5 ways to find web design and development clients
Landing your first web design or development client can be a frustrating test of patience..
When I first began providing web design and development services, I was self taught, had no leads and no idea of where to look for work. As I became more comfortable with my development abilities (honestly all I did was build my own website portfolio with AWS S3), I began hunting for my first real web design client, spending hours online in forums and social media groups, digging for contacts and leads. The search was difficult but after some time, social media marketing, and sprucing up my portfolio, I landed my first real web design client!
Through trial, error, and a ton of Red Bull (still taking donations for my Red Bull fund), I've been able to narrow down the five fastest, most effective ways to get your first web design client, with any amount of experience. Summarized, these are:
- 1. Build a web portfolio of your work.
- 2. Foster business relationships.
- 3. Engage forums & social media.
- 4. Engage a TON on Reddit.
- 5. Direct marketing.
- 6. EXTRA: Check out Knocker.io to find businesses who don't have a website globally, in minutes!
1. Build a portfolio of your web design/development work to attract clients
Having a portfolio is the first way to get web design clients, because it places your work on display in a public space. Consider the amount of people on Google right now, searching for things like: how to build a website for my business or cheap website building service? Wouldn’t it be nice if your website portfolio was at the top of their search results? If the issue is creative design and branding, there are plenty of affordable designers online. The real battle with an online portfolio is SEO, which is far too lengthy of a topic to discuss in this Mod (try this one). That said, you should at the very least take the time to learn how to monitor your ranking on Google.
If you’re somewhat new to freelance web design and development, then you likely have minimal example work to display in your portfolio. That’s perfectly okay. The great thing is that you can show off a portfolio and demonstrate your web design skills at the same time- by building a website for yourself! Before I began working with web design clients, I created my own website for this very purpose- then listed my website as a portfolio item. Two birds, one stone.
Once your portfolio is live, take some time to research proper SEO strategies (look into Twitter cards if you plan to use that platform for marketing), and begin sharing your website with others. The beauty of an online portfolio is that it will always be working for you, attracting organic traffic and sharing your expertise with the world. Another great tip that I don’t see web designers do often enough? Business cards. Try creating yourself a virtual business card with Alias.
2. Foster business relationships
You would be surprised how many people in your immediate, professional network need a web designer or developer. Perhaps a family relative has a micro-business and needs to make a website to increase exposure? Or maybe one of your friends is creating an app and needs a proper landing page built? The great thing about working with people you know is there can be informality, which usually means a more casual working experience/relationship. Plus, you might get to work remotely, which is the direction that most industries are heading anyways.
Playing devils advocate here- you should still practice your sales ability in order to prepare for the 'real' market of web design and development. The process of acquiring real leads, selling packages, and customer retention is a skill that can translate across any industry. For this, I usually suggest customer management software, which can save you time and money. That said, working casually with friend-based clients can help you become more familiar with this line of work, and the expectation that a client might have of you. One of my first web design clients was a colleague who started a nightlife management consulting business. We had great rapport and thus the workflow was easy and comfortable. That relationship led to referrals, which lead to even more business!
3. Engage forums & social media for web design clients
Everyday, millions of people around the world engage in online forums and social media networks for web design related topics. They might not directly ask to hire a web designer, but a great salesman helps others find the need to buy a service before they realize they want it themselves. A couple of places that I've been able to find web design clients are online are:
- Quora. This platform allows users to ask/answer questions across virtually any topic. Is someone asking for the pros/cons between Wix and Squarespace? Why not share your opinion, but also let them know that your service is quicker and more cost effective?
- Twitter. It’s very easy on this platform to engage with other users. Search for web design related topics or hashtags and engage with the individuals there. Just don’t be spammy!
- Warrior Forum. Though I've personally not used this site myself, several of my web design friends recommend it. This forum is mainly for writers/developers, but there are many new entrepreneurs and business owners seeking business consulting on things such as SEO optimization, copywriting, traffic funnels, etc. Join the conversation and become a valuable member of the community, then offer your services.
- Fiverr. The online marketplace of all freelance work, Fiverr is a great place to find clients as well as list yourself as an available developer.
4. Search Reddit for web design gigs
I place Reddit in a separate category from forums and social media because it alone has SO many great forums (called subreddits) for finding web design clients. Below are a few subs that I suggest checking out- just be sure to read the sidebar so you don’t violate community guidelines. As a general rule of thumb, just don't be annoying.
- r/forhire. Here, you can post that you are a web designer for hire, or find someone that is hiring.
- r/webdesign. While not a place to market yourself directly, you can become involved with the web designer community. They often share useful bits of knowledge that can help generate new leads.
- r/beermoney. Despite it's strange name, this subreddit is the home of simple, easy employment opportunities. The expectation is that rates will be lower than industry standard, but that might be okay if you're just starting to build a portfolio.
- Search Reddit. This is not a subreddit, I'm just saying you can use the 'search' feature on Reddit and find keywords like 'website', 'need web design', etc. Anyone on any subreddit might be searching for web design services, so it's good to take some long strokes and find relevant conversations to engage in.
5. Direct web design marketing
Direct marketing means directly approaching a potential web design client and offering your services. Take a look at any local businesses current website- does it need mobile optimization? Maybe the format they're using is no longer supported on mobile browsers? What if you see opportunity for a more effective marketing funnel? What if your favorite barber shop lacks a website entirely and runs its business purely on word of mouth? On top of a great business opportunity, you already have a friendly relationship with them by being a loyal customer. Send them an offer they can't refuse!
The most important thing to understand about how to get your first web design client, is that you have to be persistent and not get discouraged when you feel a cold shoulder. Don’t expect to have ten responses in your first week. Instead, expect to work hard every single day. I take a conservative approach to lead acquisition, and believe that out of every 10 people you contact, 1 will reply. But that's only a reply- because I also believe that 1/10th of those that reply, will actually become customers. When you do finally get your first web design client, do everything in your power to satisfy them. Success is scalable. They will tell their friends, who will tell their friends and so on.
If you found this Mod helpful, you might also enjoy learning about these five tips for getting a remote job! Please consider sharing this Mod using the social media icons below. Good luck in your web design career and as always, tweet at us if you have any thoughts or questions!
Aleksey Weyman
Aleksey Weyman is a web designer, music artist and creator of Millennial Moderator
