Given the complexities of the various phases of the web design and development process – including many variables often revolving around pending client feedback – I have often wondered how other web designers go about scheduling their own projects.

Status Quo

Although I officially started my web design company, iDesign Studios, in 2001 – it was originally nothing more than a bit of side work here or there. It wasn’t until the last couple years that I finally had the drive and determination to take my business to the next level.

Next month marks my one year anniversary of having quit my day job to run my company full time, and things have been steadily getting busier. Up until recently, my general policy on scheduling new projects was to start work on them immediately upon receipt of a signed contract and 50% deposit, delivering each major phase within one week (with two to three business days for minor revisions).

With this method, my workload has been (for the most part) completely manageable… until the moon and stars align, and I get hit with three or four people sending in their contracts and deposits over a two day period – leaving me with a very busy week ahead!

I’ve found this to be happening more and more frequently lately, and realize it’s finally time to re-evaluate my scheduling process.

Time For A Change

One of the primary reasons I made the move towards running my own business full time – in addition to being able to earn a decent living doing something that I love – is so that I could have more control of my life… aka work / life balance.

Over committing myself to too many client projects at a given time is not only stressful, but stretches me thin.

In addition to the health factors associated with too much stress, it can also lead to less creativity and lesser quality work – something that I am not willing to compromise on.

Currently Booking Projects Starting ___ [Insert Date Here]

I often see sites where developers post a note stating something like “Now booking projects for ___ [x date in the future]”

What I always wondered, was how do they determine what that future date should be? How many active projects do these designers take on at a given time?

I recently posed these questions on Twitter and got a lot of great feedback in 140 character blurbs. At the same time, I also found that several of you are struggling with the same scheduling issues.

@veeroo18 -  i took mostly 2 full web design per month. .. though its too less but i do some other design jobs too like logo icons

14 Designers Share Their Advice…

Despite the great advice I received on Twitter, it was obviously limited to short one liners. Since the issue of project management and scheduling seemed to be on a lot of people’s minds, I wanted to expand upon these short responses by asking for more detailed explanations from some of the designers and developers who are quite active in the design community.

You might want to pull up a chair and grab a cup of coffee for this one, because it is a bit lengthy. However the wide range of scheduling techniques shared below are worth the read!

I know that I’ll be pulling bits and pieces from the suggestions below as I re-structure my own scheduling process – I hope you are able to do the same!

How do you go about scheduling work when you sign a new client? For example, when people say something like “now booking projects for June 2009″

This process is not always set in stone, I will typically get all the details from the client on the project and finalize exactly what they need done (this usually takes a few emails to narrow down). Once I have all the details and they have been quoted on the project, I will then ask them for a deadline, I then try to work around all the projects I receive and get the ones that have the closest deadlines done in the order that they were received.

Although this does not always work out to be a perfect scenario, so some deadlines may have to be re-adjusted based on the work already scheduled, clients make changes to scope, etc. I typically try not to allow a client to make a deadline that is within a few days so that they won’t expect to get a ‘rush’ project done on a normal busy week sometime in the future without being subjected to a rush fee.

I try to set client ‘expectations’ so that they know what to expect next time they need something done .

I don’t really take on enough clients to have to worry about this. When I sign a new client I sit down and do a rough timeline for the project but that’s usually the extent of it.

We typically will only take on 3 large projects at a time. We always have smaller projects being completed each week (print designs etc), but to really provide exceptional service to our clients, we only work on 3 larger projects at any given time.

Usually I have a clear plan in my head so I can give a rather precise deadline for the work. I always take into account the number of active projects and the priority of those. I have discovered to work very well under pressure which is why I regularly take on last-minute projects (charging accordingly though).

I’m usually always up for discussing new projects, even when I am super busy. So I usually start by talking things over with the client straight away, finding out what they want and putting a proposal together.

Depending on my work load I’ll start working on the project within 2-4 weeks, depending on when they can provide me with all the assets and a deposit.

I use a spreadsheet where I track the amount of time booked and available each month.  When I’m discussing the project with a new client, I’ll use it to let them know when I can schedule their project.

I also don’t lock in a date until I have a signed contract and deposit back from the client.

I’ve averaged about 100 project a year now since freelancing fulltime three years ago.  Some of them are large multi-month projects, others are simple three day turnarounds.  No matter what the project involves, I have learned that the best thing to take into consideration is your own ability.  I’ve gotten to the point where I know how long it will take to design a mockup, animate a Flash banner, or design a logo.  Because of this I can manage my time better.  I also am a big fan of sticky notes and a calendar.  It really helps to know what projects are coming up and which ones you are awaiting feedback from.

Overall, I typically have 3 or 4 projects going on at the same time.  Each is scattered and in a different phase of development.  So while I may be waiting to hear back from Client A about layouts, I can be working on Client B’s Flash header.  Then I can switch gears to Client C and start developing their site in HTML/CSS.

I also enjoy bouncing between projects as it helps to keep things from becoming stagnant.  Projects that have long timelines can get boring if that is all you are working on.  Though in all honesty, I’ve never had a project that took up 100% of my time.  Typically there is always at least a few days of downtime waiting to get feedback or approval between development phases.  This is especially true for larger clients.  Generally speaking, the larger the brand is, the more time needed for feedback.

Before I sign a new client I usually give them a basic idea of how long it will take me to complete the project based on the brief as well as when I will be able to start the project.  After the project gets the green light, I also provide clients with a list of milestone dates.

