It might take days, weeks, or months to find potential clients as a freelancer. Although, if you follow the right steps, it won’t take you long. Freelancing, in a nutshell, is all about managing your work, pitching clients, and collaborating. You can also call it your “own business”.
As part of my journey, I’ve seen queries related to this, such as:
“Why is it too hard to get freelance clients?” or “Am I too dumb to hunt potential clients?”
If you have these questions in mind, ask yourself, “are you following the proper procedures?
Let’s be honest. Finding freelance clients is not a breeze. It is one of the most challenging tasks as freelancing has already become saturated. According to the report of Mass Challenge, 71% of tech companies say that freelancers scale their businesses during economic uncertainty.
Why finding clients is crucial for freelance success
Your freelance business won’t sprout without high-paying clients. That is why it is essential to hunt clients on different platforms. They are the base for your freelance journey. Moreover, freelancing is a solo business. You create a team after earning enough to outsource the work or build a team.
This article will go through a step-by-step process to find clients as freelancers. Let’s not stop reading!
Best Ways to Find Freelance clients
Networking with Professionals and Potential clients
Networking is indispensable for you to get an ideal client. It helps you build your career as a freelancer. Furthermore, networking also allows you to collaborate with freelancers and local businesses. When I started freelancing, I got my first client in web development through networking.
Moreover, With networking events, you can expand your client base by engaging with different people from various fields. You can join events of the target audience and get your next client.
Once you reach your target client and work for him, most likely you’re able to get your next client through his reference. all you’ve to do is deliver quality work. You’ll be getting more clients automatically.
Here are some ways to build networks and find freelance clients
Attend Industry Events and Conferences
You can join many events and conferences to promote your service and meet different people. It is a great way to build your network.
Join Online Communities and Groups
Online communities and groups are a fantastic way to grow your network. You can join different Facebook groups related to your niche and build relationships with other freelancers. Furthermore, LinkedIn also provides a solid foundation for finding freelance clients.
You can collaborate, engage with the community, and share freelancing tips. This way, you’ll be more noticeable.
Collaborate with other Freelancers and Business
You can collaborate with fellow freelancers and ask them to refer you further. Moreover, there are many businesses on LinkedIn and Facebook. You can cold email them with your service and how you can help them.
Freelancing websites
I prefer freelance platforms because of the payment security they offer. There are many freelancing sites online on which you can create an account and start hunting for your first client.
Upwork
We have previously discussed this website and did a complete review of it. It is a safe and secure platform for starting your freelance journey. You can find related jobs in your niche and write them a proposal or through job listings. Are you struggling to write a cover letter? Make sure you read this article.
It has thousands of jobs posted every day in different categories. You can also connect with other freelancers on this platform.
Also Read Review on Upwork: Is Upwork good for Freelancers
Fiverr
Fiverr is another excellent platform and is highly recommended for beginner freelancers. It also connects people from all around the world. However, it is much different from Upwork. It has different policies for freelancers and clients.
Also Read: How to be a Successful Freelancer on Fiverr?
Toptal
If you struggle to find freelance clients as an expert, then Toptal is the right place to hunt your potential clients. Although, the site isn’t for beginners at all. You’ll have to pass their approval to work with their clients.
You can join this platform as a developer, finance expert, designer, project manager, and other related fields. A single freelance client can work with you for years if they hire you for a full-time job because most of the clients on this platform are high-paying big companies.
Use Social Media Platforms
Social media websites are a great alternative to freelance websites. According to this survey, 80% of companies evaluate and screen candidates through social media. If
As mentioned above, social media sites help you connect with other businesses, organizations, and individuals. Here are a couple of social media sites that you MUST join for your freelance journey:
Are you sick of not getting a job on Upwork or Fiverr? You are not the only one. LinkedIn is the hub of clients. You can use your LinkedIn profile as your resume. In a nutshell, it is a pool of professional freelancers, businesses, and agencies. There are many hybrid, on-site, and freelance jobs posted every day on this site.
It is a professional platform, where you can find your ideal clients from every corner of the world. This platform also helps you in building relationships with other professionals and communities.
The best way to get engagement on LinkedIn is to post related to your niche, discuss the latest trends, and complete a skill test. Don’t forget to optimize your profile, bio, and others.
Twitter is not only used for twitting. It’s one of the best social media platforms to attract new clients. You can engage and attract new clients by following relevant people in your niche. Moreover, it would help if you also optimized your Twitter profile.
Also, it is easy on this platform to connect and discuss with others. You must engage with your followers by sharing helpful information about your niche.
At last, Instagram will suit graphic designers and people from a visual background. Graphic designers can create their portfolios by creating an Instagram account and sharing their designs. This way, they can interact with other designers and content creators on this platform.
You can also cold message other marketers and designers about your service and tell them what you can do by demonstrating your skills.
