The simplest marketing plan for growing your web design business
I’m sharing a simple yet powerful marketing routine that helps you expand your network, create content tailored to your ideal clients, and grow your business. Designed specifically for web designers, this sustainable, non-salesy strategy focuses on building genuine relationships and delivering value — and takes less than an hour a day to execute!
As a freelance web designer, you know you need to promote your business. But it’s hard to know what you’re actually supposed to be doing.
That’s why I created a super simple marketing routine that takes just 30 to 45 minutes a day, 5 days a week.
This routine has brought me new client projects month after month, and it does not involve sending cold emails or spending all your time on social media.
By the end of this article, you’ll have a day-by-day marketing plan for consistently attracting new clients and growing your business in a way that feels good.
1. Do your research
Alright, it’s Monday. A new week, a fresh start. Your mission today is to figure out what problems you’re solving for your clients.
Because your clients aren’t paying you to make a website. They’re paying you to solve problems, and yes, usually by building a new website or improving an existing one.
This is not the time to get creative. You cannot guess or imagine your clients’ problems.
Marketing your business based on what you think your clients are struggling with is a waste of time. Your audience will be able to tell that you don’t really understand them, and that’s going to make them think you won’t be able to help them.
And if you haven’t done your research, they would be right.
So, instead, you are going to get curious.
Today, do some market research inside online groups and communities where your ideal clients hang out.
Here are 3 things you can do.
Look for questions people are asking about websites.
Use keywords like website, Squarespace, WordPress, integration, automation, etc. to find relevant posts and comments. If you see a post that you can contribute to, spend some time writing out a helpful, personalized answer.
Invite others to ask you questions about websites.
You could say something like, “Hi, I’m Danbee and I create websites for online coaches (obviously, insert your own details here). I love X, Y, and Z about this group, and I want to contribute to the community. Ask me anything related to websites in the comments, and I’ll answer as many questions as I can.“ And of course, make sure to set aside time later in the week or next Monday to follow through.
Invite someone to hop on a call with you.
If you’ve had some good back-and-forth with someone in an online community, consider asking them to chat over a video call. Sometimes, a 30-minute conversation can teach you so much about your audience and help you set the trajectory for the next 3-6 months of your business.
By taking the time to learn about your ideal clients, you’ll discover the actual, real problems that they’re facing.
For example, you might learn that their biggest problem isn’t wasting tons of time trying to DIY their website. It’s that once their website finally goes live, nothing happens. No one signs up for their lead magnets. No one books complimentary consultations.
And now, you’re one step closer to understanding how you can help your clients as a web designer.
Awesome job on your first day.
2. Build connections
Hello, Tuesday. On Tuesday, your task is to connect with other business owners.
Just because you run a one-person business as a freelancer doesn’t mean you have to do everything on your own. Working with others can make this work so much easier — and a lot more fun and rewarding.
When you intentionally build relationships with people who share your values, you are creating an invaluable network of people who genuinely care about you and want to see you succeed.
This kind of support can make all the difference, especially when business feels hard.
Here’s how you can create those connections today:
Engage thoughtfully on social media.
Look for complementary service providers who also work with your ideal clients — think copywriters, photographers, branding designers, business coaches, or social media managers. It’s okay if you’ve never interacted with them before.
Spend some time getting to know them through their content. Then, leave a thoughtful comment or share their work with your audience. If you’ve ever posted anything on social media, you know how much it means when someone does that.
Attend an in-person meetup or event.
At the end of the day, we are humans first, and nothing beats the connection and trust that come from face-to-face conversations.
You could look for small business workshops or trade shows in your local area. You could also make plans to travel to attend a conference in a different part of the world.
Organize your own meetup.
I recently went on a hike with Gigi Davarashvili from One6Creative. We both brought our dogs and had so much fun getting to know each other while enjoying being in the Swiss mountains.
When you’re done today, you’ll have taken intentional steps to grow your network.
And remember, you are also a valuable connection to people in your network. This is about mutual support and shared success.
Awesome. Great job on Day 2.
If you’re starting to feel like it might actually be possible to keep your marketing simple, give me a thumbs up on this video.
3. Send a personal message
It’s Wednesday. Today, you are sending a personal message to someone you know. This is not a cold email — this is to someone you already have a personal connection with.
For a lot of us, the idea of reaching out to someone can feel… Uncomfortable. They’re busy people. I get that you don’t want to bother them.
But you don’t know for certain that these people don’t want to hear from you. Psychological experiments have shown that people often underestimate how open others are to friendly interactions.
And besides, you’re going to make sure that reading your message or listening to your voice note is going to make the other person feel really happy and special.
Here are three ideas for reaching out to someone today. You just have to choose one and do it.
Send a thank-you email
Reach out to someone who has said nice things about you in an online group, given you some helpful advice, or even just published a piece of content that really resonated with you.
One of the best pieces of career advice I got in my twenties was to apply what you learn from your mentors, and then go back and tell them what happened when you put their advice into action. This is the most powerful way to connect with someone you admire.
Imagine how it feels to be told about the impact that you’ve had on someone else. That is the gift you’re giving someone when you reach out with a thank you message.
