Quite often, we’re so focused on helping others that our own sites suffer. That can have a negative impact on your business. Without compelling content of your own, it can be difficult to win over new clientele.

It’s not so difficult, however, to spruce up the content on your site. All it takes is setting aside some time to do the work.

So, clear an hour or two from your busy schedule and follow these tips for creating great content.

Note that our focus here won’t be on listing your projects or styling them in some unique way. Rather, we’ll look at the other areas of a designer’s site that are often neglected. Yet, they’re just as important.

The post How to Create Compelling Content for Your Portfolio Site appeared first on Speckyboy Design Magazine.

These business proposal templates for InDesign (both free and premium) have been designed to simplify the proposal creation process. With a wide range of options, you will find the perfect template to suit your specific needs. Whether starting a new venture, looking for investors, or pitching a project to potential clients, these templates offer a professional foundation for your proposal.

With their user-friendly layouts and customizable designs, these INDD templates offer the perfect balance of structure and flexibility. Using a template can save you significant time and energy, allowing you to focus on refining and perfecting your proposal’s content.

Don’t let the prospect of proposal creation hold you back – use these InDesign templates to bring your business idea to life.

If you’re new to the application, you might like to take a look at our collections of InDesign tutorials.

Will It Be Timeless?

Some things might seem as though they will be instant classics. Then, without warning, they fade into obscurity and no one ever mentions them again.

Why does this happen? No one really knows for certain, but there are some possible explanations. The most important, in my opinion, is that the general public – not just the design community – either stopped caring about the design, or never cared enough in the first place.

Design is meant to change the way people interact with one another in the world, not just designers, but everyone. If it fails to do so and generate influence beyond the scope of the original brief, it will never become the classic it could be.

Glitch Mona Lisa by Dan Svetlichnyy

Design Marketing Problems

Public opinion is fickle, but it can be greatly influenced by the right advertisement. Brands like Coca-Cola, Apple, and Microsoft didn’t get to their current level of market dominance by chance.

Even great art like the Mona Lisa has been heavily promoted to be recognizable to a modern audience.

There were plenty of contemporary works that were just as popular in their day, and even some that were more so. But it was marketing that propelled the Mona Lisa, the Sistine Chapel, the statue of David, and other iconic works of the Renaissance to last as long in the public memory as they have.

To Trendy To Be True?

As I’ve said in the past, if something feels like a trend, it probably is. I’m not simply talking about phenomena that are currently all the rage, like neumorphism or previously flat design.

I’m talking about things that merely look cool without any underlying fundamentals to ground them. Such trends are destined to be one hit wonders, fading as the design world moves on to more solid ideas.

A good way to spot a trend that’s being milked purely for profit is to determine what the most respected members of the design community have to say about it.

If the ‘movers and shakers’ of design are constantly lambasting the trend then there’s a good chance it’s simply a throwaway fad. However, if they don’t have much to say or are even incorporating it into their own work, it’s probably a winner.

Neumorphic Radio Player App by Alexander Plyuto

No Good Designers Left?

A lot of designers complain that the current crop of design professionals are too caught up in trends and technology and are ignoring the fundamental principles of good design.

These designers tend to be older and may even feel a bit left out as the world seems to be embracing a completely foreign approach to design.

This happens every generation, with the old-timers complaining about ‘today’s kids’ and their apparent lack of respect for the profession.

I’m sure the designers from the 1940s and 50s griped about ‘whippersnappers’ in the 70s and 80s with their Rapidographs and floppy disks or…whatever.

It’s true that there are a lot more designers actively working now than there ever have been in the past.

But the number of talented designers who have a solid understanding of the fundamentals has not diminished. If anything, it has increased due to the larger pool of designers out there.

The likelihood that at least a handful of these designers will produce something lasting is very high, even though one might have to wade through a lot of junk to find it.

Rapidograph & Notebook by Harry Diaz

Timeless Doesn’t Equal Boring

Think that classic design is boring and behind the times? Think again. Every single designer is influenced by those who have come before them.

