From my days as a semi-pro photographer I figured out that when things get slow you have to go looking for your business rather than waiting for it to come to you. You can only pester your friends, family, and former clients to a point. What I have found to rejuvenate the soul and ignite the creative juices is to enter contests.
Contests serve as a means to compare our work with our peers given a particular set of rules or requirements. There is usually much creative freedom given to the participants and usually a decent reward for winning the contest. Below are some of my observances from my history of entering contests.
1) Find a good contest to enter. - You should seek to enter contests where you have a chance of winning and whose prizes are worth the effort you will put into it. Web development and design contests often provide monetary compensation for your winning design. Some contests even lead to future work for the client so think beyond the prize money offered and be sure to communicate your willingness and availability to help the contest holder in the future. You may wish to find a site which offers multiple opportunities to enter contests or has a variety of contests offerings. You may be in the mood to create logos for the current month, or go wild with a 10 page coded webdesign with interactive and dynamic features. Find the contest that will inspire your best work.
2) Evaluate the competition - Contests are tricky in that you are putting your work up against others to a biased and subjective judge. The manner in which we developers and designers view a site may be very different than the way a contest holder views our contest entries. I have found it is best not to be the first contest entry but to be early enough to outshine the current competitors. Getting that first WOW factor at the right time can boost your chances of winning. If there are already several good designs with positive feedback, you may not want to enter that contest unless you can offer something entirely different.
3) Communication - Always communicate in public and private with the contest holder. Public communications should indicate how you met thier requirements, request feedback, and to thank the contest holder for their consideration. In private you should commuicate how you can help the contest holder (aka future client) with the post implementation and other design/development needs they may have. Don’t be too pushy but don’t be afraid to promote your abilities. NEVER knock your opponents designs.
Never promise an entry that you can not deliver. I see many developers do this after asking questions about the contest.
4) Win small pizes graciously. Regardless of the amount of prize money, always be gracious and leave the door open for future business. If the contest pays out $200 and you normally receive an average of $400 for website development, treat the contest holder the same as if he payed you $1000. He/She may need your services at a later date or refer you to other potential clients.
Contest holders may not be thinking beyond their current needs or may have cash flow issues that are not a problem later.
5) Lose graciously. If someone elses design blows yours away, acknolwedge them. We all need a pat on the back from our peers. You may also want to develop a relationship with them for future opportunities. As your business grows you may not have the time or the talent needed for every client. Having a few friends in the business my give you some inexpensive outsourcing options. You can also think of this as team building.
6) Use contests as a means to express or enhance your style. Too often we are working with clients who have a style in mind and they do not offer us the full creative latitude we would like. Contests are your chance to try new things and to move outside of your comfort zone.
7) Don’t over do it. Entering contests can be a lot of fun. You may have to enter several before you win one. But as a business person you have to balance profit with energy expended. If you are just starting out and do not have many clients you may wish to enter several contests to get things moving. But those of us with an established business should evaluate our time and energy expended with the chance of winning and the rewards or loss for doing so. Once you have several designs to chose from in your library you may find it easier to enter a contest and less time is expended for each contest. Do not enter too many contests, if you happen to win a couple in a row you may stretch yourself too thin. I have also noticed whenever I get a new client or win a contest, all my old clients suddenly have work for me. When it rains it pours. ALWAYS communicate your timelines and make sure you manage your clients expectations.
8) Additional work beyond the contest requirements should be negotiated. If there are some minor changes or additions you may wish to offer them gratis. But if there is significant work to be done after the contest, use the opportunity to educate the contest holder about your fees and always charge your normal rates. Undercharging will hurt you in the long run. If the contest amount was more than you normally earn, you have a choice to absorb the additional work for free, reduce your overall rate to match what you would normally have been paid for the project plus additional work, or use the opportunity to increase your fees. A client with deep pockets who appreciates your skill set is your best client. Those who want you to constantly modify thier site for minimal fees are not serving your best interest. Learn to negotiate your fees and build pricing policies that are flexible should you meet the right client.
9) Have fun. If the contest world becomes drudgery, stop doing it. Find other ways to promote your business or spend the downtime honing your skills.
