I’m a freelance web designer and want to build my portfolio quickly. How would you go about finding a client as fast as possible? This doesn’t have to be a strategy that scales it’s mainly to start building a portfolio and small cash flow. Any advice helps! Thanks!
If you had to sign a web design client in the next 24 hours, how would you do it?
byu/jbmtl514 inEntrepreneur
Posted by jbmtl514
6 Comments
Start cold emailing businesses near you that don’t have good websites. Just make a new website for them and walk in the door and show it to them. You can also sign up for any one of those job websites and submit requests, but I’d wager hitting people locally and showing up in person would work best.
Post on a different account across different subs as if you’re a past client promoting your own work, and people will hit you up. Like subliminally market your stuff
For quick clients, first figure out *how* you’re landing & delivering quickly. Come up with how you’re minimizing cost, and still making some money. Get your stack down to science.
You don’t want to have to do more work and commit time that can be used landing new clients
Every pizza place, mom & pop, small service based business (gutter cleaning, handyman, small landscaping) you remember seeing adverts/road signs/etc… write them down as a list. Search for them. Do they have something beyond Facebook? No? Great, call them.
When you get someone on the hook, pay attention to the people who want to reach for the sky. Ideally you want someone who just wants something to show the basics. Hours, contact info, menu, pictures, etc.
Form submission, integrated contact stuff, payment processing… Avoid if you want super fast & easy gigs. If you’re competent, by all means, but for quick/easy, you really just want the “here’s my page” type people. Something they can throw on a Google business profile.
Anyway, that’s what I did in my free time for most of my 20’s
Call all my current clients and tell them their website is dog shit
Personally myself as a Founder I look at this question wondering why your the only one asking.
Most don’t speak up.
Email small companies that need web tech setup
but here’s the catch, do it differently with more aesthetic.
Most follow a blueprint or advice but you don’t know until you try!!
You dress up in smart casual and you visit some business parks. Be friendly, build some rapport and let them see you in the flesh.
There will be 3 types of prospect. Those who are interested may say they need to update their existing site, but don’t know where their designer has gone. The second type will say stuff like their brother-in-law, who is a programmer, is going to design their site when he finds the time. And the third cohort will say “they don’t need a website” because they get most of their business from referrals. They will wear this as a badge of honour. Have answers for all three scenarios and you’ll be on a sound footing.