By 10 min read Last Updated: June 26, 2023
How to get clients as a freelancer
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11 proven tactics for getting clients as a freelancer

If you want to make a living as a freelancer, you need to make money. And there's no money in the bank if you don't have clients as a freelancer.

So far, so good. But competition for clients can be fierce - you're not the only one on the hunt. Of course, so are all the other freelancers, which is why it's important to stand out.

Of course, you do this first and foremost by improving your skills. But all the skills in the world are useless if customers don't know you exist. And that's exactly why we made this post.

We go through the most important sales channels for freelancers - how to become visible to your prospects - and follow it up with our top tips for closing sales and retaining customers.

Start free user

Freelance with Factofly

Use Factofly to invoice and get paid without having your own VAT number or registered company. We take care of all the boring stuff so you can spend your time where it's most fun.

Start free user

1: Network, network, network!

Networking

Family, friends, boyfriend, girlfriend, cousin, your old uncle, your mom's best friend, your husband's former colleague - you name it.

All are potential entry points for building a portfolio and finding clients as a freelancer.

Whether you're just starting out or you've been at it for a while, you've probably been recommended to use your network. And that recommendation may already be hanging over your head - but there's a reason why networking is recommended so often:

It works.

The networking method is effective because people in your network already know you and can vouch for you and your professionalism. Likewise, they know a lot of people you don't know yourself - and probably also a number of potential customers.

And your network is not limited to your acquaintances. Get into the habit of asking businesses you meet on your way - like your hairdresser, bike shop and local burger bar.

They also need help from skilled freelancers.

2: Use your previous jobs

Your former bosses and colleagues know how good you are - and they will occasionally have tasks you can help them with.

Keeping in touch with a former workplace is a very good example of never burning a bridge.

Because if your employer still likes you, they have no reason not to hire you. It could be, for example, that your position has never been filled and there are some tasks waiting for you.

Going back to a previous workplace is not the same as going back to a loser - on the contrary, the fact that your old colleagues and bosses know you and your skills is an advantage. Brand new customers don't do that in the same way.

3: Have a targeted and customer-oriented website with a focus on your professional profile

Your customers form the most important impression when they talk to you - but they also research you online.

Compare it to a Tinder date (if you've been on one). It's the real-life encounter that ultimately matters - but the online impression is important because it gets you in the door.

Buy or build a simple, clean and pleasant website that showcases your services and recommendations in a user-friendly way.

Show what you can do - even without a portfolio

And if you don't yet have previous customers to show off, you still have plenty of opportunities to show what you can do through your website.

Let's say you're a graphic designer, but you don't yet have any customer cases that you can or should showcase.

You can showcase your work by, for example, including examples of other people's designs - and describe to customers that your specialty is something similar. In addition, you've probably done something in your spare time or studies that showcases your skills.

You hold the customer's hand and they can see exactly how their new logo, flyer, roll-up or e-book will look.

4: LinkedIn: Share your professional thoughts

LinkedIn is an excellent channel to position yourself as a thought leader and attract a lot of interesting contacts and - in time - leads and customers.

On LinkedIn, it's important not to get discouraged if your posts don't get the attention you were hoping for.

It takes practice and many attempts to get through to your desired audience. But over time, you'll find the tone and style that works for you. And you'll find out which topics your target audience is most interested in.

And once you've found your own unique style, there's a highway of views, leads and customers ahead of you.

LinkedIn also works in such a way that once you have established yourself as a stable content creator in the eyes of the algorithm, it will start showing you to more and more people all by itself.

So just keep at it and the results will follow naturally.

Start free user

Freelance with Factofly

Use Factofly to invoice and get paid without having your own VAT number or registered company. We take care of all the boring stuff so you can spend your time where it's most fun.

Start free user

5: Market locally

Most companies prefer to buy local as long as the quality is high.

It's easier to meet in person, you build stronger customer relationships, and work is typically just that much better when you know the other person is only a bike ride away.

That's why it makes sense to try your hand at local marketing - and it doesn't have to be particularly advanced.

