3 Client-Finding Strategies for Web Designers
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This is a breakdown of the strategies and insights shared on the Squarely Speaking podcast with co-hosts Katelyn Dekle and Diane Whiddon.
In this episode, we talked about getting clients—the thing you're all thinking about pretty much 24/7 as web designers, right? 😅
In our latest Squarely Speaking podcast episode, Diane Whiddon and I broke down everything we know about finding those potentially elusive clients at every stage of your web design business. We've both been at this for a while and have developed VERY different approaches to filling our calendars so we think today’s chat will be helpful for a lot of you!
Dig in, pour yourself a cuppa’ whatever you're drinking today, and let's dive into the nitty-gritty of how to find clients as a website designer!
3 Phases of Finding Clients
Let's be real—getting clients looks wildly different depending on where you are in your business journey and what types of marketing strategies work best for YOU. In the beginning, you might be begging your cousin to let you build their dog-walking website, and when you finally find a strategy that works, you’ll eventually end up turning people away. It's an evolution that’s always fluctuating a bit based on your current goals & needs, ––but we've mapped out the basic roadmap for you!
Phase 1: Friends, Family, & Finding Your Footing
When you're just starting out, the absolute first move is reaching out to friends and family to access THEIR networks. I know it can feel awkward, but seriously—don't skip this step!
As Diane put it during our episode: “Don't skip that step. You are leaving money on the table.”
I distinctly remember doing my first couple websites for family members (for free because they were immediate family and didn't treat me like garbage, so it was a win-win for me). It was low-pressure, and gave me space to figure things out without the fear of disappointing a paying stranger.
When you're talking to your network, be super clear about:
What exactly you're offering
Why you're excited about web design specifically
What makes your approach different (your unique selling proposition, or USP)
This gives people a way to connect with you beyond just “oh, they build websites”—it helps them understand why they should choose YOU over the million other options out there.
The money question: Should you work for free?
Diane and I both have opinions on this because this is really up to YOU and what feels like the best fit for the situation, which varies. You might build a site or two for free if your portfolio is empty, but generally, we both recommend charging something, even if it's a significantly reduced rate.
For tips on how to charge for your first few portfolio-building projects, check out this episode next!
👉🏼 specifically this section: Should you do portfolio sites for free/cheap? (starts at timestamp 29:06 in the episode’s replay)
Here's why:
When people pay, they take it way more seriously. They give you actual feedback, they’re more likely to respect deadlines, and you start to feel like a professional rather than someone who’s just doing a favor. 😬 It’s also better practice for becoming a business owner, versus a hobbyist.
The real purpose of this phase isn't even about the money, though—it's about figuring out if this whole web design thing is actually for you. You'll hit roadblocks, you'll have to adapt your processes on the fly, and you'll find out whether or not you enjoy the work enough to build a career around it.
Phase 2: Marketing Yourself & Charging Real Prices
THIS is where Diane & I see most new designers get completely stuck. As a newbie, you've built a few sites, you've got some semblance of a process in place, and suddenly you're looking around your home office (or dining room… couch… coffee shop, etc) like “...okay, so now what?” 😳😬🤷♀️
As I mentioned in the episode: “That seems to be where the most amount of people get stuck. It's like, okay, now I've done the free work, I've done the cheap work, and now” where do I find the REAL clients that pay what I need?
And this is the phase where Diane and I decided to take completely different paths or approaches, which is why it's so fun to talk about this stuff together!
Diane's approach: One-on-one conversations & in-person networking
She attended local networking events religiously
Started speaking at those same events (positioning herself as an authority in her space)
Taught regular workshops at places like her local Public Library
Focused on building relationships and having meaningful conversations with people she met at those events
Diane explained how this shifted her business: “The real shift for me –when my business really started to explode– was when I moved from just going to networking events, to getting in front of people at networking events... I'm up in front of 20-30 people instead of just meeting somebody one-on-one.” She has their focus & attention while she spoke about a particular topic that builds her authority, which is faster & more effective than 20-30 one-on-one conversations.
My approach: Content creation all day, every day
Consistent blogging (every other week for 2-3 years, then weekly ever since)
Positioning myself as an expert through educational content
Building an audience over time rather than a network of individual connections
Creating resources people could find through search engines
I remember how it started: “I was like, 'I don't know how to find these people.' Because I'd done websites for the people in my life who needed them... And so I was like, 'Well, everybody on Google University says that you have to blog.' And so that's where it started.”
