What Small Businesses Look for in a Web Designer
Published on January 17, 2022. Updated on June 19, 2023.
There are currently more than 33 million small businesses operating in America. These businesses offer products and services to their customers, and the majority of them have a website to advertise and sell their goods. So if you are a web designer, then there is plenty of work out there for you.
However, there are other web designers out there. In fact, more than 84,000 web designers are working in the United States alone. This means, for your business to succeed, you need to stand out from the crowd — so where should you start?
If you are thinking of starting a web design business, then knowing what your clients are looking for is key to success. This helps you to market your business successfully and offer the services that they need.
Not sure where to start? Then you've come to the right place! Read on to find out exactly what small businesses are looking for when they hire someone for web design.
Here are 7 things that small businesses look for in a web designer:
1. Creativity and Passion
Most businesses hire a web designer because they want to work with someone who can create an exciting and unique website for their business. Having an eye for design is what sets a professional designer apart from an amateur designer.
They'll also want to see that you are passionate about creating high-quality websites and helping them grow their business. If you're just in it for the money, this will quickly put clients off. So focus on discussions to learn about their business and how you can help them first to show them that you care rather than talking about how much you charge.
2. Samples of Recent Work
Any company that is hiring a website designer will expect to see your samples of recent work. This should contain a collection of websites you’ve built for previous clients so you can show them what you’re capable of doing.
Just starting out? If you don’t have a portfolio of recent work to share, there are other ways for you to build confidence in your web design services. For example, you can create sample sites using our professionally designed themes or better yet, offer to create a free demo for their business. Need more ideas? Check out this article for more tips for building a portfolio with no clients.
3. A Professional Website of Your Own
If you are running a web design company, then you better have a professional website of your own to promote your agency. The way your business website looks is representative of your skills as a website designer and will build trust with your potential clients.
A website that is poorly designed, hard to navigate, doesn't work properly, or has obvious typos will not make a great first impression when a client comes to it.
SiteSwan provides it’s resellers with a professional marketing website right out of the gates so you can look legit from day one. You can use your marketing website to promote your web design business, attract customers, and generate leads.
4. Reviews from Previous Clients
Before hiring a web designer, most companies will also look for independent reviews of their work. This gives them an idea of the quality of your work and how well you deliver your services.
Because of this, it is important to invite previous clients to provide feedback after you've worked with them. If a client is happy with your work, they shouldn't have any issue leaving a nice review. You can take those reviews and share them on social media, on your website, or even your marketing materials to help build trust in your services.
Of course, the risk here is that a client might leave a poor review. One way to combat this is to use SiteSwan’s Reputation Management feature. Not only can your clients benefit from this tool, but so can you as a web design agency. With this tool, you will you be able to increase positive reviews, and can also prevent negative reviews from going public.
5. Great Communication Skills
Anyone in a service-based business needs to have good communication skills. Web designers spend just as much time selling as they do designing. Being able to get your message across in a clear and concise manner is crucial when speaking to clients.
Being accessible is equally as important. Timely responses reflect professionalism and a commitment to customer satisfaction. Nothing pisses a client off more than having to chase after someone or not getting a reply. They want to know that you can be readily available and attentive to their needs.
6. Industry Expertise
Small business owners want to be confident that they are hiring a web designer who knows what they are doing. It’s important to come off knowledgeable about web design and marketing.
If you’re just starting out don’t let this scare you. Knowledge comes with time and experience. It also comes from learning from others. As a SiteSwan Reseller, you’ll have access to educational resources including live webinars, how-to videos, support articles, and helpful guides. We’ll show you the ropes and teach you everything you need to be perceived as an expert in your field.
7. Affordable Rates
It's important to keep your web design rates affordable so you don’t turn off small business owners. The average cost of a website can be anywhere from $2,000 to $10,000 plus hundreds of dollars per month to maintain (source). Quite frankly, that’s way too expensive for your typical small business.
If you want to appeal to small businesses and mom-and-pop shops, you’re better off charging a reasonable setup fee followed by a modest monthly fee. At SiteSwan, our suggested retail price for a basic website is $499 + $50 per month. This is well below the national average and will position as a cost effective website solution in your market.
Of course you have complete control over how much or how little you charge and you keep 100% of the sale. You want to make sure your prices are attractive without minimizing the value of the services you're providing. But even with these affordable prices, you’ll be able to generate a substantial income selling websites.
In Conclusion
When it comes to being a web designer, small business owners take a lot of things into consideration. They want to know you are capable of building a high quality website and are passionate about helping them grow their business. They also want to know they can depend on you and afford your services.
If you present yourself in the best light and appeal to their needs, you’ll make it easy for clients to choose you over the competition. For more tips on how to grow a successful web design business, become a SiteSwan Website Reseller today!
