How Do Freelancers Find Clients & Projects?

Finding a consistent stream of clients and projects is one of the biggest questions for freelancers - whether you’re a beginner, intermediate, or expert in your industry.

Landing the right projects and forging relationships with reliable, consistent clients is a puzzle that is unique to every service, location, personality, and industry. There are a few tools that pertain to every market that you can learn to dial up or down to fit your specific needs. When it comes to marketing, networking, and using online platforms to connect with potential clients, experimenting and testing to see which strategies and ratios work best for you is a game-changer.

Implementing a comprehensive strategy across all three pillars and then adjusting as you see results is going to help you hone in on your messaging and fill your calendar. Here are some tips for each aspect:

1. Marketing

a. Personal Brand: Build a strong personal brand that reflects your skills, expertise, and unique selling points. This should be consistent across your online presence, including your website, social media profiles, and portfolio. As a freelancer, YOU are your brand. Feel free to share your professional interests, skills, and achievements as well as bits of your personal life so that clients can build a stronger connection with you.

b. Professional Website: Develop a professional website that showcases your work, services, client testimonials, and contact information. Ensure it is mobile-responsive and SEO-friendly to improve search engine visibility. This doesn’t have to be expensive or complicated or time-consuming. There are so many platforms out there (I’m using Squarespace, currently) that have easy drag-and-drop design features so that you can personalize it without having to be or hire a professional developer. Keep it simple, all it has to do is exist and answer common questions.

c. Content Marketing: Create valuable content related to your expertise. This can be in the form of blog posts, videos, podcasts, or social media updates. Share this content on your website and through social media channels to establish yourself as an authority in your field. Consistently sharing about the same topics, answering FAQs, and taking a stance on issues that matter to you will grow your reputation.

d. Email Marketing: Build an email list of potential clients and existing clients. Send out newsletters, updates, and exclusive offers to stay in their minds. Email marketing is a great way to harness your social media attention and bring those eyes to a different platform - your own.

e. Social Media: Choose the social media platforms that your potential clients are most active on and that resonate with you. Regularly share your work, engage with your audience, and participate in relevant groups and discussions. (I talk a LOT about social media in my Group Coaching Program and in the Self-Guided Course.)

f. Paid Advertising: Depending on your industry and budget, you might consider running targeted ads on platforms like Google Ads, Facebook, or LinkedIn to reach a wider audience.

2. Networking

a. Online and Offline Networking: Attend industry events, conferences, webinars, and local meetups (when possible) to meet potential clients and other professionals in your field. In-person events have changed quite a bit in the last few years but it’s still true that consistently showing up builds a reputation.

b. LinkedIn: Utilize LinkedIn to connect with potential clients, industry peers, and to join relevant groups. You can use this platform to share your professional updates and lay a foundation of expertise in your field. Be sure to personalize connection requests and actively engage in conversations.

c. Professional Organizations: Join professional associations related to your field, if there are any. Many of these organizations have networking events and directories where clients search for freelancers.

d. Referrals: Build strong relationships with your existing clients, so they can refer you to others. You can also offer referral incentives. Word-of-mouth is the best form of marketing and referrals are a deliberate way to achieve this priceless marketing.

e. Cold Outreach: Don't hesitate to send cold emails or messages to potential clients, but make sure they are personalized and showcase the value you can provide to them. Cold outreach should be done after enough research and consideration to confirm that you have a solution to a problem the potential client has. Don’t copy and paste or send vague emails. Make it short, sweet, and special.

3. Online Platforms

a. Freelance Marketplaces: Consider joining freelance marketplaces like Upwork, Freelancer, or Fiverr to find clients. Optimize your profile, choose your niche, and bid on relevant projects. Again, finding traction might take some time but if you’re able to make a foundation for yourself on these platforms, you’ll reap the rewards.

b. Portfolio Websites: Platforms like Behance, Dribbble, Contently, or GitHub among many many others can be used to showcase your work and connect with clients looking for specific skills. Having your best work in one spot will make it easier for potential clients to see what you do and whether it aligns with their needs. Beyond using social media for marketing, some platforms, like Instagram or Pinterest, are also used as visual portfolios to attract potential clients.

c. Online Forums and Communities: Join relevant forums or online communities where your target clients may be active. Offer advice and solutions to showcase your expertise and provide value.

d. Professional Network Platforms: Utilize platforms like Xing (especially in Europe) or Alignable to connect with local businesses and potential clients. These platforms are great for geographically-specific freelancers.

Remember that consistency, relevancy, and keeping current is key in marketing, networking, and online presence. Regularly update your profiles and engage with your network. It may take time to see results, but with a well-rounded approach, freelancers can learn the best dials to turn up and down to most effectively connect with potential clients.

If you’re a beginner freelancer and looking to develop a solid foundation of sustainable systems to grow your career, check out my Freelancer Systems 101 Guide. The Intermediate Freelancer Systems 201 Guide will be coming out soon!