We got off on the wrong foot. Let's try again. (Hosting Affiliate Journey)

ja3000 said:

Some advice... You either need to step up your sales game immensely or niche down and charge high prices for "custom" sites. The problem with offering free or cheap sites is that your competing with wix, wordpress, weebly, shopify, etc. These sites are high in trust factor with big marketing budgets. And they have business owners believing they can cut the middle man out (you, the web designer). The only way your going to compete with them is to be really good at sales.

IMO you're better off finding customers that have already paid for a website 5+ years ago or tried the free website route and are now looking for something better. Find legit businesses using a wix page or an old school html site from the 90's. Chances are they've been thinking about updating their site to include all the new bells and whistles their competitors are using. With a premium theme, a little proficiency in CSS, and some photoshop skills you can provide them with a "custom" site that they'll love and are willing to pay good money for.

Don't sell yourself short by trying to hustle free sites. You're going to have to make the sale either way. And really you'll spend about as much time closing a free site client as you will a $1500 site client.

Click to expand...

I stress to my potential clients how amateur it is to use pre-made templates, and that using Wix and Weebly isn't professional at all. They don't seem to care, though. I guess the "free" part is interpreted as a sketchy word.

I've currently sent out 560 messages on Facebook to no avail, whatsoever. I have emails for most of the businesses I contacted, and I'll be sending out a follow up email today.

I think, though, I'll spend the next two or three days building mock websites for my portfolio.My friend at Coders Point has invited me to work directly with them, not them work for me or vice versa. This seems like a good merger (designer with novice coding skills + coders with novice design skills) but as they are just getting started as well, their business is basically non existent. Furthermore; they're foreigners! So it'll be up to me to come up with business that is actually worth my time. -_- They can't afford me if they seek clients in Bangladesh. This is all kind of irrelevant though.

If I am working with Coders Point, I can re-launch my campaign with a little more strength. Spend some time building a better portfolio, and be able to contact all the businesses I already have, but under a different name offering a similar but different service.

Sales has always been a handicap for me. But I may just end up getting on the phone with some of these businesses soon.

Still sending messages. No luck yet.

Have you tried to call them? Or to feel they on Skype with webcam? I think this can be awesome for your conversion rate!

I wish you all the best mate, i have done a few cheap websites my self for some customers. i did everything they wanted and they changed there mind so altered accordingly and they still wanted something else doing.

but if web design is what you love im sure you will succeed.

I think there might be something to be improved on your copy, maybe you can get a lot more response if you approach right.

Do you split test your message copy? Maybe try 2 - 3 different writing styles and approaches.

One thing that I have learned about direct messaging is that your prospects are not in the state of mind to buy what you have. The first line of the copy is the most important - if they feel that the message is " for them " and urgent, they will keep reading.

Maybe you can PM me your message copy so I can give you some of my opinions.

keep going at it, man. Your wife and baby will be very proud of you.