The Best Way to Promote Your Online Web Design Business

I have searched high and low for freelance clients over the year. Many of them come from web referrals, and many stumble upon me.

Even greater, however, are the numbers who reach me by either meeting me in person, or through word-of-mouth.

One of my current projects, a two-site deal, is absolutely to die for. I don't need to worry about Flash or animated gifs, and the client essentially loves my ideas for it. How did I score this?

I met him in person.

The site is for a smoothie shop that I attend almost every afternoon for my lunch break. The owner knew I worked for a nearby SEO company, and inquired as to how much a site costs. I gave him the numbers, and shortly after, offered to build him one myself.

I have never regretted it.

The other major points in my portfolio came through networking as well. Roy Audio came through one of my closest high school friends, and I was invited to create a template for LiveJournal by seeing a post from one of their current designers, who happens to be a friend of mine.

Going back to the topic, I would say that it is safe to assume that the best practice in promoting your design business isn't to have a fancy portfolio (hell, I am still working on updating mine with a new style and the newer works I have done), nor to post on Craigslist or other places with job postings. Rather, I find that the best way to attract clients is through meeting them face-to-face, whether in daily life, or even by chance. I'd say that this definitely means one thing - business cards! And lots of them! I lost a deal for a site simply because I did not have a decent business card.

Promote, promote, promote! Promote yourself, and let everyone know that you are, in fact, a freelance web designer! The more you do this, the more people will feel comfortable with turning to YOU for their needs, not to someone else entirely. I've lost many a site simply because one contact or another was not aware that I was a designer.

That all said and done, promote! Let everyone know who you are and what you are about!