All of those websites have glaring issues with them.

Are you just one clicking WordPress and uploading a premium theme, then letting the owner do what they want?

The Abundant Babes has the Divi Themes logo and the tab title has [Site tagline here], overall isn't finished. DocuGirl has default testimonials on the home page. Carrie's about page has links that go nowhere.

 

@The Abundant Man, you've got a match bro!

Okay, I feel like you don't sell yourself well enough. Those are benefits of WordPress. Not you. Anyone with basic internet skills can one-click-install WP today.

It's free, yeah, but people would still invest their time and potentially reputation if they decide to go with you.

Why don't you answer these questions:

- What are the benefits of going with you? Will you provide any knowledge and insights they may have to spend hours acquiring themselves otherwise?
- Will you provide website content etc. or are you just gonna be a WP monkey who sets it up?
- Do your previous clients have anything to say about your work? How did it help them?

 

Isn't that essentially what he's doing here though anyway? I also disagree that it's buying fake reviews. If he does a good job, people will give him a review. I doubt anyone would if he didn't deliver.

I can see what you're saying in a way though. Maybe this isn't the best place to ask, but desperate and disingenuous is a bit harsh.

If you have trouble reaching out to businesses as they don't wan't you to do a free site for your portfolio, try some entrpreneurial facebook groups. I've seen it occasionally and people have had 50 applicants in less than an hour to choose from sometimes.

 

You're right, that choice of wording was a bit harsh of me. I apologies, I meant nothing horrible of it, so I redact that bit. In fact, thinking again, offering a free website is actually very generous!

This is solid advice. Plenty of entrepreneurs will want a free website. Then you can stay in that group and sell other people a website. You will then have a reputation in that group of someone who builds websites, with references in that group to back you up.

 

The Abundant Babes? That's actually a thing? A group of free-spirited hippie girls?



But I do agree that the website seems unfinished. It's a start though. Keep going. We're all gonna make it.

 

Don't mean to bring you down, but these websites can literary be made in under 1 hour. You have taken basic divi template and just changed some text and/ or added some ready-made modules.
Atleast finish them before offering to create them for others, because you're offerring business owners to make websites for them, while your portfolio consists of quick edited templates (that don't even look good, when we consider how good they look originally, check random example here)
What my point is? Add more value to your services. 30 minutes of editing templates won't get you far.
*Maybe I don't know how anything works and people are happy to pay for this, in that case congratulations!

 

Now I'm not sure how other freelancers go about this, but here's a suggestion.

Instead of trying to build your portfolio tinkering with potentially people's livelihood, register a domain (or 10) of your own and build a website for whatever market you're trying to penetrate. Don't try to use unfinished client sites as your portfolio pieces.

Where's your website? satvikgupta.com?

Don't worry about using a demo/template/whatever. Just being able to one-click install WordPress you know more than the majority of people who have or want a website.

What you should look into is setting up an offline development environment so you're not tinkering with live websites and setting up a child theme that has your information on display.

 

As it stands, this comes off looking somewhat desperate and disingenuous. You're essentially buying fake reviews. Building your portfolio is smart. Saying you'll give someone a website just for a review is bad.

If you want genuine reviews by real businesses, reach out to some businesses who have crappy or no website and offer your service for free. This is a more genuine way to build up your reputation and the universe will repay you.

 

- What are the benefits of going with you? Will you provide any knowledge and insights they may have to spend hours acquiring themselves otherwise?
=> I will setup the website using Divi (premium theme worth $89/year). Since I have taken udemy courses and built websites before using the theme, I have experience in making the website look "good" yet still aligning professionally in the niche.

- Will you provide website content etc. or are you just gonna be a WP monkey who sets it up?
=> I'm a web designer, not a content writer. My clients give me website copy/content to add on the website.

- Do your previous clients have anything to say about your work? How did it help them?
=> Yes! Here are some testimonial screenshots:
Screenshot
Screenshot

 

Theabundantbabes, I'm waiting for my client's graphic designer to update me with logo.

Same with Docugirl. Waiting for the owner to update me with testimonials.

I just tried Carrie's about page and it works fine? Can you please PM me what's wrong with it?

Thanks.

 

Let's not turn my thread into a meme fest, haha.

TheAbundantbabes website is complete, only the logo is left. I'm waiting for my client to update me with it.

 

Thanks for the feedback!

I'm working on improving my web design skills.

 

Do you work in HTML as well?

 

Yes, I do. But this offer is for WP based websites only.

 

Appreciate the advice!

But, if I setup websites like the way you told me, how will I know that I'm "ready" to start designing websites for paid work?

 

Frankly, you should be able to tell whether your sites are good enough for paid work.

Compare them to high quality websites already on the web.

High quality websites achieve the client’s goals (whatever that may be: more sales, more conversions, exposure, etc.) in an aesthetically pleasing way and with an enjoyable user experience.

Be honest with yourself: are your websites high quality and providing value?