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10 Absolute "No's!" for Freelancers
2007-10-10 07:01:02
When I first started freelancing as a college student, I was eager to do any website and would say "Yes" to anything, regardless of my skill set or the time involved. It was just nice to know that someone needed me for a skilled task. Unfortunately, I quickly found myself working all the time, eating Ramen noodles, and not getting anywhere in terms of paying off my wonderful college debt. To make things worse, these people were also giving my contact info out to other such people (you know, the lady who has been thinking about selling dog sweaters online and has a $100 budget for an e-commerce site, 1000 brochures, and a guranteed #1 Google search result for the "dog", "sweater", and "love"). Anyways, now four years later, my world (AND financial success) now requires ample use of the answer "No." And here are ten questions I nearly always answer "No" to:1) Can you show me a mock-up to help us choose a designer/developer? No.I fell for this once when I was young and naive. I made no mo
Read more: Absolute , Freelancers

September Goal Almost Met: $25/Day Passive
2007-10-02 00:04:32
In one of my first posts, I set as a goal to have $25 a day in passive income (not including investement income) by the end of September . And despite spending most of my September either on the road and working on client work, I've been fortunate enough to come close to my first goal which was $25/day in passive income (no work necessary) in September. All in all, I hit about $700 passive in September which hopefully will continue and be built on. Most of the income came from selling Flash sales over at FlashDen -- unfortunately, sales have waned a bit there. I also made some on an old comic site I had by adding adSense and tweaking it so that it's a few bucks a day now. Furthermore, I signed up for Yahoo search marketing using a link that got me about $100 of free advertising, and then used the free advertising in conjunction with an affiliate program to make some cash as well.Moving forward, I'd better pick up the pace and try more things if I'm gonna hit my October goal of $50/d
Read more: Almost , Passive

Investment Income: Figure it Out
2007-09-27 12:32:12
The United States school system failed in educating me financially. I think the extent of my financial education growing up was: (a) always balance your check book (b) credit cards are evil (c) debt is alos evil (d) make sure you have a savings account that you put money into. Unfortunately, all four pieces turned out to be useless or just plain wrong. If it weren't for the internet and my insatiable thirst for control over everything, I'd be missing out on a revenue stream that currently pays my rent. Suprisingly, I continue to meet people who aren't doing things as basic as maxing out IRAs or they have tens of thousands sitting in their local savings account (for which the bank gladly thanks you as they make free cash off of it). Unfortunately, it's impossible to convince other people that they are wrong about money, so perhaps a brief rundown of my investment philosophy may help.Most people say reward and risk are inversely related -- you can't have lots of reward without lots
Read more: Income

Freelance Lesson: Stick to the Plan
2007-09-20 20:12:34
When you decide to go freelance or even map out your year's goals, you need to have your end goal in mind. When I decided to go freelance a few months ago, I had three routes."I want to be a full-time freelancer." This was the easiest route, giving me pretty flexible hours, a larger job marketplace (as you can pursue both direct-to-client and firm jobs). The upside would be flexibility in hours, promotion of my name, and ability to make the jump to another strategy with relatively minor resistance. The downside was lower rates (firms can usually charge more because clients assume there's a team on it :) and the fact that I could only generate as much money as I had time."I want to build a firm." A little more work required here, but the upside can be a higher payout (from higher rates, employee work, and the building of a business), larger clients (e.g. more money and "bragging rights"), and the ability to support employees (which I believe is an admirable goal). The downside is that
Read more: Freelance , Stick

Going Freelance: Rules of Preparation
2007-09-07 04:52:30
When I graduated from college 4 years ago, many of my programming and design peers spoke of starting their own business/studio. The idea seemed simple: work at home, charge the masses for your work, sleep in every day. However, I only know of one guy who pulled it off, mainly because he does really amazing stuff. Freelancing isn't a walk in the park. That's why most people work for someone else. And to be honest, I don't think I could be freelance now if I didn't work for three someone elses before making the switch. If you're thinking about going freelance, here's a few tips to help:1) Save Ahead of Time: I wouldn't say freelancing is riskier than a normal job, but the risk is all on you, so you better have a little savings. I personally had about 6 months of living expenses saved before making the switch. Good thing too, because believe it or not, on day one of "no more corporate health insurance," I found I had  major kidney stones, and had to use some sonic therapy that
Read more: Freelance , Going , Rules