If you choose only recent, contemporary designers to be influenced by, you’ll only be regurgitating the most recent trends, which could hasten their demise and make all of your work look horribly dated.

Try heading to the library and flipping through examples of classic designs by the greats of the 20th century. You might even be surprised at how often (and how badly) those designers were ripped off by later copycats.

The post How a Designer Might Create Timeless Designs appeared first on Speckyboy Design Magazine.

Depending upon where you live and what kinds of services you plan to offer, startup costs can be practically zero. Conversely, it could run into thousands of dollars. Being a solo entrepreneur who works on a small scale, you have a level of cost control that most traditional industries can only dream of.

This is great news if you’re a designer who is looking to start off on your own freelance journey. It’s also something you may want to periodically reevaluate if you already have a business.

Let’s take a look at some common costs associated with running a freelance web design business, along with some advice for deciding where to spend your hard-earned money. It’s not an exhaustive list, but one that should help you get on the right track.

Starting Up

The process of opening for business takes a lot of planning and patience. And it’s also the time when you can run into some significant costs. But you do have a good measure of say in just how much you’ll need to spend. Here are a few factors to consider.

Where You Work

The upfront costs of opening your business have a lot to do with where you choose to work. Working at home is usually the cheapest option, provided you have an area ready to host your office space. That could be a spare room, part of a larger room or even a basement or garage. If you have some or all of the furnishings and equipment you’ll need, that will save you even more.

Renting office or co-working space will almost always be the more expensive route. Finding the money to pay for a space of your own can be very daunting if you don’t already have some significant cashflow. Depending upon your preferences, it may provide the better working environment, though.

Business Fees

Staying with the theme of where you work, the locality where your business is based could cost you as well. There might be business registration fees or permits required in order to start off on the good side of the law. For example, some regions charge a fee for registering a fictitious name for your business.  And it’s likely that your tax rate and structure will change, too.

When it comes to dealing with national/regional/local government regulations, it’s best to do some research to find out exactly what you need to do. If you aren’t sure, then talk to a professional who can help. While it will cost you a bit more, you’ll get some peace of mind out of the process.

Equipment and Software

If you’re fortunate enough to have a powerful computer system and all the apps you need to produce great work, good for you! But it’s more likely that you’ll have at least some needs in this area.

While hardware prices have come down quite a bit in recent years, power and quality will always cost a bit more. It’s worthwhile to invest in at least a midrange computer that has plenty of storage and memory to handle all the multitasking that goes along with design and development.

Software is an interesting area because, in theory, you could do just about everything using free applications. There are a ton of options, from Sublime Text to GIMP to WordPress. All of your most important bases are covered and you don’t have to spend a dime.

Still, there are times when commercial software is the best fit for what you do. A subscription-based service such as Adobe Creative Cloud can cost a fairly significant amount of money, but you’re assured of getting the latest releases and industry-standard functionality. How you proceed is really a matter of preference and budget.

Ongoing Costs

After your business gets up-and-running, you’ll need to spend some cash in order to keep things humming along. If you opted for renting office space, that’s at least one big bill to pay each month. But there are some other items to think about.

Web Hosting

If you shop around for web hosting, you’ll find that prices range from just a couple of bucks a month all the way into the hundreds. How much you should spend all depends on your needs.

If you resell hosting to your clients, it’s important to determine a strategy for how to implement that service. For instance, you might decide that each client should have their own separate account or you could simply place everyone on one large plot of server space. From there, you can charge a price above and beyond what the service is costing you.

There is a little bit of money to be made here, which could more than cover any costs. Again, it’s a personal decision. Some designers charge clients monthly or yearly fees while others rely solely on affiliate programs to bring in extra revenue.

Whatever you decide, just make sure it’s the right approach for you in both the short and long term. Changing everything around afterwards can be difficult.

