Freelancing gives you the freedom to work on projects that excite you and you can work according to your convenience. Many people with full-time jobs quit the 9 to 5 routine and swap it for an exciting freelancing world. But landing new customers as a freelancer is not an easy task.
Although, many individuals and organizations today, prefer hiring freelancers as opposed to agencies or other organizations. Freelancers do the job in time and produce quality work without compromising on the client’s needs.
A freelancer has it tough at times. With a full-time corporate job, you know what your will entails and at the end of the month or the beginning of the next month, your salary is credited to you without fail.
But landing a new customer as a freelancer and then to get your payments on time is what makes the process difficult. If you talk to experienced freelancers, you will learn that despite obstacles, they are happy doing what they do. It’s the freedom to work on projects they want is what keeps them going.
Coming to landing new customers as a freelancer, there are several tools and methods today that will help you get new customers. We’ll take a look at few such ways for you to help gain new customers.
1. Build your portfolio
A freelancer’s resume is his body of work. Before trying to land new customers, make sure you have enough experience in your kitty. Ideally, you should have started freelancing before you left your old job. With a decent body of work, you will be able to show potential customers the kind of work you can do.
2. Research
In the field of freelancing, research is a very important step. Not just researching the work you’re about to take on, but researching for new customers. Look for freelancing websites and look for their client list.
Most websites who do freelance work will boast of a long list of popular clients. With this information, you can either reach out to those clients yourself to offer similar work or you can find similar clients who can do so.
3. Testimonials
Make sure you have every customer gives you a written testimonial of their experience of working with you. With this, new customers can build faith in you as a freelancer and give you work.
Testimonials should be a part of your portfolio and be sent out with proposals to potential customers. This is a great way for you to land new customers as a freelancer.
4. Learn from the best
Freelancing work comes with a lot of learning on the job. Whatever the nature of work, you must have people to look up to and seek advice from. Make a list of such seasoned freelancers and write to them.
When asked correctly, anyone would be willing to help with a few kind words. Tell them how you are new in the industry and seek help to understand how things work with regard to getting new customers as a freelancer. Take direction from them and work accordingly.
5. Write to potential customers
Getting new customers as a freelancer can be a tough job. It’s best to try whatever you can do sign on new customers. Find out what kind of products you want to work with and the clients that might offer you to work with such products.
Write to them about what you think about their product and get their attention. Don’t simply compliment them. Tell them what you would do differently that would help improve their product. That will catch their attention.
6. Making a splash
Today everyone and everything is online. You must get online too. Create an attractive profile for yourself and float it on your social media. Create fun videos that showcase your talent. There are good chances that you might get new customers as a freelancer. If nothing, have your friends and contacts share your profile on their social media. That’s how word is spread these days.
7. Social media
Speaking of going online, make sure your presence is felt on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. These are the three biggies out there today with huge following. But don’t just stick with them.
There are other platforms that work brilliantly well if you want to get new customers as a freelancer. There’s Pinterest that helps with similar interests connect and grow. Then there’s LinkedIn with a great network of people. A lot of companies are on these platforms looking to hire freelancers. You could be one of the ones they hire.
8. Find a partner
Yes, many freelancers are lone workers. They don’t want to work with others and that’s why they chose to freelance, of course. But you needn’t work like that. If you want to get new customers as a freelancer, you can find a partner and boost your connections.
For instance, if you are a designer, you can partner with a copywriter. If you are a content creator, you can partner with an editor. You can not only create better work but also work as a team and get the work done faster. This way, you can find new customers as a freelancer.
9. Networking
Sometimes you have to do a few things in person like, networking. There are several events held everywhere these days that encourage people from various fields connect with one another and build their network.
If you can attend such events, you can not only learn more about your kind of work but also talk to potential customers. Companies are always looking to work with people with fresh and new perspectives. This is an effective way of landing new customers as a freelancer.
In short, don’t slack and keep working on whatever it is that you do. If you create content, don’t stop. If you’re an illustrator, keep it going on various platforms. The more work you create, the more people will take notice. If not for clients, create work for yourself.
