Why is it so hard to get clients in this industry?

I find it so hard to get paying clients for my services. It doesn't matter whether I have a site, where I advertise flyers or whatever, I just can't get buyers.

So frustrating, does anyone have some solid advice on how to get business fired up?

Care to tell us what industry you are in?

Originally Posted by Indy16 Care to tell us what industry you are in?

Hmmm... web development??

If it's Web development. You need like a soild foundation to start upon like get your name in to the big fish like say you do some development for say erm... A top named Software or Designing company they would most probbly if you do a great Job pass your name on. Like approach a Company or site and ask if they need some Web Development doing you can just wait till someone on google see's your site that will take forever.

Just my 2 cents

I get many clients for web developement. Emails weekly. But I'm a Coldfusion developer.

My guess is you are a php developer. Don't forget, it is the most wide-spread opensource language, but in no way will that help you as a serious developer. First off, put yourself in the buyer's perspective. Why did they install php? Because it is free. Why else did they install php? Because they can find work easily. What does that tell you. a) They don't have alot of money and b) Even if they do, they have so many other businesses to go to since it is such a widespread language.

Well anyway, I won't go on because you haven't said it was php, so is it php?

Originally Posted by ShytKicker I get many clients for web developement. Emails weekly. But I'm a Coldfusion developer. My guess is you are a php developer. Don't forget, it is the most wide-spread opensource language, but in no way will that help you as a serious developer. First off, put yourself in the buyer's perspective. Why did they install php? Because it is free. Why else did they install php? Because they can find work easily. What does that tell you. a) They don't have alot of money and b) Even if they do, they have so many other businesses to go to since it is such a widespread language. Well anyway, I won't go on because you haven't said it was php, so is it php?

No, actually.. I usually code in HTML. I know it's going out of date and XHTML/CSS is taking over, but my coding skills are limited and my graphical skills are intermediate-advanced.

Well then how much do you charge? What type of work exactly do you do?

HTML will never die. Even because XHTML is coming in, alot of people don't use the extended features of XHTML and still use HTML, such as me.

Anyway, if you are good and have a site and have put your name out there by designing other sites, then that is better than just posting on a forum asking for clients.

It's because of forums like these that get some people interested in photoshop and call themselves "pro designers" after playing around for a few months. Then they go whore themselves out for $5 a layout...

Originally Posted by ShytKicker Well then how much do you charge? What type of work exactly do you do?

Hmm.. depends. I normally charge hourly so say a quick1 page site fully coded takes 3 hours or so. I'll probably charge something like £15-£20. But even if I sell it cheaply to atleast get some profit and something to put in my portfolio (when it's up), they still don't sell.

HTML will never die. Even because XHTML is coming in, alot of people don't use the extended features of XHTML and still use HTML, such as me. Anyway, if you are good and have a site and have put your name out there by designing other sites, then that is better than just posting on a forum asking for clients.

I don't just post on a forum asking for clients. And as for getting my name out there by design other sites, that's my point exactly, I find it hard to get paying clients.