Historically, part of this ritual includes installing a ton of apps. I add the requisite Adobe design tools, the Microsoft Office suite for productivity, and a host of other software. Apps for email, FTP, media conversion, and a local web server environment remain staples.

My current system is now a few years old, and I have dozens (hundreds?) of these apps. They still serve their purpose. But it recently dawned on me that most of what I use could be replaced by a web browser. That will likely mean fewer apps to install on my next computer.

These are words I never thought I’d utter. My web design career began before the first release of Netscape. As such, I’ve had a love/hate relationship with browsers. For every benefit, there have been limitations and quirks to deal with.

These days, you can do pretty much anything within your chosen browser. That got me thinking: are traditional design apps still relevant? Should we abandon them for browser-based tools? I’m not so sure, but let’s figure this out together.

Modern Web Apps Break Boundaries

It used to be that most browser-based apps were inferior to their desktop counterparts. Common workflows like text and media editing felt clunky and minimally useful. I used them in a pinch and usually came away frustrated.

Meanwhile, desktop powerhouses like Excel, Photoshop, and Dreamweaver were infinitely more flexible. They were built for those who care about quality and require high-level functionality. Such professional-grade tools have always been worth the cost.

That narrative has been turned on its head by a combination of more powerful web standards and server technologies. There are now online video editing platforms that can produce top-notch results. Design tools like Figma make it easy to create and share interactive mockups. Google’s suite of productivity tools offers all the bells and whistles without compromise. Even Photoshop has an online version these days.

Collaboration might be the biggest selling point of all. You can keep clients and colleagues in the loop with minimal effort. This improves efficiency and saves us from the never-ending email chains of yesteryear.

And the appeal of these apps goes beyond functionality and convenience. They’re also cross-platform and device-agnostic. It used to be that you’d need a desktop app built specifically for your operating system. Using a browser means it works on Windows, Linux, macOS, Android, iOS, and more.

Then there are the hardware requirements. Granted, you should still have a system with plenty of memory and a modern graphics processor. However, having a massive hard drive isn’t necessary when storing files in the cloud.

The old boundaries of software have vanished. Doing all the things within a browser isn’t a chore like it used to be. And these apps may be enough for most web designers.

Trust and Content Ownership Are Concerns

Software is always an investment, regardless of how you access it. There are also privacy and security risks to consider. Browser-based tools often amplify those concerns.

Companies like Adobe and Microsoft have some level of tracking within their desktop apps. And they do connect to the internet. So, this is nothing new. But working in a browser opens up a different (or, at least, a bigger) can of worms.

For instance, cloud storage is quite convenient. But what happens if the provider gets sold or goes out of business? Will you lose access to your data? Are policies in place to maintain account security in the event of a breach or server crash? The answers aren’t always clear, and you may not find out until something bad happens.

Then there is the matter of artificial intelligence (AI). It seems like every tool on the planet has an AI integration of sorts. How are these features used on your content? Does the provider train their models with your work? Could your sensitive information become exposed online?

Working online also opens you up to third-party tracking. It may be something relatively innocent, like an analytics suite. But ad networks and similar companies could be watching you – and there is no guarantee they’ll abide by the rules.

These are important questions to answer when thinking about your (and your client’s) data. Again, desktop apps aren’t immune to these issues. But an online app that shows up overnight deserves an honest assessment. The risks could far outweigh the benefits.

Desktop Apps Are Still Relevant When Control Matters

It’s truly amazing to see how far web technologies have come in the past decade. You can see it in both commercial and open-source software. Functionality once reserved for powerful desktop devices can now exist in the palm of your hand (and with responsive design, for that matter).

I still believe there’s a tradeoff, however. The work-from-anywhere tools we use have plenty of benefits (provided you really do want to work from your lawn chair). But you lose a measure of control along the way.

There’s something to be said for storing files locally (with routine backups, of course). Not to mention the ability to customize an app’s layout or tool set to match your workflow. There’s a level of personalization you don’t seem to get in a browser.

