How to get web design clients
Short answer: find local businesses that have no website (or a bad one), build them a free preview of what theirs could look like, show it to the owner with a short honest message, and follow up. Here's each step in detail.
1. Pick who you'll help
Your first clients are easiest to find close to home. Local businesses are a good start because you can visit them, they often don't have anyone doing their website, and a website helps them get found when people search on Google and Maps.
Good first picks are businesses that live on calls and bookings:
- Barbers, hair and nail salons
- Plumbers, electricians, cleaners, landscapers
- Auto repair shops and car washes
- Restaurants, cafes and bakeries
- Gyms, tutors and other small studios
Pick one or two kinds of business to start. Talking to ten barbers teaches you more than talking to one of everything, and your message gets better each time.
2. Find businesses that need a website
The best leads are businesses that clearly need you. Look for these signs on Google Maps or in a local search:
- No website at all. The listing has a phone number but no website button.
- A broken website. The link doesn't load, shows an error, or has an expired domain.
- Only a social page. The "website" is a Facebook or Instagram page.
- Lots of reviews. A busy business with good reviews and no website is the strongest lead: it has customers and money, just no site.
You can check listings one by one, which is slow (see how to find businesses without websites). SiteSprout does this for you: type a kind of business and your city, and it lists the ones with no website, a broken one or only a social page, best leads first.
3. Make a preview before you reach out
"I build websites" is easy to ignore. "Here's what your website could look like" is not. Before you contact a business, make a simple preview of their site using their real name, phone number, hours and services from their public listing.
- Keep it to one page: what they do, where they are, how to call or book.
- Make it look good on a phone. Most of their customers will see it there.
- Label it clearly as a preview, and don't publish it as their real site without permission.
This is also your portfolio. After a few previews you have real examples to show, even before your first sale.
4. Reach out with a short, honest message
Walking in or calling during quiet hours works best for local businesses. Email or a message through their contact form works too. Whichever you choose, keep it short:
Hi, I'm [your name]. I build websites for local businesses here in [city]. I noticed [business] doesn't have a website yet, so I made a quick preview of what yours could look like: [link]. If you like it, I can make it live for [price]. Either way, it's yours to look at, no pressure.
What makes this work:
- Say who you are and why you're writing.
- Show, don't tell. The preview link does the selling.
- Be honest about price. Owners trust a clear number.
- No fake urgency. Never say things like "your listing will be removed."
Contact businesses one at a time, as yourself. Don't send bulk emails, and don't send automated texts or calls. In the US those need written consent. See our outreach rules for the details.
5. Follow up (this is where most clients come from)
Owners are busy. Many won't reply to the first message even if they're interested. A simple plan:
- Day 3: a short check-in. "Did you get a chance to look at the preview?"
- Day 7: stop by in person or call, if you haven't already.
- Day 14: one last friendly note, then move on.
Stop as soon as someone says no or asks you not to contact them again. Keep a simple list of who you contacted, when, and what's next, so nobody slips through. SiteSprout keeps this list and reminds you when each follow-up is due.
6. Set a simple price
Decide your price before you contact anyone, so you can answer confidently. A common setup for local businesses:
- Build fee: a one-time price to make the website.
- Care plan: a monthly fee for hosting, the web address, updates and small changes.
Look up what designers near you charge, and start a little lower while you collect reviews. The monthly care plan matters: it turns one sale into steady income and keeps you in touch with the owner.
7. Deliver, then ask for a review and a referral
Once the site is live, help the owner get value from it: make sure it's linked from their Google listing, check that the phone and booking buttons work, and show them how customers will find it.
Then ask two things: a short review you can show future clients, and whether they know another owner who needs a website. Local business owners know each other, and one happy client can lead to the next.
Common mistakes
- Waiting until you feel ready. Your first previews won't be perfect. Send them anyway and improve as you go.
- Pitching "web design." Owners care about calls, bookings and being found, not design. Talk about those.
- Contacting too few businesses. Most won't reply. That's normal. Keep a steady daily number.
- Skipping follow-ups. Many yeses come after the second or third touch.
- Promising results. Promise what you'll build, not how much money they'll make.
Questions
Where do beginners find web design clients?
Local businesses near you that have no website, a broken one, or only a Facebook or Instagram page. They need what you offer, and you can visit or call them.
Do I need a portfolio to get my first client?
No. Build a free preview of the website for the business you're contacting. A preview of their own site works better than a portfolio of other people's sites.
How much should I charge my first web design client?
Pick a simple one-time price for the build plus a small monthly fee for hosting and updates. Check what local designers charge and start a bit lower while you build reviews. Write the price down before you contact anyone.
Is cold emailing businesses legal?
In the US, the CAN-SPAM Act allows commercial email to businesses if it's honest: a truthful subject line, your real name, your physical mailing address, a clear way to opt out, and you stop when asked. Automated texts and calls need consent. Some countries, like Canada, are stricter, so check your local rules. This isn't legal advice.
How long does it take to get the first client?
It depends on how many businesses you contact and how you follow up. Most people need to contact many businesses and follow up more than once. Nobody can promise a timeline.
What if a business says no?
That's normal. Thank them, ask if you can check back in a few months, and move on. Never keep contacting someone who asked you to stop.
Do it with SiteSprout
SiteSprout puts every step above in one place: it finds businesses near you with no website, helps you make a preview in minutes, gives you the words to say, and reminds you when to follow up. It's free to start. We won't promise you'll get rich. The clients you win, and the money they pay, are yours.