Unpredictable income creates stress and anxiety for many freelancers. Learn how to stabilize your business with a growing revenue stream of recurring income based on WordPress maintenance plans. We’ll talk about why this is important, how to package and price your services, and how to sell your services to clients.

1. @ n a t h a n i n g r a m

2. @ n a t h a n i n g r a m # W C T PA
From Birmingham, Alabama
Freelance Web Developer since 1995,
all WordPress since 2010
iThemes Training Instructor
Freelance Business Coach

3. @ n a t h a n i n g r a m # W C T PA
I am not an expert.
I am a learner.
My Qualification:
I’ve been doing this long
enough to have made all the
common mistakes already.

4. @ n a t h a n i n g r a m # W C T PA
Hourly Based Work
Project Based Work
This is a typical progression
for many freelancers.

5. @ n a t h a n i n g r a m # W C T PA
Is one dollar as valuable as another?
The more predictable a dollar is,
the more likely you get it each month,
the more valuable it becomes.
Less Risk = Less Stress

6. Sequential
Revenue
Recurring Revenue
Repeat Customers

7. – Based on repeat
customers
– Market value less than
$20 million
– Dying
– Based on recurring
income
– Market value more than
$7 billion
– Growing

8. General Electric
Jet Engines
– High selling price
– Low purchase frequency
– Non-recurring income
(not unlike websites)
– GE adds the following:
o Service Contracts
o Financing Service
o Spare Parts Service

9. General Electric
Jet Engines
Leverage existing
customer relationships
to create a recurring
revenue stream.
So why do web developers
build a website and then move on?

10. @ n a t h a n i n g r a m # W C T PA
Slow sales cycle – you only get a deposit
Could be weeks before you’re paid again
Projects stalled on clients
Clients can be slow to pay

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Even if you make
six figures this year,
in January you start
at zero again.

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Inconsistent Income
Time Management
Finding New Clients

13. @ n a t h a n i n g r a m # W C T PA
More consistent income
More predictable work.
Spend time working not selling.
Maintain relationships
for additional work and referrals

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Build a suite of
ongoing services
to bundle with your
core product

15. @ n a t h a n i n g r a m # W C T PA

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Question #1:
What services do my customers need?
ü Web Hosting
ü Email
ü Backups
ü WP Updates
ü WP Security
ü SEO
ü Social Media
ü Email Marketing
ü Content Creation
ü And so on…

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Question #2:
What packages can I create for these services?
§ Packaged services are easier to promote,
and help you look more professional
§ Consider making your packages
telescopic

18. @ n a t h a n i n g r a m # W C T PA
Question #2:
What packages can I create for these services?
Thinking Telescopically
Hos$ng
Backups
Updates
Security

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Question #2:
What packages can I create for these services?
Thinking Telescopically
Facebook
Page
Customiza$on
Facebook
Page
Management

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Question #2:
What packages can I create for these services?
Thinking Telescopically
Search
Engine
Op$miza$on
Ongoing
Content
Crea$on

21. Sequential
Revenue
Recurring Revenue
Repeat Customers

22. @ n a t h a n i n g r a m # W C T PA
Question #3:
What resources do I need to
perform these services?

23. @ n a t h a n i n g r a m # W C T PA
Most of your clients will need it.
If you’re not selling hosting,
you’re leaving money on the table.
Most clients are looking
for one number to call.

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Having your own hosting
increases development speed
You control the environment
No unexpected issues
No quirky control panels

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Web hosting is a key part of security
41% of WordPress hacks
occur due to a vulnerability
on the hosting platform
— WPWhiteSecurity
http://www.wpwhitesecurity.com/wordpress-security-news-updates/state-of-security-of-wordpress-blogs-and-websites/

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Getting Started
Invest in a good VPS at a reliable
web host that knows WordPress
Draft a legal agreement
for web hosting

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A Sample Level One Security Package
Full Daily Backups
Offsite storage
Weekly Core WordPress
and Plugin Updates

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A Sample Level Two Security Package
Add a security plugin
and third party security monitoring.
ü 34-point WordPress Lockdown
ü Daily Proactive Malware Scanning
ü Brute Force Protection Network
ü Complete Hack Cleanup

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$399/yr
and up
Hos$ng
Backups
Updates
Security
$100/mo
and up
$175/mo
and up

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Don’t try to compete on price.
High volume, low cost services are not your competition.
Plan due dates to your advantage.

31. @ n a t h a n i n g r a m # W C T PA

32. A B

33. If you’re not selling,
you have a hobby,
not a business.

34. @ n a t h a n i n g r a m # W C T PA
It doesn’t have to be manipulative.
It doesn’t have to be annoying.
It doesn’t have to be stressful.

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It can be genuine.
It can be helpful.
It can be educational.

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Why do you offer
this service?
Because your
clients need it.
If you believe that,
tell them why.

37. @ n a t h a n i n g r a m # W C T PA
Don’t be afraid to
sell your services.
Be passionate
about it!

38. @ n a t h a n i n g r a m # W C T PA
Case Study: Release of WP 3.6.1
Stats based on sample of 42,106 WP sites from Alexa’s top 1 million...
§ 74 different versions of WordPress identified.
§ 769 websites (2%) are still running a
subversion of WordPress 2.0.
§ Only 7,814 websites (19%)
upgraded to WordPress 3.6.1.
http://www.wpwhitesecurity.com/wordpress-news/statistics-70-percent-wordpress-installations-vulnerable/

39. @ n a t h a n i n g r a m # W C T PA
Case Study: Release of WP 3.6.1
Stats based on sample of 42,106 WP sites from Alexa’s top 1 million...
§ 1,785 websites (4%) upgraded to version 3.6.1
in the first three days after its release.
§ 4 weeks after, only 27% of the sites upgraded,
meaning 73% of the sites had known
vulnerabilities which could be exploited.
http://www.wpwhitesecurity.com/wordpress-news/statistics-70-percent-wordpress-installations-vulnerable/

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Your clients need security
whether they realize it or not.
Educate your clients
enough to understand the risks
and then offer an easy solution.

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Fear of breaking something.
Forgetting to check whether
updates are needed.
Lack of knowledge on how
to perform updates.

42. @ n a t h a n i n g r a m # W C T PA
Hosting and Security should be the
bread and butter of your services package.
The Key to Selling Ongoing Services is
Education
It starts at the initial consultation.

43. @ n a t h a n i n g r a m # W C T PA
My Approach
Explain how WP works and the need for updates
“We handle that in two ways…
We can teach you to do it, or
we offer maintenance packages
that include these services.”

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My Approach
Is this something that you or an employee
will be certain to do regularly?
How often do you delay or ignore
updates for your computer?

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What if I’ve been doing updates for free?
Educate them on what you do and why it’s important.
You have been giving them something free,
but you are no longer able to do so.
Give them a DIY guide and your
services as options.
Consider them beta testers at reduced price.

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What about the competition?
High volume, low cost companies
should not be your competition.
You’re selling your expertise
and a professional relationship.

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Plan quarterly checkups with clients
Listen to their needs and
be ready with the additional services
you have just developed.

48. @ n a t h a n i n g r a m
Q & A
Slides — brilliantly.net/wctpa

49. @ n a t h a n i n g r a m