Portfolio

[oujipickle]

Hi guys,

I want to build a portfolio for my future web design business.
I understand i will have to give my services away free of charge i.e Voluntary.
Has anyone done this and how did they go about it.

I would also gain a lot of experience taking this route with potential customers and the actual websites.
I was thinking about maybe six freebies to start self employment ?

Cheers

ouji

[BeeDeeDubbleU]

Look at charities, preferably local, if you are doing this. that way you both get a benefit.

[piatkow]

Most have a web presence already, even if only on MySpace. As somebody who has been involved with a number of charities and not for profit organisations I think an offer out of the blue to redesign the site might be regarded as spam and would certainly **** off the incumbent volunteer webmaster.

The place to start is with organisations that you are already involved with such as your kids' scout troop, your church, the amature dramatic group that your spouse belongs to. Of course none of those examples may apply to you but you get the idea.

[topr8]

forget charity work and doing stuff for free.

just build 2 or 3 sites on topics you are interested in - use them as examples in your portfolio, then later on when you have enough real jobs in your portfolio just put adsense on the samples you made and earn some money from them.

[lorax]

I agree with topr8. Build something for yourself, hang out your shingle, and get out and engage people.

[oujipickle]

Cheers guys, i had contacted a couple of local charities and they seem to look at me as if i had two heads!
never heard back from them, contacted a large martial arts club and the guy said he would get in touch and two months later i am still waiting for a call! What is wrong with people?

Anyway i have a couple of ideas about my own sites and will crack on with them, but yeah maybe look at them generating a return later down the line

Cheers again

Ouji

[BeeDeeDubbleU]

What is wrong with people?

People are prone to believe that there is no such thing as a free lunch, which there isn't normally. ;)

[damon_cool]

You got to get your foot in the door somehow. I wanted to do the web work for a friend starting his own business. So I created a music related blog (a common interest for both of us) and he liked it so much I ended up getting the job.

You've just got to get out there and start creating something. There are plenty of places where you can host stuff for free to start with.

If you don't have a portfolio or references, it will be very hard to get in unless you have a personal relationship with the business.

[Drag_Racer]

oujipickle, go look in the mirror. I'm serious. Look at that person looking back at you as you would the martial arts club owner. Now go do for that person in the mirror what you want to do for the club owner. You can't give it away until you have it.


step 2: What does that person need? In the first step you just figured that out. No go tell the club owner WHY he needs that.

Just because something is free does not always mean someone may want it. It's your job to tell them why they need it. If you don't get this, don't freelance.