Oh, I need to re-think *everything*.

If I say, for example, now booking at the end of May, in my head I know I can start two new client projects that week. At least two major ones. It depends. We get a lot of little jobs, so we fit them in and around everything else.

We probably juggle too much though. I have a hard time turning down projects, especially if my referral list is as booked up as I am.

I’ve got a big blank desk calendar on the wall and tend to slot people in on Mondays. So whoever gets to me first, I slot them in the next available start date. Next client on the list gets started a week later, depending on how big the previous job was. Sometimes if they are BIG, I’ll space them every 2 weeks.

And then add in little one-off jobs around them.

If there are no other open/active projects on my plate then it’s pretty much whenever the prospective client is ready to begin. If I am entertaining two or more prospective projects at the same time, the scope of each project along with the client’s constraints dictate my response to each. One of the first questions I ask the prospect during initial conversations is “Do you have any upcoming external requirements for this project, such as a scheduled press release or event?” If not, then I present to them my typical two-month project plan of attack. Explaining this to them, along with what they are responsible for and how it affects the proposed launch, usually makes them think about what they’re asking of me.

If the project has no pressing timelines right off the bat, once an estimate is approved (via Freshbooks) I’ll kick off the project by setting it up in Basecamp, assigning milestones, to-dos, permissions, etc. From that point, it’s in my process flow and everything is in one place.

Lately I’ve been working on at least three projects at the same time, in various stages of completion. RFPs continue to come in, almost in sporadic spurts. Some are for consulting and advice, some are for full blown projects. I am up front and honest with all new prospects, letting them know what I currently have going on, and when I think I’d be able to get to their project. They seem to appreciate the openness and candor. I recently added a line to my RFP form stating that I am booking for projects starting in May, only because I reached a point where I knew I couldn’t handle any more active gigs while trying to be a family man and have a social life.

I don’t tend to have any highly detailed scheduling plans, for me it’s more a case of checking over jobs I’m working on and at what pace they are progressing, then book in as appropriate. In cases where I’m a little worked up I’ll postpone new work for the following month or so.

Well, I always have a steady flow of work both from new clients and existing ones that I never really had to put a ‘not available’ or ‘now booking’ notice on my site. If my schedule is full I’ll refer the client to a fellow designer, or ask the client if he or she could wait [insert number of days/weeks here] for my schedule to clear before I start work on their project.

I try to schedule about a month in advance. Most of my clients have no problems knowing that I am booked until XYZ date. Letting them know that I try to only work on one project at a time shows them that their project is important to me and gets the attention it deserves.

I don’t really have a set way I schedule projects. I am always aware of my current work load, so when discussing new projects with new clients, I give them a rough schedule based on what I know my workload will allow.

What is the maximum number of active web design / development projects you have going on a given week? This is in reference to full design and / or development – not so much the “little” jobs like making quick updates to an existing site, etc.

I typically try to only have 2 big ‘full site’ projects in any given week, because most of the time when building a site from scratch its going to take more than 40 hours to get it all squared away.

2 Projects gives you enough time each day to make a good amount of progress on the sites without working a 100 hour week to keep up with everything (including the little stuff that you get anyway, like maintenance). It also depends on the size of the projects as well, so this is a little adjustable given the situations.

I try not to take on more than 3 full projects at a time otherwise my focus becomes too split and I can’t do my best work.

If we receive additional inquiries while we have 3 large projects running, we provide an estimated commencement date for any new projects. Most of the time, the clients are happy to wait to have their project started as they have researched companies quite a bit, and have decided to work with us, even if we can’t start their project immediately.

It is really down to how well new/potential clients respect your company and the potential you have to make their project successful for then.

That is a tough question since I’ve only started doing freelance work and uni has kept me busy until now. I do however have 3 active projects at the moment. In future I plan on having one or two large projects per week while working on lower priority jobs simultaneously.

I usually focus on 2 projects per week, while dealing with small updates, admin and communicating with new & other clients on the side.

I don’t have a maximum number of projects, I work based on my availability.  I might have two large projects going on at once or 6 small projects.

The most active projects I’ve had at one time was seven.  A couple of clients had some large last minute revisions before launching the site and just by chance I had received feedback and approval on other projects all at the same time.  It really doesn’t happen but once a year at most, but when it does you have to be willing to put in the time.

I’m a stickler on deadlines, and if I quote a timeline, then I will do everything possible to meet that deadline.  It ended up being a very hectic week with many long nights, but I didn’t miss a single deadline.  One of the projects I was working on that week was even awarded an Addy award.  Sometimes pressure can bring out the best in you.

I work with a small team of designers and developers so I can handle a lot more projects than just a single freelancer.  As far as my design business goes, WordPress Designers, I can usually handle about 5 design jobs and 5 code jobs at once.

On any given day, we’re working on as many as 4 to 6 different sites, jumping back and forth. If we need feedback from a client and have to wait, we just start on a task on the next client or one of those small jobs, or the still-in-progress previous client.

I am always overbooked and always running over, so I need to figure out something. Since the kids are around and we have a pretty full life anyway, we have a lot of interruptions. I keep regular hours, but Ron gets up late and goes to bed late because he works really well at night.

