How to Land Your First 3 Web Design Clients™
A simple beginner-friendly strategy for getting your first paying web design customers, even if you've never sold a website before.
Selling websites doesn't have to be complicated.
You don't need years of experience, an impressive portfolio, or a background in sales.
But you do need the right approach.
One of the biggest mistakes aspiring web designers make is trying to convince business owners that they need a website.
They spend their time explaining why websites are important, talking about SEO, discussing features, and trying to persuade someone to invest in something they can't even see.
There's a much easier way to start the conversation.
Instead of trying to sell someone a website that doesn't exist yet, create a website for their business first.
Then offer to show it to them.
This simple change in approach can make selling websites feel a lot less like selling and a lot more like showing someone something valuable you've already created.
Here's how to put this strategy into action and work toward landing your first three clients.
Step 1: Find Businesses That Could Benefit From a Better Website
Your first task is identifying businesses that could benefit from your services.
And fortunately, there are plenty of them.
But here's a tip that can give you an advantage right from the start:
Stop chasing the same businesses every other web designer is chasing.
When most people think about selling websites to local businesses, they immediately think of restaurants, hair salons, gyms, and other obvious industries.
There's nothing wrong with targeting those businesses, but they're also some of the first industries other web designers think to approach.
Instead, consider focusing on lesser-known industries that might not immediately come to mind but exist in virtually every market.
For example:
- Lawn mower and small engine repair shops
- Psychologists and counseling practices
- Acupuncturists
- Financial advisors
- Dance studios
- Integrative medical practices
These are just a handful of examples. There are hundreds of different types of businesses that could benefit from a professional website.
And because some of these industries receive less attention from web designers, you may find opportunities that others are overlooking.
Where Should You Look?
There are three great places to start:
1. Your Personal Network
Think about friends, family members, neighbors, former coworkers, and acquaintances who own businesses or know someone who does.
These connections can be especially valuable because there's already some level of familiarity and trust.
2. Social Media
Social media is full of small business owners promoting their services.
Browse local community groups, business pages, and posts from local entrepreneurs.
Pay attention to businesses that are actively promoting themselves but don't have a professional website to support their efforts.
3. Local Businesses
Search for businesses in your community that have outdated websites, poorly designed websites, or no website at all.
Look beyond the most obvious industries. You might be surprised how many opportunities exist right in your own backyard.
Your First Assignment:
Make a list of 10 businesses that could benefit from a new or improved website.Try to include businesses from at least three different industries, and don't be afraid to explore industries you've never considered before.
Look for businesses that are established, actively operating, and have an obvious opportunity to improve their online presence.
You don't need to contact anyone just yet.
For now, your goal is simply to identify 10 potential customers.
Remember, you're not looking for businesses that need convincing that websites are important. You're looking for businesses where you can clearly demonstrate how a better website could benefit them.
Step 2: Build the Website Before You Try to Sell It
This is where the strategy gets interesting.
Most web designers approach potential clients with a sales pitch.
They introduce themselves, explain their services, and ask whether the business owner is interested in getting a website.
The problem?
The business owner has to imagine what they're buying.
They don't know what the website will look like, whether they'll like it, or whether you're capable of delivering something worthwhile.
So why not eliminate the guesswork?
Instead, create a website demo specifically for their business before reaching out.
Use their business name, incorporate relevant images and content, and design a professional-looking homepage that reflects what they do.
The website doesn't have to be completely finished.
It just needs to be good enough to demonstrate what's possible and get the business owner excited about seeing more.
But...don't spend hours creating a website for someone who hasn't agreed to become a customer.
The goal is to create a compelling demonstration, not deliver a finished product for free.
With the right website-building tools, you can create professional-looking demos in minutes rather than spending hours starting from scratch.
For now, choose one of the businesses from your list and create a website demo that you would be proud to show its owner.
Step 3: Reach Out and Offer to Show Them What You Created
Now that you've created something worth showing, it's time to make contact.
But here's the important part:
You're not calling to ask whether they need a website. You're calling to show them one.
That's a completely different conversation.
Instead of saying:
"Hi, I'm a web designer. Are you interested in getting a new website?"
Try something like:
"Hi, I came across your business and noticed you could use a new website, so I went ahead and put together a free demo for you. I'd love to show you what I created. Would you have 10 minutes sometime this week?"
Notice the difference?
You're not asking the business owner to make a purchasing decision.
You're simply asking for a few minutes to show them something you've already created.
That makes the initial commitment much smaller.
But...don't try to sell the website during your initial outreach.
Your only objective is to schedule a time to show them what you've created.
Save the actual sales conversation for the presentation.
And don't get discouraged if someone doesn't respond right away.
Business owners are busy. Sometimes it takes multiple attempts to get someone's attention.
