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5 Tips for Finding Web Design Clients Using SiteSwan's Local Prospecting Tool
Published on July 14, 2021. Updated on March 20, 2023.
Most web designers make the mistake of sitting back and waiting for clients to come to them. While referrals and inbound leads are great, they are often not enough to scale your business. This often results in periods of highs and lows or a feeling of “feast or famine” - you’re either overwhelmed with work or starving for business. If you want to run a successful web design business with predictable growth, you need a way to consistently generate leads and take on new clients.
So how do you keep your sales funnel full and build a steady stream of leads so that you can grow your web design business? If you’re a SiteSwan Website Reseller, one way you can do it is to utilize our Local Prospecting Tool.
SiteSwan’s Local Prospecting Tool is one of the smartest and most effective ways to find new web design clients. Built directly into the SiteSwan Platform, the Local Prospecting Tool enables you to find your next client by discovering which businesses in your area do or don’t have a website. You can drill down to specific industries by using the keyword search option or simply leave it blank to browse all businesses in your area. SiteSwan’s Local Prospecting Tool delivers a long list of nearby businesses complete with their contact information and whether or not they currently have a website.
If you’re just getting started with SiteSwan, or looking to maximize your sales efforts, here are 5 tips for using the Local Prospecting Tool to find web design clients.
1. Focus on a Specific Keyword or Industry
While you have the option to do a broad search, it’s often best to narrow your focus to a particular industry when using the Local Prospecting Tool. Using the keyword field, you can search for specific types of businesses in your area like a painter, plumber, fence company or hair salon. Sometimes the more specific the keyword, the better the results. Rather than searching for “restaurants”, try searching for “Italian restaurants” or “Mexican restaurants”.
Focusing on one industry at a time also allows you to tailor your sales pitch to that specific type of business as you begin to call on prospects. For example, if you're calling on restaurants, you can highlight the website features and benefits that restaurant owners find most important like the ability to upload their menu, showcase photos of their food and atmosphere, feature customer reviews, promote catering and link to an online ordering page. These specific benefits will resonate with the business owner and appeal to their individual needs.
Here’s a tip: Reference our Website Themes for good industries or keywords to search. We build our themes around the industries that offer the best opportunities for our resellers. While it’s good to target popular types of business like restaurants, salons and landscapers, there are many less obvious industries that are ripe for web design. For example, a search for “Pallet Supplier” right here in SiteSwan’s own backyard, yields a long list of pallet businesses that need a website. And our stunning Pallet Supplier theme is the perfect way to win them over.
Most web designers make the mistake of sitting back and waiting for clients to come to them. While referrals and inbound leads are great, they are often not enough to scale your business. This often results in periods of highs and lows or a feeling of “feast or famine” - you’re either overwhelmed with work or starving for business. If you want to run a successful web design business with predictable growth, you need a way to consistently generate leads and take on new clients.
So how do you keep your sales funnel full and build a steady stream of leads so that you can grow your web design business? If you’re a SiteSwan Website Reseller, one way you can do it is to utilize our Local Prospecting Tool.
SiteSwan’s Local Prospecting Tool is one of the smartest and most effective ways to find new web design clients. Built directly into the SiteSwan Platform, the Local Prospecting Tool enables you to find your next client by discovering which businesses in your area do or don’t have a website. You can drill down to specific industries by using the keyword search option or simply leave it blank to browse all businesses in your area. SiteSwan’s Local Prospecting Tool delivers a long list of nearby businesses complete with their contact information and whether or not they currently have a website.
If you’re just getting started with SiteSwan, or looking to maximize your sales efforts, here are 5 tips for using the Local Prospecting Tool to find web design clients.
1. Focus on a Specific Keyword or Industry
While you have the option to do a broad search, it’s often best to narrow your focus to a particular industry when using the Local Prospecting Tool. Using the keyword field, you can search for specific types of businesses in your area like a painter, plumber, fence company or hair salon. Sometimes the more specific the keyword, the better the results. Rather than searching for “restaurants”, try searching for “Italian restaurants” or “Mexican restaurants”.