There are currently more than 33 million small businesses operating in America. These businesses offer products and services to their customers, and the majority of them have a website to advertise and sell their goods. So if you are a web designer, then there is plenty of work out there for you.
However, there are other web designers out there. In fact, more than 84,000 web designers are working in the United States alone. This means, for your business to succeed, you need to stand out from the crowd — so where should you start?
If you are thinking of starting a web design business, then knowing what your clients are looking for is key to success. This helps you to market your business successfully and offer the services that they need.
Not sure where to start? Then you've come to the right place! Read on to find out exactly what small businesses are looking for when they hire someone for web design.
Here are 7 things that small businesses look for in a web designer:
1. Creativity and Passion
Most businesses hire a web designer because they want to work with someone who can create an exciting and unique website for their business. Having an eye for design is what sets a professional designer apart from an amateur designer.
They'll also want to see that you are passionate about creating high-quality websites and helping them grow their business. If you're just in it for the money, this will quickly put clients off. So focus on discussions to learn about their business and how you can help them first to show them that you care rather than talking about how much you charge.
2. Samples of Recent Work
Any company that is hiring a website designer will expect to see your samples of recent work. This should contain a collection of websites you’ve built for previous clients so you can show them what you’re capable of doing.
Just starting out? If you don’t have a portfolio of recent work to share, there are other ways for you to build confidence in your web design services. For example, you can create sample sites using our professionally designed themes or better yet, offer to create a free demo for their business. Need more ideas? Check out this article for more tips for building a portfolio with no clients.
3. A Professional Website of Your Own
If you are running a web design company, then you better have a professional website of your own to promote your agency. The way your business website looks is representative of your skills as a website designer and will build trust with your potential clients.
A website that is poorly designed, hard to navigate, doesn't work properly, or has obvious typos will not make a great first impression when a client comes to it.
SiteSwan provides it’s resellers with a professional marketing website right out of the gates so you can look legit from day one. You can use your marketing website to promote your web design business, attract customers, and generate leads.
4. Reviews from Previous Clients
Before hiring a web designer, most companies will also look for independent reviews of their work. This gives them an idea of the quality of your work and how well you deliver your services.
Because of this, it is important to invite previous clients to provide feedback after you've worked with them. If a client is happy with your work, they shouldn't have any issue leaving a nice review. You can take those reviews and share them on social media, on your website, or even your marketing materials to help build trust in your services.
Of course, the risk here is that a client might leave a poor review. One way to combat this is to use SiteSwan’s Reputation Management feature. Not only can your clients benefit from this tool, but so can you as a web design agency. With this tool, you will you be able to increase positive reviews, and can also prevent negative reviews from going public.
5. Great Communication Skills
Anyone in a service-based business needs to have good communication skills. Web designers spend just as much time selling as they do designing. Being able to get your message across in a clear and concise manner is crucial when speaking to clients.
Being accessible is equally as important. Timely responses reflect professionalism and a commitment to customer satisfaction. Nothing pisses a client off more than having to chase after someone or not getting a reply. They want to know that you can be readily available and attentive to their needs.
6. Industry Expertise
Small business owners want to be confident that they are hiring a web designer who knows what they are doing. It’s important to come off knowledgeable about web design and marketing.
If you’re just starting out don’t let this scare you. Knowledge comes with time and experience. It also comes from learning from others. As a SiteSwan Reseller, you’ll have access to educational resources including live webinars, how-to videos, support articles, and helpful guides. We’ll show you the ropes and teach you everything you need to be perceived as an expert in your field.
7. Affordable Rates
It's important to keep your web design rates affordable so you don’t turn off small business owners. The average cost of a website can be anywhere from $2,000 to $10,000 plus hundreds of dollars per month to maintain (source). Quite frankly, that’s way too expensive for your typical small business.
If you want to appeal to small businesses and mom-and-pop shops, you’re better off charging a reasonable setup fee followed by a modest monthly fee. At SiteSwan, our suggested retail price for a basic website is $499 + $50 per month. This is well below the national average and will position as a cost effective website solution in your market.
Of course you have complete control over how much or how little you charge and you keep 100% of the sale. You want to make sure your prices are attractive without minimizing the value of the services you're providing. But even with these affordable prices, you’ll be able to generate a substantial income selling websites.
In Conclusion
When it comes to being a web designer, small business owners take a lot of things into consideration. They want to know you are capable of building a high quality website and are passionate about helping them grow their business. They also want to know they can depend on you and afford your services.
If you present yourself in the best light and appeal to their needs, you’ll make it easy for clients to choose you over the competition. For more tips on how to grow a successful web design business, become a SiteSwan Website Reseller today!
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