The reality is that you don’t need desktop software for every purpose. There are plenty of online tools that will do the job. But there are scenarios where these old-school beasts make sense.

For example, I can’t imagine Disney making their next hit movie solely within a browser. And web designers who want full control of their workflow might want to keep a few items installed on their hard drives. I know I will.

here. He recently started a writing service for WordPress products: WP Product Writeup. He also has an opinion on just about every subject. You can follow his rants on Bluesky @karks.com.

Read more articles by Eric Karkovack

The post Are Browser-Based Apps Enough for Web Designers? appeared first on The NOKIA Blog.

That tendency fades as you build your business. You move on to the bigger fish in the pond in an effort to make more money and expand your reach. Any small fish left in your portfolio could potentially hold you back from leveling up.

Even so, you’ll still hear from potential clients who want you to take on their small project. Or you might be asked to undercut a competitor’s price on a large WordPress site. Either way, it may lead to mixed feelings. How should you respond?

Established agencies don’t need to take every project. It’s worth considering where you draw the line, however. How small is too small? Does a lower upfront cost mean there’s no potential for future profit? And, is it ever worth taking on a large project for a bargain price?

These are important questions to ask as your business evolves. Let’s explore the pros and cons of “going low”. We’ll also share some tips for determining the minimum requirements for accepting a project.

Does the Project Offer Any Additional Benefits?

Money is an important part of any project (we all need to keep the lights on and the AI tokens flowing). However, there are other potential benefits. That may be enough to make a small or heavily-discounted project worthwhile.

For example, consider working with a charity or other non-profit organization. These clients are often bootstrapped and have a limited budget. As such, the project is more about doing good than making a big profit. This is both a source of pride and something you can use in your marketing efforts.

Likewise, some projects can open the door to a specific industry or clientele level. If you don’t have experience in the enterprise WordPress space, offering a discount could increase your chances of booking the gig. You exchange a bit of money for prestige in your portfolio. Proving your worth to one such client could make others take notice.

This won’t be the case for every project. There will always be clients looking to cut costs however they can. Others won’t have the resources to work with your agency. Still, some opportunities are beneficial beyond money.

Consider the Potential for Future Profit

Just because a project starts with a smaller profit doesn’t mean it has to stay that way. There is usually a path to increasing your revenue in the long term.

Maintenance packages are a great vehicle for keeping clients in the loop while creating dependable income. WordPress requires routine software updates, security monitoring, and hosting. Clients may also want to add new features as their website evolves. These are all things you can and should charge for.

Such recurring revenue is important for every agency and freelancer. New projects are harder to come by, and budget-conscious clients may be wary of spending big on redesigns. Maintenance and related subscription services improve your business’s sustainability.

This strategy also mirrors what we see in other industries. Clients are acquired with a lower starting cost, while the “real” money comes in the form of future services.

Book enough of these arrangements and you won’t be as susceptible to the boom/bust cycle of new design and development projects. Note that this is part of a bigger plan, rather than something to do on a one-off basis. So, think about how it fits into your business before making a decision.

Find the Price Point of Diminishing Returns

Every agency should have a minimum project price. This helps you avoid losing money and gives you more room to focus on your goals. But how do you determine that number?

You could come up with an arbitrary amount. Some agencies won’t touch a project for under $5,000, for example. It sounds reasonable. However, you still risk losing money on the proposition. It’s better to study your workflow and resources before setting a minimum.

The first consideration is the cost of taking a project from start to finish. Time spent on design and development is a part of the equation. But don’t forget about client communication, the revision process, and testing. Commercial theme and plugin licenses can also be a factor.

If your agency has employees, think about who will do the work. Their salary counts toward the ultimate cost. You might also consider where else they could be spending their time. For instance, will a small project take them away from a bigger one?

The same thing applies to solo freelancers. Lesser projects don’t always mean less work. They can overwhelm your calendar and take time away from your top clients.

Don’t leave it to guesswork! Set a minimum price based on facts. The result should be a profit margin you’re comfortable with.

