How to make money selling websites to local businesses in Tunisia

Yes, you can make money selling websites to local businesses in Tunisia, as long as you target the ones that already have a Google Maps listing but no website, and you show them their future site before you talk about price. This guide gives you the full loop, what you need to start, and a plan to land a first client this week. You will not find any income promise here: what you earn depends on how many owners you contact and on the quality of what you show them.

Who buys a website, and why

The best client for a beginner is not a large company. It is the neighbourhood business that is doing well, has reviews on Google Maps, and still has no website. It is easy to spot: the listing exists, customers talk about it, but the "website" field is empty or points to a Facebook page.

The profiles you will meet most often:

• Cafés, restaurants and pastry shops, who want to show their menu, photos and opening hours.
• Hair salons, beauty salons and barbers, who want to receive booking requests.
• Practices and clinics (dentists, physiotherapists, labs), who want to build trust before the first visit.
• Artisans and services (plumbers, carpenters, garages, caterers), who are searched for in a hurry and chosen in a few seconds.

Why do they buy? Rarely "to have a website". They buy because they want to look serious when someone types their name, because they want an address of their own that does not depend on a social network, and because they want customers to find the phone number, address, hours and prices straight away. To go deeper on that argument, read why a Google Maps listing is not enough.

Keep one thing in mind: the owner has no time. They will not read a long pitch. They will look at a picture of their own business.

The simple loop: find, build first, show, sell, deliver, follow up

The whole activity is six steps that you repeat.

1. Find. Pick one type of business and one city, then look on Google Maps for those with no website. The full method is in find businesses without a website on Google Maps.
2. Build first. Prepare a real first version of the site with the business's own photos, reviews and hours. This is what separates you from everyone who sends "Hello, I make websites".
3. Show. Send one personal WhatsApp message with the preview link. The owner sees the site for free, before paying anything.
4. Sell. If they reply, talk about what they want changed, then about the price. Send a clear proposal in writing.
5. Deliver. Fix the texts and photos with them, put the site online, and show them how to change their hours.
6. Follow up. One polite reminder a few days later to those who did not answer, then move on. And go back to delivered clients to ask for a referral.

This is exactly the loop LeadMax was built for: the app finds businesses with no website from Google Maps data, generates a site from the business's photos and reviews, and gives you a preview link to send on WhatsApp. You also see when the link was opened, which helps you pick the right moment to follow up. You can run the same loop by hand, it simply takes longer.

What you need to start

Very little, which is why this work is within reach of a student or a new freelancer.

• A phone and WhatsApp. That is where Tunisian business owners answer, far more than by email.
• A fast way to build. A tool or a template that lets you produce a first version quickly. If every demo takes you three days, you will not last.
• A short message. Three or four sentences, written for that specific business. Examples are in how to pitch a business owner on WhatsApp.
• A reasoned price. Not a random figure. The method is in how much to charge for a website in Tunisia.
• A tax status once you start invoicing. You do not need one to prepare a demo, but as soon as you get paid you must be able to issue a proper quote and invoice. The regime that suits you is a decision to take with an accountant. The basics are in quotes and invoices in Tunisia.

You do not need an office, a logo or a portfolio of ten projects. At the start, your best reference is the demo you show.

What to expect, honestly

Nobody can honestly tell you how much you will earn, or how many owners will say yes. Here is what to be ready for:

• Most messages get no reply. That is not a rejection of you, it is a busy owner.
• Some reply "it looks nice" and vanish. Others reply three weeks later.
• The first sales are the slowest, because you are still learning how to present your offer.
• Word of mouth matters a lot. A happy owner talks to the shop next door.

What you control is volume and quality: how many relevant businesses you contact each week, how careful the demo is, how clear the message is. Keep a small table with four columns (contacted, link opened, reply, sale) and look at your own numbers after a month. They are the only ones that matter.

The mistakes that cost the most

• Sending the same message to everyone. Mass sending is forbidden by WhatsApp's own rules, and a phone number is personal data under Tunisian law 2004-63. One message, personal and relevant. If the owner says no, you stop.
• Talking tech. "Responsive", "SEO" and "hosting" mean nothing to a pastry chef. Talk about customers, calls and bookings.
• Giving the price before they have seen the site. Without a picture, any price sounds too high.
• Promising results. You do not control their Google ranking or their number of customers. Promise what you deliver: a clean site, in their name, online on a given date.
• Working with nothing in writing. Without an accepted quote and a deposit, you risk doing ten rounds of changes for nothing.
• Giving up after ten messages. Ten contacts tell you nothing about your offer.

How to get a first client this week

Here is a seven day plan, realistic for someone with one or two hours a day.

1. Day 1. Pick one type of business and one neighbourhood or city. For example hair salons in your town. List the ones with no website.
2. Day 2. Prepare three careful demos rather than twenty rushed ones. Check the name, hours, phone number and photos.
3. Day 3. Write your message and rehearse. In LeadMax, practice mode lets you rehearse with an AI playing the business owner. Otherwise, ask a friend to play the part.
4. Day 4. Send your first three messages, at a quiet hour for that trade.
5. Day 5. Prepare three more demos and send them. Answer any reaction quickly.
6. Day 6. Walk into a business near you with the demo open on your phone.
7. Day 7. Follow up once, politely, with those who opened the link and did not answer. Note what triggered replies and start again next week.

An example of a first message:

Hello, I'm Sami, a web developer in Sousse. I saw that Salon Yasmine has very good reviews on Google Maps but no website. I prepared one with your photos, you can see it here for free: [link]. Tell me if you would like me to change anything.

This does not guarantee a sale in seven days. It guarantees you will have done what makes one possible.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need to know how to code to sell websites?

Not necessarily. What the owner buys is a site that presents the business well and works on a phone. There are tools that produce this without writing code. You do need to write clear text and choose good photos.

Do I need to be registered before I start prospecting?

You can prepare demos and have conversations without a status. Once you invoice, you need a tax framework that lets you issue invoices. Which regime fits depends on your situation, so confirm it with an accountant.

Which businesses should I contact first?

The ones you understand and that are close to you. A business with many positive reviews, good photos and no website is a strong candidate: the demo will look good and the owner cares about their image.

What if the owner does not reply?

Send one short reminder a few days later. If there is still no answer, or if they say no, do not insist and move on to the next one. Insisting damages your reputation in the neighbourhood.

How long until the first sale?

It cannot be known in advance, and anyone who gives you a precise delay is making it up. What shortens it: contacting businesses every week, showing a real demo, and answering fast when someone replies.