webwoman - 4:49 pm on Jun 12, 2003 (gmt 0)

I got into web designing only 3 years ago as part of my full time job in marketing at a company that had no marketing budget. I figured marketing via the website was cheap, and taught myself web design, so that I could justify being employed there :) Since that time, I have had many small businesses approach me (the first was referred by my boss!) and have designed many websites.

I realized after a year that small businesses want something more than just a website. They want traffic and leads and sales from their website. I learned SEO and my business doubled quickly. I make so much more money on the seo services, that I can offer the web design fairly inexpensively when I know I will have ongoing seo income from them.

I feel confident that there is opportunity for web designers in the small to medium sized business market. There are still many out there with no site or sites made by a nephew playing with FrontPage.

...And I love clients who 'don't have a clue' - gives me the chance to teach them good habits from a fresh slate :)
Good luck to you!

-webwoman