Confidence

[LouiseF]

Hi all! Let me start off by saying this is not a "looking for sympathy" post but I'm after some genuine advice here.

I'm just starting out as a freelance web designer but finding clients who want to hire me to do their website is a struggle. I know to get myself out there I need to network online and offline and this is the part I'm struggling with. I'm a complete introvert and I hate putting myself out there. But if I don't, I don't get any work. Any advice on how an introvert can successfully network would be greatly appreciated!

 

[Interestedobserver]

To get things started

Can you list 5 bullet points why someone should choose you to design their next website?

How would you sell yourself?

What makes you better than the rest?

 

[The Byre]

No magic answers here!

Either you can put yourself out there (whatever that means!) or you fail to succeed in life. And that goes for lowly employees as much as for life in business. Learn to not be a wallflower and to network! Sorry to have to be blunt, but them's the apples on the table!

Inside every introvert lives a covert extrovert. And every extrovert is just an introvert (like me!) wishing the world would just go away!

 

[LouiseF]

To get things started

Can you list 5 bullet points why someone should choose you to design their next website?

How would you sell yourself?

What makes you better than the rest?

This made me think and is a great starting point. Thank you!

 

[LouiseF]

No magic answers here!

Either you can put yourself out there (whatever that means!) or you fail to succeed in life. And that goes for lowly employees as much as for life in business. Learn to not be a wallflower and to network! Sorry to have to be blunt, but them's the apples on the table!

Inside every introvert lives a covert extrovert. And every extrovert is just an introvert (like me!) wishing the world would just go away!

Your bluntness is appreciated, sugarcoating stuff never helps in the long run. I know I have it in there (somewhere!) I think it's like finding that fine line between letting my personality come through and also keeping it professional

 

[AllUpHere]

You need to stop thinking of introversion as a negative; it's not, it's a positive. From a marketing perspective, being an introvert ( and having the type of personality that makes one an introvert) is a huge advantage. You need to look into ways to gain from your advantage, not try to fit in with what other people think you need to be.

 

[Uke]

As soon as you realise that everyone is winging it to some degree, things get a lot easier.

 

[Interestedobserver]

This made me think and is a great starting point. Thank you!

What are they?

If you can't tell us then who can you tell?

If the answers are good you might even get your first commission from someone on here?

 

[Mark T Jones]

One thing you have to know- the stereotypical, mouthy, clichéd salesman is generally rubbish at selling and very good at being annoying

Good, professional salespeople are listeners, and learn to understand what their customers want

The critical starting point is to have a very clear view on who your customer is, what they want and how you can deliver it

 

[MBE2017]

Get some practice at talking to people. Go out anywhere and talk to five different people, about anything, but try to make a conversation eventually up to a few minutes.

The only real way of overcoming a fear is by confronting it. When I started in sales and attended meetings, my colleagues would talk to each other or no one at all. I made a point of talking to all the strangers, the idea of 5e networking was after all to make new contacts.

You will be suprised how shy most people are, you have nothing to fear but unless you overcome this obstacle you will not succeed.

 

[SillyBill]

I'm an introvert, I definitely need my time alone late at night to recharge batteries as the constant interactions throughout the day totally drains me (sure tell sign of an introvert). I've owned (and still do) and ran high 7 figure businesses so I don't see why it should hold anyone back. In fact, quite the opposite, I think introverts have their own advantages. FWIW I've done the bulk of the sales/commercial sides for my companies, despite sales normally being associated with extroverts. For years I was the whole sales arm (team of 1) of my business, looked after and brought in £6M worth of business on my own before I bolstered. And this is from someone who would never in a million years describe themselves as a salesman.

How did I do this? By being myself. And that has to be only advice one can give and advice I haven't always followed....but certainly came back to when I realised its value. People see through you if you're playing someone you're not.

Truth is after the hard yards I've never really felt like I've had to "sell" that much at all which I think is the art of selling. No-one likes being sold to. People obviously enjoy working with me/us (I am not pushy as its not my style, like to think I am very knowledgeable in my niche) and they (presumably) trust us. Incidentally, I found after becoming semi-established the opportunities seemed to be a lot more "organic" and seemed to fall in my lap. I just had to be semi-competent to convert them, really that simple.

