Turn Website Visitors into Clients

There are many webdesigners on the internet, so there is a wide range of choice if someone would need a product in this field.

While there are many well-known designers, with a powerful brand, lots of years of experience and tens of projects each month, there are also very good developers not getting enough jobs, though they have a strong portfolio and are willing to work, maybe even at a cheap rate.

I am going to give you some advices regarding your online portfolio and its approach, and hope that using those guidelines you will turn more visitors into clients.

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1. Get rid of the self-glorifying content.

It’s one of the things you can find all over the place in the online business. Everybody has a good opinion of himself, did lots of amazing stuff in his life and never failed. Nobody admits they lack different qualities, everybody is just perfect. When I personally see this type of “about me” page, my opinion and belief of that person starts to shake.

I believe it is better to avoid this approach and to try convince the readers you are what they need through other methods. First, let your portfolio speak for yourself. Highlight it and make sure everyone saw it before leaving your page. Words only create a short-term opinions, proven skills remain forever in visitor’s minds.

Then try to be a bit more creative with the “about me” page. Instead of writing lots of nice things about you, try to get opinions from former clients and create a nice layout incorporating all of those short sentences. What others believe in regard with you is more valuable than your opinion about yourself and the work you have done.

Put the customer in the centre, not you. It’s not you that does or did something, it’s the client that is happy with your previous work. Put more focus on your portfolio and feedback and you will see an improvement.

2. Show the fees

Do not be afraid of telling everybody how much your services cost. If they are interested, they will find it later on anyway, and it’s better not to disappoint them afterwards. Though you work for a bit more pricey fee, do not hide it.

Image by shutterstock

Freelancers do not usually post their fees because the fees actually depend on how deep the assignment is. If this is your problem, then create a rate sheet with all your services, and how much do you charge for each of it. It might not be exact, but it will give an idea to the potential clients.

Don’t think that hiding your fees will help. Sure, if you are expensive, many clients will not even contact you, but half of the ones that are interested in your services will leave as well after they find out how much you charge.

3. Make the page clear

You should know better than anyone else that the 5-seconds rule applies to any webpage. You are a webdesigner, if you are not able to get my interest fast, how do you expect people to remain on your page? Lacking clarity on your website is damaging. If the user can’t find what he needs fast, he will leave and search another designer. As I told in the beginning, there are thousands of options out there and a simple Google search will give you more than you can handle.

Make your portfolio link highlighted, it is in the end the thing that talks the best about you. Don’t hide it, no one will hire you if they won’t see some previous work in advance. Go for a clear and intuitive menu line and then every user, novice or proficient, will be able to find the information he needs right away.

4. Let users know you

When I told you to avoid turning yourself into the main purpose of the page, I meant it, but not in such a way that you will be far from the potential client. In the end there are people hiring other people in this business, and there is an obvious need of inter-knowledge. I need to know who you are in order to believe you are the right designer for me.

Do not be afraid to show people who you are. Post a photography of yourself, show them your Flickr account, let them know you better. Tell them what education you have, how you became a freelancer, how do you enjoy spending your free time and what kind of music do you like to listen to.

This can’t be damaging. No one will avoid hiring you because you listen to jazz instead of rock, and no one will leave your page because you are not so handsome as Brad Pitt is. If you really want to show people who you are, you could include a nice video of yourself. Not many freelancers use this and though it seems a bit unusual, in my opinion it is a very successful way of letting the potential client know you better.

Image by shutterstock

Those are the five tips I had for you today. I strongly believe that turning visitors into clients is a tough task, but if you follow this guidelines and continue to improve the way you present yourself and your work, you will have so many tight deadlines you won’t be able to handle. Think of what would you like to see on a designer’s page, do some research, visit competition websites and then implement everything you like on your site. Improvising and letting your imagination fly can’t hurt you.

Do you know other methods through which you can turn visitors into clients? What is the approach on your webpage, or what do you like seeing on a designer’s online portfolio?