Freelancing FAQs
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Portfolio
How do I build a good portfolio? Any examples?
What are clients looking for in a portfolio?
What’s the best way to showcase spec work on my portfolio?
Will I get in trouble for showing spec work that uses trial fonts on my portfolio?
What are clients looking for in a spec site? What features or aesthetic should I go for
Working with Clients
How do I respond to a client inquiry? Any email templates? 📧
How do I explain my offerings clearly? What if my clients want to do branding but I don’t have that skill?
How many clients should I take on per month?
How often do you communicate your progress and hours with clients?
How do I ask my client for a testimonial?
How do I check if my client site is GDPR/ADA compliant? Am I responsible for overseeing this?
How to manage ongoing support for clients after handoff?
Marketing and Selling
How do I get clients? 🤝
How do I break into niche categories for clients and find them?
How do I transition into web design freelancing when I’ve been doing something completely different so far?
How do I find my dream clients?
How do I cold email a potential client?
How to pitch yourself to a client to get work? Do you send a pitch deck?
How to build a "high converting" website?
How do I make and sell Squarespace templates?
Will the “DIY” element of 7.1 affect designers getting work?
Squarespace vs. Shopify - which one should I recommend to my clients?
Managing Client Conflicts
My clients aren’t happy with the design. What do I do?
How to respond when the client isn't comfortable with the contract?
What’s the best way to follow up with a client who’s slow to respond or MIA 👻?
How do I draw the line between my ego vs my integrity as a designer? How do I know if we’re a good fit?
Am I obligated to give a client’s deposit back if they decide to not move forward with the work?
How to ask clients for permission to feature their sites when they are protective over it?
How to deal with a project that goes over the time frame?
Pricing
How much should I charge for a project? 💰
How do I figure out my hourly rate?
I’m new to freelancing. What’s the best way to predict if I’m gonna make enough money?
How to approach clients that says their budget isn’t great?
Should I charge for a feature that I haven’t tried before?
Do you charge a different rate if you’re only developing a website (and not designing)?
Should I include taxes in my fees? They're quite high for freelancers!
How do I get better as a designer so I can charge more?
I have trouble finding clients that value custom web design (so I can scale and charge $5k per site). Any advice?
How do I make 6 figures as a freelancer? Is it possible? 💸💸💸
Working on the Project
I have my first sales call soon! How can I prepare?
What does a project process look like from start to finish?
How do I onboard a client and gather content from them? 📂
↳ What if they don’t have ANY content?
↳ What if they have trouble filling out the Site & Content Inventory doc?
Who covers the expenses of a custom font? The designer or client?
How to bring on contractors and make it a seamless experience?
↳ What portions should I off-load?
How much SEO should I do for a client site?
How do I offboard clients? What should I check for? ☑
Best practices for including designer credit on a client site?