The problem
Your best work is buried under admin.
Web design agencies lose an estimated 40% of billable time to project management, client communication, and follow-up tasks. The creative work that wins clients gets squeezed into whatever hours are left.
Projects stall because of admin, not design.
You spend more time writing follow-up emails, collecting assets from clients, and updating project boards than you do actually designing. Every client needs status updates. Every project needs content that never arrives on time.
Lead follow-up falls through the cracks.
Someone fills out your contact form on Tuesday. You respond Thursday. By then they already booked a discovery call with another agency. Speed to lead is everything in web design, and manual follow-up is too slow.
Client handoffs are messy and time-consuming.
Every new project means setting up shared folders, sending questionnaires, requesting brand assets, scheduling kickoff calls. You do the same sequence every time, but it still takes hours and things still get missed.
Invoices sit unpaid because nobody follows up.
You finished the work two weeks ago. The invoice is overdue. You hate chasing money because it damages the relationship. So invoices sit, cash flow suffers, and the awkward conversation keeps getting pushed back.
What OpenClaw automates
8 workflows that give you your time back.
Each workflow runs independently. Start with the one that costs you the most time right now, then add more as you go.
01
Instant Lead Response with Portfolio Match
Respond to every inquiry in under 60 seconds.
Someone fills out your contact form. OpenClaw reads their industry, pulls 2-3 matching portfolio pieces, drafts a personalized email with your work, includes your calendar link, and sends it. Before they finish browsing your competitors, you are already in their inbox.
02
Project Kickoff Sequence
Payment confirmed. Everything fires automatically.
Client signs the proposal. OpenClaw creates a shared Google Drive folder from your template, sends the brand questionnaire, creates the Asana project with your standard milestones, invites the client to Slack, and books the kickoff call. Five minutes. Zero manual steps.
03
Automated Milestone Updates
Clients always know where their project stands.
Every time a task moves to a new phase in your project management tool, OpenClaw sends the client a personalized update. Wireframes approved? Client gets a message. Design mockup ready for review? They know immediately. No more 'just checking in' emails from clients.
04
Content Collection Reminders
Stop waiting weeks for client content.
OpenClaw sends structured content requests with clear deadlines. If content is not received within 3 days, a friendly reminder goes out. After 7 days, a firmer follow-up. The sequence includes specific page-by-page content needs so clients know exactly what to provide.
05
Staging Site Review Alerts
Push updates, client gets notified instantly.
Deploy to your staging environment and OpenClaw detects the change, takes a screenshot of key pages, compiles them into a review email with direct links, and sends it to the client with clear instructions on how to leave feedback. No more Loom recordings just to say 'check the staging site.'
06
Post-Launch Care and Testimonial Collection
The relationship does not end at launch.
After launch, OpenClaw sends a 7-day check-in, a 30-day satisfaction survey, and a testimonial request with a pre-written template the client can edit. If they respond positively, it asks for a Google Review. If they flag an issue, it alerts you immediately in Slack.
07
Invoice Follow-Up Sequences
Professional reminders that protect the relationship.
Invoice overdue 5 days? A polite reminder with the payment link. 10 days? A slightly firmer follow-up. 20 days? An escalation notice. The sequence cancels automatically when Stripe or QuickBooks confirms payment. You never have the awkward conversation.
08
Referral and Maintenance Outreach
Turn past clients into recurring revenue.
90 days after launch, OpenClaw sends a maintenance check-in. Six months later, a website audit offer. Annually, a redesign conversation starter. It also sends a referral request to every satisfied client with a link they can share. Your pipeline grows without cold outreach.
Lead nurturing on autopilot
Every inquiry gets a response in under 60 seconds.
The web design agencies that win the most projects are not necessarily the most talented. They are the fastest to respond. OpenClaw makes you the fastest agency in every prospect's inbox.
Instant Response
Inquiry comes in. OpenClaw responds in under 60 seconds with 2-3 portfolio examples that match the prospect's industry. Includes your calendar link for a discovery call.
Pre-Call Questionnaire
Discovery call booked? OpenClaw sends an intake questionnaire covering budget range, timeline, must-have features, and design preferences. You walk into the call already prepared.
Nurture Non-Bookers
If the prospect does not book within 48 hours, a follow-up sequence starts. A case study from their industry. A pricing guide. A limited-time offer. Spaced 3 days apart.
Post-Call Follow-Up
Call completed? OpenClaw sends a personalized recap with next steps, a link to your proposal, and a timeline estimate. If no response after 3 days, a gentle follow-up.
Win-Back Sequence
Lost deals are not dead leads. 60 days later, OpenClaw re-engages with a new portfolio piece, a seasonal offer, or a relevant blog post. Stays top of mind without being pushy.
The ROI
Replace $4,500/month in overhead with $5/month.
Web design agency owners typically spend 15 to 20 hours per week on non-design work. Here is what the alternatives actually cost.
Full-time project manager
Salary, benefits, management overhead
Virtual assistant
Training time, quality inconsistency
Zapier + Make stack
Per-task pricing, limited to API-only tools
OpenClaw on a VPS
Runs 24/7, no per-task fees, works with any software
How it works
Live in 30 minutes. No developer needed.
You do not need to know how to code. You describe what you want in plain English and OpenClaw builds the workflow.
Set Up OpenClaw
Install on your Mac, PC, or a $5/month VPS. The Workshop walks you through everything in under 30 minutes. A VPS means it runs 24/7 even when your laptop is off.
Connect Your Tools
Link Webflow, WordPress, Asana, Trello, ClickUp, Slack, Google Drive, Stripe, QuickBooks, and Calendly. OAuth connections, no code required. Under 10 minutes total.
Describe Your Workflows
Tell OpenClaw what you want in plain English: 'When a new client pays, create their project folder, send the brand questionnaire, set up Asana, and book the kickoff.' That is the whole setup.
Watch It Scale
OpenClaw handles onboarding, status updates, content collection, invoice follow-ups, and lead nurturing while you focus on design. Add new workflows anytime by describing them.
Get started today
The $19 Workshop gets you running in 30 minutes.
Guided setup, tool connections, and your first live automation. One-time payment, lifetime access. Most web design agencies start with lead response or project kickoff automation because those deliver the fastest results.
Frequently asked questions
Questions web design agencies ask.
Written by
Kevin Jeppesen
Founder, The Operator Vault
Kevin is an early OpenClaw adopter who has saved an estimated 400 to 500 hours through AI automation. He stress-tests new workflows daily, sharing what actually works through step-by-step guides and a security-conscious approach to operating AI with real tools.
Ready to automate
your agency?
Let our team configure OpenClaw for your web design workflows. Done-for-you setup, tailored to your tools and clients.