So let me get this straight: you’ve been a freelancer for a while now. You’ve been sending your proposals to clients, making sure you’re available at all times, adapting your resume each time you reach out to new clients and you’re still having trouble landing clients?
Or in other words, just a regular day in the life of any freelancer.
Freelancers have it hard, I’m not going to lie. As a former freelancer, I completely understand you. Sometimes it seems that the process of finding the ideal client is never going to end. You might even find yourself thinking - is this really for me?
But don’t quit just yet - we’ve all been there.
And luckily for you, there’s a way out. There’s a light at the end of the tunnel and the marketing team at Brybe.com decided to give you a hand with it.
In today’s article, we’re going to help you find the best freelance clients for you.
But, we’re going to start with a harsh truth first.
All Beginners: Hope For The Best, Prepare For The Worst
In one of our previous articles, we talked about the importance of choosing your niche if you’re a beginner - let’s hope that you’ve all read that one.
As important as it is to choose the right niche, it can’t prepare you for the struggle that comes next - finding clients.
If you’re a beginner in this world, be mentally prepared to experience countless rejections, many humiliating offers, and unanswered emails. Even if you know what you’re looking for, your clients may not have the slightest clue.
And if you end up rejected, try not to take it personally. Remember, it’s not about you personally - it’s about your work. You may request a too high of a price, or your style is not suitable for them - whatever the reason for the rejection may be, accept it gracefully and move forward.
Also, if you ever encounter a client who’s openly disrespectful or annoying, focus on this thought - becoming a freelancer is building a reputation too. So, even if you’re tempted to answer with the same energy and language as your potential client, stay respectful and answer with grace.
You may encounter some of these challenges, even if you have experience in your field, so just prepare yourself beforehand.
Define Your Expectations And Goals
You need to have clear standards for yourself and your future clients if you want to end up with what you want, not with what’s in front of you.
Before you begin your search for ideal clients, take some time to define the relevant things about your freelance arrangements.
The questions you should be asking yourself are the following ones:
- How much time can I dedicate to my freelance work?
- What kind of a job do I prefer, and what kind of a job I would never accept?
- Is the company’s culture relevant for me or not?
- Am I comfortable with using tracking software or do I like a more comfortable working environment?
- Is it okay for me to work for a small business or do I need to find a large corporation?
- What values must I share with my future freelance clients?
- Am I looking for a mentor or am I looking to make money?
- How much am I willing to negotiate to get the price I want?
- Am I willing to negotiate at all?
These are just some of the most important questions you need to ask yourself before you start hunting for clients. Write the answers, and focus on them when pitching your clients.
That’s the next critical step - reaching out.
Approach With A Problem-Solving Mindset
There are many platforms out there that offer freelancer's services (Brybe is our favorite one), but all of them have one thing in common: solve business' founders' problems. That’s pretty much the entire philosophy.
Every business owner who is searching for the services of a freelancer is trying to fix certain problems.
You, being a professional and all, should focus on defining their problem and provide a solution for it in your proposal. If you’re involved in the marketing industry, pitch them with the idea that through your work, they’ll be able to gain new site visitors, gain new leads, reach new customers, close more sales, etc. If you’re involved in the IT industry, you can show them how through your versatile experience you can deliver a finished project in a few months. Or, if you’re involved in the project management field, you can let them know how your organizational skills can help their company work better and more efficiently.
Having a problem-solving mindset is one of the most productive traits you as a freelancer can have. It is with this mindset that you bring value to your clients, and that’s what they appreciate the most.
Personalize Your Proposal And Define Your UVP
You aren’t ordinary.
You don’t want to be treated as such, so there’s no use in treating your clients as such, right?
Well, a lot of freelancers make this mistake at the beginning of their freelance journey.
They create one message, where they briefly explain their skills, they put a link to their CV or portfolio and that’s pretty much it.
There’s none of that “I spend time to find out about you and your company, so I’m going to use that information to write a personalized message that will for sure, put me in front of the competition” kind of thinking. And this is where most freelancers fail.
Freelancing is about who will stand out the most in a crowd.
You already know how crowded the world of freelancers has become - there are 1.1 billion freelancers in the world.
So, when you’re going to send proposals to your favorite clients, make sure to be original and creative in your approach, but also of value.
Here’s where your UVP comes in - Unique Value Proposition. A unique value proposition is a characteristic that makes you a high-value freelancer. That can be skills, personality, knowledge, or a combination of the three. But you need to offer a unique value for the client, something that you’re exceptionally good at, so they can consider you as their final choice.
So, next time you want to pitch a freelance client, spend some time discovering more about their business. Look through their website, find out exactly what they do and how you can contribute to their business.
The list goes on, but for now, focus on improving your approach to freelance clients with these four tips. They’re more than enough to get you better clients, and if you’re looking for ones, you can start at our Brybe Marketplace - the sign-up is free and you get to keep everything you earn!