I Started a Web Design Agency, but I’m Struggling to Get Clients. What Am I Doing Wrong?

Hey everyone!

I run a web design agency called Ja$ha, and one of my biggest challenges right now is getting consistent clients.

I have the skills and the ambition to build a successful agency, but I’m realizing that being good at designing and developing websites is only one part of running a business. Finding people who are willing to pay for the service is a completely different challenge.

I’ve been thinking about how to improve my approach, find the right clients, and build trust with potential customers, especially when competing with established agencies and freelancers.

I’d really appreciate advice from web designers, freelancers, and agency owners who have been through this stage.

A few questions I have:

How did you get your first 5–10 paying clients?

Do you recommend cold emails, direct messages, referrals, networking, or content marketing?

How do you convince a business owner that they need a website when they don't seem interested?

Is it better to specialize in one niche or offer web design to all kinds of businesses?

If you were starting a web design agency from zero today, what would you focus on during your first 90 days?

I'm not looking for overnight success or shortcuts. I want to understand what works in the real world and avoid wasting time on strategies that don't bring results.

If you run a web design agency or freelance as a developer, what's one thing you wish you had known when you were struggling to get your first clients?

I'd genuinely appreciate your honest advice. Thanks!

really honest post, "finding people who are willing to pay for the service is a completely different challenge" says it well. what have you tried so far for ja$ha, more cold emails or dms?

In 2020, I watched businesses close. Not because their products were bad. Because they had no way to reach their customers. The lockdown shut the doors. But customers were still looking, and they were online. Customers were online. Businesses were offline. So I started building simple websites for friends and local businesses. The goal was simple: help them stay visible and keep selling. One referral became ten. Ten became a full-time agency. Today that's 150+ projects, and the lesson hasn't changed: a business that can be found online has a way to keep going when everything else stops. If your business disappeared from Google tomorrow, how would customers find you? Link to our story in the first comment.

"one referral became ten" is such a good way to grow an agency, starting with friends and local businesses makes a lot of sense. is cterling still mostly referrals now, or do you go out and find clients too?