Accept WordPress Projects That Are Worth Your While

Experience will help you determine which projects to accept and which ones to turn down. Yet, there’s value in digging deeper before deciding. There could be more to the story than you think.

Some projects offer long-term benefits that are easy to miss. You may find opportunities to stabilize your agency via recurring revenue. They might also be a gateway to establishing a new niche. In some cases, it’s worth taking a leap of faith.

Understanding the time and resources involved is key to the decision-making process. This will put you in a position to say “yes” or “no” with confidence. You’re also less likely to experience regret after the decision!

Take time to figure out what makes the most sense for your business. That will free you to move onward and upward.

here. He recently started a writing service for WordPress products: WP Product Writeup. He also has an opinion on just about every subject. You can follow his rants on Bluesky @karks.com.

Read more articles by Eric Karkovack

The post How Low Will You Go for a WordPress Project? appeared first on The NOKIA Blog.

Keynote is a powerful presentation application that is part of the Apple iWork productivity suite. It offers various features that allow you to quickly create beautiful slideshow presentations.

In this collection, we have the best free Keynote templates for you to download and use. These templates can be used for various purposes, from business presentations and investor pitches to proposals and portfolios.

So why not take advantage of these free keynote slideshow templates and save yourself some time and effort?

If you’re looking to take your presentations to the next level, you might also like our collection of Keynote tutorials.

Packaged with over 90 slides and three color options, Muli is a beautifully designed Keynote template that can be used for various project types or purposes.

Created by Rits Studio, Softly is a classically designed free Keynote template with an impressive 60 individual slides that are all completely editable.

Drawing inspiration from the metaverse, Virtual for Keynote is a beautifully designed presentation template with over ninety easy-to-edit slides.

Blanc embodies minimalism. Its stylish and spacious design ensures your presentation content shines, offering clarity without clutter. For slides that resonate with simplicity, Blanc is your top pick.

Xiumin Urban is a bright, bold, and ultra-modern free template for Keynote. It would be perfect for edgier design presentations. This template is also available for PowerPoint.

Every is a minimally designed free Keynote template that would be perfect as a base for any creative or business presentation. It has been built using the golden grid system.

Perfect for minimalists, the multi-purpose Envirion template comes with 38 beautifully designed slides and can be used to create presentations for many different business types.

Designed in a bold and playful style, Circle Brand is a free Keynote template for making a memorable statement. It is also available for PowerPoint.

With 28 slides, 400+ icons, and all the components needed to create a detailed presentation, this Keynote template is perfect for most creative and business purposes.

Merging modern elegance with a clean design, this free Keynote template ensures your presentation stands out.

Born Ink is a free Keynote template with ten slides and a muted color scheme. It would be perfect for any type of business or presentation.

The free Keynote template Montana has been designed with simplicity in mind, giving you the base to edit the fonts, color schemes, and content to make a stunning presentation in no time.

This free version of the Geometry Keynote template comes with 25 slides, enough for creating most creative presentations. It has a professional and modern design.

Balance is a modern and minimalist Keynote template. It has 145+ unique slides and fully editable shapes and icons. The template was designed in widescreen format.

Appo 3.0 is a free Keynote template designed for the modern presenter. Its clean and professional style makes it an excellent choice for those wanting to communicate clearly and effectively. Simplicity meets style.

The Agency Keynote template is an excellent choice for an agency or freelance designer looking for an attractive, modern presentation template. It comes with 21 unique slides and subtle slide animations.

With bold typography and minimally designed components, Pattern is a free Keynote template that allows you to create a stunning presentation quickly.

This free Keynote template stands out from the rest thanks to its beautiful typography and stunning color schemes. You can also download the PowerPoint version if you need to.

Created by David Felipe, this free Keynote template offers a minimal and spacious layout with bold typography, giving you a simple base for quickly creating your next presentation.

If you need to create a professional proposal or share detailed data with your clients, the free Keynote template Yellue is exactly what you need.

Ultra-modern, bold, and memorable, Altezza is a beautifully designed free Keynote template that would be perfect for any creative presentation.

