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Web design for clients is a lot of fun. But trying to get new clients for your custom made websites, can be draining. Especially if you are not seeing the results you want.
Pay-per-click ads, blogging and responding to freelancer site job requests is all good and fine, but it really isn’t that effective. There is a lot of competition – and as the price is driven to the bottom – so are your profits.
Big corporations typically have professional PR managers who make their reputation and attract brand-new clients.
So, as you watch, the most successful corporations in the market are not necessarily the ones who have the highest of professionalism and solid suffer, but those who have constructed a better advertising campaign.
We have prepared a list of the top 7 ways of how you can get new patrons for free.
1. Get Yourself Included in the Web Studios Catalog
There is no need to introduce TemplateMonster.
The company has maintained a leading post in the web layout marketplace for over 15 times. Offering a collection of 25 K+ ready-made templates they have gained the confidence of thousands of patrons. At last, it has something to give is not merely to its customers but to web studios and freelance developers as well.
Now, you can be included in the TemplateMonster Web Studios Catalog.
Actually, this project was launched to kill two fowls with one stone.
TemplateMonster were concerned about its customers.
So to make sure that after buying the template the customer would be provided with high-quality customization services if needed, they choose to assemble all web studios and freelancers with the high level of experience in one catalogue. This is a wonderful opportunity to enrich your client base and receive brand-new orderings on regular basis. You can be included in the catalogue at no expenditure. The only requirement is that you will have to pass a test to demonstrate your proficiency level.
To get you to prepare you for the test, TemplateMonster launched its Certification Center. It offers a knowledge base on the basic web layout and growth topics. However, if you feel confident enough you can start the test right off. It is not difficult and won’t take you long. If you pass the test successfully you will receive a certificate, which corroborates your high level of experience.
When you are included in the catalogue, you can create your own profile. You can include your company’s history, your programmes, and contact details. There is also space for reviews from TemplateMonster and your customers. Prospective patrons can use advanced filters to search for a very close web studio.
2. Get Listed on Freelance Marketplaces
Don’t hesitate to create your own profile on WordPress freelance developer marketplaces. We’ve looked at how to hire developers from marketplaces here.
This is one of the best and sure-fire ways of find brand-new clients. You can create a highly informative profile, describe all your the competences and suffer, fasten a few examples of your projects. Moreover, you should not sit and wait until the client comes across your profile. You can apply for the employment rate yourself. Freelance marketplaces offer lots of opportunities to take over a short-term project.
Most of the marketplaces are free to join. Here are the most popular ones :
oDesk
Freelancer
iFreelance
99 Designs
Guru
3. Use Social Media to the Maximum
Social media plays an important part in the life of national societies. And it would be foolish not to use this opportunity for the benefit of your business. The number of social networks is genuinely huge. Do you need to join all of them? Not truly. First of all, you need to analyze who your clients are and which social networks “they’re using”. Here are some useful tips.
LinkedIn is a must-have for those who are searching for spouses and potential patrons. Here you are able to build a professional profile rich with keywords. It allows you to create strong relations with your colleagues and clients. Facebook is, perhaps, the most popular network. Unlike LinkedIn, it is better for laid-back content and relaxed communication. Just recollect, don’t sell, build an online community. Pinterest is an ideal selection for a web designer, as it provides a great opportunity to showcase your works. Twitter will help you to keep your patrons updated about the most recent report regarding your company. Instagram will serve to entertain your their customers and to keep them engaged.
Choose the social networks to join is dependent on your needs. Create a detailed profile, stay active, join communities and groups related to the web layout niche. Nonetheless, recollect to application social networks not to sell, but to build relations with your audience.
4. Pay Attention to Your Own Website
No one would trust his website to a company that can’t optimize their own one.
It must be said that the design and functionality of your website should be on phase. Construct it as user-friendly and intuitive for the user as possible. However, “that’s just not” the major factor.
To assess your highly functional website the clients need to find it first. So optimise your website to show up in the SERPs.
Find more details here to get an idea of how to get there.
To influence your position in search engine outcomes you need to have your epithet mentioned throughout the web. Here are several simple-minded paces you can take right off 😛 TAGEND Use portfolio websites like Dribble to set up your account. Ask your best friend, colleagues and acquaintances who have their own blogs, websites or reports in social networks to link to your website. Communicate with popular web design blog owners and write guest posts for them. Join online communities, groups and meetings relevant to the web designing niche.
5. Provide Killer Content
The phrase” Content is a King” sounds pretty hackneyed nowadays.
Still, it doesn’t make it less essential.
A well-written article will assist in creating a positive image for your brand, proving you as a real web intend professional. This also increases your chances for higher rankings in search engine makes.
Besides, you don’t necessarily need to limit yourself to the textual content only. The more invention you would put in, the higher will be the response.
Here are several minds you can use: infographics, videos, podcasts, interviews, press releases and newsletters.
Perhaps, your blog part won’t bring you hundreds of new patrons at once, but it will surely contribute to creating credibility and recognition of your label on the web. This is one of those longer-term perspective ways.
6. Offer Free Stuff
This magical word “free” can do you a good turn.
Offer special bargains, promos and discounts.
If you are creating website templates, furnish your clients with a freebie. Let them test the quality and functionality of such products they can expect to get from you. If the user enjoys the free product he will more likely want to buy the premium one with extended functionality and customization options. The main advantage of the free resource is traffic – it gets people through the door. Plus, the free assets allows you to demonstrate your skill and expertise; it’s as much a sales pitch as a service.
Creating a website for your patron you can also present him with a small bonus.
It can be a design of a business card or flyer, anything that doesn’t take too much of your time to create, but would be appreciated by the client. A satisfied client is more likely to recommend you to the others.
7. Find Your Anchor Client
The term ” anchor store ” is typical for the retail trade.
In a shopping mall, an anchor store serves as an attraction that draws the clients to the smaller stores. It is not the anchor store itself that generates the main profit for the owner, but the small shops.
This principle can be applied to the web design area as well.
One anchor client in your portfolio is available to attract dozens of smaller profitable clients.
How are you able to catch such a big fish? First of all, you need to identify the company that is well known and carries weight in your region. The niche doesn’t matter.
Now “you’re going to” hook them in any way and by any means. A good idea would be by offering them a redesign of their website committing reasons for every adjustment you induce. This will show you as an expert in your area.
Or you can offer to create a brand new website for them with a huge discount. You can even do it for free. Don’t hesitate. You will gain more later on than you might lose up front. Envisioning such a big fish in your portfolio, new clients will willingly pay handsomely to have their website created by your company.
In Conclusion
As you learn “there’s lots” of the methods of attracting new web designing clients. Some of them will bring instant outcomes, some do better over the long term. Trying several of them working together you will be able to achieve a positive outcome in the shortest possible period of time. Anyway, you should not be afraid of experimenting and trying new things. Your main goal is to learn to sell your services. This is your key to success in the web designing business.
Please leave a useful remark with your thoughts, then share this on your Facebook group( s) who would find this useful and let’s reap the benefits together. Thank you for sharing and being nice!