I try to limit myself to four active projects–full website development or redesign projects for businesses, using WordPress as the back-end CMS of choice. This doesn’t necessarily mean I am actually working on four projects every week, since more often than not I am waiting on client input/feedback/content. I am still a one-man shop, and a good portion of every day is spent on client communication and project management. I am getting better at this as time goes on (I’ve been doing freelance work since 2003); it is a trait that requires constant training.

I’ll also do occasional maintenance work for past clients, that aren’t necessarily active. And of course I will certainly allow some time for a Twitter response, email, or phone call for consulting, advice and the like.

I enjoy taking on projects that cover logo design, a character design or two and maybe a t-shirt or skateboard deck every now and again as well as general web design. There’s also quite a difference in time spent on jobs consisting of just the Photoshop mockup and those involving the actual site build. With this in mind it’s difficult to put a specific number on active projects, but six is a nice average. From past experiences I don’t like to take on more than 10 jobs at any one time as a personal rule of thumb.

I usually have a max of 3 projects I’m working on at the same time. It happens I’ll have more though cause we know sometimes some projects take longer than expected, but usually not more than 3 projects in a week.

I try not to take on more than 1 web design / development job in a week. If i took on more than this I would probably go nuts. I have a full time job and maintain my blog on top of freelancing.

Again, I don’t really have a set maximum number. Some projects are on a much larger scale then others. Sometimes, I could get several projects done in a few days. Other projects may take several days individually.

So again, for me it’s about knowing my workload, and scheduling jobs at a pace that keeps the client happy, and keeps me sane.

As much as we can plan for the various phases of a full web design project, there are inevitably client delays in providing feedback, content, etc… How do you handle these delays when they put a wrench in your project scheduling?

I try my best to keep projects moving forward and as fast as possible and within the deadline. Anytime a client starts slacking on the details or direction of a project I get as much of it done as possible so that the ball is in their court in every way, then I send periodic or daily email reminders to them just checking on the status of the items in question.

I also try to be as friendly as possible when doing this, because lets face it, daily emails asking for assets are annoying, but are sometimes necessary to keep a project moving and within the designated deadline, and not stuck in the background while you are taking on new projects and trying to schedule those and get them done in a timely manner. Sometimes the client needs to be reminded of the deadline, and if they want to successfully reach that goal, they need to send you the feedback or assets that you need to accomplish this.

I try to look at it optimistically and treat it like found time. I generally take these opportunities to work on my own side projects.

We basically ensure that the client knows each time a delay occurs that it delays the overall schedule of the project, and as a result, the initial completion date that we provided at the start of the project is no longer accurate. If the delay is for a really significant length of time, then we have to let the client know that it can often lead to a delay in getting the project started again. We make sure that they understand that if an extremely long delay occurs  then we obviously have to continue to take on new projects…and we can only place their project back into the schedule when there is room available.

From the beginning on I always make it very clear that each project is a collaborations between the client and me. Both must be involved and keep up with schedule. The way I handle delays varies from the number of active projects I have. In slow phases I will send e-mails to remind the client of that he still needs to provide me with more information or resources. If I have a lot of work I will put that particular project on hold for a while and catch up with others. There is no clear plan, it depends on many variables which have to be taken into account.

Usually there is another client project I can work on but I also use this as an excuse to work on my own work. Side projects, writing blogs, learning etc.

I try to plan around delays by working on sections that need their feedback first.  I handle smaller delays by shifting projects around for the week.  If it’s a larger delay, I’ll contact the client and see if we need to renegotiate the timeline or responsibly.  The important part is to make sure you have at least one other project to fall back on, either a client or personal project.

Client delays happen.  It’s just the nature of business.  I include a clause in the estimate that warns the client that each phase of the timeline is impacted by response time.  I ask that they provide me with one main point of contact and that I need that person respond in a timely fashion.  If the project is larger, I add invoice dates into the estimate. That way, even if the client is holding up the project I can still submit an invoice and receive payment.

In the list of milestones, I also include dates for client feedback.  This helps to keep them from blaming me for not getting a project done on time.  They can clearly see that I need their feedback by a certain day to continue.  They see this from day one and have no one to blame but themselves if I don’t have their feedback by the date in the milestones.

It depends, I guess. If I’m waiting for their feedback and it’s been long enough I know it’s going to interfere with a proposed deadline, I’ll email a reminder and a notice that for every day they delay an answer, the deadline will be pushed back. I’ll even state flat out I can’t move forward / finish until and unless I get a reply.

Ah yes, the toughest part of any client interaction! I am actually dealing with this situation right now: client wanting to change the look and feel of the home page design two weeks before the scheduled launch date (original design was already approved). Generally speaking, since everything regarding the project is handled within Basecamp, the client can see exactly who needs what and when. And if something falls behind or isn’t completed it becomes readily obvious. In my experience, a message explaining the situation (late content delivery, feedback, and the impact) followed by a phone call to the decision maker usually lights a fire under the person(s) responsible for the delay. In polite terms, I simply say “work on the project will stop until…”

I generally don’t worry about delays too much, the downtime for one project always comes in handy on another, or to spend some time pumping out some blog posts for the upcoming month. As long as when said client comes back after 6 weeks they don’t expects their job to still be at the top of the list . However a quick check-in email can usually push a job forward when it reaches a stale point.

I try not to worry too much about this since it happens all the time. In the event a client is taking a bit longer to provide feedback on a design I’ll work on another project in the meantime or I’ll if I can I’ll work on my personal projects. I always have personal projects that need some attention so delays are rarely a problem.