You are clearly at the stage of how to square the circle of getting the critical mass of clients (or any) to start the above process though, it does take some pushing out the comfort zone from time to time. I've also found though if you're a little nervous or none polished people may warm to you even more, they'd probably much rather buy from you than the pushy salesman with pointy shoes, reeking of cologne, all the sales patter and never "listens". The real skill of an introvert is you will listen, in fact you will prefer to listen and not speak. It makes you good at sales that, trust me...

 

[UKSBD]

https://www.ted.com/talks/susan_cain_the_power_of_introverts

 

[BustersDogs]

Hi all! Let me start off by saying this is not a "looking for sympathy" post but I'm after some genuine advice here.

I'm just starting out as a freelance web designer but finding clients who want to hire me to do their website is a struggle. I know to get myself out there I need to network online and offline and this is the part I'm struggling with. I'm a complete introvert and I hate putting myself out there. But if I don't, I don't get any work. Any advice on how an introvert can successfully network would be greatly appreciated!

Find other introverts to network with. Otherwise frankly you just have to force yourself. Try a few different networking clubs until you find one that suits you. I used to go to a really good one. I still struggled, and usually sat on my own during coffee breaks, you know, the networking bit... then the chairman changed and I found him impossible, as he'd also let me down twice when I tried to order from him. I would go back to sit on my own during coffee breaks in a heartbeat if only he'd clear off.

 

[JEREMY HAWKE]

@LouiseF . Its not about being an introvert or any vert !Its about being yourself and believing in the service you have to offer as @Mark T Jones the ones with a lot to say dont know anything

The more you do it the better you will get . !

 

[AllUpHere]

Another thing to remember is something I say a lot on here. Don't bother with organised networking events, they are for losers and under achievers. Networking is important, but don't think you need to attend awful networking 'events'.

Are you any good as a web designer? What experience do you have?

 

[Uke]

Another thing to remember is something I say a lot on here. Don't bother with organised networking events, they are for losers and under achievers. Networking is important, but don't think you need to attend awful networking 'events'.

100%. Full of God awful people who haven’t got an actual clue about real, effective networking. The BNI lot are like some weird cult.

 

[LouiseF]

There is some great advice here. Thank you everyone!

Are you any good as a web designer? What experience do you have?

I think my work is good enough. Experience wise I spent a few years getting my head around coding when I had my own online shop, I had to customise the hell out of a zencart site to make it stand out from the competition (dropshipping and the guy had a fair few people he supplied to providing the same basic shop template). After that I played around with coding for fun, only recently doing it for real for others. I'm working on demo sites at the moment so I can have a portfolio.

 

[LouiseF]

What are they?

If you can't tell us then who can you tell?

I was working on them but here they are


1) I only take on one or two projects at a time so you can be sure your website will be built to an excellent standard.

2) Because I'm a freelancer I can give you a more personal service. I will care for your project as much as you do. Also I have more time to get to know your business and explain the processes to you.

3) I'm flexible. If there's a problem with your website and it needs an emergency fix I can get on it sooner rather than later.

4) I want to make a good impression so I will reply to your queries quickly and keep the project moving forward.

5) I work from home so my overhead costs are lower meaning I can deliver a great website at a fraction of the cost of some larger companies.

 

[Mark T Jones]

I was working on them but here they are


1) I only take on one or two projects at a time so you can be sure your website will be built to an excellent standard.

2) Because I'm a freelancer I can give you a more personal service. I will care for your project as much as you do. Also I have more time to get to know your business and explain the processes to you.

3) I'm flexible. If there's a problem with your website and it needs an emergency fix I can get on it sooner rather than later.

4) I want to make a good impression so I will reply to your queries quickly and keep the project moving forward.

5) I work from home so my overhead costs are lower meaning I can deliver a great website at a fraction of the cost of some larger companies.

I'll be blunt, in the interest of brevity:

This sounds as if you've been told about benefits, and have drawn up a list designed to cover as many bases as possible.

Here are things your customers almost certainly don't care about:

- coding / html or whatever
- your overheads
- your other customers (other than for reference purposes)

What they almost certainly do care about is

- their business
- hits/conversions
- ability to communicate in plain English

There will others, which will depend very much on who your target customer is
.
Price is slways on the list somewhere. The more you engage on the things that matter to them, the more it will slip down the list

In other words, talk to them about them- it makes life a whole lot easier!

 

[Mr D]

Inside every introvert lives a covert extrovert. And every extrovert is just an introvert (like me!) wishing the world would just go away!

