How to sell website design – tips without a sales rep
Your business involves making and selling websites, so you’re probably pretty good at it. As a web designer, you may be able to design good websites, but that does not mean your services will sell. Designers are not salespeople!
You suddenly become a vendor of products when you offer Web design Services for a living. You must market, create, and deliver your product instead of just enjoying it as an artistic endeavor. Some designers may find this transition challenging, but if you want to succeed as an independent professional you need to make it.
Why selling web design is so difficult
These days, it can be difficult to sell anything online. Since there is such a large number of independent web designers, it is difficult to stand out from the crowd. Many designers decided to quit their jobs years ago because a few of them made a lot of money. There may be opportunities for the most, but the competition is great with so many sellers offering the same product.
These days, web designers have a hard time finding work as freelancers. Although technology makes it easier than ever for businesses to build their own websites, there is a particular challenge in providing web design services. The decision to hire in-house web designers over outsourcing their solutions is often preferred by companies wanting more customized solutions.
The market is challenging, to say the least, for even those who are confident that they can sell web design services.
Are you able to afford a sales representative?
You can sell web design services as a freelancer or small agency by hiring a sales staff. By doing so, you’ll have more time to focus on developing websites that stand out from the competition. But sales reps aren’t cheap. To hire a sales rep, you’ll need to spend at least $40k per year. But if that’s not within your budget, here are alternatives.
Here are some tips on selling web design services
Creating relationships is a key part of selling anything. Take the time to learn these tips for improving relationships with clients so you can sell more web design services.
1. Sell the benefits of a website
Website design is an art form. The majority of businesses do not purchase art. In addition to increasing customer satisfaction, they are looking for a return on their investment. Your website should fix their problems or meet their needs, and it should also look beautiful.
Avoid selling your services solely on aesthetics when you’re selling your web design services to a potential client. Rather than explaining how your product (yes, product) will help them reach their business goals, explain how it will help them grow. Help them achieve their financial objectives by demonstrating how you can help them succeed. Ultimately, that will be what they want to hear. A portfolio should also speak for itself when it comes to looks.
A website offers the following benefits to businesses:
- Metrics you can track
- Image that is personalized
- Ads that are targeted
- Productivity increased
Whenever possible, mention these benefits and use figures to back them up. You can sell web design services using common statistics, such as the number of people online and the number of people scanning the web with their phones.
In addition, it is essential to explain to smaller companies what they will receive from a website since it may be quite an investment. Although most people are aware of websites nowadays, and many are even aware of their importance, many fail to comprehend how much they cost.
2. Be genuine
An oversaturated market requires that you take measures to differentiate yourself and your services from the competition. Your authenticity is one approach to achieving this goal. Keeping your identity, even when it’s tempting to make yourself appear larger than you are, means remaining an individual.
Do your best to appear human when selling web design services. Use first-person pronouns in your writing, and stay honest about who you are. Let customers know who you are and what you do.
A strong sense of authenticity makes connection easier between you and a potential client, which ultimately leads to building a relationship. Your web design services will be easier to sell when you have these relationships.
3. Inform your clients
There will probably be a learning curve for your customers if you target small businesses or market your services in rural areas. A well-designed website can help you achieve much more than most business owners are aware of.
A professionally built website can accomplish a number of things for potential and existing customers, for example:
- Payment of bills
- Optional subscriptions
- Management of content
- Having sales
- Registrations for newsletters
Many businesses don’t know how these features can help their business grow, and DIY options don’t always offer these types of features. Don’t just list off the features you can add to the site; it’s not about what you can do with it. Your client’s needs must be understood and you must be able to use technology to meet those needs.
It is also helpful to compare yourself to the competition when teaching your clients. It is not always necessary to point out competitors to potential clients; it often works to your advantage to explain how you differ – especially if you are in fact better. A major competitive advantage is often derived from relationships in an industry dominated by code.
Educate your prospects on your own web development process. Detail your own process with specific steps and provide specific details. To organize your pitches, you may consider using a tool such as website planning software with visual sitemaps that allow potential clients to view your website ideas.
4. Make products
The majority of clients prefer to buy products, even though you provide web design services. Therefore, designing services to look like products can be a way to sell more services.
You need to think carefully about how to create products from your services. It will be very important for you to set up a system and know exactly how long it takes you to complete each task. It is best to focus on providing a few services that can be packaged for sale. Automate everything that you can.