Software Licensing

While we already mentioned software as part of the startup costs above, it also qualifies as an ongoing one as well. Of course, the software you use to write code and do design work could have a monthly or yearly cost to maintain a current license. But that’s only part of the equation.

Another factor to think about is that of the developer license. A popular example of this is a commercially-available WordPress plugin that, for a higher yearly fee, enables you to use the software on any number of projects. So, instead of buying the software separately for each new project, you purchase one beefed-up license to use on multiple sites.

The biggest advantage here is that you don’t have to worry about convincing clients to purchase the software or struggle to manage dozens of license keys and renewals. And it’s also much more cost-effective.

Continuing with the plugin example: The downside is that, if you decide not to renew your license, it means any websites you’ve used the software on will be running outdated versions – unless you convince clients to buy their own copy after the fact.

Weigh the pros and cons of this kind of arrangement and do what you think will work best for your situation.

Marketing

Spreading the word about your business doesn’t have to be expensive. Some freelancers spend absolutely nothing when it comes to marketing. But whether you choose to do so depends on a few factors.

The web design market is crowded and it can be difficult to stand out. If your business relies on booking new clients throughout the year, then it makes sense to do at least some sort of advertising.

Online advertising is often a great way to go because you can set a reasonable budget and finely-tune your ads to target specific localities and demographics. But there is also an argument to be made for more traditional forms such as print ads or postcards, depending on your desired results.

And, let’s not forget about SEO. Search is an incredibly powerful force in directing potential customers your way. Even better is that you don’t necessarily have to spend any money directly in this area – just a bit of time.

Controlling Your Costs

One of the great advantages of being a freelancer is that, ultimately, you’re in control of all the important business decisions. Therefore, you have the ability to control how much you spend on a good many things.

There are some items that can’t be avoided, such as taxes or permit fees. For everything else, the key is to treat each expenditure as an investment in your business. Before you spend that money, think about how a purchase will benefit your bottom line. If it will help you make money either directly or indirectly (by boosting your productivity, for example), then it might be worth the cost.

All told, making smart decisions with money will help you get off to a strong start and stay strong through the many challenges of running a business.

The post What Does It Cost to Run a Freelance Web Design Business? appeared first on Speckyboy Design Magazine.

Whether you’re looking to present the story of your company, highlight your services or products, or simply establish a professional online presence, there are numerous free WordPress themes available to suit your needs.

In this collection, we’ve compiled the best free corporate and business WordPress themes for your company. These themes offer a wide range of features and customization options to help you create a professional website, without breaking the bank. Check out our selection and start building your business website today!

The post 15+ Best Free Business & Corporate WordPress Themes appeared first on Speckyboy Design Magazine.

That’s pretty alarming, but even more alarming is when you’re the designer chosen to create content for one of these entrepreneurial turkeys. It can be really tough when a client suddenly runs out of money and has to default on your payment for a project. Yes, you can sue them, but unless business suddenly picks up (or they have incredibly wealthy parents), you’d probably be wasting your time.

Knowing how to spot a business idea that is not going to work, or how to tell when a particular business relationship looks rickety and on the brink of collapse is an important skill for any designer to learn, particularly if you work with new startups.

The Good, the Bad, and the Crazy

There are a lot of upsides to working with new businesses – the energy and enthusiasm among the members of the team is contagious, and if you’re a designer getting in on the ground floor of a successful venture, you can find yourself in a very enviable position within the company in just a few years. However, if things go south, it can turn into a nightmare if you didn’t see it coming.

It’s helpful to know something about business yourself if you plan on working with startups. There are plenty of books to read, but in my opinion, the best way to learn about business is to start one yourself. Not only does it make sense financially for designers to have a side business, but the knowledge you gain from doing so will also be extremely valuable in your future dealings with entrepreneurial clients.

Technically, if you’re a freelancer, you’re already running your own small business, but even if you’re working in-house, it can be extremely valuable to learn the ins and outs of business. Even if you fail – especially if you fail – you’ll learn what works and what doesn’t, and why.

