How To Make Your First $1000 Selling Websites (Beginners)

Summary

In this video, the creator shares the step-by-step process that transformed their web development business from making $200/month to over $4,000/month. They cover the essentials of starting a web development agency, from setting up a Stripe account for payments to creating a simple website and professional email. The creator emphasizes the importance of niching down, explains their unique incentive-based outreach strategy to acquire clients, and provides practical advice on using affordable platforms like Card.co and WordPress. The video offers valuable insights on building a successful web agency while focusing on practical, client-focused solutions.

Takeaways

• 😀 Focus on results, not technical jargon. Business owners care about solving their problems and achieving their goals, not SEO or website building tools.
• 😀 Start by setting up essential tools such as Stripe for payments, a simple website for visibility, a professional email for outreach, and a Calendly account for scheduling meetings.
• 😀 A simple, straightforward website is key for business visibility. Don't get bogged down in complexity; focus on getting it done quickly and effectively.
• 😀 Establish a custom email address (e.g., info@yourdomain) to present a professional image to potential clients and increase credibility.
• 😀 Choose a niche to focus on, as trying to serve everyone will result in serving no one. A niche allows you to learn and master the craft.
• 😀 Picking a niche is about consistency. The more time you spend working in a specific niche, the more effective and efficient you will become.
• 😀 Consider targeting low-ticket clients (e.g., local businesses, gyms, cafes) when starting out. These businesses typically have simple needs and offer more opportunities for clients.
• 😀 Use an incentive-based outreach strategy where you provide immediate value, such as offering a free website redesign to attract potential clients.
• 😀 Keep outreach emails short and to the point. Avoid long subject lines or lengthy emails that might overwhelm potential clients.
• 😀 Use email marketing platforms like Instantly to automate outreach, including follow-up emails. Don't expect a response from your first email—most responses come from follow-ups.
• 😀 Use website templates for niche-specific businesses to save time and deliver a professional-looking product quickly. Platforms like Card.co and WordPress are ideal for building simple websites.

Q & A

Why does the speaker advise against focusing too much on technical details like SEO and platform names when reaching out to potential clients?

The speaker emphasizes that business owners care about results, not the technicalities. They want to know how the service can help them achieve their goals, such as building a consistent brand, improving their website, and getting more leads or customers.

What are the foundational steps needed before reaching out to clients in the web development business?

The speaker recommends four foundational steps: 1) Set up a Stripe account to accept payments and set up direct debits. 2) Build a simple, functional website that showcases your services. 3) Create a professional email address using Google Workspace. 4) Set up a Calendly account to book client meetings.

Why is picking a niche important when starting a web development business?

Picking a niche helps you focus and gain expertise in a specific market, making it easier to craft targeted outreach and create effective websites. It allows you to refine your skills and better understand the needs of that niche, which will increase your chances of success.

How can choosing a high-ticket client differ from choosing a low-ticket client in terms of the web development business?

High-ticket clients, such as law firms or dental offices, require more complex websites and can be harder to close, but they can bring in higher profits. Low-ticket clients, such as small local businesses, are easier to acquire and can build a steady income through smaller website projects with maintenance fees.

What does the speaker recommend when it comes to the outreach strategy for acquiring clients?

The speaker advocates for an incentive-based outreach strategy, where emails focus on how you can solve the potential client's problem. The key is to offer value upfront and avoid long, sales-heavy messages. Follow-up emails are also essential as most clients won't respond to the first one.

What is the importance of a clear and concise email subject and body when reaching out to potential clients?

The subject line should grab attention without being overly salesy. The email body should be short and to the point, offering value immediately (such as showing that you've already worked on their website) to encourage the recipient to engage further. Clients are busy and don't have time for long emails.

How does offering an 'out' in the email help with outreach success?

Offering an 'out' gives potential clients the option to say 'no' if they're not interested, which helps avoid being marked as spam. It also allows the email to build credibility and shows that you're not just blindly spamming people, while saving you time by filtering out uninterested clients.

How does the speaker suggest handling a situation where multiple clients express interest at once?

The speaker recommends using templates for the websites, specifically homepage templates, to showcase to potential clients. You can customize these templates to reflect the client's brand and offer a 10-minute call to discuss further improvements and the cost, making the process efficient without overburdening you.

What are the two platforms the speaker suggests using to create websites for clients, and why?

The speaker recommends using Card.co and WordPress. Card.co is cheap and easy to use for simple websites, while WordPress is better for more complex websites. Both platforms can handle 99% of small business websites and are affordable for new web developers starting out.

How can the speaker's strategy of using simple templates for websites help generate profit with minimal effort?

By using pre-made templates, you can quickly customize websites for clients with minimal work. Card.co offers an affordable plan that allows for creating multiple websites, and by charging clients a maintenance fee, you can generate steady income without constantly creating full websites from scratch.