How to Find Clients
Whether you are trying to start a side hustle, you’re opening your own small business, or you are freelancing full-time, finding reliable clients that respect you (aka pay you on time) can sometimes be so elusive. I’m willing to bet that not knowing where to find clients probably prevents a lot of people from taking the plunge and becoming their own boss.
That’s why I felt compelled to share my tips on how to find clients. When I first started freelancing I made a lot of mistakes in this regard so hopefully, this blog post can save you some time so you can start making 👏 that 👏 money👏. But first…I want to tell you where not to find clients.
Where NOT to Find Clients
Whatever you do, please refrain from making a profile on one of those freelancer stockyard sites (Freelancer.com, Upwork.com, Content.de, etc.) Why? Because you aren’t going to like the results you desire. Not only will you spend valuable time trying to build a reputation and credibility on the site, instead of in real life, but you’ll be competing against site veterans and people who have a lower cost of living (like folks living in India).
Because you’ll be competing with people who have been on the site for YEARS and already have a ton of ratings, it’s likely you’ll have to undervalue yourself from the beginning just to get any worthy attention. Also, the kind of clients you are going to attract by undervaluing yourself won’t likely be the kind of clients you want to work with long-term. Business owners typically use these sites when they are in a pinch (either under a time crunch or have budget constraints) - and need a cheap + fast solution. They likely aren’t going to choose someone (like you) with no credibility on the site. It’s not likely that client will be reoccurring income either. And if they do, do you really want a third party managing your invoicing/taking fees?
A lot of freelancers think Freelance-sites are where they should spend their time and effort when they first start out - but it’s a big-time waster and will likely just leave you frustrated and burned out. You have been warned!
Here’s Where To Find Clients
Before you attempt to find clients you’ll first need to make sure you have a beautiful online portfolio/ website. The reason is simple - you’ll need it to "prove” your abilities to your potential clients. Without it, you're essentially asking them to take a big gamble on you. And unless you have an award-winning sales pitch, this approach will likely leave you empty-handed (and empty-pocketed.) If you already have an online portfolio (with at least one project example), however, you may proceed.
The first ( and best) way to find a client is……drumroll, please…. through direct referrals. Ok maybe this wasn’t the climax you were hoping for but it’s absolutely the BEST way for you to grow your business. But how do you get direct referrals when you don’t have any clients to begin with? Easy. You either offer your services or products to your ideal customers for free or for a reduced rate or you do a skill swap with an ideal customer, and then….YOU ASK! Eventually, you won’t have to ask for referrals, they will just roll in, but in the beginning, you might have to send out some personal emails to those you have either already done business with or those you want to do business with in the future and you say something like, “Hey, I just launched my new online portfolio and am currently opening my books to some new clients. If you know anyone who needs this XYZ service, please think of me!”
Through immediate contacts - this includes friends, family, co-workers, friends of friends. Follow the same protocol as in the first example. Send your immediate contacts a personal email (DO NOT SEND A MASS EMAIL AND BCC EVERYONE) - letting them know that you have this new website and want to start offering your skills to the world. You can even include a family/friend discount offer in the initial outreach.
Through a mentor (or someone in the industry who has more experience). This option is a little tricky if you don’t already have a mentor because I wouldn’t advise you to waste precious time looking for a mentor (this kind of relationship can take years to build) BUT on the off chance that you already have one, this can be a great place for you to find potential clients. You can open the request by 1. serving them up a compliment and 2. asking them to provide feedback on your new portfolio site (see how important having a website is in this process - it’s the best ice breaker!!) Once you have established a relationship with them you can tell them to keep you in mind if they ever need someone to help lighten their workload. Say that you are eager to learn the ins and outs of the business and admire the way they do things.
Last but not least, head to your local community. First try hitting up physical (or virtual) brick-and-mortar stores that you already love and support (ex. if you are a graphic designer, you could call up the pizza joint you order from every week and ask them if they want you to redesign their menu for them). Some other things that have worked for me are mingling on Facebook groups in my city or joining virtual meetups/workshops where your ideal clients frequent.