Be wary of business ideas that sound too strange or that don’t seem to make any sense. Does the idea sound just a bit too perfect, unique, and lucrative? Watch out. Anything that sounds too good to be true probably is.

Also to be avoided: businesses that don’t have any real competition or market equity. If the waters are too quiet, that’s a bad sign. It usually means that there’s no market for what the business is selling.

Perhaps counterintuitively, business ideas that seem to be unoriginal or that are jumping on a current trend actually have a better chance of doing well than unique businesses with little or no competition. Why? Because popular industries are more profitable, for obvious reasons. More people interested means there’s more money to be made.

This is why nobody is attempting to come up with a completely new, original alternative to the automobile – they work with what’s already popular and what already makes money. Reinventing the wheel is usually more trouble than it’s worth (except when it’s not, but chances are you won’t encounter anyone who manages to pull it off successfully).

Stop, Look, and Listen

Something every designer needs to know to avoid getting tangled up in business disasters is how to properly observe a potential client. It can be difficult to tell in the first meeting with a potential client whether their business will be a flop, particularly if you haven’t been freelancing for long.

But if you allow someone to do the majority of the talking for at least 5-10 minutes, you will learn more than perhaps you ever wanted to about that person’s behavior, management style, personality, and feelings about their mother-in-law.

People love to talk about themselves, and as a designer on the lookout for danger, this can be your best advantage. Listen far more than you talk – ask questions that encourage the client to reveal more information. Interview your potential client as much as they’re interviewing you.

False Friends

Sometimes, a business seems perfect. The idea is solid, the market is strong, and competition is at a healthy level. These kinds of businesses can catch you off guard the most when they go south, because everything seemed okay on the surface.

But chances are, even these surprising failures have warning signs that show themselves well before you ever sign on to do any work. This is where it’s helpful to know the signs of detrimental management – why certain business owners and managers are successful and why others seem to cause chaos and turmoil wherever they go.

When meeting with a prospective entrepreneur client, take careful note of their demeanor and speaking style, specifically how they talk about their current or past employees or freelancers. If someone is trash-talking their people or uses too much personal praise (as opposed to team-oriented praise, which includes the entire group), that’s something to be wary of. It doesn’t always mean the company will go belly up, but it certainly won’t help matters.

Another type of red flag is clients who seem to have no regard for any type of budget. One of the top reasons many businesses fail is because of a lack of strict budgeting and an excess of profligate spending. If your small business client asks for work that you both know will cost an exorbitant amount of money, they’re probably not going to be a long-term client.

Moderation is what you want to look for when shopping for steady, repeat clients. You want someone who is financially responsible (but not cheap) and understands the budgeting required for a small business to be successful past the five-year mark.

Conclusion

Even if you don’t personally get caught up in the financial fallout of a bad business sinking to the bottom of the ocean, you want to avoid attaching your name as a designer to too many failed commercial ventures. It doesn’t look good on your resume, and once you encounter a genuinely successful startup, they will take one look at your track record and immediately draw conclusions about your involvement in each fiasco.

You may have had nothing to do with the company taking a nosedive, but your name was thrown into the mix, and that makes you a suspect. They may even see you as a “bad luck charm” – people are more superstitious than you would believe.

Successful businesses don’t want to invite freelancers or employees who may bring about failure. So it’s important to cultivate your intuition when it comes to bad businesses.

Learn how to spot bad ideas when you see them and avoid becoming the opposite of a designer rabbit’s foot!

The post Dealing with Terrible Business Ideas from Your Clients appeared first on Speckyboy Design Magazine.

But here’s the thing: users may not stick to your original vision of how your design “should” be used. The truth is, they don’t have to, and, if your views on their user experience are off the mark, they shouldn’t.

We look at some ways in which users often give designers a run for their money when it comes to the ideal user experience, and explore whether a designer’s opinion means more than the user’s.

Technicality Versus Practicality

Sometimes, there is a clear battle between the designer’s creative vision and what the user really wants. This can be seen in major corporate projects as well as individual website designs for a single client.

