The Main Street Web Design Outreach Playbook™
12 Conversation Starters + A Simple Script to Help You Land More Web Design Clients
Ever walk past a local business and think, "I could build them a much better website"?
Maybe it's a restaurant, barbershop, auto repair shop, or a small family-owned business that's been around for decades.
You know you could help them improve their online presence. But there's just one problem.
What exactly do you say when you walk through the door?
The good news is that you don't need to be an experienced salesperson to start a conversation with a local business owner.
You just need the right approach.
The secret? Don't try to convince business owners that their website is terrible. Instead, help them see how much better it could be.
Here are 12 simple conversation starters you can use when approaching local businesses, plus a complete outreach script to help you turn those conversations into appointments.
The goal of these opening lines isn't to immediately sell a website.
It's to break the ice, spark curiosity, and open the door to a conversation.
Choose whichever feels most natural for you.
2. "Your business deserves a website that works as hard as you do."
3. "You've already built a great business. I'd love to help you build an online presence to match."
4. "You've clearly put a lot of pride into your business. I think your website should reflect that same level of care."
5. "You're doing great work in the real world. Let's make sure you're making just as strong an impression online."
6. "When someone hears about your business and looks you up online, what kind of first impression are they getting?"
7. "You've worked hard to earn your reputation. Your website should help reinforce it."
8. "People are going to look you up before they call you. Let's give them a reason to choose you."
9. "I had an idea for how your business could look online, and I'd love to show you."
10. "I came across your business and thought, 'These guys could have a really impressive website.'"
11. "What if I could show you a better version of your website instead of just talking about one?"
12. "I put together something for your business that I think you're really going to like. Got 10 minutes to take a look?"
PRO TIP: Don't memorize all 12 lines. Pick two or three that feel comfortable and practice saying them naturally. The more conversational you sound, the better.
Now let's put everything together.
Imagine you're walking down Main Street and notice a local business that could benefit from a better website.
You've already done a little research, identified an opportunity to improve their online presence, and created a website demo specifically for their business.
Here's how you might approach them.
Once you're speaking with the right person, introduce yourself and get to the point.
"I was checking out your business online, and I really like what you guys are doing here."
"You've clearly built something great, and I think your website should reflect that."
"So I actually went ahead and put together a new website concept for your business. I think you're really going to like what I created."
"I'd love to show it to you. It would only take about 10 minutes, and there's absolutely no obligation."
"Would you have a few minutes later this week for me to walk you through it?"
That's it!
You're not asking them to buy anything.
You're not trying to convince them that their current website is terrible.
And you're certainly not giving them a lengthy sales pitch while they're trying to run their business.
Your only goal is to schedule an appointment to show them what you've created.
Once they see the website, you'll have a much better opportunity to discuss working together.
IMPORTANT: This approach works best when you've already created a website demo. Don't tell someone you've built something for them unless you actually have.
This is one of the biggest mistakes new web designers make.
They walk into a business and immediately start pointing out everything that's wrong with its website.
Don't do that.
The business owner might have built it themselves, paid thousands of dollars for it, or have a personal attachment to it.
Instead of criticizing what they have, focus on what you can help them achieve.
Remember: Compliments open doors. Criticism closes them.
Your first interaction should be short, friendly, and focused on one objective:
Getting an appointment.
Don't start talking about pricing, contracts, hosting fees, or technical features.
The business owner hasn't even seen what you're offering yet!
Your job is simply to create enough curiosity that they're willing to spend 10 minutes looking at what you've created.
Save the actual sales conversation for your presentation.
Most web designers approach businesses and say something like:
"Hi, I build websites. Would you be interested in getting a new one?"
That's a tough sell.
You're asking someone to spend money on something they can't even see.
Instead, imagine saying:
"I actually put together a website for your business. Can I show you?"
Now you've given them a reason to be curious.
Instead of selling an idea, you're showing them something tangible.
And that's a much easier conversation to have.
Not every business owner is going to immediately agree to an appointment.
Here are a few common responses you might hear and some simple ways to handle them.
"Great question! Pricing depends on exactly what you need, but I'd love to show you what I put together first so you can see what we're talking about."
Why this works: You're keeping the conversation focused on the website rather than jumping straight into a pricing discussion.
"Absolutely! I noticed that. I just had a few ideas for how you could make an even stronger impression online, and I'd love to show you."
Why this works: You're acknowledging what they already have without criticizing it.
"No problem at all. I know you're busy running the business. That's actually why I wanted to schedule a quick appointment rather than take up your time right now. Would sometime next week be better?"
