Strategies for Attracting New Web Design Customers in 2023

There is a high need for web designers because nearly every company today needs a website. Thousands of people could benefit from your web design services, but learning how to attract clients and establish a sustainable business will take time and work.

To get started, look to established freelancers and the businesses that employ them for guidance. We asked industry leaders for their advice on how web designers may best network and connect with clients and how to avoid common pitfalls.

Whether you’re just starting or want to expand, the 6 suggestions below will help you attract and retain clients for your web design business.

1. Make use of many social media outlets.

The role of social media in most, if not all, industries has grown significantly. The average user uses 6.6 social media sites monthly and spends roughly 2.5 hours a day interacting with others online.

Instead of simply recycling old posts, optimize social media results by creating new content that speaks directly to the interests of each of your target demographics. Content on how the appropriate web designer can build and reinforce brands is helpful if you’re targeting brand managers.

Having a solid online profile can help in many ways.

• Prospective client generation
• Increasing your following
• Evaluating the success of your online advertising is essential.
• Optimization for Search Engines

If you want to reach your target customers, you need to use their channels. Consider the population breakdown as an illustration. TikTok could be an excellent choice to get a younger demographic. Facebook is still popular among adults of a certain age.

“Don’t just drop your link and run in [the usual] groups, and don’t overlook exciting services,” advises Kate Smoothy of Webhive Digital. Instagram Stories and TikTok videos showcase your work and educate your audience.

She recommends that web designers develop a few movies and use them in various forms across social media to maximize efficiency and exposure.

2. Create well-thought-out proposals.

Make yourself stand out from the crowd by writing a winning proposal. Create a proposal demonstrating why you are the ideal person to handle the specific assignment, whether in response to a request through your website or Upwork profile.

Your proposal, whether you start from scratch or use a template, needs to have:

• Describe Yourself and Your Background
• The difficulty of the task at hand stated
• How you intend to address the issue at work
• Acquired Skillsets
• Price approximation
• Timeline
• References
• Testimonials

In your proposal, you should demonstrate that you have a firm grasp of the tasks at hand by outlining the work and the approach you will take to doing it in great detail. Prove that you can carry out the work and respond to “invisible” inquiries like “How will you make my life easier?” and “Do you care about helping me succeed?”

The proposal must be professionally designed (since this is your line of work) and written so the reader can quickly find the necessary information. Don’t just copy and paste huge chunks of old proposals. Make sure your recommendations are tailored to the specific needs of each client.

Although they may be adept at making attractive and functioning client sites, some web designers need to apply their knowledge to their sites. Put your best work forward in your client portfolio to show off your skills and the kind of effort you can put in for a customer.

“As a web designer, your website is your calling card,” says Sophie Bowman, CEO of the creative business Brand Branding PR. ‍

Your website should reflect the same sophistication and aesthetic appeal you emphasise in your work. If you want cutting-edge technical details, you should implement them on your site. Make it indexable by doing all the necessary search engine optimization (SEO) tasks, such as adding metadata.

Research the online works of web designers and developers for inspiration. Create a website that generates web design leads and converts them into customers to demonstrate your expertise to potential customers. It’s essential to consider lead-generating tactics, such as adding inbound lead magnets to pages, making forms to collect visitor information, etc.

3. Don’t be shy about making a cold call to make a pitch.

Cold-calling potential clients or selling your website design services to someone you met at a networking event is much more complex than asking someone you know for employment.

Cold calling (and emailing) is a time-honoured sales strategy that relies heavily on hard, complex data. There is a 2% probability that a cold call or email may lead to a job offer. However, this can be increased by honing your ability to sell yourself in a few words.

What you can say or write about yourself in 30 seconds is your “elevator pitch” to potential employers or clients. In a phone call, you have around 30 seconds to make your pitch; in an email, you have about 75-100 words.

Keep in mind that the web design industry has a plethora of competition. In what ways are you and your offerings special? An extensive independent study of the client’s market and web presence could be one such selling factor. Be sure your pitch is relevant to the client’s situation.

4. Solicit referrals from current customers and acquaintances.

Use the goodwill you’ve earned from your current clientele and the admiration of your industry-connected acquaintances for your site design to attract new business.

When a satisfied customer recommends your services to a potential new client, it reinforces the idea that you do high-quality work promptly at a reasonable price.

“The main thing we often look for in freelancers is reliability,” says David Adler, former CEO of The Travel Secret and current CEO of infrastructure financing and development firm PinfraUS.

When applying for jobs, it’s crucial to highlight any examples of punctuality in your work. Ask for recommendations or a small paragraph to share with potential clients if you have completed past work. You can state, “You did a fantastic job on time,” which will suffice.

According to Adler, freelancers just starting should show their reliability and commitment in their interactions. Always follow up with people, show up on time, and take the initiative.

5. Make valuable contributions to appropriate groups

Contributing to professional groups, such as web design or larger marketing groups, can help you build a name for yourself and attract new customers. Participation can take many forms, from writing guest pieces to offering advice.

Kolleen Shallcross, owner of Shallcross Marketing & Design, suggests you “get involved in LinkedIn or Facebook groups and start offering help to people with questions.”

You’ll earn respect if you help others without trying to sell them something. I spend an hour or more daily assisting people on Facebook with their problems without trying to make a sale. As a result, people feel comfortable recommending me to others since they know I’m not in it for the money.

Web designers can gain clients and maintain connections using this approach to “customer service.”

6. Speak in conferences, podcasts, and online seminars

Speaking at webinars, podcasts, and conferences dedicated to web design and marketing is a great way to build your reputation as an expert in your field and attract new customers.

For instance, speakers and panelists at web design seminars can network with industry insiders and prospective clients interested in staying current.

Webinars remain an effective method of training remote workers and establishing contact with potential customers. Web designers can experiment with different webinar forms, such as single-speaker presentations, panel discussions, question-and-answer sessions, and interviews.

Make use of attendees’ contact details to follow up after a webinar discussing current web design and development trends. Gather information from attendees and gauge interest in your services by conducting surveys after events.

Podcasts covering the fields of marketing and design are also plentiful. Even if you’re not interested in producing your podcast, many out there will appeal to your target demographic and feature your area of expertise. Please contact podcast hosts and propose being a guest on their show.