So, if you think you have what it takes and are comfortable with existing technologies and happy to learn new ones, then you could be earning a reasonable living designing websites commercially.

To become a web designer you need to be able to tick the following boxes?

* You will need excellent communication skills in order to promote your website design services.

* You will need to keep abreast of emerging web technologies and be able to implement them as necessary.

* You should be able to demonstrate your skills with current web design software.

* You should have some working knowledge of HTML, CSS, and a bit of scripting.

* You should definitely be artistically inclined or know some people who can create great layouts.

* And it obviously helps if you know Photoshop, Flash etc.

If you can tick all the boxes and are confident that you have the necessary skill set then one of the first things you will need to plan for is your own website to get you started in the web design business. If you can put together some client testimonials these will definitely increase your conversions. You will require a convincing copy on your main page and good content on other pages. Optimising for the search engines can be difficult as "web design" is a competitive term, but the sooner you make a start the sooner you will start achieving worthwhile results. You can either hire and SEO company to increase your search engine visibility or you can on your own spend some months optimising your website.

You will also need to consider the more mundane housekeeping items, such as:

* Local advertising and marketing (formulating a marketing strategy).

* Stationery pack including letterheads, compliment slips etc.

* Setting up a business bank account.

It is also a good idea to have freelancers (particularly in areas where your own skill set is weaker) available to undertake work that you are unable to complete yourself for whatever reason.

Now, to the important stuff - what do your clients expect from you as a web designer?

* Great designing abilities.

* Ability to create pleasing color themes.

* Writing W3C compliant code and possibly no errors.

* Knowledge of manipulating graphics and images * Working knowledge of JavaScript and other scripting languages.

* Exceptional service.

* Transparent communication.

Whilst some may add low cost in to the mix, in my experience clients that appreciate an excellent service understand that more time is involved and are prepared to pay a higher cost (but this is only the case if they are aware of the extra value you intend to give them).