Designers, by virtue of being creative professionals, often let their ego get in the way of creating a truly functional product. Some of this is justified. After all, you want to maintain your reputation for quality, both functionally and visually.

But, as the saying goes, form follows function. You don’t want to get so caught up in maintaining your design’s visual appeal that you lose sight of what’s best for the user.

The best way to avoid this pitfall is to regularly interact with your target audience. Talk to people who interact with your website, app, or other designs. Ask them questions about their experience – what they feel could be improved, how your design is helping them achieve solutions to their problems, et cetera.

This knowledge will be invaluable not just to your users and your clients, but also for expanding your career as a designer who really “gets” the ideal user experience.

Co-Opting Your Environment

Users, by definition, use things. Sounds obvious, I know, but many designers forget this simple fact, or think it only applies to a narrow set of rules. But people who use things are amazingly adaptable. They use the world around them to create their own design solutions, if the ones provided aren’t satisfactory. All users have this ability – including you.

Yes, you routinely violate many designers’ perfect visions for how you should be using their products. Ever scribbled a phone number or email address on the back of someone’s business card? You rebellious user, you.

From holding a supposedly “ergonomic” pen or tool in a way that’s unconventional, but more comfortable for you, to breaking out the sugru and physically altering a product to fit your individual needs, we all take advantage of what I call the user’s authority.

Following Leaders And Precedents

Once a design leaves your studio, it officially belongs to the user, and they will adapt it however they see fit. People use design to communicate with one another out in the world, often in ways that the designer never intended or even expected. Your design may end up serving a completely different purpose than what it was originally created for.

Think about the last time you gave directions to a tourist or someone in your town who was lost. You probably told them something closer to “head left at the intersection with the weird billboard,” rather than rattled off a dry list of street names.

Design infiltrates our daily lives, and we use it as placeholders, markers, and guides every day.

Does The Design Slow Down Progress?

The most important thing to consider in any design is whether the user can solve the problem they have with the maximum amount of efficiency. If your design is impeding them from doing this, then it’s a failure as a design.

Again, talking to your target users will yield a wealth of information that can help you avoid this common crisis. I’m not talking about formal “focus group” style research either. Even something as simple as a 5 question email survey can help tremendously in the design process.

For example, if you don’t know that the majority of your users are skipping the calls to action that you’ve added to your website, pretty much the only way you can find this out is by interacting with them.

It’s unlikely that they’re going to tell you on their own, and, quite honestly, it’s not their responsibility to do so. You’re the designer – it’s your job to make sure that your designs are providing maximum efficiency for your users.

Building Up Trust

Well designed websites instill a sense of trust in the user. When you see a crappy looking website, your first instinct is that it’s probably a bit shady, or even an outright scam.

Why? Well, because a legitimate business will usually at least make an attempt to have a professional-looking front.

The post Does A Designer’s Opinion Mean More Than The User’s? appeared first on Speckyboy Design Magazine.

The thing about marketing a product is that, contrary to what many people think, you can actually be far more effective when you narrow down your focus – that is, the number of buyers you’re attempting to reach.

Attempts to reach a very broad, general audience usually don’t work as well; it’s not only more expensive to create something “for everyone,” it’s actually literally impossible to do so. I’ll be explaining why in this article, along with some tips on how to assess and take advantage of the unique demands of your client’s customers, no matter who they are.

The Great Secret

So, what’s the secret to making people buy things? Surprise! That was a trick question. There isn’t any secret, because you can’t actually make people buy things. There has to be a demand for them. But don’t worry – this is a good thing. It means that you don’t have to play constant guessing games, trying to figure out what “everyone” wants.

You can actually find out exactly what your client’s target market is looking for. How? By asking them, for one. However, simply asking people directly what they want is rarely an effective strategy. It’s all in what types of questions you ask them, as well as how you phrase them.

How Aware Is Your Market?

