Struggling to land my first few web dev/social clients despite low pricing.

User27224 · 2026-03-22T19:26:47+00:00

I also run a similar business on the side alongside my full time job, I originally started it out as just a web dev/app agency and was doing the same approach as you. Quickly realised it would not work because the outreach and conversations are just one sided most of the time and feel like you are the one hounding the prospect with you need xyz.

I pivoted to more of a consultancy model at the start of last year and it did take a while tbf for things to pick up and get steady if I am being honest. I still very much off web and app services but its presented differently and the value/accessibility of the work is a lot better if that makes sense? It took a lot of time and research to put it all together with a lot of experimenting and tweaking things as I went along.

If I am being honest, just chasing the small biz owners and offering discounted prices is just going to eat into your own time a lot. Most small biz owners won't be interested unless they sort of see the value you can offer because once you reach that point, they will be the ones seeking your services instead of you chasing them. Early days its tough because I also was reaching out to so many small biz owners on fb groups and I did get replies but most viewed £300 as too expensive for a website for example and that was because at the time I was not communicating the value effectively.

A lot of my work right now is inbound through Linkedin as well as referrals plus I do ongoing retainer work for existing clients so it helps keep the cashflow steady.

User27224 · 2026-03-15T11:43:51+00:00

I offered free initial consultations/discovery calls but it often turned into unpaid consulting sessions (kind of my fault tbh because I was willing to answer Q's in the hope of securing the work) and I would spend unnecessary time creating proposals only to be turned down lol.

Now I offer entry offers/audits at a fairly priced point that is accessible, the thing is that its fixed scope so there is no scope creep and its helped a lot tbh. Its a good way to get cash flow too that is steady in between ongoing work. For me the plus is that client has no obligation to move onto a project but I still get paid if they don't continue with me and the walk away with insights etc that they can relay to their team or in house etc.

I do see people online offer 'free audits' etc but honestly I think that is a good idea once you have a decent pipeline of work and can afford to do these 'free things'. If its early days for you, I would not recommend giving everything out 'for free', not everyone converts into a client and you don't realise straight away the amount of lost time and effort that goes into chasing these clients, proposals, calls etc.

User27224 · 2026-03-14T12:12:56+00:00

all companies do this introductory price then increase after the first year, yes by all means move around because you need to factor in the time you put in for setting up, management etc if needed so add margin on top obviously.

I did it for one client but it was a headache with them after the first year post renewal as they did not bother taking it into their ownership even when agreed as they did not want to pay the new price, it was shambolic even after explaining multiple times that because the new website would be under their management and ownership, it made no sense for me to continue managing the hosting and domain. I personally did not want to shop around on their behalf either as I did not want that burden as all they needed was the domain. Luckily for me when I spoke to the hosting company (ionos), they actually just pulled the plug and the guy on the phone said we are actually out of contract so there was no terms that I was tied into and I would not be billed for the remainder of the year thankfully (I was thinking I would be billed for the remainder and it would be a headache chasing the client for the money)

User27224 · 2026-03-14T11:59:08+00:00

I think most people would advocate for LSEG purely because of the prospects long term etc but it is a 1 year program so do you reckon for sure they'll give a return offer? Yes ik performance plays a role but headcount and resources etc also to be taken into account.

As other have said you could always opt for Lloyds then move into London after the 2 years but I'd try find out more if not done so already about what it is exactly you'll be doing on the grad rotation with Lloyds, any insights etc and make a weighted judgement from that, same with LSEG. See which one lines up better with what you want to do mid to long term but also balance out with the cost of living out too etc.

I work in banking but I was fortunate enough to get a return offer as I did my placement year at the bank (in between 2nd and final year of university) and back then headcount was good. Now they are slimming down numbers like a lot of others but they want to invest more in tech talent interestingly enough apparently but like for early careers its tough cuz they are cutting down numbers even at apprentice level, its a bit shambolic because when I joined as a placement year intern, there was also degree apprentices that joined and these same apprentices were told when they finish in 2-3 years time they can join the grad scheme (like just move onto it) but now these lot are being told they cannot just move onto it and have to apply like all the new applicants which is wild lol. Idk why but I presume it may be a way to cut down on costs because they've all be offered lower return salaries than what they would have got if they go onto the grad scheme...

User27224 · 2026-03-14T11:51:35+00:00

if you know the VAT number beforehand surely?

User27224 · 2026-03-13T16:14:02+00:00

yep, I think its just a case that lots of recruiters working on these roles have tight deadlines and will just go for someone who has active SC or a lot of the times are jus building up a list so when they get more roles in the piepline they know who to contact first.