Self One is a free Keynote template (email required for the download) that packs every possible slide so that you can quickly create a detailed and beautiful presentation for your new mobile app.

The free Keynote template Easy is packed full of all the easy-to-edit slides you need to create a detailed business presentation. It is perfect for building a quick slide deck.

Space is a free Keynote template with a modern design. It has over 40 colors and 100 unique slides with thousands of custom icons. The template is easy to edit, and it uses free Google Fonts.

This pastel Keynote presentation is an excellent choice for anyone looking for a soft and gentle presentation template. It includes several slides and various presentation elements, such as icons and charts.

This presentation template has a stylish and minimal design. It’s an excellent choice for fashion or beauty presentations. It features large images, perfect for showcasing your fashion and jewelry pieces.

The Voodoo template for Keynote has a clean design. It includes 100 animated slides, bonus icon packs, and 40 color themes, which you can use as a starting point for your next presentation.

The Blockchain Keynote template offers 135 unique slides, all based on master slides for easier editing. The template also has an impressive number of icons and graphics you can use throughout your presentation.

Planets is another modern and minimalist Keynote template. It includes 150 slides, light and dark versions, and has been designed in widescreen resolution.

The Balance is a minimal Keynote template. Thanks to its simple design, it can be used for any type of presentation and comes with over 18 unique slides, drag-and-drop object placeholders, and resizable vector elements.

As the name suggests, this template features a duotone color scheme, a trend that has been gaining in popularity over the last few years. This free template has an impressive number of pre-designed slides – over 132, and you’ll also get a duotone Photoshop action as a bonus.

If you’re looking to create a presentation with a feminine and elegant feel, take a look at this free Keynote template. It features 21 pre-designed slides and beautiful typography.

The Basics template comes with 31 pre-designed slides and drag-and-drop object placeholders, so you can easily replace the demo content with your own.

This template includes over 6000 icons, Venn diagrams, vertical and horizontal timelines, and more.

The ProBusiness template has a professional and corporate feel, so it’s perfect for your corporate clients who need a presentation that matches their company’s image.

This template includes drag-and-drop placeholders, vector icons, and a widescreen layout.

If you want to use Keynote to make proposals for your clients, consider the Business Proposal template. It has an impressive selection of premade slides and includes elements such as section breaks, text and image slides, and various diagrams like timelines, graphs, and charts.

The Air template includes stunning full-width placeholders for images and split-screen layouts that are perfect for showing off your portfolio or other designs. It also features beautiful typography, more than 60 premade slides, and 450 vector icons as a bonus.

The Eva Keynote template is an excellent choice for working with clients in the fashion and photography industry. Its layout and overall design are perfect for creating a slideshow portfolio.

You can also use this template for your own design business. This Keynote template includes more than 200 slides, a light and dark color scheme, and 250+ vector icons.

This Keynote template is perfect for when you need to make an impression on potential clients, investors, or partners. The free template includes a variety of slides to present facts about your company, your team members, and any other information you need to include for a successful presentation.

The last template in our collection, X, offers 18+ unique creative slides and features a clean and fresh design. The template comes in a 16:9 format and includes drag-and-drop placeholders and resizable vector elements such as icons, maps, charts, and more.

How to Import & Install a Keynote Template

1. Download the Template: Find and download the Keynote template file you want to use from the collection above.
2. Locate the Template File: Once downloaded, locate the template file on your computer. It’s usually in a .key or .keynote format.
3. Open Keynote: Launch Apple Keynote on your computer.
4. Create a New Presentation: You can either open an existing presentation or create a new one to apply the new template to.
5. Access Themes & Slide Masters: Go to the View tab in the Keynote menu and select Show Master Slides.
6. Import the Template: In the Master Slides view, go to the Slide Master menu and select Choose… or Import Theme. Navigate to your downloaded template file and select it.
7. Customize and Apply: The template’s master slides will be added to your Master Slides view. You can customize the template by editing text, images, colors, fonts, and other elements in the master slides.
8. Exit Master Slides View: Once you’ve customized the master slides, go back to the normal view by closing the Master Slides view.
9. Apply the Template to Your Presentation: With the template master slides available, you can now apply them to your presentation. Go to the slide where you want to use the template’s design. Go to the Format tab in the Keynote menu and select Slide Background & Border. Choose the template’s background from the list of master slide backgrounds.
10. Repeat for Other Slides: You can repeat the process of applying the template design to other slides in your presentation.
11. Save Your Presentation: After applying the template and making the necessary adjustments, save your presentation.