Until you evict the beggar for non payment of rent!

 

[Mark T Jones]

Another thing to remember is something I say a lot on here. Don't bother with organised networking events, they are for losers and under achievers. Networking is important, but don't think you need to attend awful networking 'events'.

Are you any good as a web designer? What experience do you have?

'Bring plenty of business cards" lol

 

[Mr D]

I was working on them but here they are


1) I only take on one or two projects at a time so you can be sure your website will be built to an excellent standard.

2) Because I'm a freelancer I can give you a more personal service. I will care for your project as much as you do. Also I have more time to get to know your business and explain the processes to you.

3) I'm flexible. If there's a problem with your website and it needs an emergency fix I can get on it sooner rather than later.

4) I want to make a good impression so I will reply to your queries quickly and keep the project moving forward.

5) I work from home so my overhead costs are lower meaning I can deliver a great website at a fraction of the cost of some larger companies.

1 - I don't care.
2 - I don't care.
3 - I'd expect an emergency to be dealt with quickly regardless.
4 - that is something I'd expect from any supplier
5 - I don't care.

What I do care about is whether a service / supplier increases my profits or reduces my workload.
That's what you have to sell me on - the benefit to my business or the benefit to me personally working in my business.

What you do, what your costs are, how you run things yourself are frankly irrelevant to my business.

The major problem you will have is getting noticed. Can get multiple emails per day regarding web design. Hundreds of emails a year.
Standing out from the crowd, often a tough job. Most of the emails that I have bothered to read (usually don't bother even) are about what someone can do, what skills they have, what they offer, what they are good at.
Again I don't care. Few seem to even ask questions - they know what is best for a business they've not bothered to research and the email reflects it.
I can say that with confidence as they contact me regarding a dissolved company usually....

 

[Lucan Unlordly]

Another thing to remember is something I say a lot on here. Don't bother with organised networking events, they are for losers and under achievers. Networking is important, but don't think you need to attend awful networking 'events'.

Are you any good as a web designer? What experience do you have?

Would you count BNI and other local business breakfast clubs?

 

[Deleted member 59730]

I know to get myself out there I need to network online and offline and this is the part I'm struggling with.

You can't beat knocking on doors. Phone first to make appointments and talk to people face to face. There will be all kinds of marketing experts on here who will advise differently but I have only ever relied on making appointments.

Small story. I ran my business an an industrial estate with 7 other businesses who might have needed websites and design services. In 27 years not a single web designer made an appointment to come and talk. I was often struggling to find designers I could communicate and relate to for my business. If someone had shown the initiative to visit me and had a good portfolio I'd have used them rather than some lazy online networker.

 

[Lucan Unlordly]

1) I only take on one or two projects at a time so you can be sure your website will be built to an excellent standard.
I think you've missed the 'positive' here.
'I only take on one or two projects at a time so I can deliver each stage and the final product to you quickly - to agreed deadlines etc.,'

2) Because I'm a freelancer I can give you a more personal service. I will care for your project as much as you do. Also I have more time to get to know your business and explain the processes to you.
The positive in being a freelancer is that you are not tied to a one stop, all our websites look the same, corporate vibe that many larger companies are burdened by. There are other benefits such as not being tied to 9-5 hours etc., but not the customers concern.

3) I'm flexible. If there's a problem with your website and it needs an emergency fix I can get on it sooner rather than later.
Change to 'I'm at the end of the phone to answer any queries or solve any issues, at any time (You may want to cushion that by ensuring your web host or other like minded contact could step in if your sunning yourself on holiday).....backed up by additional support via our etc., etc.,

4) I want to make a good impression so I will reply to your queries quickly and keep the project moving forward.
...see above
PS: Your best impression will come from you or examples of your work...

5) I work from home so my overhead costs are lower meaning I can deliver a great website at a fraction of the cost of some larger companies.

NO! NO! NO!

'My aim is to provide the best bang for your buck, a website that looks great, works as it should, on budget and on time'

 

[Ozzy]

@LouiseF Welcome along to UKBF
Not a lot of people know this, but one of the reasons UKBF exists is because I'm an "introvert" although my wife would disagree, she thinks I just love talking about myself all the time. I'm High Functioning Autistic, basically I'm a complete social recluse and also the worse at picking up on social norms. There has been many a time I've got it wrong.
I was in your situation, at home with a business, s**t scared and could not go out knocking on doors or networking. Building up UKBF allowed me to connect with other people in the same situation in an environment I was comfortable in. Jump forward 18 years and UKBF is still going and it's more than that now. This isn't meant as a sales pitch, but using this site as it is meant to be used will help you build your business and find some clients, as well as support like this thread.