Both work really well
Both approaches totally work—they just create different types of businesses & work on a different timeline (ie: one is faster than the other).
Diane ended up with a strong network of people (both offline & online) who know her personally and refer work to her regularly. I ended up with a larger audience & bigger online footprint which is how clients began to find me through Google searches.
Neither is “better” than the other. It's about what fits your personality best and what you can actually sustain without wanting to pull your hair out while you cry & throw your laptop out the window. 🤭
The Problem with Phase 2
When I first moved into this stage, I was getting a few referrals from my network of family & friends, but I ran into a super common problem. Those referrals were leading to work –yes, but not the RIGHT kind of work for me. Instead of building the beautiful, creative websites I dreamed of, I was doing things like:
Random website edits on sites I didn't build
Basic YouTube video editing (not even using professional software!)
Miscellaneous graphic design tasks like t-shirt designs, print-related designs like business cards & brochures, or recreating a logo so it could be broken down into parts for the trademarking process
Other technical jobs I was capable of because of my professional design background, but absolutely didn't enjoy doing as much as website design
Sound familiar? I was busier, but also a bit miserable because I didn’t enjoy the types of work I was doing –and THAT is a big problem for me.
As I explained on the podcast: “While I am capable, and I can do those things quickly... I didn't want to make a whole career out of it. And that's when I was like, 'Well, I guess I need to find people who want websites because that's where my joy or passion was.'”
This is why you need to be increasinly strategic about finding the right audience or referral network for the work you ACTUALLY want to do. Otherwise, you end up being the tech-savvy friend who gets all the random digital ‘chores’ that might not actually make you happy. 🙄
After all, what’s the point of building a business for yourself if you don’t enjoy the work? It’s hard enough to create a business from scratch without the added weight of hating the work itself; there are corporate jobs for that! Not to say we should enjoy 100% of the work involved in running & building our businesses, but you should enjoy most of it, otherwise… again… what’s the point?!
Phase 3: Scaling Your Business
Once you've got a steady stream of clients, streamlined processes, and things are working like clockwork (as much as they ever do in web design), it may be time to think bigger:
Hiring help to handle more clients (build an agency)
Moving into mass marketing (increase your audience –and your prices)
Creating products or passive income streams (like a template shop!)
Developing systems that don't require your constant attention or management
Basically, once clients are coming in at the rate you want and you’re earning an income you’re happy with, the next phase is to scale it up –if that feels right to you. That might mean switching to an agency model. Or it might mean just growing your audience so you can seriously increase your prices which will naturally weed out the people who can’t pay your higher rates while also making it easier to create additional income streams.
We didn't dive super deep into this phase during the episode because, honestly, it deserves its own conversation. But keep an eye out—we'll definitely be covering scaling strategies in future episodes!
The Psychology Behind Getting Clients
Here's something Diane and I are both passionate about: getting clients for a service-based business is COMPLETELY different from selling products. When someone's investing thousands in your services, they need to feel like they know, like, and trust you on a deeper level.
As Diane said, “For a service, people need to have a sense of you. They need to have a sense of who you are, what your values are... You're asking somebody to work with you and invest thousands into this project that they're going to work with you on for several weeks or whatever.”
Powerful insights about the psychology of trust in sales
Diane said, “There's a part of your brain that's working constantly to figure out how much we can trust this person... Once shared values are expressed... everything in you relaxes. That is the single biggest” reason sales increase.
This is why both our approaches—whether through content or conversations—focus heavily on communicating our values and what we individually care about. When a potential client feels that connection of “Oh, they get it!” or “They're just like me!” —that's when they finally become ready to buy.
Mastering Your About Page
Your website’s About page does WAY more selling than most designers/people realize. It's literally where potential clients decide if they vibe with you or not.
How Clients Actually Navigate Your Website
Here's the typical journey (and it might surprise you):
They land on your homepage and read until they're interested enough to learn more
They quickly check your services page to see if they can afford you
Then they read your About page to figure out who you are
Only after confirming they connect with you, do they return to your services page to look at features/details & potentially reach out from there
Diane broke this down perfectly: “Someone will land on a site... They read down that page –as far as it takes, sometimes it's one section, sometimes it's eight. They read down far enough to be like, ‘okay, I like her enough, I'm interested enough to know more...’ The next place that they go is your services page. They skim it really quickly. They just look to see if they can afford you.”