Making AdSense Add Up
2007-08-30 03:54:30
In the last 6 months, I've worked on implementing AdSense on three different sites: an informational review site, a recreational "waste-time" site, and a professional blog. One costs tens of thousands of dollars, one costs lots of time, and one has been lying dormant on the web until it was monetized. I've read and tried many AdSense methods and tips found on the web and as these sites stand today, one has failed, one is successful, and one is showing promise. Here are some things I've learned from the sites that might help others in "AdSensing" their own site. AdSense is Ugly When the site is new, don't use any AdSense or any advertising unless it's really well done like the ads on the right. The last thing you want is potential readers to be turned off early because you have adSense uglifying your site. Yeah I know it's exciting to think that you have ads immediately on your site, ads that you might "accidentally" click when visiting the library. But really, is it worth a few


So I bought an iPhone...
2007-08-26 18:48:13
I did it. I gave in to the the hipsters, Apple's marketing, and my own inner demons that tell me "I'm not cool enough." Thing is, I wanted to feel buyer's remorse; I wanted to be a scoffer. But instead, I find that I love my iPhone and am already evangelizing it to others. Here's why buying an iPhone makes sense (at least for me): It saves money. Yes, even with the $500 price tag. Right now, I'm paying Verizon $70+ for a phone with about 500 minutes and no data, no maps, no anything except phone calls. Even text messages cost me money. Now I'm sure there might have been a better plan that I missed, but now that I'm with the iPhone, I pay $60 or so for 450 minutes, 200 SMS, and here's the huge swing cost: unlimited data. Even with the initial iPhone cost built in, spread it over the 24-month contract and the iPhone is the better deal (plus, I am 0 for 6 on good Verizon customer service). Email! Wow...their email app works great. I never thought I'd waste time trying to use a m


Free Junk Fridays
2007-08-23 22:10:29
Keep an eye out for a new section here called Free Junk for stuff like Flash components, stock images, and other great designer/development tools and/or other junk. I'll post them on random Fridays , but expect the free stuff to be of this quality:  XML-Based Image Gallery (Customizable)By the way, this a file I currently sell over at Flash Den. Anyways, sign up for the feed on the right to get alerts as I keep posting and adding Free Junk.


Set Goals or Get Nothing Done
2007-08-13 16:04:53
For several weeks after I quit my job, I didn't do much in the way of building income or finding new freelance work. This lack of progress seems to coincide with my lack of setting goals. Then I read this interview with David Dellanave at ShoeMoney.com. He's a programmer who teamed up with Jeremy Schoemaker and in six months, was earning $300 a day in passive income (100K a year -- not bad). So that got me thinking...that's a good metric to go by. Thus came my first goal -- $100 a day by the end of the year. Broken down, I plan to be earning $25/day passively by the end of September, $50 by the end of October, etc.First plan: going after the easy money -- monetizing any sites I have with AdSense, selling stock photography, selling stock Flash, affiliate programs, starting a blog to eventually monetize. Here we go...
Read more: Goals , Nothing

So I Finally Quit My Job...
2007-08-10 14:56:37
I've had 3 jobs in the 4 years since I graduated from college. It's not that I've ever been fired, rather I usually get glowing recommendations. The real problem is that I have a hard time working on other people's ideas when I don't believe in them - and this happens more often than not. So I figured, why not go freelance, work part-time implementing other people's ideas wth some degree of control, and in my free time, develop my own ideas. So with a supportive wife and about half a year of my salary saved (albeit half in retirement funds), I moved from Atlanta to Milwaukee and began.  That was two months ago.  Thus far, I've established myself in Wisconsin, drummed up some part-time freelance work, and have begun exploring the multitude of ways to earn passive cash online. You can see my current projects and progress in the box Income Report Card at the top. I hope that what I have learned and will learn helps others as they pursue financial independence.
Read more: Finally

