I have been getting A LOT of questions about the business of freelancing and working abroad. it is these questions that have prompted me to start working on a new site called Freelancing Abroad. That site will be in construction for a while. So, in the meantime I decided to start doing some live webinars here on Outlaw Design Blog if you guys are interested. Further down in this post I have enclosed a link to a short 5 question poll to get a better idea of what kind of information you guys are after.
First let me tell you just a little about what I had in mind.
The webinars would be about an hour long and completely interactive, as most good webinars are. During the course of the webinar, I would talk and teach the group about the desired topic. Towards the end of the lesson, I would open the floor for question on the topic. After the webinar was over, I would create a MP3 file of the lesson and PDF of the lesson and have it emailed to you shortly after the webinar.
What do you think?
Do you have any ideas or suggestions?
Please take the short 5 question survey to let me know what topics you are interested in. If you include your email address in the poll, I will send you a discount code for the first webinar.
13 Comments
Hi Danny,
Thank you for this new concept and giving us a chance to voice our interests. Since I have not gone in to business, yet, I don’t know what I would like to see, yet. I do, however, have a blog with ‘freebies’ and have learned a few things about how to get visitors and what keywords work. I’m on a tight budget, but, I would certainly try to find the bucks to take one of your webinars. Of interest, to me, would be the steps one would take in setting up and running a business. A checklist, kind of, that lists the things you should take care of to get started, for example. I don’t know what I need! LOL Maybe others will help focus in on this for me.
Thanks,
Su
Hey Su -
Sure. i think that’s a great idea and one the will most definitely get covered. When you say you don’t know what you need, can you be any more specific? I’d love to make sure I cover as many questions as possible in the webinar.
Hi, there,
Thank you for such a quick response.
I don’t know if there are some things I need as I haven’t ever gone in to business - online - before. Like, I have set up blogs, before, and have a FreeWebs” site, http://www.freewebs.com/suruha/, if you would like. Also, I have been in on the set-up of a paranormal research site as a founding member, http://safeharborparanormal.com/. It was there that I realized I know very little about setting up a site for design\. (I’ve been trying to find out about a ‘non-profit’ business status for it.) I have never thought of charging for my stuff. I don’t feel I’m that good, yet.
One area I have issues with is the presentation of the item(s). On my digital scrapbooking blog, http://suruha-freespirit.blogspot.com, I have done previews for my goodies. They aren’t that great. I have played around with my logo, too, and, still, I am not happy with it.
See? Even as I write this I am reminded of so many details, not to mention the how-to’s and the stuff I know nothing about, yet. LOL Thanks, again!
Hope this helps.
Su
Survey has been completed. I’m really looking forward to the first webinar, I hope it goes well, and I hope it helps me figure out how to stop be a ’starving artist,’ and start making a living off of what I love to do.
I just read this thinking it was a great idea and a nice thing for you to give up your time for an hour and also to send an mp3 and PDF was great. I think the pricing for the webinar is a bit expensive though. I do like this idea of freelancing abroad. I live in the UK and think it would be a great experience to go and work in France for a year or so.
Looking at some of Su’s stuff - I am reminded of something that spurred me years ago as a kid coming up.
I always tried to take these extra Community Ed classes with mostly adults in them as I was never getting the level of “education” I wanted at my schools.
And even then the probelm I was seeing is that the folks running these Comm Ed classes were under the level I was at or wanted to be at.
Su seems to need basic structure development on how to layout websites better. What works and what doesn’t. And that might be one way to go.
But what i was reminded of is that you might want to cover several different topics but also at different levels. No offense to Su and I wish here well - but setting up a business and making a profit at it based on an existing skillset is much different than learning the skillset to begin with.
Have Beginner - Intermediate - Advanced. As there will be those of us that want to focus more on the business of starting a business as opposed to learning how to design a webiste properly.
Also - not so sure about the subscription based on time. Monthly - etc…. Having a day job - myself or others might not always be able to jump in on one when it’s convenient for you. Unless there is simply a method to get the PDF/ MP3 files whether we particiapte or not. And have a Blog post back on the main site (or someplace more restricted - as it’s paid content) that mentions the new seminar only leaving the ability to post and gain feedback after the fact.
Have a pay method like 1 seminar is $35 - but then 5 is $25 if paid in bulk. But then the customer can pick and choose which ones they want to participate in. Aside from the Poll (I filled it out) I think you starting this out - you might want to think about lower prices at first - if nothing else a trial run for a while. Because your first Webinar most likely won’t be as streamlined as your 40th one. If you’ve never done them before - you’re going to have “bugs” and “kinks” to work out of your approach.
