Clients are the backbone of every successful services company because without clients there is no one to serve and when there is no one to serve, there is no business.
So many web designers that I speak to who are just starting out have this one big struggle – finding clients! Here are the 5 ways that I use to attract my dream clients for my web design business.
#1. Get super clear on your niche and own it
When you have a niche, you can refine all of your services around this niche. Rather than offering a wider range of generic services, refine your offering to just a few high skill, niche services. This will narrow your target market but should deliver more targeted queries.
This is also the best way to ensure that you remain passionate about the projects you will be doing.
#2. Get social on your socials – try to stick to just one or two platforms
Using social media to promote your business is a given these days – it is a proven strategy for showcasing your skills and attracting the right clients. However, it can be tempting to try and use *all* of the platforms at your disposal to get the word out. More exposure means more clients right?
Not necessarily. You will find that you more naturally lean towards one or two platforms that suit your style of sharing and find them easier to use than others, and in return you will find that these platforms will gain more traction and engagement for your business. Additionally, if you are trying to spread yourself too thin, you will eventually start to dread the content creation it takes to use so many platforms, and will most likely feel burnt out sooner or later!
So I suggest finding the platform that feels the most natural to you and stick with it.
#3. Network through online groups and forums – ask for referrals
By discovering and joining online communities and forums specifically for web design, you open up a whole new world of support, advice and even referrals for your business. Make the effort to interact, ask questions, provide feedback and keep your eye out for opportunities that can arise.
#4. Create a personal project and share it everywhere!
As a freelancer, you’re going to dread slow seasons, but at some point or another, you’re going to have them.
Make use of this “free time” and get stuck into a personal project of web design that you can then share through your marketing channels, and of course, add to your portfolio. The work that you show in your portfolio is the type of work that you’re going to continue to attract. So if there’s a certain type of client or industry that you’re dreaming of working with, you can either wait for them to eventually notice you OR create a personal project that’s inspired by them and more likely to draw their attention.
So even in the slow seasons, create!
#5. Diversify your skill set to offer a more comprehensive client experience
This is a point that I am particularly passionate about. Being a “hybrid” designer—aka a multi-passionate digital designer who offers a small but mighty range of services—is my number one point of difference from my creative peers. Yes, it’s important to niche and not spread yourself thin but offering branding and packaging design, as well as web design and development services, have leveraged my brand to the point where I can’t scale fast enough.
But the best part about refining my skills to offer diverse services is that I can support my clients through their business journey from start to finish without having to hand them off to someone else at the website stage.
When potential clients see that I can support them across the entirety of their project, they are much more likely to reach out.
Read here about the 5 Benefits Of Diversifying Your Skillset
Do you have specific ways that you like to attract your dream clients?
If you are looking for a framework to improve your web design experience, download my free e-book, The Web Designer Starter Kit: 5 Step Framework To Start Designing and Building Websites.
