How do I find clients as a freelancer?

The freelance lifestyle is ideal for many different types of people. This shouldn’t come as a surprise given the level of flexibility that you are able to take advantage of.

However, it can sometimes be difficult to understand how to find clients when you make the transition to this type of career path. After all, you can’t expect to succeed over a long period of time unless you are able to build up a solid client base.

Not quite sure how to go about it? Let’s explore some of the key information that you need to keep in mind.

Take advantage of social media

Social media is a commonly overlooked tool when it comes to securing new clients as a freelancer. In practice, though, it’s one of the most efficient ways that you can do so.

Not only does it provide an avenue to directly contact a potential client, but it also allows you to convey key information about who you are as a professional.

Depending on the type of work you perform, social media could even serve as a form of a business card or portfolio. A professional photographer, for example, could find that Instagram offers plenty of utility when it comes to showcasing their talents.

It’s also important to acknowledge the fact that social media gives you the chance to interact with other freelancers. In some professions, collaborating is a great way to help get your name out there.

If you choose to collaborate with another freelancer, you'll need a way to streamline how you track each party's contribution to the project. You can check out our freelance collaboration tool in order to learn the most efficient way to do so.

Capitalize on who you know

In the early stages of your freelance career, you might find it notably difficult to find potential clients to work with. Fortunately, most people have at least a few contacts that can help get them started.

You may have a friend who owns his own business. Or, your mother-in-law may know somebody who is looking to work with someone who is able to provide the services that you offer.

Even if the person you contact is unable to work with you directly, they can often help bridge the gap between you and a potential client. Keep this in mind when moving forward.

In order to streamline the client acquisition process, it's essential that you are able to offer detailed proposals and contracts. Our comprehensive proposals and contracts tool can help you generate them.

Brand yourself appropriately

Although working as a freelancer is often difficult enough, many professionals tend to overlook the fact that they need to brand themselves appropriately in order to stand out.

Branding yourself typically involves showcasing who you are as a person and what your core tenets are as a professional.

For example, a freelance graphic designer might specialize in dark, ambient pieces. This should be reflected in their branding, meaning much of their aesthetic should be visually similar to their work.

Regardless of how you choose to brand yourself, it’s also essential to create a professional image online. Even a minor slip-up could come back to haunt you in the future.

Learn how to pitch yourself as a freelancer

Many clients will need a bit of extra convincing before they hire you. This is especially true before you are able to establish a solid presence in your chosen field.

So, you’ll need to master the art of pitching yourself.

This means you should be able to fluidly introduce yourself, showcase your talents, and then offer your potential clients a way for them to learn more about you. More often than not, this typically includes linking to your professional website or portfolio.

When pitching over email, it's essential to be as brief as possible. People often don’t have the time to read emails in general — especially from those whom they may have never met before.

It's also a good idea to formulate a long-term business plan for yourself as a professional. this will both help you stay more organized and provide a better client experience.

Moxie offers a comprehensive home base tool that is specifically designed to help freelancers accomplish this. You can check it out here.

Constantly revamp your professional portfolio

Your portfolio should always accurately reflect your skill level in your profession. If you forget to update on a regular basis, you could easily miss out on potential work.

A general rule of thumb is to replace the weakest piece of your portfolio with a new addition. Over time, this will allow you to constantly build upon the projects that you showcase.

If you don’t have any projects to show your clients, consider offering to complete a project for them that they only pay for if they accept it. In the event that they reject what you have to offer, you’ll know that you need to devote more time toward refining your skills.

Establish authority in your industry

People are much more likely to work with someone who they have heard of before. If you go out of your way to establish an authoritative presence in your industry, you will likely have a much easier time securing clients.

Although this isn’t always an easy task, you can help achieve this by consistently posting high-quality content. Blogs, for example, are a great way to help get your foot in the door in this regard.

You could also post projects to your social media on a regular basis and frequently interact with other professionals in your industry.

Understanding how to find clients as a freelancer isn’t as hard as you think

In fact, developing a strategy to find clients for your finance business is often a relatively simple process. As long as you keep the above guidelines in mind, you’ll have little trouble accomplishing this task.

Want to learn more about what we have to offer? Feel free to get in touch with us today and see how we can help.