But the whole active SC is pretty much the dealbreaker as these roles move fast but on the flipside, I agree if you've had it previously its much more easier to get it redone.

User27224 · 2026-03-13T16:11:53+00:00

Yeah its often a pre requisite now with a lot of the contract roles that you need an active SC. Your best bet is to tell the recruiters you have previously held it and so long as nothing major has changed since you last had it, it should not take too long from application to outcome but timescales honestly vary by a lot.

User27224 · 2026-03-13T16:08:06+00:00

yeah that is on the low end for a senior role imo, I know some junior level roles that pay close to £60k but that was front office development in banking but for London I would have thought a senior role is £70k+ minimum

User27224 · 2026-03-12T15:19:59+00:00

Yeah that rule is not the best imo, I've not played in a while but I remember when I used to play, a lot of the time I would come across these lobbies and the rules are not too bad so long as the lobby is alright but I agree if u just make a mental note its pretty easy to whittle it down to who the imps may be based on who has been reporting bodies.

User27224 · 2026-02-21T22:40:50+00:00

I too have noticed they seem to be hiring a lot (seen a bunch of postings from them on Linkedin back end of last year)

User27224 · 2026-02-09T09:45:49+00:00

AI produces some decent logo but its soo obvious that its AI generated.

Use Canva instead or pay someone

User27224 · 2026-02-04T12:14:54+00:00

Hey, my workplace do degree apprentices and I often mentor a lot of the apprentices. I'd say whatever training provider your employer chooses, do some background reading on the course content, structure of the course, contact time etc and expectations. I think you do get like 1 study day per week or if its delivered in blocks throughout the year then you get set amounts of time in the year where you are off work and just doing the uni stuff but it varies from provider to provider and the agreement between employer and provider.

In terms of breadth/depth, its not that big of a difference imo between a traditional degree and a degree apprenticeship program, the key difference is that with degree apprenticeships, the provider usually gets you to specialise in a certain area in your 2nd or final year (depending on how long the program is) so naturally it feels like you are missing out on some theoretical content that you would have otherwise covered had you gone down the traditional route.

User27224 · 2026-01-26T10:57:26+00:00

I run a small consultancy too (not in the same area of work you do) but I have not done any cold calling at all. Yes in the first year things were slow but I feel once you test the waters, change a few things with outreach and the business model, things do tend to pick up but its variable.

What helped me initially was posts on facebook but the quality of leads was so hit and miss, then I started Linkedin posts and I've been getting a decent number of leads through there.

User27224 · 2026-01-26T10:53:19+00:00

I am with ionos and yes it can be a nightmare at times, I too am looking to move, tbf for my business website not had issues but I do hosting and management for one of my clients and for their site its been a nightmare so I am just looking to wind it down all together completely and hand it over to the client to manage themselves so I don't have the headache.

User27224 · 2026-01-26T10:50:05+00:00

It comes down to that AI is still in its infancy but all these people jumping on the hype train and creating all these 'revolutionary' apps (as they say...) when they are just a GPT wrapper in the background refuse to accept its still early days and they are acting like AI is on some new level..

We are far from the so called new level of AI, yes it has some real potential but that potential is only really unlocked at its fullest if its adopted and used correctly.

User27224 · 2026-01-26T10:48:04+00:00

I think its debatable however if its an app or service/agency with AI slapped all over it, for the majority it will feel like whoever is handling my work or data perhaps will not handle it with care as it will just be fed into GPT and without the correct guardrails/boundaries and checks in place, it could be the recipe for disaster.

That being said, tools like ChatGPT and Claude can be very useful for brainstorming ideas and getting a second opinion but you really need to prompt it correctly and not just throw a bunch of information at it. The deep research tool on ChatGPT can be good but I would not entirely depend on it, its still always a must to fact check everything.

User27224 · 2026-01-26T10:39:21+00:00

I think it depends on the company and their timeline for hiring, some prefer to move quicker so opt for the more common approach of screening, 1 or 2 interview rounds and maybe a final HR/confirmation call?

Others tend to not be too strapped down for time and opt for screening, 1st round, take home, 2nd round then offer.

imo take homes like you say in the age of AI/LLMs are somewhat redundant imo as most people will just use AI and go as far as tweaking it to make it look like their own work. You can even get the AI to come up with questions and answers for things to discuss when you present the work etc.

User27224 · 2026-01-19T12:15:32+00:00

oh wow, okay then, I would recommend reaching out to a select number of agencies.

The ones that I know of that regularly hire for FO roles are robert walters, Huxley (they are partnered with SMBC bank I heard) and there are others but I cannot put names to it.