I try to let clients know that signing contracts and estimates and sticking to deadlines helps us both. The more prompt they are the faster their project gets done.

Client delays seem to always happen. Thankfully, I normally have several other projects I could be working on as well. So, if I do not have what I need to finish a project at it’s ‘scheduled’ time, I’ll move onto the next.

What Is YOUR Scheduling Process Like?

Now it’s time to hear from you!

• What techniques do you use when scheduling
  work for new clients?
• On average, how many projects do you take
  on at a given time?
• How do you deal with client delays?

Please share in the comments below!

Of course, it goes without saying that I’d like to give a big thanks to all the designers who shared their scheduling process with us!

There’s been a LOT of buzz lately over Itty Biz’s latest product, Online Business School.

If you don’t know Naomi Dunford, she runs Itty Biz, which offers consulting to small and home business owners. It’s through the Itty Biz blog that I started gaining more knowledge as to how to run my own web design business full time – especially in terms of marketing and self-promotion.

My Own Personal Experience With Itty Biz

It wasn’t long before I hired Naomi myself – you can read more on my Taking the Freelance Plunge post, as well as on this home business success story over on Itty Biz.

Long story short, I knew that I wanted to leave my day job to run my own business full time. I had the talent as a web designer, but not necessarily the sales or marketing skills to make it a viable option.

I knew I needed some expert advice, so I hired Itty Biz back in January. We had an amazing consultation that set so many things in motion! I can’t even begin to express how motivational my consultations with Naomi were!

She offered me amazing advice and support, and I credit her with being a big part of the reason I was able to take the “plunge” a full 6 months earlier than planned. Of course determination and talent played the largest role, but Naomi’s helpful advice helped steer me in the right direction.

More Than Just Consulting

Itty Biz has since released several information products – including SEO School: How to Become an SEO Ninja. Last week, after an enormous amount of work Naomi and her husband Jamie have launched their next big  project:

• Online Business School

On The Fence

I admit, I was on the fence about buying this product for some time. As a client of Naomi’s, I know how great her advice is. This chick knows what she’s talking about – no doubt there!

But, I’ll be honest – Online Business School is not cheap. It’s currently $197 which for some people – myself included – is a bit of money. If you are thinking of buying, though – don’t wait too long, as this is just a limited price!

There are a LOT of big name bloggers who are marketing this product. Once the first 2,000 orders have been made, Online Business School will be going up to full price – $397.

Pretty good marketing technique I must say. More proof that Itty Biz knows their stuff, LOL. It worked on me, anyway, because I knew I wanted to get it, and wanted to get it at half price, so I made a purchase of my own over the weekend – and am so glad I did!

What Exactly Is Online Business School?

To get straight to the point, here’s what’s covered in the program…

The course consists of 6 modules – each consisting of an mp3 audio file, pdf ebook and mov video screencast. The modules focus on each of the 6 income streams to diversify your income:

• Affiliate Marketing
• Coaching and Consulting
• Ebooks and Downloads
• Niche Sites
• Physical Products
• Service Business

The pdf and audio files essentially cover the same material (the pdfs are transcripts of the audio). I find it helpful that they include both formats for several reasons:

• you can listen to the audio and follow along in the pdf at the same time (double reinforcement so to speak)
• if you learn better through reading, you can just read the pdf
• if you learn better by having someone talk to you, or if you want to pop this on your iPod while driving to work or running errands, you can listen along

The video is an added component from Naomi’s husband, Jamie. Different than the audio, these basically serve as companion pieces as they go further into some of the topics that Naomi covers in the audio portions. The videos consist of screencasts with examples of some of the site referenced in the audio, etc.

• the PDF files each run 9-10 pages long
• the audio files each run 35-40 minutes long
• the video files each run 20-30 minutes long

With 6 modules, it’s clear that they do not skimp on content!

Yeah, But What’s The Point?

The point of Online Business School is to teach you of the 6 different methods of earning income. With today’s economy being as down in the dumps as it is, it’s important not to rely on JUST one source of income alone.

Naomi wrote a post for the sales page titled “Why We’re Broke and How To Fix It” – the point to bring home here is that your family is depending on you. If you are depending on only one source of income – and something happens to that source – well, then what?

Say Goodbye to the Feast or Famine Cycle

As a freelancer or small business owner, you are probably all too familiar with the term “Feast vs Famine.” I touched upon this in the Get Clients Now series, which I want to start up again next year.

The goal of any small business owner – especially in a service business – is to sell your services and get a steady range of work. The operative word here being STEADY. Going solo or being self-employed, you no longer have that steady paycheck coming in once every two weeks. Nope. It’s now all up to you to secure your next client.

For most of us, there is an endless cycle of either having too much work, or not enough. In a service based industry, you typically start off by marketing your butt off to get some clients… when your marketing efforts pay off, you end up being slammed with work. That’s GREAT!

But the problem here is that you’re so busy doing work for your own clients that you end up not having any free time to continue marketing yourself. So a month or two go buy where you feverishly complete work for your new clients and get PAID!

But then what?

As you reach the end of these new client deadlines, you realize that you haven’t spent any time marketing yourself this last month or two. You’ve received your last payments for these jobs and think…

What the heck am I going to do NEXT month?

That’s where you’re potentially screwed. No new work other than the odd small job here or there. So what do you do? Market yourself like crazy again! You spend another month with hardly any income – instead you spend all of your time focusing on self-promotion.

