My Expectations for This New Venture
If you are getting into the game to make a quick buck, I would suggest thinking again. – Jason Schuller of Press75.com in a Group Interview of WordPress Theme Sellers
So I’m four days away from the launch of my new business, ThemeJam. 99% of the preparation work is complete, and I’m finally ready to release this thing into the wild. During this quiet time before the big event (the launch), I’d like to reflect on my expectations for my new venture:
If nothing else, more client work
Obviously, one of my main motivations for starting a product-based business was to have an alternative to client work. Something that generates recurring income, and offers more creative freedom than is usually the case when working on projects for clients, who have a very specific set of needs.
But I think that by selling high quality WordPress themes (and email templates), I will actually attract a new type of client: Those that purchase my themes, who want customization work done by the theme author himself (me). Of course, I will welcome these opportunities and if custom work accounts for the bulk of the income from ThemeJam, I’m perfectly fine with that. I absolutely love designing and developing on WordPress, and client work via ThemeJam only means more of that.
A massive learning experience
More-so than anything else, I’m excited about the lessons I will likely learn the hard way (by failing, then correcting). Outside of the actual design and development aspects of producing themes, there are many things about this type of business that I’m taking on for the first time.
One example is marketing my own products online. I haven’t ever spent on advertising for my freelance web design work. ThemeJam will be the first time I run paid ad campaigns so I’m anxious to see what the return on investment will be, how I will need to tweak my approach, what works, what doesn’t, etc.
Another example is offering customer support for products. I think this should come fairly easy since I’m already very used to offering great support for my freelance clients (via email, phone, IM). But support on ThemeJam will likely involve many more and frequent requests. It will also be the first time I conduct support via an online forum.
A chance to build a reputation in the WordPress community
I’ve already developed a solid network of word-of-mouth referrals for my freelance web design business. I’m hoping to bring this to the next level in the coming years by establishing myself and my businesses as a trusted name within the WordPress community. As I said, I love working with WordPress more than any other skill within the realm of web design, and I’m hoping to dig deeper into this part of my career.
A stepping stone to whatever is next…
I am an entrepreneur. I’ve got the bug. I’ve got an over-active mind, constantly dreaming up ideas for the future. A new project, a new business, a new angle. ThemeJam isn’t even launched yet, and already I’ve got a few specific ideas for future ventures (some expansions within ThemeJam, some separate).
ThemeJam will be my stepping stone to these other ventures. I will learn a ton, refine my approach, and apply these lessons to future startups. I will leverage the popularity (if any) of ThemeJam to launch the next thing.
I’ve never been more excited about my career than right now.
Best of luck Brian! I’m excited for you!
Thanks buddy!
Best of luck Brian! I’m excited for you!
Thanks buddy!
Oh no, there’s another benefit as well. You see, if you’re like me, you do advertising/broadcast for your next project. But then you get like 50 potential sales leads in your inbox. You sort through them and see who needs a reality check, which ones you can do rapidly first, make some calls and start scheduling things out, etc. But the problem there is that some clients just may not have the budget for what they are wanting, or may not be willing to wait on me if I’m busy. So here’s where themes like you’re building can help. You can take clients who normally would be deflected for whatever reason (your availability, budget issues, personal issues, whatever) and offer them to visit your theme website. Whether it was listed specifically as their initial request or not, they just might be interested in using your themes. You know? If I have like 5 WP themes to build for 5 clients, but I might risk losing 2 of them because of not having enough time to get back to them for their deadline, I can at least refer them to my theme website so that I potentially monetize clients I might otherwise end up losing. And moreover, it might hold them over just long enough for them to come back for even more customizations.
Plus, as a designer, this is what you *do*, man. I mean, you spend your spare time making things and being productive rather than wasting that precious time. Better to make something in your general work category than, say, sell fruit on the street corner. So yeah, all the other things you listed also apply.
I wish you luck in your venture, and I’ll be keeping an eye on it and referring others. I mean, it may inspire me to do the same thing. Right now, however, my inbox is full of work and spare time is a rare commodity.
Great points. It’s true – those clients who don’t have the budget to hire me for their custom project could be directed to my themes business.
However, I this situation hasn’t really come up for me in recent months. I think because the majority of client business comes through referrals, they’re already within the ballpark budget for my rates. For any freelancer – I highly recommend developing a strong referral business.
Exciting times! All the best with the launch.
Great blog post also.
