I'm really having a good time here. I don't know if it's appropriate to let your client's know you're having a good time and you would do this stuff for free, but I gotta tell ya. It feels really good to spend your days doing something you love. I love being a "geek". I love figuring out how to make it work, putting together a design that speaks to a client, jazzing up a design in a way that gets results and not just ooo's and ahhh's.

Not only that, I like being in business. I just got a fresh order of business cards that I designed myself - with some insight from other designers on the web (thanks guys). I'm really pleased with them, and I can't wait to spread them around. I got a couple car magnets as well. Now I'm not big on offline marketing because, as I've put in another blog post, I prefer working on my client's stuff and getting THEM results. Word of mouth advertising works best for me.

But I couldn't resist. Now we've got five kids, and we drive around a 12-passenger van. It's a family-mobile! I've even stuck those cutesy little cartoon stickers depicting each kid on the back, so putting my business name and number on the van was too much to resist for me. I have an odd sense of the ridiculous I guess.

Anyway, it says something about us I think. We do think big; we keep it family-like; and we don't do it half-way.

What do I mean? Well, like our hosting ... we host with the hands-down best in hosting - Rackspace. Ask around. They are well-known as the tops in service, support, and quality. We rent our hosting servers from them, and offer our clients hosting packages they can afford. So our clients get the best PLUS the added support from Drillerweb.

Another way we do it big: I don't do things half-way. I don't slap something up just because I bid lower on a project or you opted for a smaller priced package. I can't help it. I may not offer the same amount of time into a project or the same amenities based on what you opted for, but the quality that goes into a $15,000 project is the same that goes into a $600 project. I've even given away websites, and I'll put that same attention to detail towards the freebies.

Why? Because I love what I do. Does this make good business sense? It's true, I've lost money with this philosophy. I've been advised to throw things up or hire cheap help to handle the little jobs. And I'm aware that there are things I need to hand off to others (that's another blog post). However, I disagree. I'm tired of hack-job and sloppy efforts. Now I'm aware that there are folks out there who would rather pay less for some things because they don't care if it's quality or not, they just need it done. Those people are NOT my target market.

If you are tired of low-class efforts, low-quality work, game-playing, un-professional, hack-job, untested, un thorough workmanship and you've come to realize that it is MORE costly to pay twice for the same job than it is to pay a little more for a job well-done the FIRST time, then YOU are the right client for Drillerweb.

I had a potential client scoping out my prices, and I told him what I charged. He said, "Don't you think that's a little high?" (and this was before another client talked me into raising my prices recently!). I said, "No, I don't. Actually I'm below the national average, and my clients are so relieved to find me that they are happy to pay my prices. I don't lie to them. I know what I'm talking about. I don't pretend when I don't. I do my best to meet deadlines. I adjust when there is a problem. I communicate well, and I'm very good at what I do." All the time I'm telling him this, I'm thinking that there was a time I didn't know all that about myself or my company. I used to think I charged too much because I would never pay that much, but then I'm cheap, and I don't need my services (wink). I certainly would pay what someone charged for what I DID need though - especially if it had the potential to make ME money as well.

I used to downplay my abilities thinking it was noble to be "humble", but experience has taught me that I do offer something of value to people who really need it. I'm happy to help, and I want them to know I'm available. Finally, There are others out there who market cheap services to folks who want to pay cheap prices, and I'm fine sending them on their way. I don't have time to fight over that crowd. I'd rather spend my time with my kids and husband. Time with them is at a premium price. It will have to be worth the price of pulling me from them to work for you. :-) And knowing you are paying for someone with that kind of balance should cause you to rest at ease. I will care for your project as if it were my child. That kind of peace is a premium you will not get everywhere.

And THAT is why I love what I do.