5 Absolute "Yes's!" for Freelancers
2007-10-15 01:09:07
Just so I don’t invoke bad karma from the client gods that be, I've decided I should follow up on my previous post, '10 Absolute "No's!" for Freelancers .' I've been fortunate enough to usually fill up my freelance hours, and I think the following answers have played a big part in this success. Feel free to add what has worked for you!1) Can you tell me your rates? YesMany people will demur from voicing their rates because they want to feel the client out and see what they can "get" from them. I'm not a fan of this game and feel that your best bet is to simply tell them exactly what you charge. Just be ready to defend your rate if need be as they probably know someone cheaper. Unfortunately, hourly rates do not tell the client how much you actually get done in an hour, but hopefully, you have a portfolio and client testimonials to back you up. Furthermore, I would rather work for someone who up front "buys into" my rate and my worth.2) Can you get this done by _________? Yes.Eve


32,381 People Who Make Websites
2007-10-21 01:17:02
A List Apart has just just published their survey of "people who make websites," with participation from 32,381 web professionals. Over 90% of the respondents hailed from the United States, Canada, Europe, and Australia, with most of them being in either their 20's or 30's. The survey report is more than 80 pages, so let's look at some of the more interesting stats:Who are you? Who am I?It turns out that there is a pretty good 1/3 split between designers, developers/webmasters, and managerial/support fields:80% have at least some college education, though only half actually studied fields relating to their current web-industry job (many self learners there be)60% work more than 40 hours a week, and 72.5% have time for keeping a personal blogAbout 23% are either self-employed or freelance on some level (which is pretty high compared to other industries)65% have had 3 jobs or less, and 20% aspire to start their own business somedayFemales make up 41.6% of the writers, but only 7.2% of
Read more: Websites

Free Stuff Bonanza: Flash, Audio, and a Book
2007-10-18 23:08:12
It's another Free Stuff Friday, and I've added a whole heapful of stuff in the Free Stuff section. Everything there is 100% free for personal or commercial use as long as you don't try to resell the Flash /audio stuff. So what do we have this Friday?First, a number of Flash files for you to use in projects with FLA source included. These should work in Flash 8+, so have at it.Second, I've added some amazing audio loops donated by Adrien Gardiner of ADG3 Studios. His stuff is top-notch quality and I'm sure you'll find use for them.And lastly, I have a brand new Letterhead and Logo Design 9 book to give away to someone. To win the book, simply reply in a comment to this thread -- simple as that. Make sure you enter your email too so I can contact the winner who will be announced in this thread Wednesday. I'm even willing to send this international if it can be done reasonably.
Read more: Audio

Terms and Conditions for Web Freelancing
2007-10-17 21:04:12
I've had a number of people ask me if I would share my Terms and Conditions as it guards against some of the shadier clients you may encounter (although it's not really that bad out there if you stay honest and optimistic :-) Anyways, I've prepared a Word Doc in the hopes that it might help out any budding freelancers out there. Some things to keep in mind:This is not my actual TAC. I've cut out parts specific to me and put it in a Word Doc. If you plan to have your own TAC, I would suggest creating a one-page branded PDF version.This is a website freelancing TAC as almost all of my work involves web design and development. If you plan to do other stuff like print or apparel, make sure you add appropriate sections.Feel free to pass this along to others, but please do not redistribute it on another website.By looking at this file, you absolve me from ever being responsible for anything you ever might do with this document, including but not limited to lawsuits, bad debts, and paper


Free Junk Fridays
2007-08-23 22:10:29
Keep an eye out for a new section here called Free Junk for stuff like Flash components, stock images, and other great designer/development tools and/or other junk. I'll post them on random Fridays , but expect the free stuff to be of this quality:  XML-Based Image Gallery (Customizable)By the way, this a file I currently sell over at Flash Den. Anyways, sign up for the feed on the right to get alerts as I keep posting and adding Free Junk.


