In Episode 70 of Divi Chat, the panel got together to discuss white label work for Divi.

Episode 70’s panel featured:

• David Blackmon of Aspen Grove Studios, Divi Space and WP The Podcast
• Tim Strifler of Divi Life, Tim Strifler Online Solutions and WP The Podcast
• Sarah Oates of Endure Web Studios
• Tammy Grant of Sunflower Creatives
• Josh Hall of JoshHall.co
• Jerry Simmons of Fervent Solutions

White label work is essentially outsourcing work to other contractors.

This process can be two-fold, where you are either acting as the company, and are outsourcing work to another web designer, developer, creative or similar, or you are acting as the talent and your services are being outsourced by a company.

In the case that you are the person outsourcing to a contractor, you are actually hiring someone to do the work while you get the credit for it. Vice versa, if you offer white label services to another company, they’ll essentially get the credit for your work in exchange for payment. Even though you are doing the work, it is the company’s client, and your involvement will more than likely remain anonymous.

Depending on the agreement between the white label worker and the company, the company or a representative thereof will usually manage the client while you, as the white label worker, will never be client-facing and will only have to communicate with the company itself.

In terms of final credit, each working contract will be different. There may be times where companies are flexible and have no problem if you share that you have completed a site on behalf of another company, while others are very strict and will more than likely request that you sign a contract agreeing to not disclose your involvement in the project.

There are both pros and cons of doing white label work.

One of the pros is that there is very minimal client interfacing. This is particularly beneficial for developers and designers who really enjoy their craft, but who are less fond of the other nitty-gritty details that come along with running a business, for example, managing clients, closing deals, following up on leads and customer service and so on. In the case of white label work, the company that you’re working with will take care of all of the project management and client services tasks, while you focus on completing the work.

Another pro is that white label work is a great way to get started in the world of web design. As opposed to working alone, as many designers do, white label work allows you to engage with a company on a contract basis. Here, designers will be able to learn from experienced peers and leaders who will be able to teach, guide and impart knowledge relating to web design, development, processes and the Divi framework, for example. This is a great way to gain experience, learn and develop a skill set before interfacing directly with a client.

While white label work may sound like a dream for some, there are some cons.

A con of doing white label work is that the white label worker does not always get the credit for completed projects. If explicitly stated in the contract with the company, the white label worker will not be mentioned or credited in the project, and too, cannot include the project in their own portfolio or website. Where traditionally, the web designer is able to put their name on their work and in turn, will be able to generate more business leads through either referrals or displayed portfolio pieces, the white label worker who has signed an NDA will have to forfeit any project credit and will lose out on the opportunity to showcase their skills, abilities and experience.

While not having to communicate with a client will suit some designers perfectly, this lack of transparency can also sometimes become a con. Having to rely on a go-between may cause delays in the project, or worse, miscommunication regarding project goals, objectives and directives and so on.

A few tips to those wanting to get involved with white label work:

• For new web designers that are just starting out, white label work is a great way to learn the ropes, get to grips with the processes and also make enough money to sustain yourself. If you’re looking to go into web design or development full time, consider trying to partner with various companies or firms that like to outsource web design work.
• Take time when quoting for projects. Make sure you understand exactly what the outsourcing company and the final client are asking for before you give a quote.
• Whether it’s online, through FaceBook groups, face-to-face Meet Ups or similar, when looking for white label work, networking is crucial. Referrals and recommendations will bring more work to the table, so take the time to build relationships and connections.
• Being a white label worker means that you have to adapt to how others work. With this, it’s crucial to remain flexible to both the company you’re contracted to and the client demands that may come their way. Also, always keep in mind that you are acting as a representative of the company that you’re contracted to.
• Don’t dedicate all of your time to white label work. Still have regular projects that you’re focusing on and that you’re getting credit for to put on your portfolio. This will ensure that you’re still running enough projects to keep your portfolio filling up to help you land new work at a later stage.
• When doing white label work for another company, make sure that you become familiar with their brand and learn what is important to them in order to do good work for them. As a representative of their brand, try to learn their voice, values and tone, and maintain an understanding of their objectives throughout. In the long run this will benefit the relationship between you and the company that outsources you.

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We hope that you’ve enjoyed this recap of Episode 70 of Divi Chat, and that you’re a bit more clued up on white label work. If you have any questions or comments please feel free to share them below. We love receiving your feedback!

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