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Motivation, Reason & Earnings

Thread title: Motivation, Reason & Earnings
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08-09-2006, 08:10 PM
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  Old  Motivation, Reason & Earnings

Hey Guys,

Just a post to ask some advice and opinions.

I've been designing websites, forums and graphics for almost 4 years now. Over the years my passions, styles and desires have changed a lot, and not only in what I do for a living. I'm currently a full time student in my second year of business management and general legal principles (dual honours degree).

Over the past few years design has given my life a quality which I hadn't expected....but lately things aren't going so well at all.

I'm losing my love for design, my motivation to get things done and all reason to really be enthused about wanting to do well in this industry. I've come too far to throw it away but I just don't have the push to go further, and this is partly due to my fees...they're just way too low for my experience and the time I spend.

Here's the kicker...if I raise my prices to anything worth raising them to I won't get the business, and I won't make any money. I'm doing worse now than I was comparing my monthly averages to two years ago, which is awful.

What would you do in my shoes?

08-09-2006, 08:12 PM
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  Old

What if you lowered your fees to bring in more customers?

08-09-2006, 08:13 PM
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  Old

That makes, zero sense at all.

08-09-2006, 08:17 PM
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  Old

Originally Posted by Anthony
That makes, zero sense at all.
Think about it..If you say had 5 customers a month asking for a template and say your designs were $250 each. Thats $1250 a month.

Now lets say you dropped your prices down to $200 a month but instead you get 8 customers a month then you're making $1600 a month.

By dropping your prices you would more then likely have a better chance at getting more clients which in the end would end up making you more money.

08-09-2006, 08:18 PM
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  Old

My prices are too low as it is, that's the problem.

Why the hell would I work twice as much for only a small increase? It makes no sense and it's not at all practical. Nor is $1600 /month a decent salary.

08-09-2006, 08:18 PM
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  Old

I would raise your prices and target your business toward small businesses. That's what I'm currently doing. I got sick of doing gaming websites for $600, and I moved on.

You could try doing some local work as well..

08-09-2006, 08:18 PM
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  Old

Great idea Bryan.

08-09-2006, 08:19 PM
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  Old

That's all well and good, and a good idea.

The only thing stopping me is having a team. I don't like to outsource with local work, and building a local team is expensive, takes a lot of time and in most cases some capital.

08-09-2006, 08:20 PM
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  Old

Originally Posted by Anthony
That's all well and good, and a good idea.

The only thing stopping me is having a team. I don't like to outsource with local work, and building a local team is expensive, takes a lot of time and in most cases some capital.
Are you looking to open a firm (in the future), or is this something you're looking to do purely as an online business?

08-09-2006, 08:21 PM
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For the next two years it's an online business only, due to other minor factors. After I graduate I'll be opening up a firm, but not necessarily in the UK.

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