Amazing Day

Wow! Yesterday was amazing - business-wise! I admit I was pretty depressed and wondering how I was going to survive and where my next paycheck was coming from, but yesterday really turned everything around.

The morning started at 9 a.m. with a phone call from an online business who wanted me to do a redesign on his website and was very interested in doing some usability testing. Yes!

Next, I received a call from my business mentor who asked me if I was interested in doing some market research for him. I don't normally do that kind of thing, but it was a job!

After that, I got an email from a client that I had just sent a proposal to, asking me more questions and intimating that I got the job! Another Yes!!!

Then in the afternoon I got a call from another designer that I have worked with before and she said she wanted to give my name to a contact of hers who needed a newsletter and also that she would have some work for me later in the month!

Wow! 4 jobs in one day! I think the lesson here is - DON'T GIVE UP!

Blogging About a Radio Show About Blogging

Yes, it is true. This blog is about a radio show about blogging. Sorta like that Nightline show last night about blogging. Although my radio spot is much shorter, and aimed a little differently. I do a short radio spot on web design on the second Thursday of every month at 6:30 p.m. You can tune in on www.voiceofvashon.org .

Last night they were talking about blogging vs. journalism and the protection of free speech and the responsibility of the journalist. Which seems to me to be comparing apples and oranges. The blogger is not paid! The journalist is paid! It is the journalist's paid job to get the facts right. The blogger is just someone voicing their opinion. And not every blogger is a political activist - some just want to talk about their business.

So here I am voicing my opinion. This business building is hard!

I'm feeling pretty low for several reasons. I just ended a large contract. The customer is happy and I sent off the invoice. The question is - will they pay it? The next question is - where is my next client? I think I will go back to the "Get Clients Now" handbook and start again. I actually enjoyed doing the workbook exercises, and I think I need a refresher course.

Life can get in the way of web design business!

Wow! It's been a long time since I last posted. Life happens. I've decided to put my house up for sale and move off the Island. I've lived here most of my life, but it has finally become too inconvenient. I've always wanted to own my own business and I find that living here has become a liability for my web design business, and so I had to look at my priorities and make a decision.

My decision is to give up my Island life and focus on my business. It wasn't too hard a decision to make, actually.

I assumed that it would be easy to work on the Island if my business was web design - I could live anywhere! It wouldn't matter! But it is not the actual web design work that creates the problem - it is the marketing and sales. I find my customers want to meet me face to face. And they are leary of doing business with someone who lives farther away. They want personal and they want local. So far. I've been doing some work along the lines of becoming famous... next post.

Cold Calling

Brrr! It's Cold Out There!
Over the past year, I've discovered that while I am a very good web designer, I'm a lousy businesswoman. Or not really lousy, just inexperienced. So, I decided to learn all I could about small business and most especially, marketing.

One of the most important things I've learned is to keep trying! You MUST be persistent in whatever marketing you try. I actually took several classes in prospecting for clients. I found a great teacher and he offered several teleseminars or actually group coaching (check out his site - www.jumproductions.com). And I have learned a lot about cold calling.

One thing I've learned is that it is very, very hard to do. But, I've developed a system, a way of tracking my calls, a script, and have been tracking my successes. I've found that I do pretty well. Generally, I can make 10 cold calls and make 2 appointments. I limit myself to 10 calls per day or 2 appointments - whichever comes first. And then, I'm persistent!

Another thing I've learned is that I must be consistent. I noticed that over the holidays, I fell down on my cold calling and now I don't have much work and there is a break in my income. Not good! Well, learning is good - unfortunately I seem to have to learn by experience!

Joys of Working for Yourself

Dentist Appointments
There it is - the joy of working for yourself. I had a dentist appointment today, and I didn't have to worry about the boss complaining that I was gone half the day. I didn't have to dream up phony excuses (lies), nor do I have to feel guilty about taking time for myself.

The bad part is that I had to put the visit on my credit card, because I don't have dental insurance (I barely have health insurance). I had to pay $200 for a cleaning and x-rays and an exam and I'm not all that sure where the next grocery money will come from - but, look on the bright side - if I don't eat, I don't get cavities!

Birth of a Blog and a Business

Labor Pains.
I started my business about a year and a half ago and I wish I had started a blog then. I want to talk about what I've learned, and the problems I've had and the labor pains I have endured.
I really love owning my own business. I've wanted to start a business for many years. I've always had jobs (even careers) where I worked for someone else. It stifled my creativity, and I always had to beg the boss for a chance to expand, experience, and enlighten myself.
Now I have a chance to do it all - wow, what a challenge! Some days I want to quit and find a job. Some days I'm so high with the flush of success, you'd think I was overdosing.
I want to hear from others about their businesses and maybe learn some tricks and exchange some wisdom. Well, here's the place to start.