This could be something like posting a flyer in places where your target audience is located - in coworking spaces, for example.

It could also be writing a sales letter that you deliver personally to selected companies. Just the fact that they get a real impression of you and that you take time out of your day to visit them makes an impression.

It's a golden opportunity to get clients as a freelancer. And it works.

6: Grab the bone and call selected companies

call to selected companies

Telemarketing is a lousy sales method - if you're shooting with a scattergun.

However, if you find a select few companies and really understand their business and needs - and then give them a call - you can succeed.

Remember to have a clear plan for the conversation before you call: How should it start - continue - and end?

There's actually not a lot of hocus-pocus to open a good phone conversation. Introduce yourself clearly with your first name, say which company you are calling from and give a reason for your call.

For example, it could be:

"I'm calling because I drove past your beautiful store today and I just had to check out your website - but I see you don't have one yet?"

"I'm calling because you were recommended to me by an old colleague who thought you and I just needed to have a chat."

Most importantly, treat the phone call as a normal conversation between two people with a natural needs assessment. You can't sell them something they don't need.

Find out if you're a good fit and if they need you - and only then try to book a meeting.

Get more inspiration for great telesales here.

7: Use freelance platforms

There are now a number of freelance platforms with good assignments available. Here you can also be active and bid on selected assignments.

It's platforms like:

An important tip: If you sign up to a platform, do it properly. Don't have a profile just for the sake of having it - it's unlikely to pay off.

What often matters most to hiring companies is your experience. Therefore, make the most of showcasing previous clients and assignments.

Start free user

Freelance with Factofly

Use Factofly to invoice and get paid without having your own VAT number or registered company. We take care of all the boring stuff so you can spend your time where it's most fun.

Start free user

8: Go the extra mile for your current customers

A recommendation from others weighs about infinitely more than a recommendation from yourself.

And a recommendation from your customers - those who receive an invoice from you every month - carries the most weight .

That's why you have to work your ass off to service the customers you already have. Never compromise on service to your old customers - even if you're busy!

The good times don't necessarily last, and when the hustle and bustle dies down, it's the regular customers that keep your business going.

After all, it's easier to keep a client than to get new clients as a freelancer - remember that every time you get a new client, the adrenaline and dopamine are pumping.

9: Spend less time selling and more time being valuable

Your customers buy if they can see your value. And here's an important distinction: instead of telling your value, show it.

When talking to new customers, show them the solution to their problems - and how your solution will ultimately help them make money.

Demonstrate value - and customers will hire you. Without blinking an eye.

This point ties into many of the other points, but points 3 and 4 are particularly relevant to this line of thinking. On your website and LinkedIn, you really have the opportunity to demonstrate how valuable you are.

Always think value creation in a sales process. It will make both you and your customers happy.

10: Team up with other freelancers

The good clients in the market often have a team of freelancers with different backgrounds. It could be a copywriter, a graphic designer, a developer, a marketing consultant, an accountant, etc.

That's why it makes sense to team up with a group of freelancers who do what you don't do yourself - and create a mutually valuable collaboration where you give each other customers across the board.

It's an investment in targeted networking that pays for itself many times over.

Start free user

Freelance with Factofly

Use Factofly to invoice and get paid without having your own VAT number or registered company. We take care of all the boring stuff so you can spend your time where it's most fun.

Start free user

11: Develop your pitch and be razor sharp in customer meetings

It's absolutely crucial that you have your say when you get the chance to close clients as a freelancer.

Your pitch - your elevator pitch, the simple presentation of you as a professional and human being - is the most important thing here.

Practice it, and not just when you're alone. Find an acquaintance, not necessarily a close friend, to give their honest opinion. Present your pitch in front of this person and ask for feedback.

Take what you can use - and keep practicing until your pitch is perfect.

It can't be emphasized enough how important it is to be able to perform when you're in a customer meeting.

Waste as few client meetings as possible - they don't grow on trees. And then be ready with a tight freelance contract when the deal closes.