Read More: How to Make Money Marketing with Social Media
Marketing Your Freelance Services
As a freelancer, you should know how to sell yourself. As we have previously mentioned about LinkedIn, you can market yourself by commenting, liking, and engaging with your followers. It is a good place to market, book clients and sell your services.
Moreover, there are also LinkedIn groups that you can join and interact with other freelancers. You can also select other social media platforms, which we have listed above this heading.
Here are some ways to boost your service and find more high-quality clients
Publish an Online Blog
Blogging is one of the best ways to stand out. There is a swath of freelancers around the world. For you to compete with them, it is essential to have an online blog. You can hire a freelance writer for your website or, write the content yourself. Creating content is important to market yourself and your business these days.
Also, SEO optimization is important to rank your website otherwise you’ll not be able to engage the audience. You can create content related to your niche, search for low-competitive keywords, and give value to the reader.
Also Read: Blogging with WordPress
Cold Outreach
It is also an excellent way to market yourself and find freelance clients. Cold outreach is when you email or message any business or individuals about a service without having any acquaintance with them. You can read several blog posts related to your niche, search the owner’s email address, and cold outreach him.
In your email, tell them how you can help and provide them with a better solution. You should at least email ten individuals daily to get a response. Make sure you give them a reason to contact you.
Moreover, you can take advantage of cold calling and reach out to potential clients around your as a web designer, developer or writer. Whoever you’re, there’s your demand in the market. You can get your first client through cold outreach.
Ask for Referrals
At last, if you have worked for past clients, it is better to ask them for a recommendation. If you have delivered excellent quality work to your clients, you are more likely to be recommended further.
Building a Strong Reputation for your freelance business
Building a strong reputation is the secret sauce behind the success of freelancers. It’s more like a superhero cape that sets you apart. Without it, you will be just an average Joe pitching clients to make it in the big, bad world of freelancing. But if you work on building your reputation, you’ll be soaring to new heights and attracting clients faster than you can say “Freelance Power!“
So, how do you get that cape that will set you apart? Well, it all starts with giving your best and delivering work that surpasses the prospective client’s expectations. Show your clients that you are the best and stun them with your skills. It’s like the saying goes, “Under promise, over deliver.” And believe me, your clients will thank you for it.
After delivering superb work, the next step is to gather testimonials from your current clients or previous clients. Reviews are like Kryptonite which will give you an unbeatable advantage. You can ask them to give you a shoutout on their social media handles or write a glowing review on your freelance website or professional profile. And you will be amazed at how this little gem can help you build a successful freelancing career.
And last but definitely not least, keeping yourself up to date with the latest trends can also help in building a powerful reputation. Keep in mind that no tool is developed to replace the Human mind, but it’s developed to help us ease our work. So, stay updated with technologies and see yourself getting potential freelance clients through your freelance job sites.
Head to a Coworking Space
Do you have a coffee shop near you or a coworking space? Then, take your laptop and start working there. You can collaborate with other people working there and tell them about your service.
It will also help you find clients locally and increase your network. You can also design your business card and give it to new friends. Moreover, it will also increase your chances of meeting other professionals working there in different categories and niches.
Furthermore, networking and making freelance friends in a co-working space will keep you motivated during work. You might feel frustrated working alone in a lonely environment at home. It is suitable for your mental health and freelance career, too.
Acknowledge your Family or Friends
What if your friend is looking for a freelancer related to your niche, and you haven’t acknowledged him about yourself? It’s better to advertise yourself in your surroundings about service. You can also tell your family that you have started working online.
If you have graduated your college, it’s time to inform your former colleagues and professors about your freelance business. You can contact them via phone number and acknowledge them about your freelance work. They might be able to help you in finding potential clients and help you grow your freelance business.
It might be your neighbor needing a web developer for their new website or your cousin looking for a graphic designer. In addition, your friends and family can vouch for you, as well.
When did the last time you pinged your Facebook friends? If you haven’t, it’s the best time to message them and let them know about your service. They may refer you further and help you get more clients.
Create Online Courses
Do you consider yourself an expert in your field? Then it’s time to create a course online and sell it further. This way, it will also acknowledge other clients about services. You can stand out as an expert in the market by creating a course of your niche.
You can add video lectures, documents, and other keynotes for your students. You can also sell your eBook and teach students live.
Also Read: How to Make Money in your Spare time
Conclusion
Freelancing depends on your clients. However, it would be best if you also tried to build networks and relationships with other businesses, individuals, industries, and companies. You can also market your services online in a Facebook group, ask for referrals, and cold email your target clients.
At last, when you start generating a healthy amount of money from your freelancing, make sure to outsource, build your community, and be your own boss.
If you want to read more articles related to freelancing and making money, feel free to check out Farazdev.com for more!