More Presentation Templates

Read more articles by Paul Andrew

The post 40+ Best Free Keynote Templates for Creative Presentations in 2026 appeared first on The NOKIA Blog.

These projects didn’t do much for my bank account. However, I learned a lot about web development and building professional relationships. It was a time and place to experiment and find what worked (and what didn’t).

Starting small seemed like a rite of passage for new designers and students. It was a way to get our feet wet in a growing industry. The goal was to “graduate” to something more lucrative and sustainable.

This is now a market targeted by artificial intelligence (AI) applications. We’re seeing new build tools that generate websites from a prompt. AI agents are now helping users navigate their content management system (CMS) and make changes. We’re at the beginning of a new era.

So, where does that leave the bottom portion of the web design market? Will AI destroy opportunities for new designers? Let’s try to make sense of what’s happening and what it means.

Is the Low End a Dead End?

Web technology has evolved over the past two decades. This means that even the simplest modern website is more complex than we could have dreamed of back in the day. For instance, old-school sites rarely required databases or languages beyond HTML. Now, we’re building brochure websites with PHP and various JavaScript flavors.

Client expectations have also trended upwards. The web is a mature platform, and features like e-commerce and automation are now commonplace. The costs of adding them have gone down considerably. As such, website owners across all market segments expect this sort of functionality.

Meanwhile, DIY website-building tools are becoming more capable. They’re now easier to use and more powerful than earlier versions. Perhaps the results aren’t at a professional level, but that’s good enough for a sizeable portion of the market.

This was becoming the case before AI entered the picture. The landscape was already flooded with web designers trying to undercut each other on price. AI site generators have accelerated the diminishing returns in this race to the bottom.

In that way, AI is yet another competitor that makes it harder to build a business on the lowest rungs of the ladder. Even so, new freelance designers have to start somewhere. So, what’s the alternative?

Identify Ways To Use AI to Your Advantage

Perhaps the answer lies in making the most out of these newfangled AI tools. After all, the results they produce are only as good as the person writing the prompts.

AI may reduce some technological barriers, but it’s not yet capable of reading your mind. It’s also unlikely to “think” of every need and niche use case. These tools work best when the user has a strong foundational knowledge. In other words, the more you know about building websites, the better the outcome.

In addition, web professionals don’t have to settle for what AI produces. We can take those initial results and expand on them. This scenario employs AI as a starting point – not the sole decision maker. And that’s where the potential lies for designers.

Your knowledge still holds value. Clients should still be informed about the consequences of using specific tools and technologies. They also need an expert to guide them on topics such as website performance and accessibility. Putting their business on autopilot is risky.

There’s an opportunity to help others get the most out of AI and other site-building tools. Thus, it’s worth experimenting with these apps, rather than dismissing them outright. They may help you serve the next generation of clients.

This also underlines the importance of learning (and continuing to learn) the fundamentals of web design and development. They will continue to serve as your advantage, no matter which tools you use.

New Web Designers Can Still Start Small

Yes, things are quite different from when I started my web design business. Everything seems to be on an accelerated pace these days. It’s enough to sow the seeds of doubt in your mind.

The positive of this blink-and-you’ll-miss-it landscape is that you’re forced to adapt. You’ll need that skill to survive in this industry. You may as well get used to it early in the game!

There are still opportunities to get your feet wet building websites for clients. As ever, it’s all about learning everything you can and applying it to your work. AI is just another stepping stone in your journey. Make it a point to experiment and become an authority.

