Crack the Code: How to Land Web Clients!

Summary

This video script addresses the common challenge faced by web designers, agencies, and freelancers in acquiring clients. It emphasizes that there are no shortcuts and highlights the importance of social media engagement, joining relevant groups, and offering valuable advice to build trust. The speaker also suggests considering cold emailing or calling and implementing a referral reward system to expand the client base. The script stresses the need for effort, strategic networking, and providing quality service to stand out in the competitive market.

Takeaways

• 🚀 There is no quick fix or easy solution to acquiring clients; it requires consistent effort and engagement.
• 🔍 Web designers and agencies should focus on joining social media groups where potential clients are likely to be found, rather than just groups for industry peers.
• 📍 Engaging in local groups and offering advice can help build a reputation and trust among potential clients.
• 🤔 Avoid overload by not joining too many groups or spending excessive time on social media; quality over quantity is key.
• 📱 Social media is a powerful tool for promotion, but it should be used wisely, avoiding excessive self-promotion and controversial topics.
• 🎥 Building a video profile can be beneficial, but ensure the content is valuable and not just self-promotional.
• 💌 Cold emailing or calling can be effective if done after establishing some form of relationship or engagement with potential clients.
• 🔑 A reward or referral scheme can incentivize existing clients to refer new business, providing a valuable source of new clients.
• 💬 Testimonials and reviews are crucial for building credibility; ensure to ask for them and showcase them on social media.
• 📈 Niche marketing can be beneficial; identifying specific industries or areas of expertise can help target marketing efforts more effectively.
• 🤝 Participation in community forums and groups can lead to opportunities for offering web design services to local businesses.

Q & A

What is the most common question asked by web designers, agencies, and freelancers?

The most common question is about how to get clients, as there is no quick fix or easy solution for acquiring new business.

Why is it important for web designers to be on social media?

Social media is important for web designers as it provides a platform to engage with potential clients, build a professional reputation, and showcase their expertise without the need for significant investment.

What are some of the pitfalls to avoid when using social media for business?

Pitfalls include spending too much time on social media, posting overly political or controversial messages, and only promoting oneself or services without offering value or engaging in meaningful conversations.

Why should web designers focus on joining groups where their potential clients hang out?

Focusing on client-centric groups helps designers to be discovered by those who need their services, and it allows them to build trust and recognition among their target audience.

What is the significance of not overdoing social media engagement?

Over-engagement can lead to burnout and information overload, which can detract from the quality of interactions and the designer's ability to effectively connect with potential clients.

How can web designers use cold emailing or calling to find clients?

Designers can identify businesses with outdated websites or poor online presence, engage with them in relevant groups, and then reach out privately to offer their services, turning a cold approach into a warmer introduction based on prior interaction.

What is the purpose of offering a reward or appreciation scheme for referrals?

A reward scheme incentivizes existing clients to refer new business, as they receive a monetary reward for successful referrals, helping to expand the designer's client base.

Why is it beneficial to offer a monetary reward instead of a gift voucher for referrals?

Monetary rewards are typically more valuable and flexible, making them a more attractive incentive for clients to refer new business, compared to the limited use of a gift voucher.

How can testimonials and reviews help in acquiring new clients?

Testimonials and reviews build credibility and trust, showcasing the quality of work and client satisfaction, which can influence potential clients' decisions to hire the designer.

What is the importance of showcasing testimonials and reviews on social media?

Showcasing positive testimonials and reviews on social media helps to reinforce the designer's reputation, attract new clients, and demonstrate the value they provide to their clients.

How can web designers find their niche areas to focus on?

Designers can identify specific industries or types of clients they want to serve, such as dentists, and then join relevant forums or groups to engage with potential clients in those niches.

Outlines

00:00

🤔 The Challenge of Acquiring Clients for Web Designers

The script addresses the common issue faced by web designers, agencies, and freelancers regarding client acquisition. It emphasizes that there is no easy solution and that success requires consistent effort. The speaker suggests revisiting established advice, as many overlook or misunderstand it, especially when seeking shortcuts. The paragraph highlights the importance of social media engagement in relevant groups to build a professional reputation, cautioning against excessive posting and the sharing of controversial views that might alienate potential clients. It also mentions the speaker's own social media strategy, which includes sharing a variety of content beyond self-promotion.

