Failed at my web design business - Need feedback on what I did wrong.

[Ayush6543]

I started freelancing in November 2022. I got a project from Upwork. Then they suspended my account because I couldn't complete my verification.
It was around March 2023 when I started cold outreach to get web design clients. I tried cold calling, cold email, and cold DM's, and I got only one client for whom I built a website in return for a testimonial.

One of the problems with my thinking was that I believed that being the best web designer or developer meant being someone who was highly skilled in writing code and using certain tech stacks. However, after reading a thread by @Fox and watching videos of several other web designers, I realized that I had been focusing too much on selling code and features, rather than solving problems and delivering results. I learned that business owners are not concerned with whether I use WordPress or Nextjs, but rather how my work can help their business.

I am pretty bad at talking to people and persuading them to buy, and I need to fix it. I also understood that business is not just about reading multiple sales books but applying those lessons in real life to get results.

I also struggle with discipline. During my cold outreach efforts, I would follow the process for three to four days, but then I would feel disappointed at night for not closing any clients, and as a result, I would waste time playing video games until 4am. This would cause me to wake up late the next day.

 

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[Stargazer]

Sounds like you have identified where you have gone wrong and therefore know what to do to fix it.

And yes, if you called me saying Nextis I would not have a clue what you are talking about. In fact I have no idea what most of the threads are talking about.

If you asked a printer to print flyers for you, you don't need them talking about what printer and ink they are going to use do you? You just want to see a couple of samples that shows a certain quality and negotiate a decent price and delivery terms.

Dan

 

[Guest931Xfjyx]

Here's the only ways you can fail anything:
1. You die
2. You quit

 

[Bence Ur]

Then they suspended my account because I couldn't complete my verification.

Why? Don't you have a valid photo ID?

You can't do anything online without verification, you can't even accept payments.

 

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[Antifragile]

I also struggle with discipline. During my cold outreach efforts, I would follow the process for three to four days, but then I would feel disappointed at night for not closing any clients, and as a result, I would waste time playing video games until 4am.

Lack of discipline you highlighted above can account for 90% of all failures.

Here's the only ways you can fail anything:
1. You die
2. You quit

Popular way of promoting “don’t quit” mentality, but isn’t entirely correct. Running a marathon you can fail in countless ways: fail to meet your target time, fail to complete, fail to win the event … all decades before your death.

People who don’t understand that, often are running east looking for sunset. Then they think they just need to run faster or longer. Lunacy.

 

[Guest931Xfjyx]

Lack of discipline you highlighted above can account for 90% of all failures.


Popular way of promoting “don’t quit” mentality, but isn’t entirely correct. Running a marathon you can fail in countless ways: fail to meet your target time, fail to complete, fail to win the event … all decades before your death.

People who don’t understand that, often are running east looking for sunset. Then they think they just need to run faster or longer. Lunacy.

If your goal is to run a marathon, and you run the marathon... you've succeeded in your goal.

That's not the same thing as winning a marathon, or hitting a target time at a marathon, or completing a marathon.

Are you deliberately trying to be contentious?

I don't disagree with your point that he may need to readjust his goals, maybe you were also trying to imply something to me here, but in my opinion this is nothing more than a case of quitting far too early. That, and a seeming lack of focus.

 

[shubham___3011]

I started freelancing in November 2022. I got a project from Upwork. Then they suspended my account because I couldn't complete my verification.
It was around March 2023 when I started cold outreach to get web design clients. I tried cold calling, cold email, and cold DM's, and I got only one client for whom I built a website in return for a testimonial.

One of the problems with my thinking was that I believed that being the best web designer or developer meant being someone who was highly skilled in writing code and using certain tech stacks. However, after reading a thread by @Fox and watching videos of several other web designers, I realized that I had been focusing too much on selling code and features, rather than solving problems and delivering results. I learned that business owners are not concerned with whether I use WordPress or Nextjs, but rather how my work can help their business.

I am pretty bad at talking to people and persuading them to buy, and I need to fix it. I also understood that business is not just about reading multiple sales books but applying those lessons in real life to get results.

I also struggle with discipline. During my cold outreach efforts, I would follow the process for three to four days, but then I would feel disappointed at night for not closing any clients, and as a result, I would waste time playing video games until 4am. This would cause me to wake up late the next day.

Hey Ayush sad to hear about this also reading your thread i noticed three things.

1. You were busy selling features and not emotions, the reason majority people buy or purchase something is how will it effect their life or how easy it will make their life.

2. You lack basic communication skills, there are multiple books out there on basic communication skills the best one id recommend is "how to win and influence people" this one book has worked wonder for me personal.

3. The lack of discipline i can agree that when you arent getting the results you want you often get demotivated and dont want to work more but that is were you need to work the most.

Being a freelancer myself I would like to connect with you to learn more from you and help you out with basic communication things, please lemme know how can we connect

 

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[Ayush6543]

Why? Don't you have a valid photo ID?

You can't do anything online without verification, you can't even accept payments.

I'm unable to provide a photo ID since I'm only 17. I convinced my first client to transfer the payment to my dad's PayPal account.

Lack of discipline you highlighted above can account for 90% of all failures.


Popular way of promoting “don’t quit” mentality, but isn’t entirely correct. Running a marathon you can fail in countless ways: fail to meet your target time, fail to complete, fail to win the event … all decades before your death.

People who don’t understand that, often are running east looking for sunset. Then they think they just need to run faster or longer. Lunacy.

Yeah, I need to work on being disciplined, and I am going to start today. You are right about identifying mistakes rather than blindly running towards a goal.

 

[Shubham Gacche]

Hey Ayush, I am working on something which will solve this problem. let's connect and discuss.