About Me & This Blog

Hello. Thanks for taking the time to stop by.

I’ve started this blog after writing regularly on web design/development business marketing for a few years now. I’ve written mostly on my business web site at Tailored Consulting but felt it was time for a change – the Tailored site was losing its focus and people coming to visit weren’t sure whether they were going to get information about my web development business or tips on how they could run their own.
So this site has been set up to be devoted solely to web designer/developers looking for some practical, hands-on and real marketing advice.
My Background:
I guess my business background really started when I was about 18. A friend and I had holidays at the same time and decided to start a gardening business. I can still remember our newspaper ad said we were ‘Experienced, reliable and hard-working’.
From there I graduated to owning a courier business (excellent business to own when you’re only 21 – makes you measure absolutely everything). I then had a marketing business for a while.
I sold that and went back to Nursing – the profession I graduated from in 1988. In Nursing I’ve pretty much seen it all. I’ve worked in Emergency Rooms, Palliative Care Units, ICU’s, on Ambulances, in lock-up Psychiatric Wards, I’ve spent long nights helping people through the worst trauma imaginable, I’ve managed Resuscitation teams……….. I’ve seen and done lots I’d never wish upon anyone else.
I ended up managing the hospital where I worked After Hours. From there I started doing a few marketing things and found, to my surprise, that I was okay at it (I’d done a little education for it being part way through my Associate Diploma of Business Marketing at the time).
Shortly after that I was offered the job as Marketing Manager at one of Australia’s largest Private Hospitals. Only catch was the hospital was 2,500 kms away from where I lived. So up I came to Queensland, Australia.
After finishing off the contract – it was for 12 months that ended up going for 15 months – I moved on to start my own marketing business (Tailored Consulting). The hospital changed hands (not because I left!) at the same time.
The marketing business went very well for us from the very start. The aspect of the business that grew the most was our web design section. More and more clients wanted web sites and we happily helped them achieve that.
The last 7 years has been devoted to the web development business. During that time we’ve developed hundreds and hundreds of sites for hundreds and hundreds of different clients – from huge Government Departments to 1-man businesses.
3 years ago we took the plunge and did what only a few web developers do – we developed an e-commerce site for ourselves. That was somewhat of a success and we added that experience and expertise to our repertoire (we now run 3 e-commerce sites).
* 1 1/2 years ago I wrote a book called ‘The Web Design Business Kit’ that has done okay. Sales are well over the $1 million mark now and, from the feedback I’ve received, the kit has helped many web designers/developers manage their businesses a little better. And for that I’m thrilled.
* I also write the letter for one of the web industry’s highest circulation newsletters. The ‘SitePoint Tribune’ goes out to 130,000+ subscribers.
* I have a radio gig where I speak on all things Internet on ABC Coast FM.
I guess because of my marketing background we’ve always done okay at generating new business. It’s our biggest strength and something that comes pretty easily.
And I’ve always enjoyed writing and helping others so I guess that’s how the book, the newsletter and this blog have come about.
The Personal Stuff:
I’m 38 years old living on the Gold Coast, Australia with my wife (Mel) and three children (Laura 14 yo next week, Jack is 12 and Harry is 10).
When I’m not working I’m trying to keep fit, trying to play golf or trying to keep up with the boys on a bushwalk.
Contact:
Like I said before, I’m here to help you market your web design/development business if you’d like a touch of advice.
Please don’t hesitate to contact me at brendon@brendonsinclair.com.
Over the next few weeks I’ll be moving over all the web development business marketing blogs, articles, free reports, etc. We’ll do it fairly slowly – just 10 at a time, which will give you a bit of time to read our old, archived entries without having to search way back. Hope you find something of interest.
Regards
Brendon