05:03

📞 Cold Outreach and Building Relationships for Business Growth

This paragraph delves into the concept of cold emailing or calling as a method for initiating contact with potential clients. The speaker is not a fan of this approach but acknowledges its potential, especially for those starting out and struggling to gain traction. The focus is on identifying businesses that are active in online communities and observing their online presence for opportunities to offer improvements. The speaker advocates for a 'warm' approach, leveraging existing interactions to privately message businesses about potential website enhancements. The paragraph also touches on the importance of focusing on local businesses and the potential for referrals within a community.

10:04

💰 Incentivizing Referrals with a Reward Scheme

The speaker introduces the idea of a reward or appreciation scheme to encourage referrals. This involves offering a monetary reward to clients who refer new business that results in a completed project. The scheme is designed to motivate clients to actively promote the service provider's offerings. The paragraph explains the logistics of such a scheme, including how to account for the reward within the cost proposal to new clients and the importance of clear communication about the referral program. The speaker also discusses the potential for this strategy to build a network of referrers and the benefits of offering substantial rewards.

15:05

🔍 Identifying Niche Markets and Engaging with Local Communities

The final paragraph discusses the importance of identifying niche markets and engaging with local communities to find potential clients. The speaker suggests joining local forums and social media groups to participate in conversations and build a presence. The emphasis is on being neutral in discussions to avoid alienating potential clients. The speaker also talks about the opportunity to offer services to local businesses that may have outdated websites or marketing strategies, and the importance of being observant and proactive in these communities.

Keywords

💡Web designers

Web designers are professionals who create and develop websites, focusing on the aesthetics, usability, and functionality of the site. In the video's context, the speaker discusses strategies for web designers to attract clients, emphasizing the importance of social media presence and networking as key methods to increase visibility and credibility.

💡Agencies

Agencies refer to businesses that provide services such as marketing, design, or consulting. The script mentions web designers agencies and freelancers, indicating that the advice given is applicable to a range of professionals in the industry who are looking to acquire new clients.

💡Freelancers

Freelancers are self-employed individuals who offer their professional services on a project-by-project basis. The video script addresses the challenges freelancers face in acquiring clients and suggests various strategies to improve their chances of success.

💡Social media

Social media platforms are online channels that allow users to create and share content or participate in social networking. The speaker in the video emphasizes the role of social media in building a professional presence, engaging with potential clients, and showcasing expertise.

💡Engagement

Engagement in the context of social media refers to the interaction between users, such as commenting, liking, and sharing content. The script suggests that engaging in relevant social media groups and forums can help web designers and agencies connect with potential clients and demonstrate their knowledge.

💡Brand

A brand represents the identity and image of a business or individual in the marketplace. The video discusses the importance of building a brand for web designers, which can help attract clients who are looking for professionals with a strong reputation and recognizable presence.

💡Referral

A referral is a recommendation from one person to another, often leading to new business opportunities. The script explains the concept of a reward appreciation scheme where existing clients are incentivized to refer new clients, highlighting the effectiveness of word-of-mouth marketing.

💡Cold emailing

Cold emailing is the act of sending unsolicited emails to potential clients or customers. The video mentions cold emailing as a strategy for reaching out to businesses that may need web design services, suggesting it as a way to initiate contact and offer assistance.

💡Niche

A niche refers to a specific segment of the market that has particular needs or interests. The speaker advises web designers to identify their niche areas, such as websites for dentists, to focus their marketing efforts and attract clients who fit within that specialized market segment.

💡Review and testimonials

Reviews and testimonials are feedback from clients that can endorse the quality of a service or product. The video script stresses the importance of collecting and showcasing positive reviews and testimonials to build trust and credibility with potential clients.

💡Overload

Overload refers to a state of being overwhelmed, often due to excessive amounts of work or information. The script warns against the potential for overload when engaging in social media and networking, advising a balanced approach to avoid being overwhelmed by notifications and interactions.

Highlights

There is no quick fix or easy solution to getting clients; it requires a lot of effort.

Engagement in forums and groups is crucial, but it's important not to overlook advice given.

Social media is a key platform for promoting oneself and engaging with potential clients.

Joining relevant groups where potential clients are active is essential for visibility.

Avoid joining too many groups or spending excessive time on social media to prevent overload.

