Sam Brown ~ How will web designers survive the crunch?

How will web designers survive the crunch?

#339 12th October 2008 at 11pm Link 6 Comments

My good friend Sarah Parmenter has written an interesting piece on her thoughts and experiences during the global financial wobble. How will web designers survive the crunch?

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Comments

Darren McPherson 13 October 2008, 01:04 #1

I’m not sure how it will affect or is affecting freelancers (rather than just web designers) as I’m not a freelancer. But I think it will make it even more difficult to become a freelancer.

Already freelancers have their “loyal clients” as Sarah has mentioned, but what if you don’t have loyal clients yet? How do up and comers handle this problem? I guess you will have to reduce prices further, show some outstanding work, network even more and bid harder on the job boards.

Are you noticing any irregular patterns with your clients Sam?

Cheers,
Darren McPherson

Darren McPherson 13 October 2008, 01:43 #2

Btw I came across this. It’s FOWA with Tim Bray, about the tough times.

Sam Brown 13 October 2008, 01:44 #3

Hi Darren, I agree with what you said, it probably will be very hard for people to leave full-time employment for freelance without a lot of work booked-in in advance.

Personally I have not noticed any irregularities with clients, in-fact I am busy than ever and am fully booked until the end of the year and beyond. I really hope it doesn’t affect too many people in our industry.

Darren McPherson 13 October 2008, 01:49 #4

Well I’ve ready some other posts around the interweb and apparently freelancers are getting more work. The reason being is companies want people on short contracts, contracts where they can drop quickly if nothing else is required and hire on an ad-hoc basis. Web agencies seem to have more concrete long term contracts.

So maybe it’s a good time to start.

p.s my link from the previous post didn’t show. The video can be seem at the FOWA site.

Spencer Fry 13 October 2008, 06:50 #5

I think they’ll continue to get work. People will develop a lot of new stuff during this downturn. However, they may have to reduce their prices, because there will be an influx of freelancers that are out of work looking for jobs.

Joel Helin 19 October 2008, 06:38 #6

With all the obsticles in they way when going freelance, this is just another of them. That’s why I think many ones have second thoughts. Including me.