Lately I have been working with small businesses who have had their websites for many years. These clients were not looking for content or writing help. They were colleagues or referrals who had a WordPress issue that I could solve. I took the opportunity to look more closely at their sites. Just as I do … Read more
One of the major to-dos of starting a new business is choosing a name. Really, you have two challenges—creating a name that’s fitting and original, and finding a version of it for your website’s domain name. My journey with domain names My very first website was jburekindexing.com for my back-of-the-book indexing services. I decided … Read more
If you’re a freelancer and you’re having trouble finishing your website, it’s possible that where you’re stuck is on your home page. So, let me give you a simple formula for writing your home page. By the end of this post, you could be on your way to having a functional, easy to read home … Read more
In my previous post, I talked about the pitfalls of discounting your price because you’re new. I talked about the emotions that may be involved, and how the Triple Constraint framework can help you keepyour thoughts straight. Now I’m going to talk about two instances where you could be more flexible in your pricing. Clients … Read more
Have you ever thought about discounting your price because you’re new? Pricing is one aspect of marketing that can be very mysterious—and emotional. But there’s a framework you can use to take the emotion out of it, and it’s called the Triple Constraint. But first let me tell you about the first freelance indexing job … Read more
Is it possible to gain a new client with unsolicited advice? Let’s say you receive a sales letter, and it’s rife with typos and grammar mistakes, and you’re an editor, so you know you could fix this. Or let’s say you’re a web designer and you come across a truly awful website. Wouldn’t you love … Read more
New freelancers know that the easiest place to find clients is your own network. But what if you don’t know anybody who would want what you provide? There’s a reason why your network is such a great place to find your first client. Quite simply, people want to buy from those they know, like, and … Read more
A new freelancer asked, “What do prospective clients look for, and how can I show that I have those skills?” The first time a prospect reached out to me, I wondered the same thing. I know it’s an exciting moment, but nerve wracking too. For your first two-way communication with the person, you want to … Read more
Do you know what makes your web page readable? Here’s a thought from curator, educator, and critic Ellen Lupton, from her book Thinking with type. The impatience of the digital reader arises from culture, not from the essential character of display technologies. Users of websites have different expectations of print. They expect to feel “productive,” … Read more
Christine Inherits a Website I first got to know Christine, the president of my community league, when I approached her about starting a community garden in our neighborhood. She liked the idea, but when we talked about how I can spread the word to get volunteers, I began to think this will take years. And … Read more