Will this business idea work?
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- breadlegz
I was sat in the bath a few months ago. I tend to read in the bath, but I forgot my book on this occasion, so I had some time to have a think. Just sitting and relaxing is out of the question, my brain wont allow me to do that.
Aaaaanyway... I got thinking about my time transitioning from a freelancer working by myself to having loads of work and outsourcing that work and managing it. The biggest learning curve has been learning how to sell without coming across as an idiot.
It's taken quite a while, but the journey has been an interesting one.
So... here's my idea.
I see lots of online resources around teaching graphic skills and web skills and the like. But... I don't see many easy to follow online courses on how to sell yourself as a freelancer, without selling out.
I had a vision of creating a course. Video guides, hints, tips, formats to follow, plus input from some of the guys that have trained me and also some of the most successful freelancers and designers that i've met.
There would be quite a bit of work involved in creating this, so before I do... how useful would this be do you think?
Do designers really need help how to sell?
Do they need advice on how to avoid those crappy clients that drain all your time and then don't pay?
Would love your feedback, thanks ...
- breadlegz0
@liveforever - thanks for the link to fr33lance switch... (I dont think they are liked on this blog for some reason).
- probably because they are a big chain belonging to one internet company that threaten QBN. hope it helps anywayliveforever
- ahbreadlegz
- ukit0
Any idea can work...although given that this idea requires a lot of investment on your part upfront, it might not be the easiest one to be successful with. Your biggest challenge will be getting enough traffic to your site to actually get a conversion rate that is worthwhile.
- Frosty_spl0
Selling out means you have money in your pocket. Go for it.
- jetSkii0
Why would I trust that YOU know how to sell? If designers do need this type of information, why would they come to you for that type of advice? However, if all your video tutorials were of yourself filmed while you were bathing in your bathtub, then i think that could spark an interest. I mean, tips on selling yourself from AIGA can be a bore, but a man from his bathtub? You know that guy must know his shit.
- clearThoughts0
designers are shit at selling because they spent most of the time sitting in front of a computer screen / making retarded jokes with their colleges / chatting away
good sales people are impatient annoying ppl who can't stay doing the same thing for over 30 mins, and just start calling random people and setting up appointments to talk loads of bullshit...
- As seen, the mixture is explosive.Miesfan
- yeah exactly. you need one of eachclearThoughts
- bjladams0
i would think that a lot of the selling of your selling idea would come down to your ability to sell it-
- breadlegz0
@clearThoughts I think you just summed up the situation perfectly. I've spent a lot of time with both types of people. There's some skills designers can take from the 'sales types' without coming across like a twat.
- You probably need a business partner thenclearThoughts
- yo hit me up!brodster
- Dodecahedron0
make sure you spam QBN with site links when its ready. A+ road to success!
- bjladams0
i concentrate on design - my business partner deals with sales and filters things before they get to me. i'm not much of a salesman, and he's not much of a designer. i wouldnt be too interested in this for that reason. however- if you were marketing it more as "tips from the bathtub - how i became a better seller of my design" i'd probably find that quirky enough to read.
- jetSkii0
sometimes, i don't understand why every company doesn't have their own designers. why are they always outsourcing work to agencies.
and agencies, if they're so good at what they do, why do they don't they do it for themselves rather than for others?
- why don't they do it for themselves (correction)jetSkii
- Inhouse designers at clients have to keep making bigger logos till design sucksvaxorcist
- then client wonders why design sucks and hires outside agencyvaxorcist
- Good agencies seem to terrible at promoting themselves, bad agencies seem good at it...vaxorcist
- vaxorcist0
You could:
1. make a $20 ebook with free updates every few months
2. offer a consulting deal, contracts/pitches,etc...
3. record an MP3 with interviews with former ad execs and account people answering readers questions... sell it for $20 or so...- Yes, others do this.... but a really good bunch of info has value to me at least...vaxorcist
- breadlegz0
This guy is trying to get some information to the freelance market:
http://www.freelanceformula.com/…
Bit cheesy and salesy tho...
- jetSkii0
how about become a private consultant instead? unless you got good on-camera personality and acting skills, or you're a great writer.
- MHDC0
"it's thought provoking...almost too thought provoking"
- brodster0
@bradlegz
http://www.qbn.com/topics/645401…