Quick Strategies That Will Bring New Clients Your Way

Finding new clients is an important aspect of any self-employed person’s life and yet one that many people are uncertain of how to approach. After all, just because you work freelance doesn’t automatically make you a marketing expert. Here we provide some quick strategies that you can employ to reach out to increased numbers of new clients. 

Build your own website 

One of the best ways to shout about your services is to create a website. This can be done fairly inexpensively for a simple, brochure-style site and, once created, requires minimal attention in order to keep the content up to date. 

A website is advantageous for a number of reasons. Not only does it present you with a more professional image, but it also makes clear to potential clients which services you offer and at what cost. They can review the information at their leisure and those unwilling to pay your rates will be filtered out without you pursuing pointless conversations with them first. 

Embrace social media

While spending hours on Facebook or Twitter isn’t advisable for the majority of freelancers, they can be useful avenues for finding new clients. Personally, I picked up a client just last week when an acquaintance asked via her Facebook status for someone to produce a CV for her. It was a quick and easy job resulting in fast payment – and one which I would have missed had I not been keeping an eye on Facebook. 

LinkedIn, as a more business focused social media site, is a great place to detail the services that you provide, in much the same way as a website is. Ensure your profile is up to date and provides sufficient information that any potential clients viewing it know how to contact you. 

Don’t be shy

Many freelancers, particularly those who are new to self-employment, seem shy about promoting themselves and their services. This attitude needs to be ditched immediately! Though it may not come naturally to you, promoting your services without being overly pushy is a great way to pick up new clients. Don’t be afraid to send a mail shot out to your contacts to tell them what you do – how else will they know to think of you next time they need services that fall within your remit?

The old adage that ‘it’s not what you know, it’s who you know’ is particularly true for freelancers. Don’t be shy about contacting people you have worked with previously and asking if there is anything else that you can do for them. Take a confident approach and you will likely find the reward is an increase in the number of your direct clients. 

Keep it personal

In a world where faceless corporations dominate the marketplace in many sectors, keeping your approach personal and engaging can help you to stand out from the crowd. Think about this when marketing yourself and let people see that you are not just a professional individual, but also someone who genuinely cares about the service that you provide to them – it’s a distinction that can make all the difference. 

Summing up

 

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Still feel like you need some more inspiration? We recommend these 3 TED talks to help you market yourself.