How I get new (Framer) projects and how you can apply this yourself.
Recently I received a very friendly email from someone who also started building Framer websites. She had just landed her first client project. But she told me she was struggling to get new clients. She asked me several questions about my work and how I find new projects. Honestly, I do not think about this very often and rarely reflect on it. So this was a good moment to finally do that.
A 15 year journey
I told her that I have been working in web design for about 15 years. In the beginning I was a real all rounder. These were websites where I handled everything from A to Z myself. Client meetings, wireframing, design, front-end, back-end, SEO, hosting and maintenance. It may sound great, but in reality you end up doing a bit of everything. You have to dive into every subject and try to keep up with the latest techniques everywhere.
Spoiler alert. It does not work.
You also do not clearly show what you are truly good at.
Then I decided to completely let go of the technical side and focus mainly on UX and UI. Websites, dashboards and apps. This paid off. Potential clients started seeing me more as a specialist instead of just another all-rounder. I could fully focus on design and everything that comes with it. My hourly rate increased and new clients kept coming.
And then suddenly there was Framer. It started as a prototype tool, but I immediately fell in love with the interface of this beautiful piece of software. The tool kept growing and evolved into a full no-code website platform. That was the moment everything came together. A design for a client could now also be built exactly the way I had imagined it. Pixel perfect. Without touching a single line of code. No hassle with hosting, plugins breaking, learning new front-end techniques and so on. With the arrival of Design Canvas in Framer, it is now even more easy to create the design directly inside Framer.
Anyway, enough about tools. Let’s talk about how you actually get paying clients who want to work with you.
What works for me
Over the years you naturally build a client base and as long as you deliver good work, clients will usually come back in one way or another. It is not always about the design skills you have. Of course you need to deliver quality. But just as important, maybe even more important, are things like:
Communication
Be honest, transparent and keep your promises. If you agree on a deadline, make sure you meet it. Be clear about what you deliver, what you are good at and also where you are less strong. Do not sell empty promises. It always comes out and clients will definitely not return.
Do not think like a designer
Put yourself in the shoes of the user of the website or tool. Do not just create something that looks fancy. Think about the problem you are solving.
Working in teams
You never create a design or new website alone. You deal with different stakeholders. Your client, developers, marketing teams, end users and others. Do not see feedback as criticism but as a way to improve your product. And do not let stakeholders wait days for a response. Reply quickly.
LinkedIn works extremely well
What works very well for attracting new clients is LinkedIn. I will briefly explain why this is so powerful.
When you connect with people in the same industry, you stay informed about their activity on LinkedIn. This is valuable because you can see which open projects or roles they respond to.
Example. Company X is looking for a Framer Developer. A connection of mine likes or comments on that post. It appears in my timeline. You can respond to it as well, like it or send a message. In that way it is not cold outreach. You are immediately relevant. Of course many people respond, so the chance of getting that specific project is relatively small. But people will also see that you reacted and often send a connection request. That way they can quickly find you again.
If you ask me, it is a goldmine for new leads.
Other things that can help
Work on side projects. Projects that give you energy. Projects that may not generate money from the start, but that you are passionate about. Some time ago I started selling Framer templates. These are website templates that people can buy to launch a website relatively quickly and affordably. At the same time it is also an eye catcher for potential clients who want a custom website.
Another example is Gallereee.com. A collection of the best portfolios on the web. Fun to build and at the same time a nice way to promote my webshop. In that way you build an online network and stay visible with your work.
Finally, it helps to be active in communities such as X.com, Contra.com and Framer.community. For example by helping people who ask questions there. That way you show your value and they will naturally reach out to you. It is more long term, but it works.
Curious about what I do?
