What Profitability Really Looks Like for Web Designers
I'm obsessed with making sure web designers like you are running your web design business in a way that's profitable, sustainable and scalable.
So if you haven't learned the 4 shifts our clients have made to 5x their prices for web design services — definitely check that out here.
Leigh’s Story: From Freelancer Burnout to 5-Figure Months
Today, I wanna tell you Leigh’s story about how she went from overworking and charging by the hour on freelancer sites to consistent 5-figure months.
When I talk about “minimum baseline revenue”, I mean the amount of money your web design business needs to bring in to pay yourself, pay business expenses and pay taxes.
We're not all about vanity metrics around here — we're about making sure you're taking care of YOU and your family first, and positioning yourself to scale from a secure financial place.
And we help our students figure out what that number is so that they are paying themselves WELL and are able to meet their other obligations.
How Leigh Found the Web Designer Academy
Leigh saw me speak at a summit earlier this year, joined my email list and then saw one of my trainings about money mindset for web designers.
“I remember listening to that training driving one day, and it felt like you were speaking exactly to me,” she said.
“I got to my parents' house, and while I was putting my son to sleep and I went on your website, found the Web Designer Academy and I filled out the application because I was just like, ‘I need something because this isn't working.’”
The Decision to Invest
When she applied for our program, Leigh was having no problems getting clients through freelancer-for-hire websites, and she knew her hourly pricing wasn’t sustainable… but investing in a program like the Web Designer Academy wasn’t a quick decision.
“There was a month where I was thinking through it all, like, ‘Do I want to invest in this? I don't really have the money coming in right now to do it…’”
Leigh and I had several conversations as she was making her decision, and it became clear to me that undercharging was Leigh’s biggest problem — and her biggest opportunity.
The 3-Part Plan That Changed Everything
I told Leigh that one of the first things we would do when she joined — before she started on any of the curriculum — was to put together a 3-part plan to increase prices with her current clients, and then we’d work on booking new clients at new prices.
So what was that 3-part plan, you ask?
Part 1: Mindset
Before Leigh would send the price increase script we give our clients, she had to believe it (and she) was worth it. She had to be okay with whatever the outcome of the price increase was (i.e. she had to be willing to take the risk of losing some low-paying clients to make room for higher-paying ones).
Part 2: Analysis
Instead of raising prices willy-nilly, we did a full analysis of her current clients and together identified opportunities for price increases that made sense for each client. And I say “together” because you almost always have blind spots when it comes to your own clients and pricing — and we help our clients identify those blind spots.
Part 3: Authentic Communication
Using our scripts, Leigh sent authentic communications notifying clients of price increases.
The Results: A Massive Mindset and Revenue Shift
Here’s what happened:
“Immediately my income started to increase because I started valuing myself and my work and asking for higher prices,” Leigh said. “I thought that once I raised my prices I would lose some clients, but they all agreed to it.”
Are those results typical? That if you raise your prices every single client will get out their wallet and hand you more money?
No, I will not guarantee that you’ll keep every client if you use our strategies and scripts to increase your prices (ew, could you imagine how sleazy and sales-y it would be if I did?)…
…but what I do know is that we’ll give you the best shot at getting a yes and support you through those difficult convos (and let’s be honest… there are some clients that you wouldn’t be sad to see go, amiright??? 😉)
What’s Possible When You Stop Undercharging
Just two months after joining the Web Designer Academy, Leigh shared this graphic with me — and it’s one that I use all the time to show people who are on the fence about joining us what’s possible when you work with us to expedite the growth of your business:
Create Consistent Monthly Revenue — Just Like Leigh
You are absolutely capable of creating consistent monthly revenue in your web design business, and we want to help you make it happen.
Learn More About the Web Designer Academy
If you're ready to raise your prices, work less, and finally build the sustainable business you've been dreaming of — the Web Designer Academy is for you.
Inside the program, we’ll help you shift your pricing mindset, communicate your value, and implement systems that free up your time and increase your revenue — without hustle or burnout.
Click here to learn more about the Web Designer Academy program »
