Outlaw Design Blog

Sitepoint as been a great launching pad for the novice freelancer. While the jobs a new freelancer may find here might not be the highest paying, at least they help get you some experience. The real tools of success from Sitepoint are their massive collections of books and kits. There is a book on just about every topic a new and experienced freelancer could want. Anything from how to start freelancing, to how to better outsource work. Not to mention there are plenty technical books written by some of the industry leaders. Below are some of the books and kits that I have found the most useful from Sitepoint.

The Web Design Business Kit 2.0

More Info - Free Chapters - Buy Now
The Web Design Business Kit 2.0 was designed by Brendon Sinclair, who has his own successful web design firm based in Australia. You get not only get actual documents Brendan uses in his business on a daily basis, but you’ll also receive lessons on how you can sell yourself, how to keep your clients, and more.

The first folder you’ll come across will be the Manual. It walks you through five sections he says are the keys to being successful in business. He has it all covered as the manual takes you through your first steps in freelancing and how to establish your business. You can then move on to how to run and expand your business, and then find out how you can look to the future in the last section of the manual.

The second folder you receive will be full of legal and business documents. You will find financial documents and paperwork to help you plan your business. Client contact documents, employment documents and more, this kit has everything you need. These documents are handily available on the CD-ROM as well. Just fill in your information and your ready to go.

The Web Site Revenue Maximizer

More Info - Free Chapters - Buy Now
The Website Revenue Maximizer is for any website owner who wants to make more money. With the kit you get tips and instructions on how to maximize profits by using affiliate programs, picking the best tools for your website, and increasing your page views.

You can be a new website owner or someone who wants to make more money with your website, the Web Site Revenue Maximizer works for everyone. Figure out the mysteries of website traffic and search engine optimization, as well as generating advertising income. This kit will cover everything you need to make your website more profitable.

There are steps on how to set up your site to make advertising revenue, such as how to sell ads directly and using Google AdSense. There is information on how to handle affiliate marketing to help increase sales. You will even get lessons on how to sell online, such as how to notice fraudulent transactions and how to build credibility to make more sales. In the building traffic section you will learn things such as how to get visitors to keep returning to your site and how to build traffic by offline promotion. Anything you wanted to know about building traffic and making money is included in the Web Site Revenue Maximizer.

Sexy Web Design

More Info - Free Chapters - Buy Now
Sexy Web Design is a book that can help in making your website better looking, as well as becoming more functional. It is a guide that can teach you how to create your own web interfaces from scratch. You don”t need any experience at all. The book will teach you how to do everything even as a beginner. It is easy to read as it is made in a large 8×10 format.

In this book you will learn how to find inspiration for your designs, create designs with atmosphere and mood, and just plain make your web site look sexy. Anyone from seasoned website owners to beginners will find something helpful in this publication. You will learn how to design a website even before there is any text involved. You will even get helpful information on what to do before any designs are even thought of for your website. Dealing with clients, moving from diagrams to doodles, and much more will also be covered so you can make your website look the best it ever has.

The Principles Of Successful Freelancing

More Info - Free Chapters - Buy Now
From getting started as a freelancer to how to retain clients once you get them, this book covers everything you need to know. Miles Burke is the author and is the founder of the company Bam Creative, and has won entrepreneurship awards in 2005 and 2007. His The Principles of Successful Freelancing book is very helpful to any person seeking advice about working as a freelancer.

The book will take you through questions that can help you decide if freelancing is the right decision for you. You will also be guided through how to plan for your success as a freelancer, as well as being taught how to keep your business finances in order. Learning how to stay productive and happy are next and then you can learn to overcome fear of sales and how to brand your name. The book then goes over the importance of providing excellent customer service and engaging business from other sources. The book then wraps up with what do do after establishing a successful business. If you want to learn about freelancing, it’s all here.

Outsourcing Web Projects: 6 Steps to a Smarter Business

More Info - Free Chapters - Buy Now
This publication will give you insights on how to build a more profitable business. Included in the six steps are getting vendors to compete for your job, finding the outsourcing partner that is best for you, and achieving the best price for your product or service. The final three steps are learning how to draw up an agreement, keeping your project on the right track, and developing a relationship with your vendor that will last a long time.

Written by Dave Hecker, the book comes from someone who has over 18 years of experience in software development and is the owner of Sagewing. He has lots of hints and advice on how you can run your business smarter and make more money doing it.

You will learn things like how to evaluate possible outsourcing partners, how to produce a list of these partners, and how to choose between an hourly or fixed rate agreement. Also included in the training is how to get a misguided project back on track and the Ten Commandments of the great client.

If you are a free lance web developer having problems making it in the industry, then this is the book for you.