By 10.2 min read Last Updated: June 26, 2023
How to get clients as a freelancer

11 proven tactics for getting clients as a freelancer

If you want to make a living as a freelancer, you need to make money. And there's no money in the bank if you don't have clients as a freelancer.

So far, so good. But competition for clients can be fierce - you're not the only one on the hunt. Of course, so are all the other freelancers, which is why it's important to stand out.

Of course, you do this first and foremost by improving your skills. But all the skills in the world are useless if customers don't know you exist. And that's exactly why we made this post.

We go through the most important sales channels for freelancers - how to become visible to your prospects - and follow it up with our top tips for closing sales and retaining customers.

Start free user

Freelance with Factofly

Use Factofly to invoice and get paid without having your own VAT number or registered company. We take care of all the boring stuff so you can spend your time where it's most fun.

Start free user

1: Network, network, network!

Networking

Family, friends, boyfriend, girlfriend, cousin, your old uncle, your mom's best friend, your husband's former colleague - you name it.

All are potential entry points for building a portfolio and finding clients as a freelancer.

Whether you're just starting out or you've been at it for a while, you've probably been recommended to use your network. And that recommendation may already be hanging over your head - but there's a reason why networking is recommended so often:

It works.

The networking method is effective because people in your network already know you and can vouch for you and your professionalism. Likewise, they know a lot of people you don't know yourself - and probably also a number of potential customers.

And your network is not limited to your acquaintances. Get into the habit of asking businesses you meet on your way - like your hairdresser, bike shop and local burger bar.

They also need help from skilled freelancers.

2: Use your previous jobs

Your former bosses and colleagues know how good you are - and they will occasionally have tasks you can help them with.

Keeping in touch with a former workplace is a very good example of never burning a bridge.

Because if your employer still likes you, they have no reason not to hire you. It could be, for example, that your position has never been filled and there are some tasks waiting for you.

Going back to a previous workplace is not the same as going back to a loser - on the contrary, the fact that your old colleagues and bosses know you and your skills is an advantage. Brand new customers don't do that in the same way.

3: Have a targeted and customer-oriented website with a focus on your professional profile

Your customers form the most important impression when they talk to you - but they also research you online.

Compare it to a Tinder date (if you've been on one). It's the real-life encounter that ultimately matters - but the online impression is important because it gets you in the door.

Buy or build a simple, clean and pleasant website that showcases your services and recommendations in a user-friendly way.

Show what you can do - even without a portfolio

And if you don't yet have previous customers to show off, you still have plenty of opportunities to show what you can do through your website.

Let's say you're a graphic designer, but you don't yet have any customer cases that you can or should showcase.

You can showcase your work by, for example, including examples of other people's designs - and describe to customers that your specialty is something similar. In addition, you've probably done something in your spare time or studies that showcases your skills.

You hold the customer's hand and they can see exactly how their new logo, flyer, roll-up or e-book will look.

4: LinkedIn: Share your professional thoughts

LinkedIn is an excellent channel to position yourself as a thought leader and attract a lot of interesting contacts and - in time - leads and customers.

On LinkedIn, it's important not to get discouraged if your posts don't get the attention you were hoping for.

It takes practice and many attempts to get through to your desired audience. But over time, you'll find the tone and style that works for you. And you'll find out which topics your target audience is most interested in.

And once you've found your own unique style, there's a highway of views, leads and customers ahead of you.

LinkedIn also works in such a way that once you have established yourself as a stable content creator in the eyes of the algorithm, it will start showing you to more and more people all by itself.

So just keep at it and the results will follow naturally.

Start free user

Freelance with Factofly

Use Factofly to invoice and get paid without having your own VAT number or registered company. We take care of all the boring stuff so you can spend your time where it's most fun.

Start free user

5: Market locally

Most companies prefer to buy local as long as the quality is high.

It's easier to meet in person, you build stronger customer relationships, and work is typically just that much better when you know the other person is only a bike ride away.

That's why it makes sense to try your hand at local marketing - and it doesn't have to be particularly advanced.

