I was inspired by Quincy Larson’s book- especially the networking chapter and it gave me enough courage to ask people I knew/haven’t spoke to in ages if I could make something for them.
I asked 4 people in total. 3 replied. One wasn’t sure yet and two said I could make a website for them! Now even though this is unpaid work, I will be adding these to my portfolio and to me that’s super worth it.
I am not unemployed! This is a win!
I think possibly after these two projects I could charge money for my services. But, I am not sure how much to charge. After I finish both websites I think I will start pitching to potential clients instead of people I personally know.
edit: Update (3/11/2026)! Three ended up saying yes after all! I am close to finishing the second website and this is for an established educator!!
I am pretty much almost done with my first website now and it’s for an artist.
I had no idea how difficult it actually was tbh. I had to readjust certain animations because some browsers like firefox or safari couldn’t handle them and fixing all the pages so they would look good on mobile and just as great as desktop is very tiring. Some animations worked on browsers like brave but then wouldn’t work on firefox.
When asking a potential client how much to charge, start by asking about their budget. Once they share it, try negotiating for about a 20–30% higher price. It can also help to learn from some great sales pitching books like “Secrets of Closing the Sale” by Zig Ziglar and “The Psychology of Selling” by Brian Tracy.
Thanks a lot for the help. Since I am a newbie, I’ll just go with their budget price but once I get more established with great referrals and testimonials I can charge more I am sure!