This is an excerpt from the SiteSwan Training Program for Website Sales to Small Businesses

 

Stop Taking Deposits!

Asking for a deposit before building a website may seem like the safest way to protect yourself, but it can create unnecessary friction in the sales process.

When a prospect has never worked with you before, you're asking them to hand over their money based largely on a promise. You're telling them you can build a great website—but they have to trust you before they can see it.

From the business owner's perspective, that's a risk. They may be thinking:
Will the website actually look good? Will it represent my business the way I want? Will I be happy with the finished product? Is it worth what I'm paying?

Even if you know the answer is yes, the prospect doesn't know that yet. And that uncertainty can make the sale harder.
 

• You're asking for money before they can see the finished product.
• It creates a trust barrier, especially if you're a freelancer or agency they've never worked with.
• The prospect has to take a financial risk based on your pitch, portfolio, or promises.
• It gives them more reasons to hesitate about quality, timeline, or value.
• It shifts the focus from wanting the website to trusting you.
• Upfront payment makes objections easier to justify because they're being asked to commit before experiencing the value.

There's a better way.

The Show & Sell ™ Technique

Instead of asking prospects to pay before they see the website, show them what you can build first.
The goal is simple: get a qualified business owner in front of a website that demonstrates the value of what you're offering—before asking for a payment.

Step 1: Prospect

Start by identifying businesses that could benefit from a new or improved website.

Look for businesses with outdated websites, poor mobile experiences, weak online presences, or no website at all.

The goal isn't to sell every business you find. It's to identify businesses where there's a clear opportunity to improve their online presence and provide real value.

Step 2: Pitch

Once you've identified a good prospect, reach out to the business owner and offer to create a FREE website demo specifically for their business.

At this stage, you're not trying to close the sale or collect a deposit. Your goal is simply to get the prospect interested enough to see what you've created for them.

You can make the pitch by phone, in person, email, or social media. Keep it personal and focus on the opportunity you've identified for their business.

Step 3: Create the Site

Once the prospect agrees to see a demo, create a website specifically for their business.

💡 SiteSwan's Instant Site Creation feature makes this step incredibly easy, allowing you to build a customized site in minutes using more than 400 industry-specific themes.

The goal isn't to build the entire project for free. It's to create something impressive enough that the prospect can immediately see the potential.

Step 4: Present the Homepage Mockup

Now it's time to show the business owner what you've created.

But don't show them everything just yet. Give them a taste of what they can get by working with you.

Focus the presentation on the website homepage. Start from the top and go through all the way down to the footer of the site. Highlight the most important elements, and show them how the new website could improve their online presence and make it easier for customers to find and connect with them.

Most importantly, let them experience the value before asking them to make a financial commitment.

Step 5: Close the Sale

Once the prospect has seen the website and understands the value, ask for the sale.

Present your setup fee, answer any questions or objections, and explain what happens next.

This is where the Show & Sell approach differs from the traditional deposit-first model: the prospect is making a decision about a website they've already seen—not taking a chance on something that hasn't been built yet. 

Make It a No-Brainer Price Point

This is another opportunity to stand out.

The goal isn't to charge as much as possible upfront. It's to offer a professional website at a price that feels like an easy decision once the business owner sees what you've built.

For most small businesses, we recommend:

Setup Fee: $500–$1,500
Monthly Fee: $50–$100/month

• Keep it low-risk: The key is to keep the initial investment affordable enough that, after seeing the website, the business owner doesn't feel like they're taking a major financial risk.

• Reinforce the decision: You've already removed the biggest barrier by showing them the website before asking for payment. Your pricing should reinforce that low-risk decision.

• Build recurring revenue: The monthly fee also gives you the opportunity to build predictable recurring revenue while continuing to provide value through hosting, maintenance, support, and ongoing website services.

The goal of the Show & Sell approach is simple: make it easy for a business owner to say yes. By removing the upfront deposit, showing them a website built specifically for their business, and offering it at an affordable price, you're taking much of the risk and uncertainty out of the decision.

Build. Show. Sell.

Ready to start using the Show & Sell approach? Reach out to us here


This information is intended for general educational purposes and is not legal, financial, or investment advice. Before starting a business or selling services, consider having your financials and economic projections aligned with your investment intentions.

Interested in running a web design business smarter and more profitably? Go to www.siteswan.io