The important thing is to remain professional, respectful, and consistent.
Step 4: Give Them a Great Website Presentation
Congratulations! You've scheduled an appointment.
Now it's time to show off your work.
Whether you're meeting in person or presenting over a video call, your goal is to help the business owner see what their new website could look like.
Start at the top of the homepage and walk them through the entire website, from beginning to end.
Don't rush.
Explain the different sections, highlight the design choices you've made, and point out features that would benefit their business.
Help them understand how the website presents their services, builds credibility, and makes it easier for potential customers to contact them.
Remember, you're not just showing them a collection of pages.
You're showing them a more professional online presence for their business.
One of the Most Important Rules in This Entire Guide
Don't ask for the sale until you've finished presenting the website.
Too many inexperienced salespeople start talking about pricing before they've demonstrated the value of what they're offering.
Give the business owner an opportunity to see and appreciate the entire website first.
Once you've completed your presentation, ask for their initial reaction.
Then, when the time is right, confidently ask for their business.
One more tip: Don't overwhelm the business owner with technical jargon.
They probably don't care what website-building software you used or how the code works.
They care about how their business looks, how easily customers can find information, and whether the website will help them make a great impression.
Keep the presentation focused on those things.
Step 5: Repeat the Process Until You've Landed 3 Clients
Here's something important to understand:
You probably won't close every business owner you approach.
And that's perfectly normal.
Some people won't respond to your outreach.
Others won't agree to a presentation.
And some will love what you've created but still decide not to move forward.
Don't let that discourage you.
The key is consistency.
Continue identifying businesses, creating demos, scheduling presentations, and asking for the sale.
Each conversation gives you more experience.
Each presentation helps you become more comfortable.
And every new client brings you one step closer to your goal.
Your first three clients aren't necessarily going to come from your first three presentations.
But the more consistently you follow the process, the more opportunities you'll create.
Keep Track of Your Progress
As you work toward your first three clients, keep a simple record of your activity.
Track how many businesses you've identified, how many demos you've created, how many business owners you've contacted, and how many presentations you've completed.
Most importantly, track how many clients you've closed.
This will help you understand where you're making progress and where you might need to improve.
For example, if you're reaching out to lots of businesses but struggling to schedule presentations, you may need to improve your initial approach.
If you're booking plenty of presentations but not closing sales, you may need to improve how you present your websites.
The goal isn't to be perfect. It's to get better with every attempt.
Keep working the process until you've reached your first three clients.
The Secret Isn't Being a Great Salesperson
If there's one thing you take away from this guide, let it be this:
You don't have to be a great salesperson to get started selling websites.
You need to find businesses that could benefit from your services, create something worth showing them, and give yourself the opportunity to earn their business.
Rather than trying to convince someone to buy something they can't see, you're letting your work do much of the talking.
And that's a much more approachable way to start.
Think about it.
Would you rather have someone call you out of the blue and try to convince you to buy a website?
Or would you rather have someone call and say they've already created something specifically for your business and would love to show it to you?
That's the difference.
Stop trying to convince businesses they need a website. Show them a website you've already built for them instead.
Of course, there's still one big challenge:
Finding the right businesses, creating website demos efficiently, and knowing exactly what to do each day.
That's where having the right tools and training can make all the difference.
Ready to Put This Strategy Into Action?
At SiteSwan, we've helped aspiring entrepreneurs and web designers launch their own web design businesses by giving them the tools, training, and resources to get started.
We've also built an entire platform designed to make the process you've just learned faster, easier, and more efficient.
With SiteSwan, you'll have access to:
We've also built an entire platform designed to make the process you've just learned faster, easier, and more efficient.
With SiteSwan, you'll have access to:
-
Local Prospecting Tool - Stop wasting time trying to figure out which businesses to approach. Search for businesses in virtually any industry and location to identify potential clients who could benefit from a better website.
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One-Click Website Demos - Remember how we talked about building the website before trying to sell it? SiteSwan makes that incredibly easy. Create professional-looking website demos in just seconds, without starting from scratch.
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14-Day Launch Plan - This is where we take things a step further. Our comprehensive 14-Day Launch Plan walks you through multiple strategies for finding prospects, reaching out to business owners, scheduling presentations, and landing clients. Whether you prefer social media outreach, contacting people you already know, or approaching local businesses directly, we'll show you different ways to put this strategy into action.
- Everything You Need to Run Your Web Design Business - From building and managing client websites to private labeling, client billing, and ongoing support, SiteSwan gives you the tools you need to launch, run, and grow your own web design business
Want to See How It All Works?
Schedule a free call with our team, and we'll walk you through how our platform can help you find prospects, create impressive website demos, and start turning those demos into paying customers.
https://www.siteswan.io
