Learning how to find new clients as a freelancer on a regular basis can be challenging. As a freelancer, you are the type to work with on your own. Yes, you have great community support from online organizations and local freelance groups, but much of your success in learning how to get freelance clients is determined by your own efforts.
Even if the business is thriving, it’s important to have a strategy to find new clients as a freelancer on a regular basis, or keeping your existing base. Getting new freelance clients is especially important if your chosen type of freelance business is not conducive to duplicating clients, instead constantly starting over again every time (logo designers are a good example of this).
How do I find new freelance clients?
Finding freelance work can be daunting, especially if you are starting out. Also, you never get to the point where you have enough customers and can stop getting crowded; some customers are repeat customers, some are one-time customers, and new customers are on board while old customers leave. To keep your client base strong and consistently earn a steady income, you have to have a game – and you have to be in the game with a smart strategy that covers multiple customer source channels.
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You’re probably sitting there wondering how to find new clients as a freelancer. Be warned, finding your first client is a tedious process. The first step is usually the hardest, especially when you don’t have a good reputation or credibility.
Not to mention that clients systematically tend to avoid new freelancers, regardless of the freelance skill set; the reason is that the Internet often leads to mistrust and apprehension. People could not immediately trust someone they met online.
Consider, for a second, what this latest statement means. You are new to the market and have no one to turn to. Employers with whom you have no previous experience will be intimidated by you. Therefore, you might end up finding yourself in a dead end. Instead of losing hope, you should turn your attention to the following innovative ways of finding clients as a freelancer.
How to find new clients as a freelancer
· Increase your visibility with social media
One way to find clients is to let people know that you exist, and that means building your presence on social media as a recruiting professional and an expert in your field. Use your social media channels to promote and showcase your business and talk about topics related to your focus on attracting followers and potential clients. At the very least, you should be using: LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. Depending on your industry, it is also possible to find smart ways to take advantage of platforms like Snapchat. It’s also a good idea to have a website that shows more detailed examples of your business as well as comprehensive information on how to be hired.
· Find out who your customers are
Freelancers often neglect to know your target market. It is imperative that you have a good understanding of who your potential customers are and what they want. Communication with companies who could be potential customers; find out if they are hiring freelancers and what kind of traits they look for in freelancers. This will give you insight into what customers want. Freelance work can feel overwhelming, and the pressure to secure work and clients can be overwhelming, however, this will give you a place to start.
ALSO CHECK: JOB LISTINGS
· Create a site / portfolio
Building a website for your freelance business is essential. A website can represent your portfolio, allowing you to show your skills and experiences to any potential clients. If you want to work independently in creative fields like writing and photography, having a blog / website is a must. It is important for any potential client to be able to see any past work and skills to see if you are a good fit or not. Updating your website is also another way to demonstrate your skill set.
· Embrace local marketing
Most of the online freelancers fail to leverage offline marketing in their business, and in fact most of them will never think of the offline world as their main generator. Perhaps this resistance to offline marketing, however, may come from falsely linking it to newspaper ads or expensive TV ads. This is an incomplete and somewhat superficial view of offline marketing. Sometimes, offline marketing may be cheaper than internet marketing. This is especially true when you know how to benefit from self-promotion within your local community.
· Use job boards
Yes, people have very strong feelings about piece work boards, and many of these feelings are negative. While it is true that you will not get rich by using these sites, you should not ignore them completely. As long as you manage your expectations and use them wisely, these boards can be beneficial for new freelancers. Freelance job sites, like People Per Hour, Freelancer, and Upwork often get a bad rap. But if you’re not a founder, don’t have a lot of portfolio and aren’t used to working with clients, it can come in handy.
You have to devote a lot of time and effort to bidding and building your rating and reputation. But many of my guests started using these sites successfully and then moved away to the bigger, more paying work. So don’t turn them down before you try them.
· Ask for referrals and recommendations
Your satisfied customers can lead you to more clients. When you have successfully completed a project, reach out to the client and ask for feedback. If they are satisfied, ask them if they are willing to do any of the following: There are a few things you can do to encourage customers to comply with this request. First, make it easy for them. Provide clients with links to relevant review sites. Add a form to your website for writing a quick testimonial, and leave contact information for customer referrals.
You can also encourage referrals and recommendations by offering an incentive. Consider offering a discount on future services, some sort of promotion or freebie. Finally, when people leave comments on your services, respond to them. This shows potential clients that you are responsive and focused on customer service.