That ends up being a financially difficult month as you scrape what money you had, possibly diving into savings – aka Famine. Until your promotional efforts pay off and you are once again slammed with work – aka Feast.

It’s an endless cycle – rinse and repeat.

Diversify Your Income

The theory to Online Business School is that you are playing with your family’s future and well being by putting all of your eggs in one basket. You go through the “Feast vs Famine” cycle, you get stressed on the slow months because ALL you have is your online service business, or your consulting business or product sales – whatever it is that you “do”

Enter the additional forms of income streams!

If you have several income streams going at once, you will always have SOMETHING coming in. Whether that be affiliate commissions, product sales, etc. you’ll have something to fall back on when your primary source of income slows down. And yes, it is inevitable that you will always have both busy and slow times regardless of what type of business you run.

One of the income streams covered in the course is ebooks and downloads. As a web designer – especially one who specializes in designing and developing custom WordPress Themes – I’ve toyed with the idea of releasing my own premium WordPress themes, but have yet to act on it.

Online Business School really hit home the point that I should have this in place already! For the slow months while I’m focusing my energies on self promotion, I could be making both affiliate and ebook/download sales as a backup. If I have a steady stream of 3-4 income sources going at the same time, I’ll never be completely stuck with NO income when one of the streams temporarily slows down.

I’ll be honest that I’m actually surprised by how much of a fire Online Business School has lit under me! There are ideas that I’ve tinkered with for months now, but haven’t taken any steps towards implementing.

But after listening to the program, I’ve actually started to schedule myself in – as though I were my own client – so that I can implement some of these new income streams. With the current economic crisis – for the well being of our own families – to safeguard our futures – how could we not?

It’s All Inter-Changeable

Another benefit of Online Business School? It’s not as transparent as it seems by looking at the list of what’s included.

When I first heard of the course, my first thought was…

Well I have a service based business. That’s all I need!

Why can’t she just sell them individually so I don’t have to shell out $200 for the whole thing?

Well first of all, that defeats the entire purpose of the course, as it’s goal is to teach you how to diversify your income. Yes, it’ll help give you techniques to make your existing method of income better. But, it’ll also teach you how to incorporate NEW income streams.

But better yet, in almost every case, EACH and EVERY module of the course has something you can incorporate to a different area.

For example…

• I’m primarily interested in the Service Business section. Upon listening to the Coaching and Consulting section – I realize that much of the advice still applies to my existing service based business.
• I figured the Physical Product section would be entirely pointless to me. Nope – this module touches on Search Engine Optimization and Ad Words (something I had not previously used and quite frankly didn’t know much about).
• The Coaching and Consulting module delves into issues of Pricing your service and Sales. Regardless of what kind of business you have – you do need to deal with pricing and sales.

I could go on, but long story short, I’m sure that you’ll find at least one item to take away from each and every one of the modules that can be applied to your business.

Working On My Own Income Streams

With the “How To” information from Online Business School, I’ve made it a priority to carve out some time to update my own site and service offerings. I learned some great ‘tricks’ from the Service Business module that I can use almost immediately to update on my own web site.

For the web designers reading – and I know a lot of you are web designers – there is a lot of good info for us in the course, especially in the Service Business module!

Still Not Convinced? Check Out the FREE Preview

If you’re still not sure if Online Business School is for you, go check out the (very long) sales page over on Itty Biz. There is a lot of FREE content on the site, including a few free video and audio pieces. Including an interview where Naomi mentions one of my own clients, Nicole from Pick Nick’s Brain as an example of a Consulting business!

There is also a video (pictured above) where Naomi explains how she made $176,000 in the first part of 2008. I can only hope to bring in that much income one day!

My Own Recommendation?

Yes, I do recommend Online Business School (and not just because I’m an affiliate – this is a completely honest and from-the-heart review!) Since I’ve worked directly with Naomi in the past, I know her, and I know first hand that she offers some kick ass advice.

And with this course, it is advice you have in video and audio files that you can replay whenever you want. Listen to them all now… or focus on just one aspect now, and come back to another in a month or two. It’s all there whenever you need.

Bonus Material

As if the course itself wasn’t enough, I received an email from Itty Biz the day after I purchased, saying that my bonus material was ready. Bonus material? Huh?

YES! Tons of great bonuses! I’m truly amazed at the support Naomi has received for Online Business School – many of the big bloggers out there have contributed their own products to be part of the bonus material.

Just for starters…

• Emergency Money Plan – Naomi Dunford from Itty Biz
  (a shorter, bonus audio for the course, which gives suggestions on how to make quick money if you are in a pinch)
• 30 Hours a Day – Dave Navarro from Rock Your Day
  (the first THREE sections of the program – both audio and PDF’s included)
• SEO Nomicon: SEO Magic for WordPress – Michael Martine of Remarkablogger
  (this is an advance copy – it hasn’t even officially been launched yet! – both audio and PDF included)
• Writing for the Web – James Chartrand and Harrison McLeod at Men with Pens
  (PDF ebook)

Plus many more – all-in-all, there are 9 bonus downloads!

Money Back Guarantee

And the best part of the deal? Itty Biz is also also offering a money back guarantee in case you don’t find Online Business School to be helpful at all.

Even better than a refund, if you have questions and don’t understand some aspect of the program – Naomi will personally coach you. The value of personal coaching is much greater than a refund, so how could you possibly say no to that?