Link Roundup: Blogging Tips
2007-10-23 19:05:34
Want to build your blog audience and perhaps turn it into passive income? Here are a few recent articles from around the web to help you out. First, TechCrunch shows us the top blogs from Google Reader and how you can find out your Google Readership. And for all those list junkies out there (myself included), here are 25 ways to promote your blog and on the flip side, 41 Reasons why your blog sucks. And although this last article is older, it's a classic that I've used to help me often: How To Market Your Blog in 2007. And for fun, why not see how much your blog is worth?
Read more: Blogging

7 Tips on Quoting Freelance Projects
2007-10-29 01:10:03
One of the tougher aspects of freelancing is making sure you get paid a fair amount for your work. I'm sure every freelancer has at least one story of either getting grossly underpaid or not getting paid at all. So here are seven tips to help you improve your quoting."Discover" the client's budget. When you initially talk to clients, very few will volunteer their budget because they want to hire you for the least amount possible. So to get them to show their cards, try using a preliminary "discovery" worksheet for them to fill out. Have this worksheet ask questions about their goals, timeframe, and of course, budget (although you may want to assure them that this is not for quoting purposes, but to better "explore" possibilities). Clients seem to be more forthright when the process is formalized. Spend time on your proposal. As nice as a potential client may seem, as agreeable as his terms may seem in your initial communication, always create a proposal and always put in the time to
Read more: Freelance , Projects

More Free Flash and Coffee for Bloggers
2007-11-02 01:54:43
Over in the Free Stuff section, we've added another cool preloader and updated the photoSlide image gallery to include captions (all run from the XML). Also, we have a little giveaway involving $5 gift cards to a coffee shop that rhymes with "Barducks." (According to them, we can't use their official name with any giveaway so people won't think they are supporting us. Yeah, it makes no sense to us either...). Anyways, a free card awaits the first five people who:Have an active blog/site that they usePost a link on your blog that refers to a blog entry hereComment on this post with their blog/site address so I can check (make sure you enter your email so I can contact you) US only. First five people only. And my sincere apologies to those without blogs and those who are not one of the first five. It's only highly-sugared coffee anyways :-)
Read more: Coffee , Flash

Your Basic SEO Tutorial: Part One
2007-11-04 21:23:00
Part One: An SEO IntroductionFor anyone who has done any website freelancing, you know that more and more often, potential clients are requesting some form of Search Engine Optimization in your proposal. Unfortunately, SEO is one of the most misunderstood topics on the internet, even more so for clients with little website experience. Misconceptions abound, many of which are still popular (e.g. metatags are very important, it's easy to get to #1 for common words, etc.). So where does a freelancer fit in here? Well... if potential clients want SEO, then you should probably know SEO. Not only should you be able to explain SEO concepts and ideas to a potential client, but you should also be able to implement methods to actually help your client's search rankings and thus, gain credibility. Let's get started:The SEO NeedSearch Engine Optimization is simply any set of methodologies used to improve a website's rankings on search engines such as Google, Yahoo, and MSN. In other words, if
Read more: Basic , Tutorial

The SEO Tutorial: Website Building
2007-11-08 03:57:23
This is part two of our official, authorized, and approved SEO Tutorial . Hopefully, you've already read part one -- The SEO Tutorial: Introduction -- and thus, you now know two things: Although good SEO can bring you traffic, it is far from a set of magic tricks to get you on the first page of Google. It is important for you to know who your potential audience is, and from that, formulate the important keywords and phrases you want to aim your SEO towards.So let's move on to properly implementing SEO when building a site. Since we can't cover the hundreds of SEO methodologies and theories, I will focus on the areas of primary importance. If you get these few areas perfect, I can guarantee that you're in pretty good shape as far as your internal SEO goes:1. Your website name/title/subtitle should be concrete, focused, and branded.The title of your website is important for two primary reasons. First, search engines regard the title of your website (i.e. the words that show up in you
Read more: Building

