As a new freelancer, there is nothing scarier then starting your first project. This article will take a closer look at steps you should follow when in charge of a project. Hopefully, if you are aware of what process should be, you won't be as concerned about getting things right. Since I am assuming that this is your first client, return business is essential to growing your business. Follow below steps from start to finish and you should have a happy client and a check in your hands.

1. TRACK TIME

It is important to track your time when you are working on a project. Start logging time as soon as you start to give your attention to a project. Place a time log into a new docket and write onto this log start and finish times along with other detailed information every time you work on this project.

Take a look at a good time log at Figure I.

FIGURE I. ================================== DATE ================================== TASK / ACTIVITY ================================== COMMENTS ================================== ========START===FINISH===TOTAL TIME

For several reasons, it is important to use time log accurately. First and foremost, your client might expect you to break down your hours for him so they are aware of where their money is going. Secondly, in order to increase your productivity, examining where your time is being spent is essential. After freelancing for a while you will be able to figure out how much to bid on projects easily from experience.

2. OPEN UP A DOCKET

A docket is a huge envelope or sleeve to keep all papers together. Nothing looks worse than going to a meeting with a client and forgetting essential paperwork. In order to escape this possibility, I suggest using a docket for each individual project.

I recommend using a black marker to distinguish this project from other projects. I have always named my project's computer files and dockets by company's name and then follow this with consecutive numbers. So for example, XYZCompany001 would be XYZ Company's first project.

3. NEW CUSTOMER?

If this client is working with you for first time you should start an information sheet on him or her. You might not think that this is important, but if this client ends up being a dead beat, you will be glad to have his or her address and phone number. After you have completed this form, place it in your docket.

4. SCHEDULE STAGES OF A JOB

Start every job with a piece of paper. List steps that need to be involved in order finish production. Otherwise, you might get stuck with having to go backwards three steps in order to go forwards again. Sometimes stages of a project will need to be reworked because you didn't take time to write down your game plan. Try not to let this happen to you.

5. CONTRACT

Protect yourself against problem clients by writing a contract. Make sure to have your client sign and send back contract before starting project. You can find generic contracts for your business on Internet. Here are some places to find contracts to customize for your own business:

Manage Jobs Software Digital Contracts Online Smart Agreements Contract Swipe File Law.net Legal Documents Online Sample Freelance Contract

6. ORGANIZE YOUR THOUGHTS

A great way to begin your project is to plan out how web site is going to be organized. A mind map is one way to do this. You can do this by taking a blank piece of paper and placing your pen onto middle of your page. Write down a word or two that matches subject of your previous notes. Branch out with lines to related topics. Take a look at Figure II as an example.

FIGURE II.

Your mind map is now similar to a Flow Chart. Make sure that all navigational routes have been mapped out. If possible, have someone else take a look at your Flow Chart to see if you have missed anything.

7. STORYBOARDING

Storyboarding is a device used to layout design and navigation of a site. It could simply be a rough sketch on a scrap of paper. However, I always send out a storyboard to a client before starting to actually layout site. I recommend laying out rough sketches in Illustrator or Freehand. Use your mind map or Flow Chart to help guide you through this process. Ask your client to sign off on bottom of this Flow Chart.

8. THINK ART

One of most engaging attractions of a good web site is its graphics. Listen carefully to your client carefully in order to find out what he wants. If client can't explain what he is visualizing, help out with a few questions. The following five questions can be used.

1. What sites are visually appealing to you? 2. On a scale of 1 to 10, how important is a fast-loading site to you? 3. What colors are you partial to? 4. Do you already have existing collateral (brochures, catalogs, etc.)? If so, what flexibility do I have with your fonts, logo, and colors? 5. Do you have any art that we need in order to complete this project?

If you are having a hard time finding your creative self, I suggest taking a look at CoolHomePages.com to get a few ideas to build on.

Once you have an idea of what your client is expecting you are ready to storyboard site.

9. PHOTOSHOP

Now that your client has signed off on your storyboard it is time to start design process. Finally! Follow these steps to ease design process.