It isn't the holy saviour though, you will need to start to step outside your comfort zone eventually, and that will come with experience. As you widen your comfort zone it grows with you, it doesn't shrink back again. For me that was actually going out networking with places like the local Chamber of Commerce, and dear lord I did also experience BNI for a year.

As I read @SillyBill reply above I could so relate so much and what he says I feel is spot on when it comes to selling. People tell me I'm a good salesman but I'm not, I don't believe I am. I just listen and then eventually talk. I let the customer tell me all their issues, concerns, needs, and then when they're burnt out and stop talking I then tell them how I can address their needs. Mainly because I don't know when to read the cues to interrupt perhaps, but it works.

Jump forward more than 20 years since I started out I'll now stand on stage in front of hundreds of people to give a talk, do TV and radio interviews, and host events. It's been years to get to that stage, and if I'm completely honest, every time I do it I'm wearing a mask and being the person I need to be for that situation because that is what my business needs me to be.

Jumping on your 5 reasons someone should buy from you. others are all telling you this already and I agree... The reasons you have given are centric around you even if you don't realise it, the reasons need to be for your customer. What are their problems and issues you will fix, come from a perspective of they don't know you and they don't care who you are or where you work. Take emotion out of it and just be cold and almost brutal.

Anyway, welcome

 

[Interestedobserver]

I'll be blunt, in the interest of brevity:

This sounds as if you've been told about benefits, and have drawn up a list designed to cover as many bases as possible.

Here are things your customers almost certainly don't care about:

- coding / html or whatever
- your overheads
- your other customers (other than for reference purposes)

What they almost certainly do care about is

- their business
- hits/conversions
- ability to communicate in plain English

There will others, which will depend very much on who your target customer is
.
Price is slways on the list somewhere. The more you engage on the things that matter to them, the more it will slip down the list

In other words, talk to them about them- it makes life a whole lot easier!

I think this is good

Posters on here can help you tweak your selling points until they are the best they can be

 

[Interestedobserver]

1) I only take on one or two projects at a time so you can be sure your website will be built to an excellent standard.
I think you've missed the 'positive' here.
'I only take on one or two projects at a time so I can deliver each stage and the final product to you quickly - to agreed deadlines etc.,'

2) Because I'm a freelancer I can give you a more personal service. I will care for your project as much as you do. Also I have more time to get to know your business and explain the processes to you.
The positive in being a freelancer is that you are not tied to a one stop, all our websites look the same, corporate vibe that many larger companies are burdened by. There are other benefits such as not being tied to 9-5 hours etc., but not the customers concern.

3) I'm flexible. If there's a problem with your website and it needs an emergency fix I can get on it sooner rather than later.
Change to 'I'm at the end of the phone to answer any queries or solve any issues, at any time (You may want to cushion that by ensuring your web host or other like minded contact could step in if your sunning yourself on holiday).....backed up by additional support via our etc., etc.,

4) I want to make a good impression so I will reply to your queries quickly and keep the project moving forward.
...see above
PS: Your best impression will come from you or examples of your work...

5) I work from home so my overhead costs are lower meaning I can deliver a great website at a fraction of the cost of some larger companies.

NO! NO! NO!

'My aim is to provide the best bang for your buck, a website that looks great, works as it should, on budget and on time'

Some more great advice above

You portfolio will be important for those that are interested alongside typical prices to create similar to the portfolio

Will they be from real customers or just work you do for a portfolio for now?

 

[Chris Ashdown]

In my experience many so called web designers contacted me to sell themselves and all failed. the reason was simply that they had no real idea of what our target market was and had no experience of our industry. most had not even looked in depth at our web site to try and understand what was required
If you spend some time studying the company you want to approach, find out some basics about their industry, then your far more likely to get results even if you are shy
The potential customer can give you facts and any problems they may have, yet many sales people don't ask but just tell them what a wonderful site they can produce all with the latest features

 

[LouiseF]

You can't beat knocking on doors. Phone first to make appointments and talk to people face to face. There will be all kinds of marketing experts on here who will advise differently but I have only ever relied on making appointments.