Focusing on one industry at a time also allows you to tailor your sales pitch to that specific type of business as you begin to call on prospects. For example, if you're calling on restaurants, you can highlight the website features and benefits that restaurant owners find most important like the ability to upload their menu, showcase photos of their food and atmosphere, feature customer reviews, promote catering and link to an online ordering page. These specific benefits will resonate with the business owner and appeal to their individual needs.
Here’s a tip: Reference our Website Themes for good industries or keywords to search. We build our themes around the industries that offer the best opportunities for our resellers. While it’s good to target popular types of business like restaurants, salons and landscapers, there are many less obvious industries that are ripe for web design. For example, a search for “Pallet Supplier” right here in SiteSwan’s own backyard, yields a long list of pallet businesses that need a website. And our stunning Pallet Supplier theme is the perfect way to win them over.
2. Expand Your Search Area
Our Local Prospecting Tool is powered by Google and uses geo-tracking to build a list of potential businesses. If you are looking for your next web design client, try expanding your search to nearby towns or cities.
Remember, as a web designer you’re not restricted to who and where you can sell websites. If you’re in a crowded market or an area where many of the businesses already have a website, explore opportunities outside your immediate area. You can sell websites to businesses across town, across the state or across the country. There are literally millions of potential web design clients all around you. All you need to do is search for them with the Local Prospecting Tool to find them.
3. Don’t Overlook Redesign Opportunities
One of the biggest mistakes a web designer can make is assuming that just because a business has a website, they won’t be interested in a new one. When generating a list of businesses with the Local Prospecting Tool, don’t be so quick to scroll past those businesses with a website listed. Oftentimes these websites are outdated, not mobile optimized, downright ugly or even no longer online. Others who have good looking sites might be overspending or simply unhappy with their current provider. Maybe they’re unable to get in touch with their account rep or not receiving the level of support they expect. Take the time to click on each link to determine where there are opportunities to sell the client on a website redesign. You’ll often find that selling a business on a website redesign is even easier than selling to a business without a website. Businesses who already have a website understand the importance and value of a website so less convincing is required.
SiteSwan’s Local Prospecting Tool even includes a SSL Checker and Mobile Site Checker which will help you determine if a site is secure or mobile friendly. With just one-click you can determine if a site is mobile optimized and determine if there is room for improvement. You can even download a screenshot of the report to share with the prospect.
Our Local Prospecting Tool is powered by Google and uses geo-tracking to build a list of potential businesses. If you are looking for your next web design client, try expanding your search to nearby towns or cities.
Remember, as a web designer you’re not restricted to who and where you can sell websites. If you’re in a crowded market or an area where many of the businesses already have a website, explore opportunities outside your immediate area. You can sell websites to businesses across town, across the state or across the country. There are literally millions of potential web design clients all around you. All you need to do is search for them with the Local Prospecting Tool to find them.
3. Don’t Overlook Redesign Opportunities
One of the biggest mistakes a web designer can make is assuming that just because a business has a website, they won’t be interested in a new one. When generating a list of businesses with the Local Prospecting Tool, don’t be so quick to scroll past those businesses with a website listed. Oftentimes these websites are outdated, not mobile optimized, downright ugly or even no longer online. Others who have good looking sites might be overspending or simply unhappy with their current provider. Maybe they’re unable to get in touch with their account rep or not receiving the level of support they expect. Take the time to click on each link to determine where there are opportunities to sell the client on a website redesign. You’ll often find that selling a business on a website redesign is even easier than selling to a business without a website. Businesses who already have a website understand the importance and value of a website so less convincing is required.
SiteSwan’s Local Prospecting Tool even includes a SSL Checker and Mobile Site Checker which will help you determine if a site is secure or mobile friendly. With just one-click you can determine if a site is mobile optimized and determine if there is room for improvement. You can even download a screenshot of the report to share with the prospect.
