I am not a web developer by profession (I'm a marketing director and entrepreneur), but I freelance 2-3 sites per year on the side. Most of these sites are fair

I am not a web developer by profession (I'm a marketing director and entrepreneur), but I freelance 2-3 sites per year on the side. Most of these sites are fairly simple sites for small businesses and organizations. I make more money doing this (per hour) than most other freelancers I've met, and it's because I offer what my clients can't get with Wix/Squarespace: effective, high end design. I'm a decent web developer (most of you on here would destroy me, but I do what I do well), but I'm a really good designer, and I understand how to impart a site with a certain brand and professional gloss due to my marketing and design background. Anyone can launch a website these days, but not anyone can create a tool that changes perceptions and increases conversions. So you have to offer something more than just a website. You have to have a portfolio that shows that you can create a site that puts their business/brand above their competitors in the eyes of their customers. Most importantly, to make this viable, you have to find clients that understand and appreciate the importance and value of this and have the budget to spend on it. Forget building sites for restaurants, mom and pops, and other cash-strapped businesses. You have to build relationships with the companies who make big money, and then give them a tool to make even more. Then the payment you're asking become an investment, and investments are easier to stomach than costs.