Pro tip: If the person you want to thank has a podcast, leave a review and let them know you did. This is especially important if they’re in a different country because they might not be able to see reviews from outside their region. It is surprisingly difficult to get even the most loyal fans to rate and review a podcast, and they will love you for doing that.
Check in with a past client
Send them a friendly message and ask how they’re doing. Review what they said about their business goals when you worked together, and ask them how that’s going.
You’re not trying to sell anything here — this is about showing that you care about them and their success. That you’re thinking about them.
If it makes it easier for you to have something more concrete to share, find an article, a podcast episode, or a YouTube video that they would find helpful or interesting, and include a link in your message.
Worst case scenario, they don’t reply. Best case scenario? They tell you how much they still love their website and how it’s helped them get 5 new clients in the last 2 months. Their business is blowing up in the best way possible and they actually want your help with a new project.
Ask for an introduction
If there’s someone I want to meet, I always ask for an introduction from someone who knows them personally.
Because I know that I pay a lot more attention and put in a lot more effort, when a friend or a client says I should connect with someone, than when a complete stranger reaches out. Even if the stranger is really nice.
So for example, you might reach out to an online business friend, asking them to introduce you to a branding designer that you follow on Instagram, because that friend has collaborated with this branding designer.
I would reserve this message for people you have a pretty strong relationship with, who you know would be happy to do a favor for you. I bet there are people in your network who you would love to help out. There are people who feel the same way about you — and those are the friends to reach out to, asking for introductions.
These 1-on-1 interactions compound over time. You’re not just sending emails for the sake of sending emails — you’re investing in your relationships. And to build a business that is profitable and inclusive for years and years, you need relationships.
Congratulations on a wonderful Wednesday. Tomorrow, we’ll build on the work we’ve done so far and create a powerful piece of content. If you’re finding these ideas helpful, subscribe to my channel for more content like this.
4. Create content
Alright, now, it’s Thursday. And I have good news: today, you don’t have to talk to anyone. You’ve earned it. You can open up Figma, Canva, Illustrator, or any other design app of your choice and create a social media post.
It doesn’t really matter which social media platform or what format you use. What is important is that this content highlights the results you have gotten for your clients.
When a potential client looks through your feed, they want to see something that shows you understand their business, their experience, and why they want a website in the first place.
Here are some different types of content you can choose from:
Testimonials
Great testimonials include specific results like, “I filled all 5 spots in my group program after launching my new website.”
Generic testimonials, like, “I loved working with Danbee, she is so professional,” are less good. But if that’s all you have, that is good enough for today’s content.
Website mockups
Everyone loves a pretty mockup. Grab some of your favorite screenshots from a recent project and create mockups that show your website on different devices and screens.
Make sure you include some details in the caption to show your expertise, like “I chose these colors because X.” “I used this layout design because Y.” “This website has these integrations so that my client can do Z.”
Common questions about websites
Over the last few days, you might have noticed a pattern in what people want to know about their websites. Maybe you saw lots of questions about the recent WordPress vs. WP Engine fiasco. Or, maybe you’re seeing more interest and awareness about accessible design, especially in the context of the European Accessibility Act (EAA).
Create a post about one of these questions, and more importantly, share your answer, your point of view, your expert opinions. This is how we show potential clients that you know what you’re talking about.
Once you’re done, hit publish. Great job.
You’ve just added to a library of content that your ideal clients are looking for when they’re ready to hire a web designer.
5. Celebrate wins
Ooh, it’s Friday. We can take it a little easier today. Fridays are for celebrating wins.
But there is a catch, and it’s that you’re going to celebrate in public.
If you’re like me, you might sometimes resist reflecting on what went well. It can feel like a waste of time, time that you could use to make even more progress.
But here’s the thing: psychology tells us that celebrating wins is critical for building momentum toward your goals.
When you take a moment to reflect on what’s gone well and acknowledge the progress you’ve made, your brain releases dopamine, the “feel-good” chemical that boosts motivation and reinforces positive behaviors. You’re telling your brain that all your hard work and effort was worth it. And that makes it more likely for you to replicate and amplify that success.
Also, celebrating in public by sharing your wins with your community does more than just boost your ego. Research shows that sharing good news with others and thanking people who have helped you strengthens trust and fosters a sense of belonging.
By now, you know how I feel about these relationships. They are one of your most valuable assets for the long-term success of your business — and honestly, for your happiness in general.
So today, you’re going to create one piece of social media content sharing your wins.
By the way, science also says that celebrating small wins is just as important as celebrating the big ones. So:
Did someone say something kind about you in an online group? Share what they said and how it made you feel.
Did you reconnect with a past client after a long time? Talk about that and explain why this connection is important to you.
Did you meet up with another business owner IRL? Share a selfie and a snippet of what you talked about.
Did you learn something new that helped you reframe a problem you’ve been struggling with? Share what you learned, who you learned it from, and how it shifted your perspective.
And that’s it! Happy Friday. Congratulations, you’ve made it through the whole week.
It’s time to rest and recharge so you can head into next week feeling refreshed and ready to build on everything you achieved over the past 5 days.
Notes and references
The Monday-to-Friday format of this video was inspired by this brilliant TED talk by Anne Morris: 5 steps to fix any problem at work
📚 Research mentioned this video:
