Clients are the lifeline of every freelancer. When asked, freelancers state that their main barrier is maintaining financial predictability. That’s the reason they probably spend about half of their resources finding clients. Truth be told, there are some (relatively) simple things anyone can do to fast-track the process.
Have a clear offering
It’s quite apparent that things are moving fast these days, and now more than ever, we have diversity in the job market. Remember the days when someone would say that they are “a marketing expert” and you would exactly know what that means? Well, now you need to be more specific and say “content marketer” or “PPC (pay-per-click) specialist.”
This means you need to choose your niche carefully. There are many benefits of having a niche, mainly because your potential clients will know exactly what to expect. Ideally, you should combine what you know best and what you love doing.
Know who your clients are
Work is work, but it’s important to understand who are the people you are offering your services to. There are many articles providing tips on finding an “ideal client,” but what’s “ideal” for one is not “ideal” for someone else. This can also change as you become more skilled and experienced.
Ask yourself- What do I want to achieve with every project? Is it a big fat check, an opportunity to grow, extended deadlines, challenging tasks or all of the above? Take a pick and remember, hitting the jackpot means finding a balance between getting paid and doing something beneficial for you. Once you know who you’re after, think about where to find those clients. Who are they, where do they network/look for freelancers?
Network and meet people
Even though you do your job online, it’s worth considering investing in some good old networking. They say images speak louder than words so I will leave you with some interesting facts:
Believe it or not, the impact of traditional, face-to-face networking is still almost twice as significant compared to job boards. So go out there and see if you can find a freelance meet up or a networking event. A lot of coworking places offer them weekly.
Partner with agencies and non-competing companies
This can be a great source of additional projects. Some agencies don’t accept projects because they are too small, or they don’t have the capacity to take them on. That’s where you should jump in an offer your services.
It’s important to do proper research and find the agencies that are bigger than your business, so you two are not competing. It would be ideal to look for the ones that do not have your expertise in-house. That way whenever they need support, they will send projects your way.
Reach out via email
There are two types of emails you can send: cold and warm. Send cold emails to the companies you have never been in contact with, but believe you can contribute to. Keep in mind that there is more to it than just finding their email addresses and hitting send. Do a little bit of research, include specific references that can showcase you are a good fit for the collaboration, etc. Go a step further and offer freebie advice on how to improve something (website copy, design, social media engagement, etc.).
Another thing you should do is follow up with your previous or lost clients. Ask your past clients how they are doing with their business and if they need your support. Even if they don’t, you will be on their radar for the upcoming projects. Your lost clients are the ones to whom you sent a proposal but didn’t get the job. Do the same thing, ask if they need your support with anything. Who knows, maybe that will be your next source of good projects!
Conclusion
You know how they say “The thrill is in the chase.” However, you choose “to chase” your clients, make sure you are doing it in a smart way that works for you. It is challenging, but if you ask me, totally worth it!
P.S. Don’t forget to streamline your client-work with Deel contracts. Say goodbye to paperwork and off to the race track!