Why this works: You're respecting their time while keeping the opportunity open.
"Absolutely! I'd be happy to share it with you. I'd also love to take just 10 minutes to walk you through a few of the ideas behind it. Would tomorrow or Thursday work better?"
Why this works: You're agreeing to their request while still attempting to schedule a proper presentation.
"No problem at all! I appreciate your time. Have a great day!"
Why this works: Not everyone will be interested, and that's okay. Always leave a positive impression.
Here's your challenge:
1. Pick a Main Street. Choose a downtown area, shopping district, or local business community near you.
2. Identify 10 businesses. Look for businesses with outdated websites, poorly designed websites, or no website at all.
3. Choose your favorite conversation starter. Pick one or two lines from this playbook that feel natural to you.
4. Create a website demo. Put together something professional that you can show the business owner.
5. Start conversations. Walk into those businesses, introduce yourself, and see how many appointments you can schedule.
Remember, you don't need to close a sale on the spot.
Your goal is to get business owners interested enough to see what you've created.
The more conversations you start, the more opportunities you'll create.
Knowing what to say to a business owner is one thing.
But finding the right businesses, creating impressive website demos, and knowing exactly how to turn those demos into paying customers is another.
That's where SiteSwan comes in.
SiteSwan is an all-in-one platform designed to help you start, run, and grow your own web design business.
With SiteSwan, you get access to:
Local Prospecting Tool: Search for businesses in virtually any industry and location to identify potential customers who could benefit from a better website.
One-Click Website Demos: Create professional-looking website demos in seconds, so you can spend less time building and more time selling.
14-Day Launch Plan: Follow our step-by-step training program covering multiple strategies for finding prospects, starting conversations, scheduling presentations, and landing paying clients.
Everything You Need to Run Your Business: Website-building tools, white-label branding, client billing, and more.
Visit https://siteswan.io
Maybe it's a restaurant, barbershop, auto repair shop, or a small family-owned business that's been around for decades.
You know you could help them improve their online presence. But there's just one problem.
What exactly do you say when you walk through the door?
The good news is that you don't need to be an experienced salesperson to start a conversation with a local business owner.
You just need the right approach.
The secret? Don't try to convince business owners that their website is terrible. Instead, help them see how much better it could be.
Here are 12 simple conversation starters you can use when approaching local businesses, plus a complete outreach script to help you turn those conversations into appointments.
Part 1: 12 Conversation Starters That Get Business Owners Interested
The goal of these opening lines isn't to immediately sell a website.
It's to break the ice, spark curiosity, and open the door to a conversation.
Choose whichever feels most natural for you.
The Compliment Approach
1. "You're already great at what you do. Let me make your website match that."2. "Your business deserves a website that works as hard as you do."
3. "You've already built a great business. I'd love to help you build an online presence to match."
4. "You've clearly put a lot of pride into your business. I think your website should reflect that same level of care."
The Missed Opportunity Approach
5. "You're doing great work in the real world. Let's make sure you're making just as strong an impression online."6. "When someone hears about your business and looks you up online, what kind of first impression are they getting?"
7. "You've worked hard to earn your reputation. Your website should help reinforce it."
8. "People are going to look you up before they call you. Let's give them a reason to choose you."
The Curiosity Approach
9. "I had an idea for how your business could look online, and I'd love to show you."10. "I came across your business and thought, 'These guys could have a really impressive website.'"
11. "What if I could show you a better version of your website instead of just talking about one?"
12. "I put together something for your business that I think you're really going to like. Got 10 minutes to take a look?"
PRO TIP: Don't memorize all 12 lines. Pick two or three that feel comfortable and practice saying them naturally. The more conversational you sound, the better.
Part 2: The Complete Main Street Outreach Script
Now let's put everything together.
Imagine you're walking down Main Street and notice a local business that could benefit from a better website.
You've already done a little research, identified an opportunity to improve their online presence, and created a website demo specifically for their business.
Here's how you might approach them.
Step 1: Introduce Yourself
"Hey, how's it going? My name is [Your Name]. I'm a local web designer. Is the owner or manager around by any chance?"Once you're speaking with the right person, introduce yourself and get to the point.
Step 2: Lead With a Compliment
"I was checking out your business online, and I really like what you guys are doing here.""You've clearly built something great, and I think your website should reflect that."
Step 3: Make Your Offer
"So I actually went ahead and put together a new website concept for your business. I think you're really going to like what I created."
Step 4: Ask for the Appointment
"I'd love to show it to you. It would only take about 10 minutes, and there's absolutely no obligation.""Would you have a few minutes later this week for me to walk you through it?"