The SEO Tutorial Recap
2007-11-15 19:11:12
This is just a recap of the recently finished SEO Tutorial , a simple SEO primer for website builders and those who are more used to designing than worrying about search engines. However, as more websites ask for search engine optimization, the more likely you will have to deal with it. So here were the four parts, all in one posting:IntroductionA brief introduction to search engine optimization; how it all works and what you can and can't expect.Website BuildingA guide to the best methods and practices when building your website.Link BuildingThe importance of backlinks and link quality, as well as methods on how to create such links.Tools and More EducationA compilation of great tools for SEO as well as the top websites for further search engine news and education.Hope the series has been helpful and please add anything else about SEO that you think might help others...
Read more: Recap

The SEO Tutorial: Link Building
2007-11-13 17:54:12
Search engines have always been the primary way of finding information on the internet. And once upon a time, these search engines were many and had names like Lycos, Altavista, and Hotbot. Furthermore, these engines all worked very similarly, listing their results based mostly on website content and keyword use. Of course, this made the results fairly easy to manipulate -- you only had to stuff more keywords in your meta tags and on your webpage. Then one day, a new search engine arose, one with the curious name of Google. Google decided that the current way of finding the best results was lacking. So they focused on a new technique: they began looking at the links that came into your website. Each link, they figured, was a "vote" for your site; the more people that "voted" for your site, the more likely it was that your site was useful and should be listed high in the results for the keywords that linked to it. Thus began the rise of Google, as webmasters tried a multiplicity of ways
Read more: Building , Link Building , SEO , Tutorial

43 Things That Run my Website Business
2007-11-19 21:35:12
Having brewed websites for almost 12 years now, I've used a fair share of tools and websites to help streamline the process. Nowadays, as a busy freelancer and online entrepreneur, I try to stay as efficient as I can in the web creation process. Just about every tool/website listed here I use on at least 90% of my projects. The Creative1. Photoshop CS2 - Yeah, kinda obvious -- I upgrade every other version usually. Used for all my imaging needs.2. Flash CS3 - Another obvious one. Although I also use Flash for all my vector needs as well (as opposed to buying Illustrator). Most people would argue that Illustrator is a "must-have," but you'd be surprised how much you can accomplish with Flash (and of course, I speak as web designer/developer, not a print or identity designer). I'm sure I'll get it someday :-)3. The FWA - The standard for the best Flash websites on the web. Great inspiration fuel.4. CoolHomePages - Another website that simply databases great looking websites, all file
Read more: Business

The Two Sides of "Website Favors"
2007-11-25 15:17:23
Certain occupations tend to elicit more "favor asking" than others: tax accountants, auto mechanics, and website designers come to mind. And in my experience, people who create websites are usually very giving people, often working nights and weekends for free. The problem is, as a website creator, it's easy to focus on the people or cause you are helping and forget those things that you are sacrificing in the process.The ProblemHelping people is good. I don't know of any website creator that would say he doesn't like helping people. However, what some people don't realize is that by helping one person, you are precluding helping others. Two examples of this come to my mind:Scenario 1: You have a good day job at a design firm, a wife, and are mildly active in your church or community. Occasionally, you have to stay late at work, but that's the nature of any design firm. Life seems somewhat busy, but you still find it hard to say "No" when friends or family ask for some "quick des
Read more: Sides

2 Days, 65K Visitors, and 4 Hard-Knock Lessons
2007-11-24 10:29:12
So an article from last month hit the front pages of Digg, Reddit, and del.icio.us over the last two days, and of course, brought in a large influx of visitors. The thing is, when a flood of traffic hits, all the minor issues on your site become magnified that much more. Here are 4 particularly pointed lessons to remember:Develop a Fail-Proof Proofreading Method - You may think that you're a good writer. You may have gotten high marks in collegiate English and won a few spelling bees in grade school. Your English professor may have even called your writing "refreshingly lucid." But you will make embarassing writing mistakes, and believe me, the community at large will point them out and often discredit all your content because of it. Yes, I know it's annoying when commentors go nuts about a spelling mistake, but don't bring it on yourself by being a lazy proofreader.Don't Take Things Personally - Truth is, unless you have moments when you speak ex cathedra, your writing only encomp
Read more: Knock , Lessons , Visitors

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