I’ve watched a couple of your video tutorials and as they are rather informative and I thank you for them - but much of the time you seem to
be pulling the content from the top of your head. And this doesn’t make you the best of instructors whether you know the topics at an expert level or not. It’s much better to have focus for the discussions.
As opposed to your printed Tutorials and topics - you tend to have a Delete Key and Edit functions where you can modify the content on the fly. And it’s typically more difficult to do a dozen takes on video footage (or audio) and/ or then edit that content into something coherent.
So either get some Beta testors to help you work out the kinks and bugs - or practice a lot before you start charging or as any decent freelance designer does start out with lower pricing until your skillset gets better.
Also - with the monthly subscription - if you cover a topic or two that someone is not interested in during the course of the month - that person is going to feel they wasted their money.
Wow Bob, you make some really good points. I plan on really organizing and brainstorming the first few webinars later next week. As well as how to make them more professional and less “off the cuff.” I guess it’s time to start playing around with Keynote!
I totally agree that testing the first few webinars is key. I was thinking about doing the first one for low price and at a slightly higher discount for those who filled out the survey.
I think keeping all the webinars audio/text on file is certainly the way to go as well. regardless of if I do the monthly fee or not, I think every participant will get a copy of the files afterwords.
I’ll keep everyone posted on the progress of this..
You all are making excellent points. I appreciate your input to me, Bob. Sincerely! As I am still learning Photoshop, I wouldn’t possibly feel I am ready to go in to business, skill-wise. Thus, I feel somewhat the same about going in to business, business-wise.
In the community in which I spend much of my time, digital scrapbooking, all the people, there, get a blog, put their goods on it, or, in a “Zen-Cart” site, and some have ’stores’. Some are more successful than others. But, I wouldn’t want to have to depend on an income like that, myself.
I am just clueless about a business. So, any podcasts would be uncharted territory for me. As mentioned by others, I couldn’t afford the podcasts being over say, 20 dollars. That is until I have a foot in the door, at least. Then, perhaps.
Does this help in any way? I hope so.
Ya’ll have a great weekend!
Su
Hey Su !
We all have to start somewhere! I definitely think that a “passive income series” and perhaps even a basic “start selling online” type webinar will eventually be in the works.
To clear things up…are you looking for help designing your digital scrapbooking stuff or finding ways to make money selling it online?
Hi, there,
I am more interested in finding ways to make money selling on line. I’m doing my own designing. I won’t even attempt to open a site for profit unless I feel I have an edge over others, either with my designs, a good set-up, or with some clever hook. LOL Have you seen how many ’scrapbooking’ sites there are out there?!
In all actuality, I don’t really think scrapbooking design is going to be my ultimate dream. I love the freedom of creating a little set and offering it up as a freebie. I get my kicks doing the designing, not in how many people download it.
I’m learning a lot, this way. I’m just learning Photoshop, now, so, who knows where I will wind up. I enjoy your podcasts and may eventually realise some position where I can use what I learn. I keep hoping, anyway.
Thank you,
Su
Hey Su -
I know for a fact that a month long topic of “passive income” will be in the works for the webinars.
I think what you are doing right now is the perfect way to start. Is the blogspot blog your main website?
Im not sure how well your stuff compares to others in your industry, but I think some of your designs, textures, patterns, could do well elsewhere in the design community. Have you ever thought of look outside of the scrapbooking niche to sell your work?
Cheers-
D
The Blogger blog is my main site. Other than a fascination with images of all kinds, until I started playing around on PS, I had never done anything with digital art. The scrapbook thing was something I stumbled upon. Once I saw what all went in to creating a ‘kit’, I started creating some things myself. As I said, I don’t believe scrapbooking will be my future. This will lead SOMEWHERE! LOL
I do a lot of looking around the internet and have found many areas that might be of interest - web design, for one. I’ve done just a little of that with my own sites. (I have other sites that I maintain for different things) I have a
So, I am keen on anything that will help me. I know I am not ready to try it now. But, I am keeping my “ear to the ground” and learning all I can. I look forward to your “passive income” podcasts.
Thank you,
Su
yes danny whats the good word?
i reckon via fb or skype with an instant messenger and say 30 selected people
so its genuine the post the q a later