You're right in that its not completely just the issue of technical solution or implementation.
When your friends come to you, they trust YOU to understand their problems, and know that they can lean on you (ahem, extra features please!) and that you won't run them wrong. It may be a matter of intimidation; they're too scared to ring up a web design/consulting place because of embarrassment, price rates, whatever. After all, if they really just wanted the site done, they'd have already looked at some solutions before coming to you, but often, you're the first stop.
So I wouldn't go ahead and necessarily say that their needs are being unmet, and that this is a billion dollar untapped market. I'd say your friends are ignorant of a bit of knowledge, and simply exploring their relationship network. Its the same way we'd go to our mechanic friends for an idea about getting our engines fixed, or the same way we'd ask other expertise friends for their advice.
True, but most of the referrals I get are friend of a friend (or more layers). However, if my mechanic friend said "Here's a really easy way to figure out the problem yourself" I would definitely take it.
When your friends come to you, they trust YOU to understand their problems, and know that they can lean on you (ahem, extra features please!) and that you won't run them wrong. It may be a matter of intimidation; they're too scared to ring up a web design/consulting place because of embarrassment, price rates, whatever. After all, if they really just wanted the site done, they'd have already looked at some solutions before coming to you, but often, you're the first stop.
So I wouldn't go ahead and necessarily say that their needs are being unmet, and that this is a billion dollar untapped market. I'd say your friends are ignorant of a bit of knowledge, and simply exploring their relationship network. Its the same way we'd go to our mechanic friends for an idea about getting our engines fixed, or the same way we'd ask other expertise friends for their advice.