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  1. Heeseesig is offline
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    Joined: Apr 2009 Location: USA Posts: 1
    04-02-2009, 08:41 PM #1

    I need an advice

    Hello!
    I'm new here. I've been browsing tons of forums for an idea of what to do. I was laid off from my job about 3 month ago. I've been looking for a job since then, but did not even get a single interview. I worked as a web designer for a publishing company for the last 5 years. Looks like siriusbuzz.com is an active forum with active members and may be someone has some experience working as a freelance web designer. May be "Sirius XM Stock Talk" category is not the most appropriate for this question, but I want to try anyways to get some opinions before I go ahead with my life. I'm wondering if it is possible in the current economy to find work for a freelance web designer and make enough to pay for rent and groceries. I was able to find a small project on craigslist and I developed a website for a company. It was a small project and took me only a week to complete. I got paid $800 for 1 week of work which is not bad. Please people give me some ideas. I have 2 kids and my wife is out of work as well. Thank you in advance.

  2. Joeboo1 is offline
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    Joined: Feb 2009 Posts: 93
    04-02-2009, 09:19 PM #2

    Smile

    I have some advice for you. Instead of looking for people that are asking for website help you should pursue company's and let them know they need a website or an upgrade to their existing site. Most people that are in charge of that stuff are just so used to seeing "their" website that they don't realize that they need an updated,newer,sleeker version of what they have.

    Hit the streets, Talk to restaurants, auto mechanics, or any other business you can think of. You have plenty of free time put that time to use. Go to the biggest badass place you can think of and build their site at cost. You can then show other locals how the big boys are working with YOU!

    I am not sure of what kind of city or town you live in (Big or small, redneck or yuppy..) Create a domain for your city or town. Go to local places and sell them ad space on this great new website that you have personally designed for your town.

    Ask them to sell 50 dollar gift certificates for 30 bucks so they can see what kind of response the web can offer. (Then get all of your friends and family to get one!!!)

    Very rarely will the fish come jump in your boat. You need to strap up and go and tell these people the reasons why they NEED to do this. I can't tell you how frustrating it is when I want to order take out and had thrown away the menu. I can't go online and see the menu of a local place so I can phone in for take out.

    Trust me in times like these businesses are looking for value and an edge just as much as your looking for employment.

    Stand out! Tell these people what you are going to do for them and tell them that you will be there for them 24/7 365 days a year. Great customer service is something that is rarely if ever seen these days.

    I am not a professional web designer but I know a little something about the fruits of marketing and customer service....... You can see some of what I am talking about with the great company I work for Sunstone.com

    Christmas morning 2am you call the customer service number and there will an American answering your call. That my friend is no BS. That kind of thinking has taken this company from a nothing to something really big in our industry. We are showing a 10 percent increase over last year while others are going out of business.

    Good luck. and seperate yourself from all those yapping dogs. (Thats our CEO's favorite line..)
    Last edited by Joeboo1; 04-02-2009 at 10:39 PM.

  3. Beach Gambler is offline
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    Joined: Mar 2009 Location: On a cushy beach chair! Posts: 383
    04-02-2009, 09:46 PM #3
    Quote Originally Posted by Joeboo1 View Post
    I have some advice for you. Instead of looking for people that are asking for website help you should pursue company's and let them know they need a website or an upgrade to their existing site. Most people that are in charge of that stuff are just so used to seeing "their" website that they don't realize that they need an updated,newer,sleeker version of what they have.

    Hit the streets, Talk to restaurants, auto mechanics, or any other business you can think of. You have plenty of free time put that time to use. Go to the biggest badass place you can think of and build their site at cost. You can then show other locals how the big boys are working with YOU!

    I am not sure of what kind of city or town you live in (Big or small, redneck or yuppy..) Create a domain for your city or town. Go to local places and sell them ad space on this great new website that you have personally designed for your town.

    Ask them to sell 50 dollar gift certificates for 30 bucks so they can see what kind of response the web can offer. (Then get all of your friends and family to get one!!!)

    Very rarely will the fish come jump in your boat. You need to strap up and go and tell these people the reasons why they NEED to do this. I can't tell you how frustrating it is when I want to order take out and had thrown away the menu. I can't go online and see the menu of a local place so I can phone in for take out.

    Trust me in times like these businesses are looking for value and an edge just as much as your looking for employment.

    Stand out! Tell these people what your are going to do for them and tell them that you will be there for them 24/7 365 days a year. Great customer service is something that is rarely if ever seen these days.

    I am not a professional web designer but I know a little something about the fruits of marketing and customer service....... You can see some of what I am talking about with the great company I work for Sunstone.com

    Christmas morning 2am you call the customer service number and there will an American answering your call. That my friend is no BS. That kind of thinking has taken this company from a nothing to something really big in our industry. We are showing a 10 percent increase over last year while others are going out of business.

    Good luck. and seperate yourself from all those yapping dogs. (Thats our CEO's favorite line..)
    Hey Joe, your advise took some time to write and was very thoughtful. I want to thank you as a fellow human being for taking the time to answer the post. Nice Job, I hope something really nice happens to you tomorrow, you deserve it.
    B.G.

  4. Joeboo1 is offline
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    Joined: Feb 2009 Posts: 93
    04-02-2009, 10:29 PM #4
    Quote Originally Posted by Beach Gambler View Post
    Hey Joe, your advise took some time to write and was very thoughtful. I want to thank you as a fellow human being for taking the time to answer the post. Nice Job, I hope something really nice happens to you tomorrow, you deserve it.
    B.G.

    Thanks BG hopefully Siri will go way up and something nice can happen for all of us!

  5. GoHerdGreg is offline
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    Joined: Mar 2009 Location: WV Posts: 314
    04-02-2009, 10:51 PM #5
    And I second that emotion, Joeboo1.

    As a person who spent almost 5 years of his life as a freelancer (it doesn't really matter what industry I was/am in...it's all relevant), your advice was spot-on.

    The key to success as a freelancer is to never stop working. Not today, not tomorrow, not at nighttime or in the daytime. If you work, then the rewards will come your way.

    Keep your chin up and your eyes focused on the work at hand. It's out there if you work incredibly hard and find it. The reward is worth the risk.

    Good luck.

  6. Brandon Matthews is offline
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    Joined: Aug 2008 Location: Northeast Posts: 721
    04-02-2009, 11:23 PM #6
    Goherd.

    I received your message and thought now would be a good time to clean out my messages. Needless to say yours were deleted accidentally. I did read them first however, and will consider it.