I mean you still have to do that redesign of your website that you’ve been wanting to do for a while. And you have to get a new computer, and maybe a couple nice items of furniture so you can be more productive.

And of course, there’s all the web design work you have to do.

But wait, as fun as all of this might be, what’s going to happen to all of that if you are not bringing in money.

Yes, cashflow. It’s all for nothing.

But don’t get down, just make a decision to make marketing, especially when you are just getting started, your #1 job.

Why?

Because it’s what is going to bring in money, and keep your lights on. With more cashflow, you’ll even have more freedom to do some of the things you want. But without cashflow, you really don’t have a business.

For many of us, this mindset of marketing is the last thing we want to hear. I mean we are designers, not sales and marketing professionals. The really fun stuff is the design work we do.

So how can we get into marketing mode and see that as more important, for the time being, than all that other stuff?

Something that works for me is making sure to have a separate bank account for my design business. That way, with all the bills I have to pay for the business, I’m always aware of the need to fill it with more money. Then it does not sound so crass. It’s just the reality that without more business, I’m not going to be able to pay the bills.

Really hate marketing? Well just think of this, once you really have a business going, you can hire someone to do the marketing for you. If you are not there yet, then you have something to look forward to.

The best book I ever read about marketing isn’t written by some college professor, it’s written by someone who has grown many different business to up to $300 million in revenues. Personally, I like to listen to people who have already done it :)

Get the book on Amazon here:

http://www.amazon.com/marketing

Well I don’t really care what anyone says about it, the fact is, you can easily find clients using Twitter, and a freelance web design business is a perfect fit for this.

Here’s how you can do it: Search for words you consider a good fit for someone who is looking for web design. For example, two searches I like are “get website” and “need website”. If someone is saying on Twitter “I need a website”, you will find it.

Then all you do is follow that person, and send them an @reply saying you can help them with whatever it is they are asking, and if they want to talk more, just DM or @reply back.

I’ve been amazed how easy it is, and how few people are doing this to find freelance clients.

Most people ARE doing something like this: “Hey I’m a web designer if you want a website go here …”. They are doing this as an update on their own profile. So the only people to see it have to follow them first.

NOT going to work.

Find the people who are saying they need help, follow them and offer your help. You’ll be amazed at the results you get from Twitter since it’s still fairly new and trust runs pretty high among followers on Twitter.

There, I just shared with you something I really didn’t want to tell anyone, but I told you because you are a subscriber :)

Only thing is they say that you can only use it 3 times free when you have more than 1800 followers. Well I have over 14,000 and i’m still using it free …

so use it FREE while you can!

http://huitter.com/mutuality/

But especially these days, you have to be focused on generating cashflow in your web design business. Otherwise your business will drain your cash instead of growing it.

So sales and marketing, are how you are going to make your business not only stay afloat, but prosper.

So what can you do to market your business?

Well for one, you can find ways to let people know your doors are open, and let them know your specialty.

How can you do this?

One great free way is twitter of course :) Just grow your followers by following others and make sure your profile links to your website, and tells a little about you and your business.

There are countless people using twitter in just this way with great success.