The goal isn’t to stay at the bottom of the pricing scale forever. So, the more experience you gain, the faster you’ll move up the ladder.

That last part hasn’t changed a bit.

here. He recently started a writing service for WordPress products: WP Product Writeup. He also has an opinion on just about every subject. You can follow his rants on Bluesky @karks.com.

Read more articles by Eric Karkovack

The post How Will AI Impact the Bottom of the Web Design Market? appeared first on The NOKIA Blog.

How fragile? Try to get things done when the likes of Amazon, Cloudflare, Akamai, or Microsoft have an outage. These behemoths can take out large swaths of the internet, including time-wasters like social media.

Web hosts can also run into problems, albeit on a smaller scale. Servers are bombarded with bot traffic and are always a target for hackers. A website can go down at any time.

Taken together, perhaps we should feel fortunate to get any work done at all. Still, outages put web designers in an awkward position. We’re stuck between a failed service provider and our clients.

What should we do? Here are a few tips for handling the inevitable service outages that plague the interwebs.

Something Went Wrong, Now What?

Perhaps you noticed a client’s website wasn’t loading during your morning routine. A downtime monitoring service might have pinged you. Or, maybe your client sent you a panicked message about it. Regardless, you’ve found yourself in a stressful situation.

The first thing you need (beyond a pot of coffee) is an answer. Look for clues regarding what’s happening and who’s responsible.

Sometimes, the answer is obvious. For example, a Cloudflare outage is often accompanied by an error page. Other issues aren’t so easy to diagnose.

When that happens, check the provider’s status page. That will provide details on any ongoing problems and often includes an archive of past issues. The caveat is that there can be a lag between when you notice an issue and when a provider acknowledges it.

What if a provider doesn’t have a status page? Some web hosts still don’t keep a public log of outages or maintenance. In that case, the best course of action is to contact their support staff.

Communicating With Your Clients

Effective client communication is crucial to running a successful web design business. It takes on even more importance when there’s a problem.

We often serve as the link between our clients and third-party service providers. In many cases, clients aren’t fully aware of what these providers do for their website. Thus, it’s up to us to fill them in.

Start by sharing what you know about the situation. Try to avoid technical jargon unless your client is comfortable with the terminology.

You’ll also want to make clients aware of who’s responsible for fixing it. Clients may assume we have some say in the process, but provider outages are beyond our control. That needs to be clear.

It’s also unlikely that you’ll have all the details. So, attempt to answer their questions with the information you have. Offer to contact technical support if necessary, but note that you may not receive an immediate response.

Unless the provider offers an estimate, it’s impossible to predict when the service will be back online. As such, avoid making a guess. It will only lead to disappointment if things don’t get resolved in time.

The better approach is to provide status updates as you receive them. This demonstrates your commitment to helping your clients and keeps them informed.

Is It Time To Change Providers?

Repeated issues, or a prolonged one, will lead clients to ask if it’s time for a change. The answer isn’t always easy, as much depends on the situation.

First, there’s a danger in rushing to judgment. An impatient client may call for a change after a few minutes of downtime. It might lead to a hurried migration that puts you in the same boat when the new place inevitably has problems.

You might empathize with your client’s feelings. Downtime can cost sales and conversions, while also hurting their reputation. However, jumping from service to service may increase their risk.

On the other hand, there may be times when the best option is to change. For example, a web host that has frequent problems will cost everyone time, undue stress, and money. There are only so many chances for a provider to prove itself worthy.

Patience is still advisable when making a switch. Identifying the right option requires research. Review historical data to see past incidents a provider had and how they responded.

Clients should also be aware of any risks involved. Downtime isn’t limited to a single provider. Plus, there could be technical hurdles when migrating elsewhere.

Remain Steady During Technical Difficulties

Try as we might, downtime is a part of life. Think of it this way: If the world’s biggest companies can’t prevent every issue, what chance do the rest of us have?

Our clients may not see it that way. However, communicating what we know can help them better understand these situations. This provides comfort and confidence that someone is looking out for them.