Then comes the crucial step: “That's when they read the About page. ‘Okay. Who is this chick? What's she about? Do we have those shared values? Do I have that sense of, 'Oh, she gets me?'’ Once they read your About page, that's when they're ready to go to the services page and actually look at the features of what you do.”
What Makes a Great About Page
During the episode, we actually looked at both our About pages to see how well they followed these principles.
Here’s the specifics:
For solopreneurs: an engaging photo of you (preferably looking at the camera)
A fun intro on your homepage that shows your personality (I start mine with “Professional website doesn't have to be boring. It's time to break out from the vanilla bullshit.”)
Your story told as a JOURNEY, not a resume
What you've learned from your experience (not just what you've done)
How that experience connects to why you do what you do now
Personal details that help people connect with you as a human being
A clear call to action at the end (or throughout)
The most crucial element? Your About page should actively turn away the WRONG clients by clearly communicating your values and approach. As Diane put it, it's about “rejecting everyone who's not your right person, even [potentially] reject your sort-of-right people.”
On my About page, I share my journey from the corporate world to freelancing, explaining how “9-to-5 never truly worked for me” and how I struggled with “building someone else's dream.” This immediately connects with potential clients who feel the same way about their own businesses—they want to do things THEIR way, not follow someone else's rulebook. And the way I word it helps draw in the people who will appreciate my personality, and get along with me very well.
Creating an Effective Contact Page
Let's talk about where leads go to die: your contact page. 💀🪦 😬
During our episode, we actually pulled up both our contact pages to analyze what works and what doesn't. My contact page has evolved significantly over time—it used to be much more standard until I started getting flooded with inquiries, so don’t go by how it looks now unless you have a larger audience & too many inquiries to manage.
What NOT to Do on Your Contact Page
Please, for the love of all things holy, don't just use a generic form with name, email, subject, and message fields.
As Diane so perfectly put it: “Please don't give them a blank slate and be like, 'All right, now talk.'” –No. Instead, ask the important questions you NEED to know before you reply, like “Who the heck are you? What are you doing here? They're like, 'but we're friends. I've read all about you, man!'”
A really bad contact form will absolutely create this weird disconnect where they feel like they know you after reading your site, but then you treat them like a complete stranger. –Not good.
What to Include In Your Contact Page
For my service-based business, my contact page now included some different things for 1:1 service-based work, than it does now that my business is more education-focused (1:many, vs 1:1).
The key is to make your contact page feel like a continuation of the conversation you've already started with your other content —not a cold, impersonal form that gives them a blank slate because they won’t know what to type there!
Here’s what my contact page included before, and an example of my contact form:
An engaging headline (like, “Let's Chat!” rather than something standard & boring like, “Contact”)
A friendly photo of myself, again looking at the camera
My location (since I work with international clients & timezones &/or currencies may be good-to-know before they reach out)
My office hours & response time expectations
FAQs about my services, or whatever you tend to get most in your inbox
My email address (typed out, but not linked), and
My contact form:
ask questions that move the relationship forward like “What’s the goal for your website?”
ask what services they're interested in (and list the price for each if you’re brave!)
ask where did they find you (so you know which marketing strategies are working)
keep it to 5-10 questions, max
a screenshot of my previous Contact form, which I used for years!
Diane's contact page takes a slightly different approach but follows the same principles:
Engaging welcome message (“Are You Ready for the Best Phase of Your Business?”)
Personal photo (for solopreneurs)
Her contact Form:
Questions about their current website and goals
Ask how they found/heard about you
Get project deadline information
FAQs to answer common questions
Social proof through testimonials
A lower-risk call to action at the bottom (newsletter signup)
a screenshot of Diane's current Contact form
Strategies for In-Person Networking Events
During our Q&A, someone asked a fantastic question about converting connections into clients at a nonprofit showcase she’s going to soon. This gave us the perfect opportunity to dive into networking strategies!