I understand that you might be reluctant, which is why I’m giving you the same 100% money back, zero pain in the ass factor guarantee that I give for all my IttyBiz stuff. Except it’s going to be even better.

Because income streams are scary and because you might think you can’t do it and because I know you’re probably worried and hopeful at the same time, here’s what we’re going to do.

If, having gone through Online Business School, you are not absolutely certain you can create a better living on this crazy thing we call the World Wide Web, you have two choices.

I’ll give you your money back without being a pain in the ass about it. OR I’ll personally coach you through it so that you have a plan of action that will work for you.

Don’t Miss Out – Get 50% OFF Now!

If you’ve been considering purchasing Online Business School, but have been on the fence like I was – I do recommend you get your hands on a copy as soon as possible, while it’s still available at the discounted rate of 50% OFF.

• Online Business School

There is an introductory rate of 50% OFF the first 2,000 copies sold. But with the “big” bloggers promoting the course on their own blogs, you can bet the the discounted rate of 50% OFF will NOT last long – and trust me, you do not want to miss out on this!

You owe it to yourself to help safeguard your own future income! Get Online Business School today!

Last week, Naomi over at Itty Biz posed a thoughtful question to her readers: Let’s Play a Game – What’s Your Home Business?

Some might call this a meme, but she doesen’t specifically call anyone out to answer, so it’s NOT a meme, LOL.

Not as Obvious as You Think…

Naomi received a question from one of her regular readers, asking what she actually does for a living.

“So what do you actually do for a living?”

This can be somewhat shocking to hear that a regular reader doesn’t quite understand what you do… If a regular reader doesn’t get it – how are new visitors you your site or blog supposed to know?

Enter the What’s Your Home Business Game! Naomi posted several questions that will help clarify exactly what it is that you do for a living. Sounds like a fun and completely useful game. It’s my turn now, so here goes…

What’s your game? What do you do?

The quick answer - I design web sites.

iDesign Studios creates custom web sites
that help you stand out from the crowd.

My full personal and business speil’s are hopefully pretty obvious, and are placed up at the top of this blog and on the main business site.

Basically speaking, though, I design and develop web sites, from concept to completion. I’ll discuss your business needs with you, see where you are headed, come up with a plan and design a web site that will help your business grow. More on that process here.

Once we’ve finalized the design, I will develop it into a functional web site, using valid, W3C standards compliant code. If you like, I am also more than happy to continue working with you to update the content on your web site, adding new features, etc. – basically helping your web site grow along with your business.

Why do you do it? Do you love it,
or do you just have one of those creepy knacks?

I design and develop web sites because it’s what I love to do!

I have always been artistic, and was lucky to have a very early exposure to computers. My Dad got his first computer – a TRS-80 – way back when I was 3 years old. So maybe there is a tiny bit of “creepy knack” in there.

But, it’s more than just having a “creepy knack” because I actually enjoy it.

While I like the design phase – especially when you get in the “zone” - what I love the most is the development stage. The point of taking something that I designed and turning it into a functional web site.

I especially love learning new techniques. As a front-end web developer, you have to face challenges such as creating code that not only validates, but also looks good on a variety of web browsers. There are often several obstacles you come across in accomplishing this, while also maintaining the design that you created for a web site.

It’s when you surpass those obstacles – often times learning a new trick in the process – that I find to be the most exciting. This is a huge part of what I like the most about being a web designer / front-end web developer, and what makes me look forward to developing the next web site.

It’s a never ending learning process, one that I greatly enjoy!

Who are your customers?
What kind of people would need or want what you offer?

My clients are a mix of small to medium sized businesses, with the occasional larger organization thrown into the mix. However, the majority of my clients are small businesses – one man/woman shows, or small family run businesses.

Working with a wide range of businesses, industries
and organizations throughout the United States,
my primary goal is to help other small businesses
succeed in their endeavors.

I find that I especially enjoy working for very small companies – primarily those who are establishing themselves on the internet for the first time. It’s nice to be able to introduce them to a whole new world of business marketing.

When a company decides they want to create a web site for the first time, it helps push their business to a whole new level. They are able to reach a much larger audience that they can market their business too.

I often also work with companies that have already gotten their feet wet with one (or several) web sites in the past. But those sites were either un-successful, or have just run their course. It is nice to work with them to help them establish a whole new identity to step their online presence up a notch.

What’s your marketing USP?
Why should I buy from you instead of the other losers?

My USP (Unique Selling Proposition) is that I will give you a unique, professional, custom design that you can be sure no-one else out there will have. I will give you full attention to detail, and a good quality web site. Those “other losers” aren’t necessarily going to give you that.

Not everyone is going to give you a custom design. Unfortunately many web designers utilize template services for this, which means there could be 5, 10, 50 or more companies out there with the same exact web design as you. That’s not going to make your business stand out from the crowd!

There are a lot of designers out there that don’t have a unique design style, either. Many will give you a so-so design. Or will develop it with old web standards (using old-school html tables or even worse a site that doesn’t validate, or that doesn’t display properly across a variety of web browsers – thereby limiting your web audience).

When you hire me to design your web site, you can be sure that I am going to sit down and design something from scratch, with you completely in mind. I have a unique design style – typically a “less is more” “clean” style that I will apply to your web site to give it a good professional look (or a funky look if that’s what you’re going for, lol).