Engaging in local groups and offering advice can help build a reputation and trust.

Content creation should be balanced and not solely focused on self-promotion.

Avoid posting overly political or controversial content to not alienate potential clients.

Cold emailing or calling can be effective if done after building some rapport.

Focusing on local businesses and offering specific advice can lead to opportunities.

Observing businesses that are active in groups but have outdated websites can provide a chance to offer services.

Building a referral scheme with tangible rewards can incentivize clients to refer more business.

Ensuring that referrals convert into actual business is crucial for the success of a referral scheme.

Reviews and testimonials are important and should be showcased on social media.

Finding a niche area or focusing on specific industries can help in targeting potential clients more effectively.

Joining local forums and engaging in community conversations can increase visibility and trust.

Being cautious about the content posted on social media and forums to maintain a professional image.

There is no magic bullet for getting clients, and all methods require effort and engagement.

Transcripts

this is probably the most common

question that gets asked around a lot by

web designers agencies and Freelancers

with basically how do I get clients

there's no quick fix there's no easy

solution it all takes a lot of effort

but I want to just revisit some of the

things that we've discussed about many

many times because I feel like when I'm

looking at forums and even on our own

web Squadron one I don't think people

always get it and they sometimes

Overlook some of the advice that we give

or they think there's a bit of a

shortcut cuz maybe they've seen another

video or they've read a post that says

hey you do XYZ and you're going to have

$10,000 paying clients flooding through

the door and yeah it can happen but it

takes a lot a lot of effort and often

it's built upon someone who already has

an existing platform or a brand so they

just have to like flick a few buttons

and then people will come to them but

for most people it's not that easy

especially when you're starting out

let's just revisit some of the things

that you could do to help yourself to

get more clients I've said it a million

times now go and get yourself onto

social media now I'm not asking you to

spend hours and hours every day writing

posts writing articles replying to every

comment and engaging with tons and tons

of groups cuz it can become overload and

eventually the amount of notifications

you get in your inbox and on your device

is going to do your head in no what I

mean is just start somewhere there's so

many web designers and agencies where

they might be part of a group like say a

WordPress group an elemental group a

bricks group the web Squadron group and

that's great for engagement for learning

for passing on advice but you need to be

part of groups where a lot of your

clients hang out because that's where

they're going to find you and I don't

mean stalking them or joining every

single group out there let's say you're

a window cleaner don't start joining a

hundred of them focus on the ones in

your key local areas and start engaging

with people with offering a bit of

advice but don't overdo it don't spend

too long on it just join a few all

you're trying to do is build up your

name as someone who knows what they're

talking about so hopefully they're going

to remember trust you and want to use

you for cleaning windows or in our

example designing websites getting a

logo designed maybe a bit of video

content creation and by the way if you

want a bit more advice about business

tips with helping out your web business

go and check out our $1 packs and don't

forget we've got our how to build a

website with elemental as well and we've

gone and set them out at three different

levels so back to how do you get clients

so social media LinkedIn Facebook groups

a bit of Twitter never heard hurt anyone

right now if you want to go down the

Instagram and the Tik Tok and the

YouTube video and YouTube shorts route

you could do but you don't have to jump

straight into there start to get used to

promoting yourself on social media a

little bit more and eventually people

will find you and that's when you can

start building up a video profile as

well but don't just do videos talking

garbage the same with social media don't

start posting overly political messages

either or or religious views or anything

like that and I'm not saying there's

anything wrong with that but you got to

remember what type of client are you

trying to reach and you don't want to

alienate or kind of put off some people

from engaging with you because of

something you might have posted in the

past or even recently the social media

is really really key because that's a

really easy one and the reason I always

start off with that is because you can

do that now at your desk for free you

don't have to print out leaflets or go

and post adverts anywhere you can do

that and every morning I spend half an

hour and I might put out 10 social media

post so I might put five and often I've

either pre-planned them the night before

or I'm just Saturday going how do I feel

today what do I want to say about

WordPress what do I want to say about me

and what I'm working on what do I want

to say about managing my tasks and

projects and difficult clients or maybe

there's a new plugin I found which is

free or maybe maybe there's a premium

one but I really think you should

consider it I also don't really post

affiliate commission links either and

that's just a build a bit more

transparency and honesty in what I'm

posting I also do not always post links