Before the Event: Do Your Homework
Diane offered this gem of advice, though she admitted this may be a little more extreme or intense than you’re comfortable with (for some of you): “I would do some research into some local nonprofits that were in town and I would look at who needs a good website. So I would kind of have a target list of who I wanted to speak to when I got out there.”
This pre-event prep gives you:
Knowledge about who's likely to attend
A clear idea of who might need your services before you talk to anyone
Confidence when approaching specific organizations
During the Event: Quality Over Quantity
The most powerful tip is to focus on having meaningful conversations, not handing out business cards like candy. You’re trying to create an experience they’ll remember, and just handing your business card to someone, then shaking their hand & saying your name out loud, ––does not make lasting memories. 😂
Diane recommended:
Start with conversations, not leading with your business card
Avoid asking questions with yes/no answers, instead ask questions like “How's your website working for you?” or “What do you love about your online presence?”
Listen for pain points around their digital presence & online processes
Get THEIR business card first for you to follow-up (don’t rely on them to keep you top of mind)
Be genuinely curious about their needs
Stay unattached (not every prospect will be the perfect client for you & that’s ok!)
To wrap up this part of Diane’s advice, I added: “Be curious about THEM and don't just be waiting” for a gap in the conversation so you can “say something about yourself. …Start to listen to what they have to say” and show that “you're genuinely interested in them and what they are doing and how you could maybe help them.”
After the Event: Follow Up, FAST!
The follow-up is where most people drop the ball.
Diane emphasized these tips:
Follow up within 1 business day (strike while the iron's hot!)
Reference specific points from your conversation (so they know you remember them clearly & enjoyed the meeting/conversation)
Suggest clear next steps (call, proposal, etc.)
She says, “Five really solid leads, –warm, solid leads– is going to do way more for your business than handing out 80 business cards.”
I totally agree! It's the 80/20 or 70/30 rule in action—a few quality connections will generate more business than dozens of superficial ones.
Business Cards & Digital Alternatives
During our conversation, we also talked briefly about how to effectively use business cards at networking events, because yes, they still matter!
Diane shared how she’s currently prepping for a big event where she’ll have a booth: “I'm getting ready to go to a big event like this, where I'm going to walk around and hand out a bunch of business cards.”
Some practical tips we discussed:
Make your business card two-sided with different info on each side (example: 1 main service on side A, a second service on side B)
Consider including a QR code to your website or to a freebie made specifically for clients, –so they won’t have to type in the web address
Have your business card saved as your phone's lock screen for people who prefer digital or to make it quick to show people that don’t want paper cards
Use a tool like QR Code Monkey (free) to create a custom QR code that shares your contact information easily!
Optional: include a Google Voice number that forwards to your phone (so you don't have to give out your personal number)
I asked Diane, “What is the ONE thing that is most important for you to have on that business card? What do you want the person to do?”
Her answer was refreshingly honest: “I don't want them to do anything. I don't care.” Because she already has THEIR card and will be following up with them herself! 🤭🤣
My intention for asking that question was to get you to consider the goal before you hand out your cards. Do you want them to look at your Services page to see what you offer (& how much)? Your About page to get to know you a little more? Your Contact page, to see answers to questions they may have but don’t want to ask? Or do you want them to download a freebie that will help them understand what problem they need to solve with your help. (ie: a checklist of ‘X things your website should be doing for your business’, or ‘X things you have to update on your website every year.’ etc)
Meaningful Conversations
The most effective client acquisition happens when you truly understand the person’s needs and can articulate them better than THEY can themselves.
Diane shared this amazing example from a recent discovery call: “We're on the call maybe five minutes in, she's done telling me about her stuff, and I say, 'Well, it looks to me like what we need to do is transition you from being a consultant to being a thought leader.' And you could see that hit her. And she was like, 'Yes, that is what I need.'”
If you can deliver that kind of revelation for clients, it creates the perfect situation—where you're grateful for their business, and they're grateful they found you. As Diane put it: “She hasn't even signed her contract yet. She's already referred me to somebody else. I already have another discovery call set up because that feeling of being seen and heard is so powerful.”
That's the magic we're all after—clients who feel like they've found their perfect match and can't wait to tell their everyone about you!
Content Creation is a Long Game
While Diane excels at conversations & networking, I took the content creation route, which is definitely a slower burn but is incredibly powerful over time!
