Photo: ben hanbury

As a web designer it’s easy to get caught up in using tech related jargon. Now it’s not a bad thing to know your ASP’s from your PHP’s, but throwing around jargon with too much or too little explanation can create a wall between the designer and the client. Assume too much and the client gets lost. Assume too little and the client may feel you’re being condescending and react accordingly.

To combat this, I’ve created a simple Web Design 101 – A Quick Reference Manual for all my clients at Chris Laskey Design. I attach it to emails around the time I’m putting together a quote, and runs on the simple theory that no one likes to be put on the spot, but everyone likes having an simple reference to read on their own. This helps clients better understand the itemized quote, as well as the design process.

In the following article I’ll give you some examples of what it covers, and explain how handy it can be for keeping the client happy and streamlining the design process. And designers know, happy customers lead to less headaches, more references, and most importantly more work referrals. So read on, and we’ll see if I can’t sway a few designers write a Website 101 reference of their own.

Read the rest of Freelance Web Design - Writing A Client Reference Manual

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When it comes to web design, Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is a frequently undervalued skilled. Good SEO practices aren’t just for large corporations competing for the number one spot on Google; SEO is just as important to small Mom and Pop shops investing hard earned money into a website.

Without visibility on a search engine, the growth potential of any website is limited to word of mouth. If you’re a professional blogger, that’s not such a bad thing. But for Mom and Pop’s local bakery, it’s a disastrous plan. A couple hours spent on SEO can make the difference between a smart investment and wasteful spending.

And let’s be honest, spending time optimizing a client’s website isn’t all altruistic. After all, the more people that see your work, the more work you’ll have in the future. Using SEO to increase your own visibility is a no-brainer.

In Search Engine Optimization - Part 1, we’ll cover all the basic SEO knowledge. We’ll begin with what web crawlers can and cannot read, discuss how to expedite the indexing process, and finish with a list of easy to remember rules for moving a site up the search engine ranks. These will cover meta descriptions, meta keywords, headers, titles and all the basic rules that take only a few minutes to learn. Easy to implement, they’ll quickly become a must have on every site.

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Music holds a kind of magic over human beings. Not only does it make Friday nights at noisy bars more interesting, it can make your work day better too. Listening to the right kind of music can keep you sharp and focused on work much longer than usual. Cultivating and maintaining mad-hot creative flow is easier than ever with the sources for free music over the internet.

In the following article we’ll explore not only where to find music online, but also how to avoid some of the common pitfalls that turn music into a productivity killer. So plug in those headphones or turn up those speakers, and let’s get this show on the road.

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The following post is a follow up to an original entry returning to the question “should single employee small business owners refer to the company’s work as an I or a we?”

I before We, except after…

Alright. You’ve decided to jump into the world of small business ownership. Whether you’re a C-Corporation, S-Corporation, Limited Liability Company, or just a sole proprietorship, if you’re the sole employee you’re going to have to face a tough question: is the work my company does the work of an I or a we?

At first glance this question may be simple, and borderline preposterous. After all, if the work is a collaboration, then it’s a we. Otherwise its an I. Right?

Unfortunately, the more you start to think about it, the murkier the water becomes: what if part of the work was subcontracted? What if you’re looking to expand in the future, start with a we now or later? What if the company doesn’t carry your name, will it confuse clients to use an I?

Ultimately there isn’t a one-size-fits all answer. But in the following article I’ll outline some of the important considerations for both, from a few different perspectives. So read on, and let’s start clearing things up.

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