As a web professional, there’s only so much free advice one can give out! But today I’m going to be very generous and give you a sneak peek into what the industry of web design & development is like.

I’ve been asked this question several times (and in several different ways):

“With so many out there claiming to be the best website solution out there–how do you stay ahead of everyone?”

Truth is, there are many out there touting the *best solution* and quite of few of them are great solutions, however there are many which only claim to be but have no reputation of such to back it up. more…

Maybe even more refreshing than soda.

Case in point:

At an online business networking group I belong to, someone posted a comment about Jones Soda Co. doing a promotion where you can send them your photos to be placed on their soda bottles and even on the case packaging.

This fellow member also commented on the fact that he recently discovered the soda on product shelves at his local store and never heard of them before.  This surprised me.  But I digress… more…

If you post on Craigslist looking for free “creative or graphics work” you will get flagged or laughed at.  At best, probably just ignored.

In the case of one Craigslist ad poster, maybe you will get “schooled” a bit in the ways of how real, professional design contractors (and yes, even students) work and expect to be treated.

When advertising on the Internet for jobs, people need to be aware that not everything is available for barter, or for less than what the teenaged kid at your neighborhood McDonald’s makes.  If you really don’t know the average going rate for a web design job, a brochure project, or a logo designer, then your best rule of thumb would be to set your compensation as “negotiable” so that you can get more offers of bids from creatives.  Not everyone wants to charge you an arm and a leg and believe me, there are many out there who don’t price high enough and charge what they are actually worth (I used to be one of those people).  But if you listen and negotiate, you may come out of it with a more…

I get so many cool links to great links from my followers and folks whom I follow.  Here are the top items I found most useful or interesting so far, with a credit to the Twitter-er.

Enjoy! more…

If you are part of online web site networks such as Ryze, Facebook, LinkedIn, Ning, etc. and take part, that’s one thing. But what about networking in person?

We all know from online networking. Do you apply your online “meet & greet” style networking practices when meeting folks in person, though? You should!

Exchanging referrals is something I’m always doing.   How do I do it?  Well, I come from a long line of very social folks, so talking to new people with ease and interest comes natural to me, since I apparently was born walkin’ and talkin’. Haven’t gotten around to shutting up just yet, either!

You don’t have to be actively networking at a meeting or event to successfully exchange referrals all the time, everywhere you go! Once you become good at it, it becomes second nature. more…

It’s hard to sell anything, let alone sell it online. Selling a service is even harder to do. Especially on your Web site. Anyone who runs a professional service should know this. Many firms selling intangible goods don’t however, seem to recognize a few simple facts when it comes to marketing themselves on the web.  Here’s my advice to them… more…