Web/Graphic Design, some questions

[shoeboxstables]

Hi Everyone,

Well, I've been out of a job for a few months, and with show season coming up, I'm afraid of how I'll be able to scrape together the funds to show three horses! I may be getting my job back, but I'm afraid of how much it will cut into shows or conditioning time. So this morning, I had a brain wave, I ought to set up something to start doing some services for people. Now, I'd like your opinion on the following matters.

Me:

-I'm an 18 year old Senior in high school

-I have work expirience

-I have been doing graphic and web design for about 6 years

-I am self taught, but have recently taken courses at my high school (Web Design I and II and Graphic Design), both of which I had 98-100% averages. I did assist the teacher in many cases, and have helped teach other students.

-I have created 10+ websites, however only have two still in operation. One is a personal website (that I do not feel should be used as an example of my designs) and the other is our farm website.

-I 100% independently designed, coded, and maintain our farm website. Every photo has been prepared and/or taken by myself, and every line of code done by hand. Website: http://www.ShoeBoxStables.com

-I am fluent with HTML, and can do a bit of JAVA scripting. I know basic flash, but have not yet incorperated it into my designs.

-I am very good at photo manipulation, everything from removing elements (leads, halters, fences, etc) to adding backgrounds and touching up photos

-I can create professional logos

-I can (and have) created advertisements, ranging from fliers to ones for magazines/newletters

-I have examples of my work, but they are all done for our farm

-I was planning on majoring in web/graphic design before changing to Pre Vet.

So, here is what I was considering doing.

-Setting up a paypal account, and creating a website for the 'buisiness'.

-Creating some sample websites, and offering THREE 'levels' of design

- Offering graphic services, such as logos, photo touchup, etc.

BASIC

1-15 pages

Unlimited images

Header and footer with custom designed banners

Links to the pages (can be used for horses, about us, etc.)

Could include frames if desired for a minimal fee

Includes cropping, resizing, and uploading of photos

The following options will be available for the customer:

Font size, color, face

Link size, color, face, and option for 'special effects' such as color change when the mouse moves over a link (see our website)

Scroll bar colors

Basic design/layout

All HTML.

Will take 1-5 hours of work

NORMAL

1-25 pages

Unlimited images

Header and footer with custom designed banners

Links to the pages (can be used for horses, about us, etc.)

Could include frames if desired

Includes cropping, resizing, and uploading of photos

The following options will be available for the customer:

Font size, color, face

Link size, color, face, and option for 'special effects' such as color change when the mouse moves over a link (see our website)

Scroll bar colors

Design/layout

More complex elements, such as image maps, complex tables/text boxes, etc.

HTML, with few exceptions

Will take 3-10 hours of work

COMPLEX

(such as our farm website, http://www.shoeboxstables.com )

1-50 pages

Unlimited images

Header and footer with custom designed banners

Links to the pages (can be used for horses, about us, etc.)

Includes frames if desired

Includes cropping, resizing, and uploading of photos, plus complimentary touchups on up to 10 photos

The following options will be available for the customer:

Font size, color, face

Link size, color, face, and option for 'special effects' such as color change when the mouse moves over a link (see our website)

Scroll bar colors

ComplexDesign/layout

Complex elements, such as image maps, complex tables/text boxes, navigational elements, Java script, drop menus (as seen on our website), etc.

Will take 5++ hours of work

Now, would you be interested in these services? I would like to offer them primarily to farms, and also to local buisinesses. How much would you think is appropriate to charge? Is this a good idea?

I will post examples of what some of these elements look like later, but many can be seen on my website.

Thank you for your time!

Kaitlyn

 

[Lewella]

I think you have grossly underestimated the time it would take to build the websites. It's a fact of life that customers change their minds, sometimes several times. Figure an hour per page if you are lucky and have a customer that knows EXACTLY what they want.

 

[kaykay]

I do websites for other people but I dont advertise it. I dont want so many that I cant keep up. I will say the hardest part of doing this is that most people have no clue what to put on their site. I usually end up having to do all the writing myself which can be hard. For example I made a website for a deer/hunting farm. I could not get them to give me anything so I had to wing it and write it all myself thru researching deer hunting lol.

And like Lewella said people change their minds A LOT. I have found they especially change their mind a lot on colors.

For me I charge one price no matter what the website is. Its just easier and less confusing for customers. I also give them the option of just paying me to make it and they can maintain it themselves but have never had anyone take me up on it.

So I do a flat fee all the updates they want for one year.