Small story. I ran my business an an industrial estate with 7 other businesses who might have needed websites and design services. In 27 years not a single web designer made an appointment to come and talk. I was often struggling to find designers I could communicate and relate to for my business. If someone had shown the initiative to visit me and had a good portfolio I'd have used them rather than some lazy online networker.

My husband actually suggested this to me last night too. I think I will suck it up and actually do this.

 

[LouiseF]

Some more great advice above

You portfolio will be important for those that are interested alongside typical prices to create similar to the portfolio

Will they be from real customers or just work you do for a portfolio for now?

Right now it's just demo websites I have on my portolio but over time I will replace those with real examples of work

 

[LouiseF]

1) I only take on one or two projects at a time so you can be sure your website will be built to an excellent standard.
I think you've missed the 'positive' here.
'I only take on one or two projects at a time so I can deliver each stage and the final product to you quickly - to agreed deadlines etc.,'

2) Because I'm a freelancer I can give you a more personal service. I will care for your project as much as you do. Also I have more time to get to know your business and explain the processes to you.
The positive in being a freelancer is that you are not tied to a one stop, all our websites look the same, corporate vibe that many larger companies are burdened by. There are other benefits such as not being tied to 9-5 hours etc., but not the customers concern.

3) I'm flexible. If there's a problem with your website and it needs an emergency fix I can get on it sooner rather than later.
Change to 'I'm at the end of the phone to answer any queries or solve any issues, at any time (You may want to cushion that by ensuring your web host or other like minded contact could step in if your sunning yourself on holiday).....backed up by additional support via our etc., etc.,

4) I want to make a good impression so I will reply to your queries quickly and keep the project moving forward.
...see above
PS: Your best impression will come from you or examples of your work...

5) I work from home so my overhead costs are lower meaning I can deliver a great website at a fraction of the cost of some larger companies.

NO! NO! NO!

'My aim is to provide the best bang for your buck, a website that looks great, works as it should, on budget and on time'

This! Thank you. It's silly, I kind of have gone in that direction on my website (and didn't even realise!). I just need to expand on it.

 

[Interestedobserver]

Right now it's just demo websites I have on my portolio but over time I will replace those with real examples of work

Do you have an example of something you have created so far you can link on here?

Ps any criticism of anything you get on here don't take personal. Just cherry pick stuff that makes sense. It's a good testing ground for feedback on here

 

[LouiseF]

Do you have an example of something you have created so far you can link on here?

Ps any criticism of anything you get on here don't take personal. Just cherry pick stuff that makes sense. It's a good testing ground for feedback on here

I can't post links here yet or in messages apparently

 

[MBE2017]

FWIW, too many newcomers under price their work, never sell on being cheap, always sell on delivering what is wanted by the clients. The tricky part is working out what your clients really want from a website, and ensuring they understand what they want as well.

For most it will be sales, others a brochure, some just to showcase themselves. By being a listener you can take advantage of your strengths, but you will need to learn to make those original approaches.

I have never been to BNI, but used to find the Chamber of Commerce gatherings good for getting top quality contacts, you don’t get the gatekeepers at such gatherings.

I agree wholeheartedly on chatty talkative salespeople, those who run through a script and get lost all the time. People will buy what they want, you can sometimes not even give away stuff for free if it is not wanted by the client. Always make it about them, the rest will follow.

 

[Lucan Unlordly]

Always make it about them, the rest will follow.

The first and last 'secret' to selling....
'To sell Joe Bloggs what Joe Bloggs buys, see Joe Bloggs through Joe Bloggs eyes'.

I count myself as being very fortunate in that my first true sales role was in local newspaper advertising. I hated the formal training, the cliched responses to objections and only just made it through the first week. Thrown into an area of town selling to all manner of businesses, the only route to success came by listening to what the business owner actually wanted, not what I thought they needed. This I imagine, now applies to website sales more than perhaps any other business?
'To sell Joe Bloggs what Joe Bloggs buys, see Joe Bloggs through Joe Bloggs eyes'.

PS: In later years I sold some advertising to a west end Lap dancing club that had featured on TV, for good and bad reasons, and learnt so much about the problems they faced encouraging the right type of customers and recruiting girls. Like a silly sod I made the appointment for 10.30 am in the morning so I was 10 hours too early to 'See what Joe Bloggs saw' but fortunately am blessed with a very good imagination.