How to land your first clients
(without feeling salesy)

You’ve got a clear offer. You know exactly what problem you solve, how you solve it, and why it’s valuable. Now comes the part most designers dread: selling.

The word alone makes you uncomfortable. You imagine sleazy pitches, awkward cold emails, and getting ignored by strangers. You didn’t become a designer to sell. You just want to do great work and get paid for it.

But here’s the reality: if you don’t know how to sell, you don’t have a business. You have a hobby.

The good news? Selling doesn’t have to feel like selling. If done right, it’s just a conversation where both sides win. No convincing. No pressure. Just positioning your offer in front of the right people and making it easy for them to say yes.

Let’s talk about how to do that.

Why most designers struggle to sell

Most designers rely on word of mouth or job boards to get work. That means they’re constantly waiting for opportunities instead of creating them.

When they do reach out to clients, they make it all about themselves:

"Hey, I’m a UX designer with 5 years of experience. I specialize in SaaS interfaces. Let me know if you need help!"

This puts the burden on the client to figure out how (or if) they need you. And clients don’t have time for that.

The fix? Shift the focus from yourself to the client’s problem. Instead of listing your skills, talk about the pain points you solve.

Example:

"Most SaaS landing pages waste traffic because of bad UX. I help fix that. Want me to review yours?"

See the difference? The second version speaks directly to a problem they care about. It invites engagement instead of making them do the work.

The three best ways to get clients without feeling salesy

1. Attract clients through content

2. Start conversations with warm outreach

3. Leverage your network for referrals

These strategies work together. You don’t have to pick just one.

1. Attract clients through content

Clients trust experts. And the easiest way to become an expert in their eyes is by sharing your knowledge.

You don’t need a big audience to make this work. One well-written post can bring in your first client. The key is to share specific, useful insights about the problem you solve.

Instead of saying: “I’m a UX designer. Here’s my latest project.”

Say:

“Most SaaS apps struggle with onboarding. Here’s a 3-step fix I use to improve activation rates.”

“If your landing page isn’t converting, check these 3 UX mistakes.”

“Simple UI change = 20% higher engagement. Here’s what worked.”

Each post teaches something valuable, which positions you as someone worth hiring.

2. Start conversations with warm outreach

Reaching out to potential clients doesn’t have to feel awkward if you do it right.

A bad cold message:
"Hey, I’m a designer. Do you need any UX help?"

A better message:
"Hey [Client’s Name], I saw your app and love what you’re building. Quick question… are you happy with your onboarding conversions? I do UX audits that pinpoint easy fixes for activation drop-offs. Let me know if you’d like a quick teardown."

This works because:
It’s personalized, not a copy-paste template.
It starts with their business, not yours.
It offers value first instead of pitching blindly.

You don’t need hundreds of messages to land clients. Ten well-targeted conversations are more effective than a thousand generic pitches.

3. Leverage your network for referrals

Most designers don’t tap into the easiest way to get clients: the people who already know and trust them.

Instead of waiting for referrals, ask for them directly:

"Hey [Name], I’m offering a [specific service] to help [specific client type] fix [specific problem]. Do you know anyone who might find this useful?"

People want to help, but they need clarity on what you do and who you help. The clearer your ask, the more likely they’ll refer someone.

Making it easy to say yes

Clients don’t buy when they understand. They buy when they feel understood.

If you show up consistently—through valuable content, natural outreach, and clear referrals—selling won’t feel like selling. It’ll feel like helping.

And that’s the real secret. The best salespeople aren’t persuaders. They’re problem-solvers.

In the next chapter, we’ll cover how to validate your offer before launching, so you don’t waste months building something no one wants.