That's it!
You're not asking them to buy anything.
You're not trying to convince them that their current website is terrible.
And you're certainly not giving them a lengthy sales pitch while they're trying to run their business.
Your only goal is to schedule an appointment to show them what you've created.
Once they see the website, you'll have a much better opportunity to discuss working together.
IMPORTANT: This approach works best when you've already created a website demo. Don't tell someone you've built something for them unless you actually have.
Part 3: 3 Golden Rules for Approaching Local Businesses
Rule #1: Never Insult Their Existing Website
This is one of the biggest mistakes new web designers make.
They walk into a business and immediately start pointing out everything that's wrong with its website.
Don't do that.
The business owner might have built it themselves, paid thousands of dollars for it, or have a personal attachment to it.
Instead of criticizing what they have, focus on what you can help them achieve.
Remember: Compliments open doors. Criticism closes them.
Rule #2: Don't Try to Sell Anything During Your First Conversation
Your first interaction should be short, friendly, and focused on one objective:Getting an appointment.
Don't start talking about pricing, contracts, hosting fees, or technical features.
The business owner hasn't even seen what you're offering yet!
Your job is simply to create enough curiosity that they're willing to spend 10 minutes looking at what you've created.
Save the actual sales conversation for your presentation.
Rule #3: Show, Don't Tell
Most web designers approach businesses and say something like:"Hi, I build websites. Would you be interested in getting a new one?"
That's a tough sell.
You're asking someone to spend money on something they can't even see.
Instead, imagine saying:
"I actually put together a website for your business. Can I show you?"
Now you've given them a reason to be curious.
Instead of selling an idea, you're showing them something tangible.
And that's a much easier conversation to have.
Part 4: What to Say When They Respond
Not every business owner is going to immediately agree to an appointment.
Here are a few common responses you might hear and some simple ways to handle them.
"How much does it cost?"
"Great question! Pricing depends on exactly what you need, but I'd love to show you what I put together first so you can see what we're talking about."
Why this works: You're keeping the conversation focused on the website rather than jumping straight into a pricing discussion.
"We already have a website."
"Absolutely! I noticed that. I just had a few ideas for how you could make an even stronger impression online, and I'd love to show you."
Why this works: You're acknowledging what they already have without criticizing it.
"I'm too busy right now."
"No problem at all. I know you're busy running the business. That's actually why I wanted to schedule a quick appointment rather than take up your time right now. Would sometime next week be better?"
Why this works: You're respecting their time while keeping the opportunity open.
"Can you just send me the link?"
"Absolutely! I'd be happy to share it with you. I'd also love to take just 10 minutes to walk you through a few of the ideas behind it. Would tomorrow or Thursday work better?"
Why this works: You're agreeing to their request while still attempting to schedule a proper presentation.
"We're not interested."
"No problem at all! I appreciate your time. Have a great day!"
Why this works: Not everyone will be interested, and that's okay. Always leave a positive impression.
Part 5: Your Main Street Challenge
Now it's time to put what you've learned into action.Here's your challenge:
1. Pick a Main Street. Choose a downtown area, shopping district, or local business community near you.
2. Identify 10 businesses. Look for businesses with outdated websites, poorly designed websites, or no website at all.
3. Choose your favorite conversation starter. Pick one or two lines from this playbook that feel natural to you.
4. Create a website demo. Put together something professional that you can show the business owner.
5. Start conversations. Walk into those businesses, introduce yourself, and see how many appointments you can schedule.
Remember, you don't need to close a sale on the spot.
Your goal is to get business owners interested enough to see what you've created.
The more conversations you start, the more opportunities you'll create.
Want to Make This Process Even Easier?
Knowing what to say to a business owner is one thing.
But finding the right businesses, creating impressive website demos, and knowing exactly how to turn those demos into paying customers is another.
That's where SiteSwan comes in.
SiteSwan is an all-in-one platform designed to help you start, run, and grow your own web design business.
With SiteSwan, you get access to:
Local Prospecting Tool: Search for businesses in virtually any industry and location to identify potential customers who could benefit from a better website.
One-Click Website Demos: Create professional-looking website demos in seconds, so you can spend less time building and more time selling.
14-Day Launch Plan: Follow our step-by-step training program covering multiple strategies for finding prospects, starting conversations, scheduling presentations, and landing paying clients.
Everything You Need to Run Your Business: Website-building tools, white-label branding, client billing, and more.
Ready to Start Landing Web Design Clients?
Visit https://siteswan.io
