Succeeding as a freelancer and signing rewarding web design contract templates isn’t easy. There seems to be no end to the challenges and pain points that an independent worker will face, including demands on your time, a need to keep skills sharp when submitting new proposal templates or SOWs, and the cost to buy software and tools for design and creation.
Fortunately, the concerns of today’s developers and designers haven’t fallen on deaf ears. In a recent interview with Waldo Broodryk ,Support Team Lead at Webflow, we learned that there are some specific steps freelancers can take to minimize costly work obstacles, do more for clients, outline winning software development proposal templates, and ultimately sign more developer contract templates.
If you're a beginner, you can check out our guide on starting a web design business; otherwise, let's jump right in to the topic!
Waldo started out as a freelancer with the same limitations of time and money that we all face. He had been building sites using Squarespace, WordPress, and a few custom projects, when his career took a turn for the better. In May of 2014, he discovered Webflow after his manager at an agency told him to check it out.
Waldo tells us how he started tinkering around in Webflow and using Interactions to animate elements. “I couldn’t believe I was able to build super custom pages and web animations without having to write any code. I ended up taking on a new position working as a Digital Media Specialist with one of my friends from college, which meant building out landing pages and tons of responsive emails.”
I couldn’t believe I was able to build super custom pages and web animations without having to write any code.
He continued to learn new skills and bring his projects to life with Webflow. What he couldn’t research and learn from Google searches, he got help with from various experts he met. It only made sense that he would join the Webflow Forum on October 10th, 2014. While he originally did this to get help from others, he soon realized he was an asset to the community. Webflow is so powerful because it doesn't require mastering web development concepts like HTML, CSS, Javascript, or using Abstract APIs. “I’ve always loved helping people, and I fell in love with the Webflow community pretty quickly. I’d spend my lunch breaks answering questions on the forums and my evenings/free time responding to community members.” He also continued to work on freelance projects with the new passion he found using Webflow.
Waldo was experiencing tremendous professional growth with the community he discovered at Webflow. He took his modest portfolio and expanded upon it, getting the opportunity to build out many sites using the tool. He also gained visibility as a freelancer, and was motivated by the fact this his time and efforts were rewarding both financially and intrinsically though their Expert program.
Waldo loved the new projects he was being asked to take on, so when he was approached by Webflow to become a Community Expert on their forum — and then eventually a paid remote worker — it was obvious where Waldo was destined to be.
That’s great for Waldo, but what does it mean for the typical freelance designer or developer? It’s possible to replicate some of that success with the tools that Webflow offers their users. Freelancers will be empowered to create custom, dynamic, responsive websites — without having to code.
What if you’re happy using a tool like WordPress? There are differences between Webflow and the popular CMS, which the team explains in detail here. Waldo also explains, “Sketch and Illustrator are quite different platforms, made for designing vector-based graphics or pixel-perfect static designs. I’ve seen a few instances of Sketch plugins where you can convert a design to a website but the code produced wasn’t really up to par with web standards. A lot of our customers really appreciate the code quality from Webflow.”
It’s also important to recognize that it can be difficult to go it alone, which is why freelancers thrive in a community setting. Webflow’s forum and customer service team (referred to as Customer Happiness Heroes) are available to field any questions that come in from users. This support covers accounts, billing, design or bug reports.
Think Webflow might be the answer to some of your toughest freelance problems? Many types of freelancers are using it to simplify and amplify their project work. The platform is for designers, developers, tinkerers and overall problem solvers, and getting started can be easy if you have experience with HTML and CSS.
The team at Webflow recognizes that there may be a bit of a learning curve, however. Some of the most common concerns new users run into include knowing how to price projects, building out specific designs, and growing their team accounts. Fortunately, Waldo and his team are Webflow users themselves, and they are well-versed in the best practices to create the best outcome. Waldo shares, “We communicate concerns with the team and fight for the user to make sure that we can keep our customer successful.”
Most freelancers can agree that doing more with less time and effort is a constant pursuit. Is Webflow the tool you’ve been waiting for to finally make it happen? Many designers & developers will find that Webflow’s regularly updated resources are market-minded and ready to make designers more competitive.
They’re also adding new functionality to their services to enable creatives to more quickly build out responsive, dynamic sites visually. These changes will allow freelancers to take on more complex and higher-paying projects, too!
Thanks to Waldo for sharing his experience.
Update: Webflow has discontinued Client Billing and offered free subscriptions to its existing users.
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