You know what you can do with $50–cover hosting costs, upgrade some hardware, get a much needed peripheral. Figuring out how to spend $50 is easy. In fact, you probably made more than $50 on your last project. The next client to come to you for the $50 project will barely cover your high speed Internet service.

Make the project one that it easily repeatable, modular, quick, and yet high quality. Make the project a showcase of your abilities. Then make sure you advertise it all over the place. Blog it up, put an ad on your website, maybe even mention it in your phone greeting: “Welcome to North Rockies Design, home of the $50 widget.”

Your monthly, weekly, even daily expenses are more than $50, so why would you consider investing the time to bring in a $50 pittance on a project?

There are a few short simple answers. First, the new client who picks you to do the $50 project will get firsthand experience working with you. They will see your professionalism, experience your billing and contracting policies. They will get to test the quality of your work for an easy $50.

Second, you get some exposure to some companies that might have otherwise overlooked your firm. You get to keep out the ones who still would rather have you work on projects for spec. Don’t ever work for spec. If you do it right, $50 projects can still be profitable, without sacrificing time that could be spent on other higher paying projects.

Third, $50 projects that are repeatable can easily multiply. This is good in any economy, but especially in one that is a little tough on small businesses. Perhaps the small $50 project fits better into the budgets of ten companies easier than a $500 project fits into the budget of one. Either way, you end up with $500.

Finally, you can use the $50 project as an upsell. Perhaps your brother owns a company that does hosting, or you’ve got a project that just about everyone needs. Upsell it with your $50 project.

Now for your homework:

Sit down and figure out what you can do for $50, or $100, or even $10 following these rules:
• Make it easily repeatable
• Make it actually worth the $50, $100, or $10 you want people to pay
• Make sure you advertise it