Bottom line – I will give you a uniquely styled and well coded web site that will help your business grow. Simply put, I’ll help you stand out from the crowd.

What’s next for you? What’s the big plan?

The big plan at the moment is to expand upon my core services.

Right now, I primarily design and develop static web sites. However, I’ve dipped my feet into the wonderful world of WordPress, and am loving it! WordPress is a powerful tool, that can be utilized not only as a blogging platform, but also as a light CMS (Content Management System).

I’ve actually got my first client WordPress web site launching later this week, which I am very excited about! This will be doing double-duty for me, as I plan to use this as an opportunity to officially announce new WordPress Theme development services – which I plan to start offering through my online store before the end of the month.

For More Information…

I can’t end a post like this without linking you to additional information on my main business web site, LOL.

You can learn more about my company, iDesign Studios here, as well as read testimonials from happy clients. I also hope you’ll take a look at my web design portfolio, as well as my list of services (which links to an online shopping cart with complete details on exactly what is included when you purchase any of my web site design, development and hosting services).

If you have any questions, you might find the answer over in the Frequently Asked Questions. If not – please do feel free to contact me. I look forward to hearing from you!

Now It’s Your Turn!

So what about you? What’s your small business?

If someone went to your web site, would they immediately know exactly what you do? You’d be surprised how blatantly obvious you might think the answer is… but there is always that one reader (or ten) who don’t quite get it.

Help them out by participating! Tell everyone what your business game is, and link to or comment on the original article over on Itty Biz. I’d love for you to make a comment below, too!

A good friend of mine recently decided to start-up her own business, and asked me if there were any web sites or blogs that I recommend she read.

I’m currently subscribed to approximately 40 blogs relating to small business, blogging, marketing, etc. Although I love them all, some are more highly regarded as great resources on these topics.

The cream of the crop so to speak…

Now, this isn’t a definitive list, as it’s all subject to personal opinion, if you know what I mean. There are obviously a LOT more blogs than the ones listed below, and many of these actually cross-over between different categories – although I did attempt to place them in the most applicable spot…

Anyway, these are the blogs that I personally refer to the most. Whether it is to read the latest post, or search through the archives for something specific, you can often find me on these sites. They are the “must reads” on my feed reader.

Blogging

• ProBlogger
• Pro Blog Design
• Remarkablogger
• Skelliewag
• Successful Blog

Business

• Freelance Folder
• Freelance Switch
• Self Made Chick
• Shane & Peter, Inc.
• SparkPlugging
• Sproutwire
• Wake Up Later

Marketing

• Chris Garrett
• Dosh Dosh
• IttyBiz
• Small Fuel Marketing

Productivity

• Rock Your Day
  
• Put Things Off
• Zen Habits

Work / Life Balance

• Anywired
• Freelance Parent
• Jarkko Lane

Writing

• Copyblogger
• Men With Pens
  
• Jarkko Lane

What’s In YOUR Feed Reader?

If you could only subscribe to 3 feeds relating to the topics above…
what would be on your list? What MUST you read no matter what?

Please leave a comment below – I’d love to hear your suggestions! I’ll eventually be setting up a Blogroll page, which will include the sites above. I’m open to suggestions for additional blogs to add to the list, so let me know your thoughts!

Good luck with your new venture, Nicole – and thanks for inspiring this post!

Editor’s Note: This post was originally titled “20 Essential Feeds for Small Business Bloggers” – In an effort to review and improve upon old blog posts, I’ve added additional blogs to the list. Enjoy!

Freelance Switch posted an article titled “Freelancers Beware of Receiving Payments via Credit Card through PayPal” a few days ago that still has me shaking in my boots!The article details a terrible experience that Cara Williams had with a very bad client and PayPal.

PayPal often boasts about it’s strong buyer protection. But what about sellers? Sellers – especially sellers of services and other non-tangible goods – are least protected of them all.

Question is… what’s the alternative? There seem to be drawbacks to just about every payment out there (chargebacks to PayPal payments, chargebacks to credit card purchases made through other merchant accounts, bounced checks, etc.)

There has been a massive outpouring of support and concern over the issue – go look at the growing comments! I’ve learned quite a bit from the comments to this article.

I personally use PayPal and good old fashioned checks for payments for my web design services. On one hand, PayPal is nice and quick, but they take away a percentage (as with any merchant account…) Checks are great because you get the entire amount for yourself – it just takes longer to arrive in the mail, and involves an extra trip to the bank, etc.

So, what should you do? Yes, PayPal is convenient, inexpensive, and everyone and their mother seem to already have an account. But, with such lack of protection for the seller (aka you and me) – we might actually be better off spending a little extra money on a “real” merchant account. Question is, of course – which is the best one? Who will stick up for us the seller against fraudulent chargebacks?

Go check out Cara’s Story – heck, I’d almost call it a nightmare! Lots of great conversation over the issue on Freelance Switch. I’d love to hear your thoughts or suggestions, whether it’s over here, or at the original article.

Edit: Freelance Switch has since posted a follow up article, with some alternatives to paypal. You can read that article here:

• Linkswitch! PayPal Alternatives & Extra Goodies

I just came across a very interesting post by Nick Cernis on Put Things Off in regards to using the “F” word with clients and potential clients.LOL – No, not a curse word – but the word “Freelance” or “Freelancer” etc.