How many small businesses are in your area? The average county has thousands of small business. However, only a third of all small businesses have a web site, and only a third of these sites can carry out a sales transaction. What these businesses don't realize is that they can probably profit from a web site. They are in great need of a talented web professional such as yourself to not only bring them to water but also to show them how good it tastes to drink. In other words, let these entrepreneurs see that there are more profits to be made.

First you need to prospect local businesses to find out which ones are potential customers. What kinds of businesses are most likely to need a web site? Selecting best freelance opportunities is a matter of intuition, but I have found from previous experience that following types of businesses are excellent prospective clients:

Restaurants Theaters Night Clubs Grocery Stores Travel Agencies Law Firms Religious Organizations Real Estate Agencies Insurance / Loan Officers Universities and Educational Facilities Local governments / County web sites Customized Item Stores Many others

It is important to focus your energy on where there is likely to be a need for your services. Uncovering a business opportunity often times requires broadening range of your skills and services. Since you are targeting all sorts of different businesses you will often need to learn about different industries in order to be useful. You might find that you want to focus on one industry, for example, only targeting restaurants. You could create online menus, downloadable coupons, reservations, take out orders, and any other innovative ideas to draw in prospect's interest. In fact, imagination and creativity are your keys to success. The number one focus of a successful entrepreneur is PROFIT. Your goal is to find out how you can raise prospective client's profit line ... this takes creativity.

Excellent tools for researching local businesses are :

1. Yellow Pages 2. Chamber of Commerce 3. Better Business Bureau 4. Department of Small Business Development 5. Trade Associations 6. Search Engines 7. Purchased Lists

What information do I need to find out about each prospective client before contacting them? Slow down, you have some work to do first. At minimum, you will need to get phone number, company's name, and address. From this information, you can hopefully gain access to verifiable details about this business. From this information, you should do research on Internet. You will need to find out if business in question has a web site. Use every resource available to access this information. If you can't find a web site then you found yourself a lead.

What happens if company does have a web site? Well, if business in question does have a web site then you have two choices ... either move on or further evaluate site. If you choose latter, this is what you should look for:

1. Is web site visually appealing? 2. Are site's resources being used effectively? 3. Are there means for a sales transaction? 4. Does site have a domain name? 5. Is site listed in search engines? 6. Were meta tags used effectively? 7. Does site load quickly? 8. Is there essential contact information available? 9. Are there broken links or missing images? 10. Do you see a sales strategy that they are missing?

If any of above situations occur, you should consider contacting company to setup a consultation. Remember to always use tact. Never come right out and criticize anyone's site, in most cases if site is awful, owner himself tried to build it. All you need to do is show business owner that he is losing out on extra earnings. There are nice words that you can find to express this instead of derogatory statements.

You should keep all of this gathered information in a database, Rolodex, or on index cards. (I recommend writing down information on large index cards. When you find a prospective client, take their card with you and write down personal information on back of this card. This way, next time you visit client, you can ask him how his sick aunt is feeling.)

Before contacting your newly found lead, you will need to get your thoughts together. Answer following questions of yourself:

1. How can a new or redesigned site increase owner's profits? 2. How much money would I need to charge? 3. Are there similar sites on net that you could show an example of. You should show owner how company XYZ profited from similar steps. 4. What design and graphic choices would you choose? 5. Are there add-ons that aren't necessary, but effective? 6. (If redesign) What changes would need to be made to better site?

There are not many people that enjoy cold calling, so I assume that you might be a little worried about this. Believe me, I hate cold calling as much as you. With use of a script, and a lot of practice, cold calling will seem much less intimidating.

Now you should have all information that you need about client laid out in front of you. Take a look at all of this information and make sure that you can remember it clearly. From this information you should be able to create a script to use when you call business owner. I will outline a sample script that you can in turn use to your advantage. Take a look at following example:

A: Hello, Can I please speak with owner's name?

B: This is he. How can I help you?

A: Is this an okay time for you to speak?

B: Sure, I have nothing going on right now. Who is this? (If he says that he is too busy to talk right now then you should ask what time is an okay time to talk with him).

A: Hello, My name is your name from your company's name.

B: How can I help you today?