Hi, I’m Kayla Sox. I build sites. I also hunt for leads. And yeah, I’ve tried a lot of things—some wins, some duds. Here’s my honest review of what actually brought me web design clients, with real numbers, real scripts, and a few “ouch” moments.
Quick pro tip: the in-depth guides over at Bingo Web Design gave me a few of the tricks you’ll see below.
Need the full, unfiltered play-by-play with screenshots and numbers? I logged every tactic in this deeper case study on testing eight lead-gen methods. For an even broader perspective, this in-depth analysis of effective web design lead-generation methods breaks down additional approaches and their real-world outcomes.
—small note: I’m sharing what I used, what worked for me, and where I face-planted.
Quick outline
- LinkedIn posts and DMs
- Upwork bids
- Google Business Profile
- Facebook groups + Loom audits
- Cold email with tools
- Meta lead ads
- Marketplaces (Bark/Thumbtack)
- Referrals and partners
- A simple weekly plan and scripts
- Final verdict
1) LinkedIn Posts + DMs: Quiet, steady leads
I treated LinkedIn like a slow burn. Three posts a week. One case study. One tip. One story. Nothing fancy.
Real example:
- Post: “Before/After” for a hometown bakery site (shared a short clip and a 2-line story).
- Result: 3 DMs. Booked 2 calls. Closed one for $2,400 on Webflow, plus $75/mo care.
If you like local makeovers, my full write-up on a Norwich bakery redesign that went from sourdough to sign-ups breaks down the same framework I used here. You can also see how a SaaS founder leveraged a similar strategy in this case study on LinkedIn lead generation for B2B SaaS startups to turn posts and DMs into a predictable pipeline.
What I liked:
- Warm leads. People already saw my work.
- Free. Well, it costs time and brain juice.
- I used Sales Navigator for basic filters and Shield for post stats.
What bugged me:
- Takes time. You can’t rush trust.
- Dry weeks happen. You post and it’s crickets. That’s normal.
DM script I used (short and human):
- “Hey [Name], saw your site. Quick idea: your header loads slow on mobile. I can fix that and lift calls. Want a 5-min video walkthrough?”
Numbers from Q2:
- 12 posts, 9 booked calls, 4 clients. Best channel for me, honestly.
2) Upwork: Speed wins here
I know, Upwork gets hate. But it brought me rent money during a slow spring.
Real example:
- Job: “Rush landing page for fintech MVP.”
- My bid: $300 for day-one version, $900 for polish and QA.
- Closed at $1,200. Then they kept me at $600/mo for 3 months.
- Tip: Reply fast. Like within 15 minutes fast.
For a closer look at the ROI of tackling finance and fintech sites, check out my candid breakdown of building three money sites for financial services brands.
What I liked:
- Clear intent. People post because they need help now.
- Filters help. I saved searches like “Webflow landing page” and “Shopify redesign.”
What bugged me:
- Race to the bottom at times.
- You’ll send 10–12 bids to win 1.
- “Connects” can feel like tokens in a claw machine.
My cover note (short and direct):
- “Built 14 landing pages this year. Avg. 23% lift on sign-ups. I can ship a v1 by tomorrow. Here’s a one-minute Loom on your current page.”
Wins in 8 weeks:
- 26 bids, 3 wins, $4,300 total. Not bad. Not perfect.
3) Google Business Profile: Calls from right down the street
I set this up, added photos each week, and asked every happy client for a review. It feels boring. But steady.
Real example:
- “Found you on Google—are you the one near the farmers market?” That was a local dentist.
- Deal: $3,800 for a full site, plus $95/mo for hosting and care.
Blog content helps these listings stay alive, so I riff on ideas like the ones in this review of local-business web design blog topics and post shorter versions right inside the profile.
What I liked:
- Local trust is strong. They want a person they can meet.
- Free, minus time.
What bugged me:
- Slow at first.
- You have to keep it fresh. New photos, posts, Q&A.
My routine:
- Weekly photo upload (screenshots, workspace, mood boards).
- One “offer” post per month.
- Reply to every review within 24 hours.
4) Facebook Groups + Loom Audits: Scrappy but it works
I picked three local business groups and two niche groups (salons and HVAC). I posted one “free audit day” per month and sent quick Loom videos.
Real examples:
- Salon owner DM’d after a 4-minute audit video. Closed a fast $900 site, then $65/mo care.
- HVAC shop had a broken contact form. I fixed it same day for $150, then rebuilt their site for $2,100.
If you serve heavier industries, my hands-on notes from a manufacturer website overhaul show how the same Loom-first approach lands larger, more technical projects.
What I liked:
- Loom wins trust. They hear your voice. They see the fix.
- Easy to start.
What bugged me:
- Leads can ghost. It’s Facebook.
- You’ll get folks asking for “free.” Hold your line.
My Loom outline:
- 0:00 Hook: “2 small tweaks to get more calls this week.”
- 0:20 Show a speed issue and a simple fix.
- 2:00 Suggest a CTA button and a better headline.
- 3:30 Invite: “Want me to handle this and ship it by Friday?”
5) Cold Email: Apollo + Lemlist, with bumps and bruises
I pulled lists from Apollo (local niches), cleaned them, and used Lemlist to send small, warm batches. I warmed the domain for two weeks first.
Stats from one campaign:
- List: 1,100 contacts (dentists, salons, trades in my city).
- Open rate: 33%.
- Reply rate: 2.7%.
- Booked calls: 6.
- Clients: 2 (HVAC at $2,100 + $150/mo; CPA at $2,800).
What I liked:
- It scales in a simple way.
- Loom in the follow-up boosted replies.
What bugged me:
- Deliverability drama. Keep batches small (25–40/day).
- Heavy lift on research. But it pays.
My best subject lines:
- “Quick win for [Business Name]”
- “Your home page loads slow on 4G”
- “Two fixes, more calls this week”
First email (plain text):
- “Hey [Name], I ran your site on mobile. Two small fixes could bump calls. Can I send a 3-min video showing them? If not, all good.”
Tools I used:
- Apollo, Lemlist, Google Sheets, NeverBounce, Loom.
Side note: If your agency ever fields inquiries from dating or adult platforms, it’s worth understanding what qualifies as a top-tier user experience in that field. I found this detailed roundup of the top-rated threesome dating platforms for 2025 —handy if you want a quick snapshot of the features, user flows, and safety cues that matter most to audiences in the adult space. Another slick example of a luxury escort service nailing its online positioning is Pearl Escorts—spend a minute on that page to study how polished visuals, discreet branding, and trust-building cues are orchestrated to convert an upscale, privacy-minded clientele.
6) Meta Lead Ads: Volume, but mixed quality
I ran a simple lead form and a carousel showing “Before/After.” Target: local small business owners, 25–55, plus a radius around my city.
Real numbers (30 days):
- Spend: $297.
- Leads: 46.
- Cost per lead: $6.46.
- Booked calls: 8.
- Closed: 1 (florist site at $1,600).
What I liked:
- Fast volume. My Calendly got busy.
- Easy creative. I used screenshots and a simple headline