This could be something like posting a flyer in places where your target audience is located - in coworking spaces, for example.

It could also be writing a sales letter that you deliver personally to selected companies. Just the fact that they get a real impression of you and that you take time out of your day to visit them makes an impression.

It's a golden opportunity to get clients as a freelancer. And it works.

6: Grab the bone and call selected companies

call to selected companies

Telemarketing is a lousy sales method - if you're shooting with a scattergun.

However, if you find a select few companies and really understand their business and needs - and then give them a call - you can succeed.

Remember to have a clear plan for the conversation before you call: How should it start - continue - and end?

There's actually not a lot of hocus-pocus to open a good phone conversation. Introduce yourself clearly with your first name, say which company you are calling from and give a reason for your call.

For example, it could be:

"I'm calling because I drove past your beautiful store today and I just had to check out your website - but I see you don't have one yet?"

"I'm calling because you were recommended to me by an old colleague who thought you and I just needed to have a chat."

Most importantly, treat the phone call as a normal conversation between two people with a natural needs assessment. You can't sell them something they don't need.

Find out if you're a good fit and if they need you - and only then try to book a meeting.

Get more inspiration for great telesales here.

7: Use freelance platforms

There are now a number of freelance platforms with good assignments available. Here you can also be active and bid on selected assignments.

It's platforms like:

An important tip: If you sign up to a platform, do it properly. Don't have a profile just for the sake of having it - it's unlikely to pay off.

What often matters most to hiring companies is your experience. Therefore, make the most of showcasing previous clients and assignments.

Start free user

Freelance with Factofly

Use Factofly to invoice and get paid without having your own VAT number or registered company. We take care of all the boring stuff so you can spend your time where it's most fun.

Start free user

8: Go the extra mile for your current customers

A recommendation from others weighs about infinitely more than a recommendation from yourself.

And a recommendation from your customers - those who receive an invoice from you every month - carries the most weight .

That's why you have to work your ass off to service the customers you already have. Never compromise on service to your old customers - even if you're busy!

The good times don't necessarily last, and when the hustle and bustle dies down, it's the regular customers that keep your business going.

After all, it's easier to keep a client than to get new clients as a freelancer - remember that every time you get a new client, the adrenaline and dopamine are pumping.

9: Spend less time selling and more time being valuable

Your customers buy if they can see your value. And here's an important distinction: instead of telling your value, show it.

When talking to new customers, show them the solution to their problems - and how your solution will ultimately help them make money.

Demonstrate value - and customers will hire you. Without blinking an eye.

This point ties into many of the other points, but points 3 and 4 are particularly relevant to this line of thinking. On your website and LinkedIn, you really have the opportunity to demonstrate how valuable you are.

Always think value creation in a sales process. It will make both you and your customers happy.

10: Team up with other freelancers

The good clients in the market often have a team of freelancers with different backgrounds. It could be a copywriter, a graphic designer, a developer, a marketing consultant, an accountant, etc.

That's why it makes sense to team up with a group of freelancers who do what you don't do yourself - and create a mutually valuable collaboration where you give each other customers across the board.

It's an investment in targeted networking that pays for itself many times over.

Start free user

Freelance with Factofly

Use Factofly to invoice and get paid without having your own VAT number or registered company. We take care of all the boring stuff so you can spend your time where it's most fun.

Start free user

11: Develop your pitch and be razor sharp in customer meetings

It's absolutely crucial that you have your say when you get the chance to close clients as a freelancer.

Your pitch - your elevator pitch, the simple presentation of you as a professional and human being - is the most important thing here.

Practice it, and not just when you're alone. Find an acquaintance, not necessarily a close friend, to give their honest opinion. Present your pitch in front of this person and ask for feedback.

Take what you can use - and keep practicing until your pitch is perfect.

It can't be emphasized enough how important it is to be able to perform when you're in a customer meeting.

Waste as few client meetings as possible - they don't grow on trees. And then be ready with a tight freelance contract when the deal closes.