4. Always Offer a FREE Design Demo
As you begin to call on prospects, be prepared to make them an offer they can’t refuse. One of the most effective sales strategies we preach at SiteSwan is to offer your leads a FREE design demo. This let’s the client preview what their site can look like without any cost or obligation. This is something that no other web designer in your area is doing and will help you stand out, earn their trust and close more deals.
Building a design demo is quick and easy with SiteSwan so you can afford to offer it to all of your leads. Start with one of our pre-designed themes or create your own design. Focus on just the homepage of the site and hide the rest of the content on the interior pages. Upload the client’s logo, match their brand colors, and personalize the content by incorporating their business name and core services.
You won’t believe how much more effective it is for a lead to see a site for their business as opposed to someone else's'. The client will also be impressed that you went through this much trouble to create a personalized site just for them, and before you know it, they will be asking you for the sale.
5. Build a List and Follow Up
One of the golden rules to sales is to always follow up. According to a study by Brevet, 80% of sales require an average of five follow-ups in order to close the deal. However, 44% of sales reps follow up with a prospect only once before giving up.
Don’t think that every business you contact will be a one call close. If you reach out to a business using the Local Prospecting Tool and don’t get the response you were hoping for, simply try again. If a business owner says they’re too busy, undecided, not interested or even already working with someone else for their website, don’t just give up. Respectively follow up at a later time to see if they changed their mind. Just because they might have said “no” today, doesn’t mean they won’t say “yes” tomorrow.
Get in the habit of keeping a spreadsheet or using a CRM to manage your prospects. This will help you stay organized and stay on top of your leads. Keep your notes up to date with any communication you’ve had with the contact and make it a point to always follow up. Remember that impressive stat; 80% of sales require an average of five follow-ups in order to close the deal.
Ready to find your next web design client?
Use these tips and head over to your SiteSwan Dashboard to start generating leads using the Local Prospecting Tool. Don’t have a SiteSwan account? Click here to learn more about the Local Prospecting Tool and how to get started.
Please Note: SiteSwan’s Local Prospecting Tool is only available on select plans.
As you begin to call on prospects, be prepared to make them an offer they can’t refuse. One of the most effective sales strategies we preach at SiteSwan is to offer your leads a FREE design demo. This let’s the client preview what their site can look like without any cost or obligation. This is something that no other web designer in your area is doing and will help you stand out, earn their trust and close more deals.
Building a design demo is quick and easy with SiteSwan so you can afford to offer it to all of your leads. Start with one of our pre-designed themes or create your own design. Focus on just the homepage of the site and hide the rest of the content on the interior pages. Upload the client’s logo, match their brand colors, and personalize the content by incorporating their business name and core services.
You won’t believe how much more effective it is for a lead to see a site for their business as opposed to someone else's'. The client will also be impressed that you went through this much trouble to create a personalized site just for them, and before you know it, they will be asking you for the sale.
5. Build a List and Follow Up
One of the golden rules to sales is to always follow up. According to a study by Brevet, 80% of sales require an average of five follow-ups in order to close the deal. However, 44% of sales reps follow up with a prospect only once before giving up.
Don’t think that every business you contact will be a one call close. If you reach out to a business using the Local Prospecting Tool and don’t get the response you were hoping for, simply try again. If a business owner says they’re too busy, undecided, not interested or even already working with someone else for their website, don’t just give up. Respectively follow up at a later time to see if they changed their mind. Just because they might have said “no” today, doesn’t mean they won’t say “yes” tomorrow.
Get in the habit of keeping a spreadsheet or using a CRM to manage your prospects. This will help you stay organized and stay on top of your leads. Keep your notes up to date with any communication you’ve had with the contact and make it a point to always follow up. Remember that impressive stat; 80% of sales require an average of five follow-ups in order to close the deal.
Ready to find your next web design client?
Use these tips and head over to your SiteSwan Dashboard to start generating leads using the Local Prospecting Tool. Don’t have a SiteSwan account? Click here to learn more about the Local Prospecting Tool and how to get started.
Please Note: SiteSwan’s Local Prospecting Tool is only available on select plans.