Good or not, you’ll have many opportunities to practice these skills. The web will continue to experience technical difficulties. Remaining calm and steady will help you and your clients get through it.

here. He recently started a writing service for WordPress products: WP Product Writeup. He also has an opinion on just about every subject. You can follow his rants on Bluesky @karks.com.

Read more articles by Eric Karkovack

The post How Should Web Designers Deal With Service Outages? appeared first on The NOKIA Blog.

Pricing has confounded many a small business owner. Choosing what to charge for your service is only one part of the equation, however. You must also decide how to communicate those figures with others.

Here’s a common challenge: Should you have a pricing page on your portfolio website? This information is a staple for many industries. For instance, everyone expects to know the price of a cup of coffee at their neighborhood shop. People looking for a salon will want to see a price list, as will those booking a cleaning service.

But creative fields like web design are different. We don’t traditionally sell one-size-fits-all commodities, although the industry is shifting. Even so, there are endless ways to build a website. Website maintenance pricing can also vary based on multiple factors.

However, that hasn’t stopped some web professionals from advertising their pricing. That alone makes it a topic worth discussing. An ever-changing industry and evolving client expectations also play a role.

With that, here’s a look at the good and bad of upfront pricing.

Pricing Doesn’t Need to Be Exact

Odds are that no two types of web projects will be priced the same. For example, a five-page brochure website costs less than a 100-site WordPress Multisite network. Adjacent services, such as web hosting, also depend on the project’s size and scope.

That’s a challenge for all but the narrowest of niches. As such, it seems nearly impossible to advertise exact pricing. Perhaps that’s not such a big deal.

There’s something to be said for advertising “ballpark” figures, ones that provide a price range. For one, it helps to weed out low-budget clients. Think of all the time you’ll save!

A price range, or even a “starting at” price, sets the right expectations. Potential clients will have a better idea of costs, while you’ll benefit from a buffer to work within. Just be sure to set a starting price that offers a comfortable profit margin.

In all, transparency is a good thing for your business. This is one way to demonstrate your commitment to being open with clients.

The Pitfalls of Publishing Your Prices

There are a few notable downsides to publicly sharing your pricing. For one, it’s information that competitors can use to their advantage.

If you’re charging $5,000 for a WooCommerce build, then another agency could undercut your price. Even a small discount could cause a client to go with your rival. From there, it becomes a race to the bottom. You might lower your price until there’s little margin to work with.

Public pricing may also complicate things when working on a project estimate. A client may not understand why their estimate is higher than what you advertised. That requires a delicate conversation about the factors involved.

The alternative is to eat the extra cost and hope that things even out. Some projects may require less work, while others take more resources. That’s a dangerous way to live, as you might be leaving money on the table.

Client perception is also a concern. There’s a risk to being seen as too expensive or too cheap. For instance, lower pricing may make some clients see you as inexperienced or low quality. It’s not fair, but people have been known to make snap judgments.

So, if you’re going to publish your prices, be aware of the potential pitfalls. Perhaps they’re worth it, or not. That’s for you to decide.

Is It the Right Move for Your Web Design Business?

The decision to publish your pricing comes down to your individual goals. For instance, making them public might be a way to advertise a new service or a flash sale. That won’t apply to every business, however.

Before you hit the “publish” button, ask yourself the following questions:

• How does pricing fit into my overall marketing strategy?
• Will it give me an advantage in attracting new clients?
• What are the potential downsides?

The important thing is to know why you’re publishing your pricing. Doing so should serve a purpose, even if it’s a temporary experiment. You’ll also want to acknowledge the risks involved.

In all, upfront pricing is still a difficult subject for freelancers. There’s no universally right or wrong answer.

Our best advice is to consider your options carefully and go with what makes sense for your business.

Read more articles by Eric Karkovack

The post Should Freelancers Advertise Their Pricing? appeared first on The NOKIA Blog.