When I started blogging, I followed this advice: “I read everywhere that said basically do what you can consistently do. And since I had a full-time job (it was typically 40 or more hours a week) That was all I could do,” just post “once every other week. And I did that for about two, three years, –slow growth.”
The key was consistency over frequency. I personally couldn't manage twice-weekly posts longterm, like some experts recommended, but I could reliably publish every other week without fail. As I got better at it, eventually I realized I could increase my frequency without burning myself out and as I did that, my audience grew in spurts with each increase.
Check out this post next to see what my blogging schedule did to grow my audience over time! (See my ACTUAL website analytics fluctuate over time!)
What I didn't realize for a loooong time, was that each blog post was essentially doing what Diane was doing in her workshops & networking events.
I was positioning myself as an expert by teaching something I cared about, that would also be useful to other people (& potentially clients). “I was just teaching how to do something that I cared about or thought would be useful for people. And I'm nerdy enough to care about it because I thought it was useful to people,” I explained during our episode.
The Psychology of Pricing Conversations
One interesting nugget from our discussion was about when to talk pricing at networking events. Our advice? Don't bring it up, unless you’re asked directly. Otherwise, the conversation will feel more like a sales pitch.
Diane advised: “Don't bother talking pricing. Don't put that burden on yourself unless somebody directly asks, in which case always answer. Don't hide it or be squirrely about it. But don't worry about talking about pricing. It's always, 'I'll send you a proposal' or 'Let's set up a call.'”
This removes the pressure of having to quote on the spot without understanding the full scope of what someone needs.
It might be a good idea to GO to the event with a package range in mind though, so if someone asks for your pricing & you don’t know enough to give them a quote right there (because you likely won’t), then it’d be helpful in those situations to be able to share a price range, saying something like “most websites range from about X,XXX to XX,XXX so it depends on the scope.”
Our Differing Approaches to Business Building
One of the most valuable aspects of our podcast episodes is how Diane and I have built successful businesses in completely different ways.
Diane shared: “I have a really strong network of people who know me and are willing to buy from me and refer friends and family, –but Katelyn’s got an audience, which I don't have. So we have very different businesses because of it.” She continued, “I don't think there's a wrong or right way here. I think it really has to do with your personality, what you can sustain, and what sounds fun for you.”
Those points are SO important to remember!! There's no one-size-fits-all approach to getting clients. Some designers thrive in one-on-one settings with in-person networking, speaking, and conversations, –while others (like me) prefer creating helpful content that attracts clients who resonate with our help & messaging.
Key Takeaways
Here are the biggest tips you should walk away with in your arsenal:
Start where you are: Friends and family for beginners, use strategic marketing as you grow.
Choose a content vs networking approach based on your personality and what you can sustain long-term.
Focus on attracting clients who want the work you actually enjoy doing, not just anyone willing to pay you.
Make your About page do the heavy lifting in building trust and qualifying the right clients.
Create a Contact page that continues the conversation, not one that feels cold & asks them to start a conversation (so-to-speak) from scratch.
Aim for quality over quantity in all your client finding strategies; these are people, not paychecks.
Create conversations that demonstrate your understanding of their (client's) needs, maybe even better than they do.
Share your values openly to build trust and connection with potential clients, attracting people who “get you” and will be fun to work with!
Whether you're just starting out or looking to level up your web design business, remember that ‘client acquisition’ is just about building relationships. There's no magical shortcut—it's about consistently showing up, providing value, and connecting with the right people.
As we wrapped up our episode, I shared how much my approach has evolved over time because if you adopt exactly what I’m doing now, but with no audience, it won’t be helpful for you without one. So it's important to remember that my contact form & client-finding strategies did not look like they do now, or work like they do now, until more recently (about 6-7 years into my business). The only reason I’m doing things differently myself, than the tips we shared in this episode, is because people spam me (sooo many cold-pitches!) all the time because of my higher traffic levels & authority in the space, and because I was literally getting too many client inquiries.
Your strategies will evolve as your business grows too, and that's exactly as it should be! Start with what works for you now, keep what's working, and adjust what isn't.
The beauty of web design is that there are so many ways to build a thriving business—whether you're the networking queen like Diane or a content creator like me. Find your path, stick with it long enough to see results, and never stop refining your approach. That’s what keeps things interesting! 😉
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