01Where clients come from
| Source | Speed | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Your network and referrals | Fast | Highest trust; ask explicitly |
| Agencies needing overflow help | Fast to medium | Steady work, lower rates |
| Direct outreach to a niche | Medium | Needs specific, personal messages |
| Freelance platforms | Medium | Fees and price competition |
| Partnerships (copywriters, marketers, accountants) | Medium | Referrals in both directions |
| Content and portfolio SEO | Slow | Compounds over months |
02Start with people who know you
Write a short message to friends, former colleagues and local contacts: what you do, who you help and one example. Ask whether they know a business whose website is holding it back. Most people want to help but will not think of you unless asked. Follow up with anyone who replies, and when a project goes well, ask that client directly for a referral and a testimonial.
Hacker News freelancers repeatedly say their first $1,000 came from a referral, and that referrals often come from other professionals who are too busy or too expensive for a job.
03Pick a niche
"Web design for dentists" or "Webflow sites for B2B SaaS" is easier to sell than "web design". You can write one portfolio, one set of examples and one outreach message that speaks to that audience's problems, and clients trust someone who knows their industry. A niche also makes referrals easier: people remember "the designer who does restaurant sites".
- Choose an industry where you have experience or contacts.
- Prefer businesses where one new customer is worth a lot.
- Check they have budgets and visibly weak websites.
- Build two or three portfolio pieces in that niche.
04A weekly client-getting routine
- 1Monday: 10 personal outreach messagesTo businesses in your niche, each with one specific observation. Cold email for web design clients has templates.
- 2Tuesday: follow-upsA polite second message to last week's contacts.
- 3Wednesday: one partner conversationAn agency, copywriter, marketer or photographer who serves the same clients.
- 4Thursday: publish proofA short case study, before-and-after or tip on LinkedIn or your site.
- 5Friday: ask for referralsFrom current and past clients.
05Freelance platforms
Upwork and Fiverr can bring early projects, but take a share of each payment: Upwork moved to a variable freelancer fee of 0% to 15% per contract in 2025, according to fee guides, and Fiverr takes 20% of each order, per Vaultleap's breakdown. They also attract price-sensitive clients. Use them to build reviews and portfolio pieces, then move toward direct clients.
If you are just starting out, web design clients with no experience covers the first projects, and how to sell websites to local businesses covers local outreach.
06Track what works
Keep a simple spreadsheet of every lead: where it came from, the date of first contact, whether they replied, booked a call or bought, and the project value. After a couple of months, the numbers tell you where to spend your time. Many freelancers discover that one partner or one niche produces most of their revenue, and that some channels they enjoy, such as posting on social media, bring almost nothing. Double down on the sources that convert and drop the rest.
Response time matters too. Reply to new inquiries the same day, and send a short summary and next step after every call. Small businesses often choose the first designer who seems organized and reliable.
What people who tried it say
Hacker News freelancers say clients come mostly from referrals and from being clear about what you do; platforms are useful in a pinch but not as a long-term pipeline.
- Freelancing: How I found clients, part 1Hacker News
Readers summarize the post's practical steps: polish your profile, avoid holiday lulls, make booking easy and be able to say clearly what you do.
- Ask HN: How do you find clients when you have no network and can only do remote?Hacker News
Commenters say platforms' problems are overstated for short gigs in a pinch, but not recommended as a main source of clients.
Looking for more first-hand opinions? Search Reddit for “how to get web design clients”. We link the live threads rather than summarizing them, so you read them in full.
Our take
a niche plus ten genuinely personal messages a week will out-perform any platform. Specific beats clever every time.
Where this falls short
What works depends on your market, niche and location. Response rates to outreach vary widely, so track your own numbers rather than relying on anyone else's.
Some freelancers send prospects a quick redesign concept made with Orlume, so the first conversation starts with something concrete. The free plan includes 10 message credits.
Free to start · No card required · Live in one click
Sources
- 1.Upwork's freelancer service fee in 2026 · ElevatePay
- 2.Fiverr fees in 2026, explained · Vaultleap
- 3.CAN-SPAM Act: a compliance guide for business · FTC
Researched and written by the Orlume team · Updated October 2026
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