to just my videos that's again something

you want to be careful of and that isn't

just with posting on social media but in

your own group as well we got a web

Squadron group hey if I got a new video

out I will post it there but I like to

think that 10 to 20% of all of my

postings on there are just the videos

whereas 70 to 80% are going to or even

90% in some cases are not and it's where

I'm offering advice or something I've

disc discovered because if all you do is

just post videos or you just say I'm a

web designer use me oh I do this service

come and get it from me oh I design

logos here's the price and I've got a

special Black Friday price and price

price price if that's all there is to

you you're a bit boring right okay great

I can see that's all you do but that's

it it doesn't really engage me it

doesn't get me excited now if you're not

a face or a person or a group or a bunch

of people and you're just selling like a

bottle a drink of course all of your

posts are probably going to be about

that drink why is that drink good what's

the benefits to you just because Imran

loves it why should I love it you can

get away with it to an extent remember

you're providing a service to clients to

people so social media videos whatever

you put out there it should contain you

in your face every now and again but it

can be about what you do and not always

just on the price part don't just do

post that say yeah I'm a web designer

and I can design a website for you it

gets really Ultra boring now the other

thing you should consider is cold

emailing or cold calling now I'm not a

massive fan of this

but if you're starting off and you're

just not getting anywhere you're on

social media you're engaging you know

you're following people you're joining

in

conversations but people aren't then

converting later on like hey I need a

website I I know you kind of know your

stuff and we chatted a while ago could

you have a look at my site if that's not

happening what you could do is start

looking at the businesses in your local

area or maybe you're part of a group and

you've noticed that some of the

businesses on there that talk quite a

lot look what you want to do is watch

out for those businesses that are kind

of hardly there it's good to engage with

them but they're just probably going to

be in and out and they probably aren't

doing much in the group anyway but

you're going to find people that are

kind of in there daily weekly you have

your onoff conversations with them go

and look at them go and look at their

profile right go and look at their

website does it need improving is it

outdated have you noticed the page speed

performance is bad have you gone and

done an SEO check on it have you done a

Google check and notice that that

business and they're quite vocal they

know their stuff they're always passing

on advice about cleaning windows or

Dentistry or building houses or roofs

but when I do a Google search in their

area or generally they're like on page

four or maybe they're on page one but

they're ranking eight that's after you

exclude all the sponsored posts so the

cold email or the cold call might be to

them but it's what I call more of a warm

so they haven't said they want a brand

new website but you've already built up

a kind of like a relationship and it

might be completely virtual right you've

never seen them face to face you never

even spoken on the phone but you've

engaged in conversation and this is

where you then might drop in the private

message don't always do it publicly cuz

there's nothing worse than when they go

what the heck why have you done I never

asked for this how dare you but you

might drop in the private one and you

might go hey look just out of curiosity

I was looking at your I went and had a

look at your business and your your

website and I noticed there were a few

issues and things that you might want to

think about you're not doing so well

against your other competitors in your

local area and the reason I'm trying to

get you to focus on your local area if

you build a website for a hairdresser in

your local area I'm telling you now in

our area right it's always a running

joke there must be about 12 different

hairdresses okay some cater for uh

unisex some just for female just some

just for male okay there's loads of them

dotted around some are really good some

not so good but anyway they are around

if you get in then build for one and

then maybe the others notice or they

come to hear of it there's a higher

chance they might come to you to build

their own as well maybe you go and add

in like an online appointment booking oo

wouldn't hairdressers like to have that

or maybe they're able to sell some of

their products like shampoos or hair

straighteners or other things putty and

wax you can stick in your hair or other

stuff whatever they got right tattoos I

don't know if they notice you're able to

build that and it looks good and it

works on the mobile and they notice that

people are generally buying off there or

there's reviews building up and there's

interest building up in the shop they're

going to want to know well who built the

website hopefully there's a link at the

bottom

to yours or even not just say to the

owner look if anyone ever asks you

please please please let them know that

I did it and every time I get a referral

from you and it converts into an actual

build of a website because you can't

just like have like a referral it's got

to actually convert into a build I'll

pay you

$100 I'm not going to give you $10 I'm

going to give you A1 that means money

Moola for the business and they're going

to take giving a referral to you a bit

more seriously but cold emailing and

cold calling you could do that once

you've kind of built like a bit of like

interest or engagement with other people

in a group but if if you can't find many

people there go and look at your local

area you start offering these little

nuggets bits of advice and suddenly

they're going to go do you know what

you're so much better than that crappy

person or group that are always emailing

now and again and it says say hi do you

want a website we'll build it for you oh

do you need an SEO

expert you know and then they're like oh

you haven't replied why have you not

replied please reply because I can't

sleep unless you reply get lost right

hate those people we get them all the

time the third thing is basically what

I've already said is about the reward

appreciation scheme okay or something

like that whereby you got clients you

might have built for in the past okay it

might have been a one man banned it

might in a group a business a franchise

whatever you go back and you let them

know that you've now got a reward scheme

whereby if they refer to you and it

converts into having a website bill or a

logo design or a haircut being cut or

hair being cut you will reward the

referrer with $100 if you're in England

it will be £100 you will then account

for that within your proposal cost to

the other client so you've already

factored that in okay so it's not like

you're losing money and yes you are

paying out your back pocket but you

won't pay until the job is done okay the

job is done you've been paid you then

pass on that reward to the client uh to

the original client and they can refer

to you as many times as they want right

they refer 10 clients or 10 people they

convert into a website build there's a

th000 bucks over to them and the brand

new client you say the same thing to

them now this is is not a pyramid scheme

but what you're trying to do is build an

army of referers and hopefully they're

going to look at it and go and this is

how you want to explain it say to them

look if you refer like one person a

month and the website is built that's

$1,200 bomb over to you that's so much

better than just getting like uh like I

don't know 50 Amazon gift voucher yeah I

wouldn't mind a gift voucher for Amazon

I think we all would but then you

limited here you can do what you want

and it's unlimited okay so you're not

losing money and it's money that you

wouldn't have had anyway until they did

the referral which the client then takes

on the job or agrees to the proposal and

a website is built or a logo is designed

and then you pay them out these are

things that we've done in the past and

I've advised other businesses and they

come back and they go wow that is

working there are so many businesses out

there that continuously say hey I'm so

glad you love the web design you know

hey we're going to be friends for life

now don't forget to leave me a review of

course testimonials and reviews flipping

matter okay make sure you get that

review and start showcasing it all over

social media but you're missing a trick

if you are not then saying to that

client when you do a word of mouth

referral cuz we all do it don't we hey

yeah don't forget to refer me and then

you never hear from them again when you

do referral you're going to get

$100 all right because there is do prick

up so there is no magic bullet for how

to get clients but a lot of you are

missing the trick with well my friends

like my website my wife likes my website

I've built my own website I've got my

licenses got my hosting all sorted out

um I've let people know I build a

website where's the website clients no

one want website what do I do oh damn um

I know what I'll do I'll go and post in

say the web Squadron Facebook group or

the elemental group or somewhere and say

hey I'm a web designer no no one's going

to care because most likely the people

in that group are already agencies and

Freelancers and they're designing

websites they're not your clients you

want to work out your Niche areas so are

you going to focus on websites for

dentists or maybe you don't really have

a n area so you will go and join various

forums don't overdo it cuz it can become

overload or you go and join like a forum

for your area come on don't tell me

there isn't a Facebook group or

something out there for your area right

you just start engaging and believe me

you're going to be joining in

conversations that you do not give two

shits about someone's talking about

their lost parrot someone else has got a

broken down car someone's not happy that

someone has parked their car and they

can't get their push share pram around

the curb or whatever who cares but you

have to kind of join in in the

conversation just a little bit don't be

too political don't be an activist don't

be left or right you know just try and

be down the middle okay so you don't

overly offend anyone every now and again

you're going to come across someone

whether it's online whether it's via

LinkedIn and you don't know who they are

really but you've been communicating

with them now and again or maybe even

it's a local business like a

hairdressers where the moment you notice

there's like a gap for them in terms of

a website or their marketing or

competing against their

competitors you may be able to get your

foot in the door to offer them a website

how to get clients there's a million and

one different ways none of them ever

really work without you putting in a

little bit of effort hey I'm Imran web

Squad I'd love to hear your comments

about how did you start off with getting

clients and have you started using some

of these strategies while you now

considering it or maybe you've got a

completely different way and it's

totally rocks and works for you I'll see

you soon take care bye