These business proposal templates for InDesign (both free and premium) have been designed to simplify the proposal creation process. With a wide range of options, you will find the perfect template to suit your specific needs. Whether starting a new venture, looking for investors, or pitching a project to potential clients, these templates offer a professional foundation for your proposal.

With their user-friendly layouts and customizable designs, these INDD templates offer the perfect balance of structure and flexibility. Using a template can save you significant time and energy, allowing you to focus on refining and perfecting your proposal’s content.

Don’t let the prospect of proposal creation hold you back – use these InDesign templates to bring your business idea to life.

If you’re new to the application, you might like to take a look at our collections of InDesign tutorials.

Free to Download

This business proposal template is fairly simple, but don’t let that put you off. Its simplicity is its strength. This 20 page template makes it easy to present your proposal logically without too much clutter and overwhelming the reader.

This proposal template features a minimalist design and includes 20 different layout files. The files have been designed in A4 and US letter sizes, and they are easy to tweak and customize to reflect your brand.

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This free business presentation template is ideal for construction and renovation businesses. It has a 20-page layout that offers ample space for detailing your business plan. It includes free fonts and is print-ready in U.S. Letter and A4 sizes.

This minimal proposal template includes over 40 layered pages, perfect for designing any type of proposal. The template comes with defined character and paragraph styles, and you can easily change the colors and other styles by editing master files.

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This template lives up to its name. ‘Floret’ features beautiful floral elements and offers a robust 44-page layout worthy of the most complex company proposals.

This colorful proposal template has everything you need to design a beautiful proposal for your next project. The template includes 28 pages, as well as unique character and paragraph styles.

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What a breath of fresh air this template is! ‘Olive offers a stunning layout with plenty of whitespace to ensure your proposal content stands out. Thanks to well-organized layers, this InDesign template is super easy to customize.

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Sometimes, all you need is something super simple to get the point across. The Quote and Presentation Template is perfect for giving an estimate on a project or presenting a new business idea in a streamlined, no-fuss way.

Consider this project proposal if you need a template that you can reuse for multiple projects. With a multipurpose design and style, this template is a perfect choice. It also includes various infographics, editable shapes, two project timeline options, and is compatible with MS Word.

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This proposal template is super clean and stylish, reminiscent of numerous minimal designs while still maintaining a sense of originality. This template comes with a 24-page print-ready layout in both A4 and U.S. Letter sizes.

Try this clean web proposal project template if you’re looking for one to help you create a professional proposal for a web design project. This templating features a minimal style and comes with 28 pre-designed pages that include everything from proposals to estimates and invoicing.

Free to Download

This stylish business proposal template has been designed with creatives in mind. It offers a bold geometric design, large color blocks, and bold typography. Due to its modern design aesthetic, this template is perfect for use by colleges and universities.

This stylish InDesign proposal template includes 34 pages and comes in A4 and us letter sizes, and you can easily customize the colors and the fonts to match your brand.

Free to Download

Use it for a business proposal or as a website media kit. Either way, the InDesign Proposal Template includes eight eye-catching layouts, perfect for filling in with company info, custom graphics, graphics, statistics, and more.

The proposal template has a fresh and modern design with 24 pages. The template was designed in A4 and US letter sizes. It features a grid-based layout to help you align your elements and create a stunning proposal.

This colorful and modern web design proposal template is perfect for any web design project. The template comes with 28 easy-to-edit pages and master pages.

Try this one if you need an InDesign proposal and portfolio template to present your project. This template’s standout feature is that it also comes in Photoshop, Illustrator, and Word formats, so you can easily edit it in whatever program you’re most comfortable with.

The Proposal Template lives up to its name – it’s the only template you’d ever need, thanks to its understated design and compelling, full-page layout. Customize the color scheme, add personalized text and images, and change character styles, all within 28 pages of full-color, print-ready convenience.

Proposals That Stand Out

Hopefully, this collection of InDesign business proposal templates will make it easier for you to push forward a new business idea and present all the information you need to captivate your target demographic.

These templates are easy to customize and designed to help your proposals stand out. With various styles to choose from, you will find the perfect template for your business needs.

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