Posts by: admin301


24Jul 2014
dress-meeting
Running Web Design Business 1 comment

How to dress for meeting a client. Web Designer goes shopping.

In the beginning of my freelance web design career I read a bunch of books teaching how to start and run a web design business. All of them were claiming that a professional dress, preferably a suit with a well ironed shirt and a fancy tie, will make you stand out from other web designers and make you look like somebody taking things seriously. In fact, I tested this technique over the last few years and at one point one of my clients, and now a friend (@HermannM, who luckily for me hired me), told me: “Daniel, I am glad I met you and we work together, but I must tell you the first day we met you scared the shit out of me. You were dressed like a damn lawyer.” read more

14Jul 2014
How-to-get-web-design-clients-in-2014
Leads Generation 1 comment

How to get web design clients in 2014. What works and what doesn’t.

The competition is huge in the web design marketplace, but there are still hundreds of potential projects popping up daily. With the right focus on sources of leads which can easily bring you new clients, you will stay busy all year long. But things change fast and the way you find new web design clients changes every year. What worked last year may not bring you clients today, and popular social media places, even if seen as a potential source of new clients, are not always where you want to invest your time. read more

1Jul 2014
How-to-Compete-Against-Offshore-Web-Design-Companies
Leads Generation, Running Web Design Business 1 comment

How to Compete Against Offshore Web Design Companies. 10 Small Things Which Can Help You Win a Big Client

It may sound impossible to win a client while competing with offshore competitors who offer rates up to 90% less than you, yet it looks like crazy outsourcing practices are not so common anymore (Think globally, act locally). Of course, there are companies who are able to find cheap sources of labor out of the country, and some individuals cannot resist $5/hour. However, I meet many people (potential clients) who have had a bad experience with outsourcing and learnt their lessons the hard way – “you get what you pay for.” It turns out most start-ups and individual entrepreneurs understand the power of working with a local web designer. read more

24Jun 2014
Running Web Design Business no comments

Extra income for Web Developers – Part 1

There are many ways for web professionals to generate extra income, and the best part is many of these opportunities can create passive income with little preparation. Web development services can be easily incorporated with other services which do not require any new skills.  In this series of posts I will introduce some ideas for earning extra income and walk you through the steps on how to execute them. In the post below I discuss hosting and site maintenance services. read more

4Feb 2014
Web Design no comments

Redesigning Outlook.com

I am a Gmail user, but I came across a situation in which I needed to make a switch and use Hotmail. After working a week extensively with Outlook.com I could not believe how a big company like Microsoft creates such a difficult user experience system. I worked with UX for a few years and within a few minutes of using Hotmail, I had a long list of usability issues that could be fixed within one business day by an average webmaster. read more

3Feb 2014
Programming no comments

Learning Python Programming

I am a Lamp developer, but I have only used PHP for many years until I had the opportunity to learn and utilize working with Python. I am always very excited to learn a new language because Python is high in demand and it’s also very popular. Another added bonus about Python is adding it to your resume which can be an added bonus if you are seeking a programming position with a heavy hitter such as Google. read more

10Jan 2014
Web Design Resources no comments

What is the best tool for cross-browser and cross-device testing?

You cannot claim yourself as a professional web developer if your sites are optimized for a very narrow set of devices and browsers.  Full functioning cross-browser compatibility is something that distinguishes a professional web developer from a hobbyist web developer.  In order to make your projects look good on major screens, you will need sophisticated development skills and a great tool for testing websites in various environments.  I spent a great deal of time researching the market and testing different tools for cross-browser compatibility.  Indeed, there is a clear winner. read more

7Nov 2013
Productivity Tips no comments

Quick Tip: Organizing your Google Document

I am a huge fan of Evernote, but I love working with Google Docs. Working with many Google Doc’s at once is a pain when you are trying to find a specific document. There are folders you can use to organize your docs and there is also a search box. However, none of these work well if you are a busy developer with tons of docs in which you share with different people. So, I found a trick: how to get organized with your Google Docs by using bookmarks. read more

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