Meeting Summary
We wasted no time and got straight into how The Great Panini created a shift in the industry.
People felt like pre-pandemic there were a ton of “freelancers” and by the end of it, everyone was a “business owner.”
Different business models swept through the industry. Once someone tried it and shared publicly, everyone was trying out new methods of selling web design through:
- Template Shops
- Template Restyles
- VIP Days
- Coaching
(*We took a moment to make fun of the designer to coach pipeline when discussing this one.)
The “Charge Your Worth” wave increased web design prices across the board.
Whether this was a good thing or a bad thing was debated.
Some folks felt like this empowered inexperienced designers to charge prices that didn't reflect the work – and consumers couldn't always tell which designers were novices or seasoned pros based on pricing.
BUT.
It was remarked that this was good overall for the industry because independent designers who work their asses off could be compensated for their work without being balked at all the time.
Platforms have played a huge role in changing the industry.
More “approachable” drag and drop platforms like Wix, Squarespace, and Showit have improved leaps and bounds over the last five years.
As a result, easily digestible productized offers for design on approachable platforms have become this industry's bread and butter.
And it also seems to have made it easier to get started in web design. But while it may be easier to get started, the general consensus was that it still requires a ton of work and time to get really good at the job.
And before we left, of course we had to get into a small tangent/side quest. (Would it be a Glitch + Bitch without one?!)
The conversation: How many clients are looking for designers with upkeep services vs. clients who want to edit their own sites. AND if they want to be able to edit their own site, how many actually do!?
The consensus: The rule of thirds applies here pretty well. A third of clients want it done for them - “Take my money and change out that image!” A third take the initiative to learn to edit their own site. And a third let their sites live in limbo, never to be touched again.
