Getting Work

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Getting Work

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aries Posts: 1 From: Tallahassee, FL, USA Status: offline	Getting Work - 4/13/2000 18:02:00 I'm a graphic artist from a certified Tech School program. I have Frontpage but find it difficult to find anyone that wants a website that I feel is within my capabilities because I'm not a programmer. How do you find interested people? I've done one site for pay and it was a nightmare because the woman kept trying to print the site to use as a brochure and kept asking me to fix the copyfitting because it wouldn't print out the way she wanted it to. Also, how do you respond to those "in the business" that don't consider you a professional because you use Frontpage. I get alot of that. Thanks, aries Visual Resolutions.com

Marr

Posts: 303
From: Lincoln, Nebraska, USA - GO HUSKERS!!!
Status: offline

RE: Getting Work - 4/13/2000 18:21:00

From what I understand...FP98 used to mangle html badly...that is why it has gotten such a bad rap. FP2000 has made major strides at being a very good tool. HTML, although a programming language is pretty easy to catch on to. I am still learning it but I have found it very interesting and even fun. Javascripting as well.
People on this board are making excellent sites every day using FP. There is no reason to feel unprofessional about it. Web design is more than html and other scripting languages. It is also a good eye for design of imagery and site structure. There are plenty of html gurus that are styless and this hurts them as bad as you not knowing the code. It will come. Being a graphic designer has you well ahead of many on this board. If you are a professional and build professional looking sites and ACT like a professional by believing you are one...you will be taken seriously. Work up some sites...send them here to be critiqued and start the learning process.

As far as finding clients that accept the use of FP in determining a designer...I think that may be how you are coming across more than it is the program. Most potential clients don't know the first thing about web sites let alone the number of programs you can use to build one. I think you just need to practice a little bit of self esteem enhancement and this is the place to do it.

------------------
Marrianne Williams
Stu Reilly Design
StuReillyDesign.com

(in reply to aries)


HomeSpecial Posts: 14 From: Fremont, CA, US Status: offline	RE: Getting Work - 4/17/2000 13:17:00 Don't waist your time on learning HTML when FrontPage 2000 can handle everything in an orderly fashion. 56K can't handle all the big flash yet so it's better to concentrate on style, navigation, and just a few well set blinking lights. Prove yourself by building 3-4 different fake sites on GeoCities or another Freebie place. Then create a flyer and personally deliver it to local businesses telling them what you do and how good it is. Offer them a free Savings Coupon on a website you build and then promote their business a little and see if you get some coupon users. Then they will know you are serious and refer your business out to others once you have built their web. Check out what I did for local businesses on my Real Estate site. http://HomeSpecial.com click on the Coupons banner. I started this idea last week and it's going like gangbusters. GoodLuck, you can do it. JP (in reply to aries)

Gil

Posts: 7533
From: North Carolina, USA
Status: offline

RE: Getting Work - 4/17/2000 13:40:00

quote:
Originally posted by HomeSpecial:
Don't waist your time on learning HTML on

THIS IS THE WORST ADVICE EVER POSTED HERE!!!!

To build true professional quality web sites with FP OR any other editor (Dreamweaver, Drumbeat, etc.), you will _HAVE_ to know HTML. All editors have their own little quirks and you will be required to go into the raw code and make corrections, without knowing the language you will not be able to do that.

Writing Web Sites without knowing HTML is akin to writing speeches for an American politician without knowing English.

------------------
Gil Harvey
"No one is listening until you make a mistake"
Old Hippy Productions, Inc.
Developers check here for Authorize.net Accounts

(in reply to aries)


garyb Posts: 208 From: North Clarendon Vermont USA Status: offline	RE: Getting Work - 4/17/2000 13:47:00 Thanks Gil. I didn't quite know how to respond to that response. I'm always tweeking the code or adding something to the code. (in reply to aries)


Marr Posts: 303 From: Lincoln, Nebraska, USA - GO HUSKERS!!! Status: offline	RE: Getting Work - 4/17/2000 14:51:00 I have to go with Gil and GaryB on this one. You are at a major disadvantage by not knowing the code. While FP does much better at not mangling the code - you will still find it's limitations and the importance of having the ability to troubleshoot it. ------------------ Marrianne Williams Stu Reilly Design StuReillyDesign.com (in reply to aries)

Thomas Brunt

Posts: 6109
Joined: 6/6/1998
From: St. Matthews SC USA
Status: offline

RE: Getting Work - 4/17/2000 15:29:00

I think it depends on what you want to do.

If you want to be able to exercise maximum control over design and functionality then you need to understand html. It's not hard.

It's different than markup for word processing applications because it has to be cross-browser-compatible, and because we're always trying to do things with it that it was never intended to do.

If your needs are simple, however, then you probably don't need to know html.

It is possible to succeed with a very simple site.

------------------
Thomas Brunt

(in reply to aries)

Posts: 5551
From: Montana USA
Status: offline

RE: Getting Work - 4/25/2000 21:53:00

Back to the original question... finding interested people.

Sounds like you had your nightmare client. Hopefully you won't have another for a very long time. Some you just need to be firm and let them know it can't be done, it can't be done for the price they are paying ("add $10,000 and we'll talk"), it's not supposed to work that way, etc. If you lose them, so be it, though you should try to let them leave on good terms.

One idea for finding good clients is to do a community site or a site for a non-profit group (hopefully with plenty of members). One site I've done at www.rubyvalley.com has given me the local exposure I need without having to pay for advertising. (though I really should do a press release - small town papers are hungry for news and I've been too lazy to take advantage)

I just did a revision of it; took off the ideas I had that just weren't working and simplified it. It's fun doing ones just for yourself because anything goes and you can make whatever changes you want. I charge $25/yr for a listing on this site, which is outragously low, but I just wanted to cover expenses, get exposure and show up my local competition that was charging $10-$30/month for absolutely nothing! He must be a much better salesman than me, but I don't want to be calling around trying to collect $10 at a time. I've set October for my billing month for this site, but am thinking of doing a spring sign-up for the exposure.

I wouldn't recommend such a low listing rate for almost anyone else, but I live in a small rural community and wanted content rather than dollars. What good would this site be to me without actual information?

(Of course, there's always the sites with free links!) Directly and indirectly, this site has brought me 6 paying clients so far and another inquiry just last Friday.

If you have an interest in an associated group, this could work very well. See www.nhbba.org that Marr has done by request of the Nebraska Home Based Business Assoc. The previous web designer had drawn business from doing their site... I expect Marrianne will have a hard time keeping up with requests!

It takes time, but keep working at it. Re-read Marr's first post here. It's good advice.

- Linda

[This message has been edited by LB (edited 04-25-2000).]

(in reply to aries)