Now we’ve established that you can’t make someone buy something they don’t actually want. But if a buyer does need a solution but doesn’t know what it is, then it’s easy to bring to their attention the fact that your product or service exists and can help them.

If your client has a valuable product or service, it’s your duty to make people aware of it. If you don’t, you’re actually robbing them of something valuable that can really help them. Yes, I said robbing. Your client is counting on you, the designer, to create a compelling presentation of their business that tells their customers exactly why they need it.

Find Your Niche

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: niching down your target market is essential if you want real success. People who try to cater to “everyone” end up wallowing in mediocrity and crappy jobs that lead nowhere. No high-level client is going to pay top dollar for a designer who “does it all.”

They want a solution that’s catered to them and them alone.

It Has To Be Scalable

Just because you have an obscure interest doesn’t mean that enough people will share it that you can build a business around it. Enough people have to want what you’re selling that it will be worth the effort and investment to make the offer.

If it isn’t, you won’t have a business, you’ll have a hobby – which isn’t a bad thing, if that’s what you want. Hobbies are important too, even obscure ones, but they don’t, as a general rule turn into scalable business models.

Do-It-Yourself Market Research

If you want real success in marketing, you have to know your market better than it knows itself. One excellent way to accomplish this is by testing your ideas and assumptions about what your market is after. Don’t just ask your peers or wonder vaguely whether something will work. Most of the time, the person you’re asking won’t have the exact same business as you, and even if they do, they’re not going to know exactly how your proposed solution will work.

That’s why you have to test it. People may rely on others’ opinions when they read a review for a book or a restaurant, but when it comes to your business, you need to have a firm testing policy in place.

You’re Not Fooling Anyone

Finally, all this talk about “buyer manipulation” is hogwash. No one – I repeat: no one – can be “tricked,” “manipulated,” or otherwise bamboozled into buying something they didn’t really want.

Sure, they may not have wanted it for the long-term, but in that moment in time, they wanted it. You don’t want a bunch of customers with buyers’ remorse, which is why you (and your client) can make sure you keep your marketing ethical by providing a genuinely valuable product or service, not just some fly-by-night gimmick.

If you’re doing it right and zeroing in on a particular type of customer and solving a real, particular problem, there’s no reason to do anything that’s not above board.

The post The Make People Buy Things Secret For Designers appeared first on Speckyboy Design Magazine.

A well-designed website can even bring in new customers on autopilot, allowing business owners to focus on serving their clients rather than marketing their business.

When designing a business or corporate website, it’s crucial to prioritize functionality and user experience. The site should be easy to use and navigate, with a clear structure and design allowing visitors to find the information they need quickly.

Testimonials and publications can help build trust and credibility, while a clear call-to-action can encourage users to commit and take the next step in their relationship with the business.

If you’re in the process of designing a business website, you should take a look at our selection of business and corporate websites for inspiration. These examples demonstrate how successful companies have used their website to promote their brand, communicate their value proposition, and build strong customer relationships.

You might also like our collection of free business and corporate WordPress themes.

The post 20 Business & Corporate Websites for Web Design Inspiration & Ideas appeared first on Speckyboy Design Magazine.

If you do choose the latter, you’ll certainly face some challenges. Bringing in clients, establishing a good reputation, and building a portfolio all take time and effort. However, it’s also a relatively cheap type of business to start up and manage.

That being said, it’s still important to weigh the pros and cons of the products and services you buy. Each extra cost, while potentially tax-deductible, is also a direct hit on your wallet.

Today, we’ll take a look at some typical items that web designers might be tempted to spend their hard-earned money on. With each one, we’ll also provide you with some guidance that you can use to determine whether or not they’re worth your cash.

Web Hosting

If you’ve ever shopped around for web hosting, you likely know that it spans quite a wide range of pricing. Everything from a few dollars a month up to hundreds or thousands, depending on the level of service.

Hosting is important enough, however, that it shouldn’t be skimped on. That’s true whether or not you decide to resell space to your clients. A shoddy hosting service reflects poorly on you. If your site loads slowly, or not at all, potential customers won’t have the patience to wait for a fix. They’ll simply move on to the next option.

