. So I decided to open one in Estonia with e-residency so I can have an ltd and charge businesses all over the world legally.

Unless you're living in Barcelona or Madrid, cost of living in Spain is a fraction of the UK. My businesses are registered through UK, Dubai and USA, depending on which region best suited my needs for which business.

I'm not sure the Estonia e-residency was right for us, maybe @Sephrata may be able to shed light on this.

 

[Kohai Media]

Unless you're living in Barcelona or Madrid, cost of living in Spain is a fraction of the UK. My businesses are registered through UK, Dubai and USA, depending on which region best suited my needs for which business.

I'm not sure the Estonia e-residency was right for us, maybe @Sephrata may be able to shed light on this.

I'm from Valencia, I believe for marketing purposes and freelancing Estonia's e-recindecy is suitable, especially for a first business, as I am quite inexperienced in managing one.

 

[Jayson San]

Hi I'm new here
but you don't loose hope. Keep being positive.

 

[Gogol]

Well, OP; freelancing sites are a struggle. If you don't have another job to support yourself, life can be real hard. But here are some tips that helped me while I was in the freelance market..

1) Never do what most of the people are doing, i.e. don't go into WP development. I know it might sound absurd to you, but that's how I managed to survive the business. I wouldn't even bid in projects that involves making normal sites. I would rather go for challenging projects such as, making a custom MIS; or a script that will do something... or similar stuffs. I hope you get the idea. These projects are much tougher to work on, and that's a good thing. You will have less competition this way.

2) Never do stuffs for cheap and/or free. In-fact, I have done very few projects that had a so called "budget". I would rather work on projects with per hour fees. I am not sure about the current scenario, but guru did used to have an option for bidding with per hour fees. This is very important! Many, including myself are poor judges when it comes to figuring out how much to charge for how much work. Keeping a per hour fee will make sure you get paid, always. Not to mention, encourage the client to track your work hours. That way, both of you get what you deserve.

3) While posting a bid, make sure to not post a generic reply. This annoys 99% of the clients. First read what is needed, then explain what you will do; if you get the job. If you don't like a solution that the client is asking for; suggest your own (while being polite about it). This will surely land you more clients. Tested.

4) Last but not the least, keep your portfolio ready. Without portfolio, not many are going to award you a project.

Also as a general advice, don't stick to a single platform. Try all, including BHW. Our marketplace is pretty neat, and there's scope for everyone.

 

[fas66]

Just take a dive and Open a BST

I can pay the $30 if you want

 

[t2van]

Unless you're living in Barcelona or Madrid, cost of living in Spain is a fraction of the UK. My businesses are registered through UK, Dubai and USA, depending on which region best suited my needs for which business.

I'm not sure the Estonia e-residency was right for us, maybe @Sephrata may be able to shed light on this.

Ah OK. Just seems like a massive outlay to get started - you can't just start freelancing and worry about the legal/tax side later once you know your getting some work coming your way?

Would it be the same if you wanted to freelance along with a full time job i.e employed? Just interested in asking better to understand than be ignorant.

 

[Deleted member 219055]

Start promoting your business with Google adwords- You can get your 1st client on the very 1st day. Good luck.

 

[sujaan]

I know its really hard for freelancers. I have account in PPH and Truelancer. Just earned like 700$ for 1 website. Now I'm not getting accepted in any post. Once I saw a post about website design. He wanted a directory website for just 30$. I thought are you kidding me? But then I saw the proposals list. There were 100+proposals sent for 30$. Even 1 freelancer sent a 20$ proposal. Like Seriously!
I also want to open a BST in BHW. I spent 100$ in getting a premium account in Truelancer(got 100bids/month) but I think it'd been better if I'd bought a Jr.Vip instead.
Next month!

 

[JayMay]

Hey man, some good links that have helped me out as well. Don't lose hope, but at the same time don't wish for things to happen. You gotta go out and figure stuff our yourself, as no one else will do that for you. Best of luck and set your mind to working things out!

https://www.blackhatworld.com/seo/h...d-clients-on-linkedin-and-make-money.1072680/
https://www.blackhatworld.com/seo/guide-how-to-win-good-clients-for-free.1060524/

And this is a compilation thread of a ton of methods and good resources, you might definitely get a few ideas from here:
https://www.blackhatworld.com/seo/the-most-popular-bhw-making-money-threads.1090128/