Many freelancers struggle with client acquisition, especially during the early days of starting out in their career as an independent contractor. If you’re in this boat, you may be thinking to yourself, What am I doing wrong? Why aren’t clients flocking to me like they do other freelancers? Don’t get down on yourself! It takes time and work to build your network and develop your marketing skillset as a freelancer; however, there are some things you can do today to improve your prospects of acquiring more clients in the future.
Develop a Blog and Content Strategy
As a freelancer, you can’t sit back and hope work finds you. You have to go out and find it. Developing a blog and creating consistent content is a great way to drum up interest in your business and help clients understand what it is you do. Just make sure your content is valuable, authentic, and speaks directly to your target audiences. Also make sure that whatever medium you choose—blog, YouTube channel, podcast—you’re comfortable with. Be patient with yourself as building a following takes time and effort. Start by making a list of blog topics you want to cover: there are no limits to the possibilities. Think about what topics people are searching for on Google and start exploring ideas from there.
Whenever an assignment is completed, always ask for a testimonial from your customers. Sharing customer testimonials increase the likelihood that potential customers will choose you over your competitors. It’s the best content ever!
Get Social Media Savvy
Once you have your content, share them on social media. You don’t necessarily need every platform under the sun—just pick one or two that make sense for your industry, and start building your presence! Whether you choose Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter, or something else entirely like Tumblr or Reddit, social media is a great way to grow your following and connect with new people.
Social media campaigns are one of the most effective ways to market yourself as a professional freelancer. You can promote your work through social media in three main ways: with paid advertising, through organic social activity (i.e., tweeting about what you do), and by taking advantage of connections from previous jobs. Social media also provides an opportunity for humanizing yourself: showing personality traits beyond freelancer who does job will help make potential clients feel more comfortable working with you instead of a faceless company they found online.
Build Relationships With Other Freelancers in Your Industry
After you create your online presence and content, further expand your network and grow your business. Building solid relationships with other freelancers in your industry is an essential part of growing your business. You can learn from their businesses, partner with them on projects, and even take over contracts when one of you gets too busy. The first step is reaching out and getting connected. Reach out to other freelancers in your field through social media, networking events, or emailing them about potential projects that might interest both of you.
The second step is reaching out to people who are not directly involved in your line of work but could be valuable contacts for any number of reasons (e.g., connections with influencers or customers). Think about who these people might be – company executives at companies that serve as customers or vendors; bloggers who cover topics related to yours; or popular personalities who are relevant online – and then find ways to engage with them.
Conclusion: Build Your Brand In The Long Run
To build a successful freelancing career, you need long-term strategies. If you’re just starting out and want to get your foot in the door quickly, leverage these short-term marketing tips. But if you want a more sustainable business that you can rely on for years, invest in your brand and take care of it over time. It might be slower at first, but it will bring better results down the road. In any case, keep working hard—and make sure clients keep coming back!