What’s most important is the available resources (storage space, memory, processing power, etc.), the level of support, and stability. This requires some technical research and also some thought about your potential for growth down the road.

This doesn’t mean that you have to spring for the most expensive services out there. But it does mean you should avoid the bargain basement packages. In most cases, a moderately-priced package from a reputable company is all you need.

The bottom line is that solid hosting is always a good investment, but there’s no need to overpay.

CMS Plugins

Have you ever seen a plugin for your favorite CMS, such as WordPress, that does something amazing? Or have you tried a free version of a plugin only to discover that you want the extra features that come with the “Pro” version?

It’s a common situation and also a very tempting one for web designers. Most commercial plugins aren’t prohibitively expensive, and the right ones can enhance your projects.

But are they worth the investment? That depends on what they do and how much use you’ll get from them.

In the case of a freelancer or agency, it’s generally a good idea to look for plugins that you’re going to use again and again. General purpose plugins that perform functions such as eCommerce, image galleries, or even page builders are prime examples.

Remember that some plugins are priced depending on the number of websites you plan to use them on. Thus, more sites mean more money. That may make some niche offerings not quite worth the extra cost. In that case, having your clients buy directly from the plugin author is the way to go.

Stock/Design Asset Subscription Services

Web design takes creativity. And being creative is so much easier when you have access to the right design assets. Stock photos, themes, UI elements, and mockups can all serve an important purpose. They help to improve efficiency and provide you (and your clients) with more variety as well.

Speaking of variety, there are a number of both free and commercial subscription services that allow you to download various design elements. But, while it’s great to have so many choices, this also makes for a tough decision.

For some designers, the thought of paying for what they can get for free elsewhere makes little sense. It’s easy to see why, as many of the freebie sites do offer high-quality items.

Yet, they don’t always have the depth of good commercial service – not to mention frequent additions. On the other hand, commercial sites may also make you pay for a bunch of assets you’ll never use.

The decision comes down to budget and (once again) how much you plan to use a particular service. If you tend to work on smaller projects and can get away with the limited variety of a free design asset library, go for it.

However, if you’re working on large, more profitable projects, spending the extra money may make sense. For those who only occasionally find themselves needing something different, a good compromise might be a pay-as-you-go model, as this gives you the best of both worlds.

Social Media Marketing

Remember when social media was supposed to make websites irrelevant? Well, that never happened. Instead, it became a jumbled mess of content – one controlled by algorithms designed to keep us scrolling and make money (for them, that is).

As such, it can be incredibly difficult to get your message out there. In the case of Facebook, you can’t even reach the timelines of everyone who “likes” your business page unless you’re willing to pay for the privilege. Naturally, other networks have followed suit.

The temptation here is that you can promote your posts to a relatively small, highly-targeted group of people for a low price. However, finding success here is not that simple.

While spending $20 to promote something now and then may not seem like a big deal, it can start to add up. And the question becomes: What type of return are you getting?

If you’re after a few more likes or followers, there may be better ways to go about recruiting them (like via a newsletter, for example). Otherwise, paying for followers would seem to be effective only in very unique circumstances.

If the aim is to increase sales, then it’s wise to craft a strategy first. Randomly promoting posts without careful planning and targeting is probably a waste of funds.

It’s Your Money

As a web designer/business owner, there is no shortage of opportunities to spend money. With the incredible array of products and services geared towards our industry, it’s easy to find yourself making lots of purchases.

So, how do you know which ones are worth it? Perhaps the old adage says it best: You have to spend money to make money.

In other words, look for items that will help you increase revenue. It might be a tool that saves you time, a web host that enables you to resell space, or a service that brings you tons of relevant design assets.

On the other hand, if you don’t see a clear financial benefit to something, it probably isn’t worth buying.

The post How to Make Wise Investments in Your Design Business appeared first on Speckyboy Design Magazine.