Freelance: Building your client base

Freelance

Discover how to find clients through your network and online platforms, and how to market yourself effectively.

Transcript

Remember, when you’re starting out as someone self-employed, you’ll need to create your own opportunities. A good place to begin is with your existing network. Reach out to friends, family and former colleagues. Your first projects may come from people who already know and trust you.

Many freelancers carry on working for former employers, just under different terms. To attract new clients, you’ll need to showcase your work. This could be a simple online portfolio or website. Many free or low cost tools are available to help you get started. You can also share your work using professional networking websites, or industry-specific platforms or events where clients are actively searching for freelancers.

Marketing yourself might feel overwhelming at first. After all, it’s a specialist skill. But don’t worry, you don’t need a big budget to get started. Small, consistent steps can build your visibility.Share your work on social media or in online groups relevant to your field. Collect testimonials from happy clients and highlight them in your portfolio. Offer helpful tips or insights online, this shows your expertise and builds trust.

Keep a simple list or spreadsheet of who you’ve contacted or whoever’s shown interest so you can follow up without feeling lost. Finally, once you start to build a base of clients, make sure you meet agreed deadlines, communicate clearly and stay in touch. Reliability is one of the strongest forms of marketing – happy clients will return and recommend you to others.

Getting started as someone self-employed is about using your network, showing your work and taking small, steady steps to market yourself. Stay organised, deliver on your promises and clients will come back and bring others with them.

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