I’v experienced many referrals via the sites i have done where prospective clients are not aware of the cost to the original client. Many people want what others have, but are not prepared to pay for the process to have a custom, unique website. Enter themes…
Your expertise & skills at a fraction of the cost to the client, an multiple sales and passive income for you. = win/win.
But you obviously know this
all the best
Thanks Iaan! Indeed, it’s really a great business model (if I can make it work!)
Most of my clients don’t know what WordPress is (let alone themes), so my expectation is that customers will primarily be web developers using themes to serve their clients. If a client can’t afford a complex custom design, web developers can inform their clients about WordPress and the amazing selection of themes on the market. I think that’s one of the many directions freelance web design is going these days.
Very true.
Lately I have been wondering if there is scope to market WordPress and Niche specific (ito functionality) themes to the end user and not another web developer. This will allow more focussed development (thus a better products). Support however will be major issue as you are working with WordPress newbies…
Off course that will not exclude the freelance designer to become a client also.
“The perfect business model: Create + sell something that other entrepreneurs need.” (via @adii)
Interesting points. I wonder about end-user’s perception of the theme market and wordpress in general for that matter.
Take the recent popularity of Frameworks + Child Themes. As a developer, I see the benefits of developing this way, but my guess is the vast majority of end users have no idea what a child theme is. It’s interesting how many of the big player theme companies are moving to frameworks/child themes. Personally, I think we still have a little while yet before the concept of child themes spreads to the mainstream user base.
Oh no, there’s another benefit as well. You see, if you’re like me, you do advertising/broadcast for your next project. But then you get like 50 potential sales leads in your inbox. You sort through them and see who needs a reality check, which ones you can do rapidly first, make some calls and start scheduling things out, etc. But the problem there is that some clients just may not have the budget for what they are wanting, or may not be willing to wait on me if I’m busy. So here’s where themes like you’re building can help. You can take clients who normally would be deflected for whatever reason (your availability, budget issues, personal issues, whatever) and offer them to visit your theme website. Whether it was listed specifically as their initial request or not, they just might be interested in using your themes. You know? If I have like 5 WP themes to build for 5 clients, but I might risk losing 2 of them because of not having enough time to get back to them for their deadline, I can at least refer them to my theme website so that I potentially monetize clients I might otherwise end up losing. And moreover, it might hold them over just long enough for them to come back for even more customizations.
Plus, as a designer, this is what you *do*, man. I mean, you spend your spare time making things and being productive rather than wasting that precious time. Better to make something in your general work category than, say, sell fruit on the street corner. So yeah, all the other things you listed also apply.
I wish you luck in your venture, and I’ll be keeping an eye on it and referring others. I mean, it may inspire me to do the same thing. Right now, however, my inbox is full of work and spare time is a rare commodity.
Great points. It’s true – those clients who don’t have the budget to hire me for their custom project could be directed to my themes business.
However, I this situation hasn’t really come up for me in recent months. I think because the majority of client business comes through referrals, they’re already within the ballpark budget for my rates. For any freelancer – I highly recommend developing a strong referral business.
Exciting times! All the best with the launch.
Great blog post also.
I’v experienced many referrals via the sites i have done where prospective clients are not aware of the cost to the original client. Many people want what others have, but are not prepared to pay for the process to have a custom, unique website. Enter themes…
Your expertise & skills at a fraction of the cost to the client, an multiple sales and passive income for you. = win/win.
But you obviously know this
all the best
Thanks Iaan! Indeed, it’s really a great business model (if I can make it work!)
Most of my clients don’t know what WordPress is (let alone themes), so my expectation is that customers will primarily be web developers using themes to serve their clients. If a client can’t afford a complex custom design, web developers can inform their clients about WordPress and the amazing selection of themes on the market. I think that’s one of the many directions freelance web design is going these days.
Very true.
Lately I have been wondering if there is scope to market WordPress and Niche specific (ito functionality) themes to the end user and not another web developer. This will allow more focussed development (thus a better products). Support however will be major issue as you are working with WordPress newbies…
Off course that will not exclude the freelance designer to become a client also.
“The perfect business model: Create + sell something that other entrepreneurs need.” (via @adii)
Interesting points. I wonder about end-user’s perception of the theme market and wordpress in general for that matter.
Take the recent popularity of Frameworks + Child Themes. As a developer, I see the benefits of developing this way, but my guess is the vast majority of end users have no idea what a child theme is. It’s interesting how many of the big player theme companies are moving to frameworks/child themes. Personally, I think we still have a little while yet before the concept of child themes spreads to the mainstream user base.