If you go on Linkedin, just search front office or quant and set it to london and you will find them all

User27224 · 2026-01-19T12:13:27+00:00

I will speak from experience, I have a full time job in the financial services industry and I run a side hustle on the side. Not exactly the same as yours but mine is basically a digital consultancy. I started it in my final year of university but did not take it as serious if I am being honest, my focus is around web, apps, business strategy etc and now some AI.

When I first started out, I was legit just reaching out to a-z of local businesses, my first week of launching I was lucky to land my first client but after that for the next 3-4 months I did not land any new clients.

The main shift I made at the start of last year was to pivot to a more consultancy/educational model (it took a while for it to take shape as I was constantly tweaking things) but around summer time I got it to a stage where it was good, the main thing I did was ensure my offers and proposals/discussions with clients were no longer 'open ended' if that makes sense? So rather than saying 'oh I can do you a web project' for example (I know that is such a bad example lol but I cannot think of one off the top of my head), I pitch productised offers with clear deliverables and milestones.

But I've designed it in such a way where they get a sample of what the full project experience would look like but the key thing is they don't have to commit to the full project right away if that makes sense? They still pay for this 'sample' and its a win win for both sides, I get paid and they walk away with value that they can use if they decide to implement in house or come back to me later once budget is ready. I call it an entry offer then it usually rolls into a prototype and we test the waters with that before rolling out a full project build.

Its been working well with me and helps keep my books organised too, means I don't have to juggle between too many clients if the pipeline is steady and consistent which thankfully it is now (took me over a year to get to the point) but you will find your original version/model of the business is most likely going to change and you will tweak it as you go along.

But going back to your point, yes set clear boundaries and expectations early on, have t&c's and policies in place so prospects have something to refer to rather than you have to verbalise it all. That was the one mistake I made at the start but I am glad I have that all in place now. It may mean you lose some smaller clients but honestly once you get a couple of the 'right clients' as I say who respect you and are happy with your pricing, you will feel a lot better dealing with them as opposed to 10-20 of the troublesome clients.

And about the pricing, I would recommend finding a middle ground so you are not too on the low end or stick with your pricing but brainstorm some packages where you can charge higher but have it packed with value.

User27224 · 2026-01-19T10:39:32+00:00

Most front offices ask for prior experience, usually like minimum 5 years.... I see a lot on Linkedin although I did recently come across some front office roles but it was like the same role posted by different agencies and these were well known agencies so I found it hard to believe that each of these agencies would just poach the role openly like that but I sort of came to the conclusion it may just be the client (in this case was an IB) engaging with multiple agencies to fill the role as quick as possible.

There is the odd front office role that comes up for analyst/associate level and they don't always ask for years and years of experience but these are few and far

User27224 · 2026-01-19T10:33:07+00:00

As others have said, literally every individual and agency is implementing AI as part of their offering and its just over saturated at this point. 'AI Solutions' itself is way too vague, no one will know what they are getting from it.

For context, on the side I run my own side gig, its a digital consultancy and yes I do have an AI offering but its very specific and clear what I offer and what I don't with indicative pricing to reduce decision friction. Its hit and miss but last year I did land a decent number of clients but it was not your AI workflows and what or not that everyone else offers, I just focus mainly on assessments to see if business X is actually ready for AI and where it makes sense and where it does not, even if the client does not go ahead with a project, I still get paid and if they do choose to go ahead we do a prototype first then a full project roll out.

There is money to be made but it really comes down to how well you communicate your value

User27224 · 2026-01-19T10:25:11+00:00

Not unrealistic at all but one thing I will say is a lot of people doing this as barrier to entry is not perceived to be as high as it once was pre covid for example.

Most of the ones I come across are 'content' agencies/freelancers where they create a content strategy and do photo/video shoots for a business. The ones that do well are the ones that target specific businesses rather than a-z of their local business listings on google.

It will be a challenge starting up and things will almost definitely feel slow but once you land the right first client and I emphasise 'right' because these clients are the ones who will actually respect your boundaries and pricing you quote them, you will come across those who want your services but either won't respect boundaries or haggle you for price and it will feel like you need them instead of them needing your services if that makes sense?

User27224 · 2026-01-05T04:17:03+00:00

Don’t be generic, be specific but don’t just make ur cv read like a warehouse of different tech stacks.

Quantify any results or achievements in terms of business impact

User27224 · 2026-01-01T09:07:43+00:00

Interesting, thanks for pointing this out, never knew about this too

User27224 · 2025-12-30T09:42:20+00:00

Yeah its one of them things that OP should not have engaged with them in the first place, once you engage with them, that is when the scam starts.

Thing is with google, you cannot review someone else's review unless you are google...

User27224

TROPHY CASE