Shock! Horror! Are You Using The F Word Around Your Clients?

In his article, Nick discusses both the Pro’s and Con’s of using this term with clients and potential clients, etc.

Personally, I have been using this as part of my non-official title on my other web sites, but am now reconsidering it…

Of course, as part of this blog and blogging community, I am among the company of some amazing Freelancer’s! That is what I am, too, so I will proudly continue to use the F word around here, LOL.

I hope you’ll give this article a read! It is interesting to see the comments and what everyone else has to say on the matter.

What do you think?

Do you use this term with your clients and prospects? Did the article change your mind about it?

I would love to hear your opinion on the matter, whether it’s here or over at the original article!

Skellie of Skelliewag and Anywired recently wrote a four part series on Freelance Switch about Becoming a Freelance Web Worker.This isn’t just in reference to becoming a freelancer – the articles focus on how to be a freelancer who does 100% of their business online. I found the posts to be very helpful and informative!

The series focuses on:

How to find clients, how to work completely online and how to run your freelancing business from anywhere in the world.

Working as an online-only freelancer takes this flexibility to another level. You can work for who you want, when you want, in any state or country in the world (all you need is an internet connection and a computer).

I would say that the majority of my business is done online – in fact I don’t actually have any local clients. I think of this as a great thing, because that means I don’t have to deal with any in-person meetings.

Most importantly, I’m able to do all of my work from the comfort of home, or wherever my laptop takes me. With no local clients, I’m lucky enough not to have to go to their office to work, for example.

On the other hand, most of my clients and prospects prefer the phone to email, and most pay by check rather than by PayPal – so in this sense, I’m not truly a web worker yet.

However, the majority of my business either comes from referrals or from online sources (most have found my web sites through the search engines, for example).

My favorite post in the series is Part 2: Finding Work Online. Skellie lists 23 ways to find work online, and goodness knows we can all use tips on how to get more work… well, those of us just starting out, anyway, lol.

So, I am fairly close to being an online only freelancer – the tips in the articles below might just get me to 100%. Hopefully they will help get you there, too!

Becoming a Freelance Web Worker

• Part 1: Why You Should Do It
• Part 2: Finding Work Online
• Part 3: The Working Day
• Part 4: Working Anywhere

With the New Year fast approaching, my mind is constantly on creating my goals and resolutions for 2008.

I’ve come across a few interesting articles on the subject, as well as several that highlight the idea of fear both helping and hindering your efforts to reach those goals.

Several of my favorite blogs have some good food for thought. I have been coming back to these articles as I set my resolutions for the upcoming year.

I hope these help shed some light for you as well!

Freelance Switch
How to Apply What You Learned in 2007 for Continued Success in 2008

The Shane and Peter Inc. Blog
2008 Goals: Scare Yourself

The Shane and Peter Inc. Blog
The Million Dollar Question

IttyBiz
Entrepreneurship: What To Do When You’re Scared Sh*tless

eMoms at Home
Is it Fear of Failure or Fear of Success that is Holding You Back?

I just came across a new Ebook from one of my favorite blogs! Freelance Switch is an amazing blog for Freelancers. I’d just about have to say that it actually is my favorite blog.

They’ve recently published a 212 page Ebook titled How to Be a Rockstar Freelancer. (Currently available as an Ebook… due out in Paperback in January 2008!)

I haven’t gotten my hands on a copy yet – this book is extremely high on my wish list, though… if I get a little extra Christmas money, I very well plan on spending some of it right here.

So anyway, I can’t give my own review, but from what I’ve heard from other people who have read this book, it is a great resource. It apparently covers information that is not included on the blog. Goodness knows I’ve received invaluable advice from the Freelance Switch blog, so I can only imagine how much more helpful this book will be.

Topics include…

• Getting Your First Jobs
• Scoping & Timeframes
• Pricing Yourself
• Doing the Job
• Clients
• Getting Paid
• Marketing Yourself
• Building a Business

This sounds like a truly great read. A perfect last minute Christmas gift for any Freelancers out there.

Today I’d like to highlight a new feature from a good friend of mine, Rose. This will be of interest to all of the Moms out there who own their own business!

From the Park Bench will be starting a new feature called Moms in Business.

I’m looking for a few good business moms. One of the features of my up coming site will be a weekly feature called “Moms in Business”. It will highlight a mom who’s providing a product or service for sale on the internet. The articles will be 100% free to the featured business. I want to do something to encourage moms to support other moms.

This looks like an excellent opportunity to help promote your own business. It’s rare to get Free opportunities like this one, and I love that the main point is to encourage Moms to support each other.

As long as you qualify, all you need to do is leave a comment or privately contact From the Park Bench to express interest in the feature. I for one am very interested in this and have already requested to participate.

FreelanceSwitch has written yet another great article (this is one of my favorite sites that I visit daily). Their latest piece is about the importance sharpening your skills in your industry. It wouldn’t be complete without a big list of suggestions to help you achieve this.

In my own case, look how long it’s taken for me to finally learn tableless XHTML / CSS! If I had kept on top of my game, I would have been right up there with everyone else – and not as far behind as I am.

One of my recent goals was to learn at least one new web technique each month… This article recommends spending at least 30 minutes a day, or one hour a week, etc. learning about your profession. Definitely something I should tackle… after all, web design is what I do!

Anyway, it’s a great read with lots of good suggestions.

• How to Continually Sharpen Your Skills