How to Stand Out to Prospective Clients
There are many ways to stand out to web design clients. You can offer the best prices, the widest range of services, or the fastest turnaround times. You can also entice clients with top-notch customer service, best-in-class work, or specific design packages they won’t find anywhere else.
The key is to marry your skills and passions with something clients genuinely need. To build a sustainable web design business, you need to enjoy what you’re doing. You also need to deliver products that truly serve web design clients.
Striking this balance may seem like a challenge. But by asking yourself four fundamental questions, you can clarify what you want, what prospective clients need, and how to meet in the middle. Sit down, grab a notebook, and work your way through the following prompts. The questions will help you understand how to get web design clients—and how to market your web design business to reach your target audience.
What are your top skills and talents?
Take a moment to consider your strengths. List jobs you’ve had, projects you’ve worked on, and other relevant experiences. Spell out skills you’ve acquired, certifications you’ve earned, and awards you’ve won. And consider what you’d like to learn more about: are there subjects, programs, or industries you’d love an excuse to dig into?
Look for themes within your list. Consider which experiences you loved most, which ones you liked least, and what they have in common. Remember, your goal isn’t just to get web design clients—it’s to grow a sustainable web design business. That requires passion and motivation.
What problems can you solve?
Put yourself in the shoes of prospective web design clients. Consider what resources they have, what challenges they face, and what they’re trying to accomplish. Keep in mind different web design clients have different needs. While some want to splurge on top-quality work, others want to save as much money or time as possible.
Do some brainstorming to imagine what web design clients need. Then, back up your assumptions with market research. Read industry reports and trend pieces. Peruse forums for complaints and questions. And use keyword research to see what people are searching for.
Think about which of these problems you’re poised to solve, based on your skills and interests. Then, use your research to create client personas—in-depth (but fictitious) representations of your target web design clients.
Who do you consider competition?
Now that you have a sense of what you can do and what web design clients need, research what’s actually out there. Look up web design businesses in your area or industry, and see what web designers with similar skills, interests, and experiences are doing.
Compare yourself to the pack: what can you offer that no one else is? Revisit those client personas you created, and assess whether competitors are meeting their needs. While other designers may offer competitive products, they may not provide them at the right price, on the right timeline, or with the right supplementary services.
Then, circle back to your list of skills and interests, and identify what sets you apart from other designers. If you have a background in retail, you’ll be well positioned to design, merchandise, and optimize online stores. Likewise, if you have a way with words, a knack for social media, or a background in coding, you can put those skills to work in a custom web design package.
How can you simply and effectively articulate your niche?
When marketing a web design business, you need a clear pitch. You want clients to quickly grasp what services you offer—and why you’re the right person for the job.
Armed with the research you've done so far, define your web design niche. Take another look at your strengths, market research, and competitive set. Then, map out what projects and clients are right for your business—and which ones aren’t.
Brainstorm keywords you can use to clearly convey your brand identity and test them against your market research. The right messaging should help you land the web design clients you want, while weeding out work you’re not interested in.
This exercise helps you understand your unique value proposition as a web designer—how to combine your strengths, experiences, and interests to deliver something clients truly need. It also illuminates opportunities for growth. If there’s a gap between where you are and where you want to be, consider what relationships, skills, and projects will help you get there.
**This post was originally published May 12, 2021. It has since been updated.Want more?
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