How to Find Your First 10 Web Design Clients
Getting your first ten clients is the hardest part of running a freelance web design business. This playbook outlines an exact, repeatable method to find and close local service businesses that desperately need your help.
The biggest mistake new web designers make is relying on platforms like Upwork or Fiverr. On those platforms, you are competing globally on price. To win, you need to step outside the freelancer marketplaces and go directly to businesses that don't even know they need a website yet.
Step 1: Identifying the right niche
You need to target businesses that generate high revenue per client. If a plumber fixes one leak, they make £200. If a roofer replaces one roof, they make £10,000. Target high-ticket local services:
- Roofers and General Contractors
- Landscapers and Tree Surgeons
- HVAC Technicians and Plumbers
- Accountants and Bookkeepers
Step 2: Finding businesses with no website
A business with a terrible website is a hard sell because they already think they checked the "website" box. A business with no website at all is an easy sell.
The traditional way to find them is to search Google Maps for "Roofers in Manchester", click every single pin, and check if the "Website" button is missing. This takes hours.
The Fernly Shortcut:
You can type "Roofers" and "Manchester" into Fernly's Scout engine, and simply click the "No Website" filter. You will instantly see only the roofers missing out on digital traffic.
Step 3: The "Help First" Outreach Method
When you find a business with no website, do not send them a 5-paragraph email about your React skills or SEO knowledge. They do not care. They care about leads.
Send a straightforward, text-only email or make a quick phone call asking a simple question:
"Hi Dave, I saw your Google listing for Dave's Roofing but noticed you don't have a website attached to it. Are you currently taking on new roofing jobs in the area?"
When they say yes, you explain that they are losing out on local search traffic because Google prefers ranking profiles with linked websites. Offer to build them a simple, 3-page localized site that acts as a lead capture funnel.
Step 4: Managing the Pipeline
To land 10 clients, assume you need roughly 100 outreach attempts to start 10 conversations, and about 2 of those conversations convert. At that rate, you will need to reach out to around 500 businesses to secure your first 10 clients.
If you try to manage 500 conversations in a spreadsheet or Notion, it quickly leads to missed follow-ups and stalled deals. Use a visual Kanban board (such as Fernly's) to track who you have contacted, who has replied, and who needs a proposal.
Ready to find your first client?
Stop competing on Upwork. Use Fernly to find local businesses in your city that need a website today.