Why do most new freelancers struggle to land their first client? It’s all because they underestimate the importance of preparation and strategy!

A vast majority of freelancers focus solely on their hard skills only - while that’s great (and of course necessary) - they end up neglecting to market themselves and build a rapport with their potential clients. 

And because they don’t have a clear strategy, they end up frustrated and miss potential opportunities. 😓

…Which is why we wrote this article to help you close your first freelancing client! 

Today, we’re going to walk you through:

• Building a Strong Portfolio

• Networking Online and Offline

• Leveraging Social Media

• Perfecting Your Pitch

• Offering Free Value

Let's dive in. 🚀

Building a Strong Portfolio

As a freelancer, your portfolio is your work identity; so you need to make it count!

A strong portfolio is your ticket to capturing the attention of potential clients. It showcases your skills, experiences, and what you can offer – like a visual CV that showcases your work. 

Your aim should be to create customized portfolios for different projects, that way your potential client can easily vet your past projects and qualify you for the role you’re applying for. 💪

 A common mistake most freelancers (and even experienced freelancers make) is they don’t update their portfolio regularly – they create one standard set of samples and off they go!

While yes, you don’t need 100s of samples to land a client, it’s best you keep updating your portfolio to include your best and latest projects. It shows you’re versatility and prospects can see your efforts in real time too!

The takeaway here is that a targeted and constantly updated portfolio is essential for making a strong first impression on potential clients.

Next up: Networking.

Networking Online and Offline

Networking is more about creating relationships than it’s about attending events.

In the past several years, there has been a SURGE of freelancers all around the world – and that’s why you see thousands of them providing the same service and offering. If you ask any B2B Founder, Coach, or Business Owner, most would say they hire people from within their network.

Reason? TRUST!

And that’s your holy grail of networking as a freelancer.

The way you can make the most of networking is to leverage both online and offline mediums. Join online forums about skills that interest you, local community meetups, conferences, and have coffee chats with people whom you resonate with.

Aim to be proactive and have discussions to position yourself as an expert in your field. 

The key takeaway: Effective networking involves both giving and receiving, that’s how you build a long-lasting relationship with like-minded people.

Leveraging Social Media for Personal Branding

Social media is like your global megaphone to shout out your freelance services.

An active social media presence can significantly put you ahead of your competitors in any project or role. 

Firstly, you need to decide which channel you want to choose to create content on – and this directly depends on 3 things:

1. Your skill/niche

If you’re a designer, it would make more sense to start on Instagram since it’s mostly visual.

If you’re a video editor, you’d be better off making TikToks/YouTube shorts since they’re more video-centric.

If you’re a copywriter, you’d make better content on Twitter or LinkedIn as these platforms are text-based.

Your niche helps you choose the format.
The format helps you choose the platform.

2. Your teaching style

What I mean by ‘teaching style’ is how you like to present information.

Some people are great writers. For them, text-based platforms like Twitter or Medium would be easier to work with.

Some people are great speakers. For them, video-based platforms like YouTube would be easier.

Choose the platform according to your strengths and content will come by swiftly.

3. Your target clients 

Focus your efforts on platforms where your target clients are most active. 

This is the single-biggest component out of the 3, so give it the most weightage!

If you’re making great content on Instagram but your ideal client is hanging out on Facebook groups, you’re bound to be thirsty for clients. 😓 

Try to find the silver lining with the platform you want to build your brand in, and slowly expand on other channels as you go.

Trying to maintain a presence on too many platforms at once can dilute your efforts and make it harder to connect with your audience. So take on a lean approach: Start with one, grow it, automate it, and then pick another channel!

Next, we'll discuss how to perfect your pitch.

Perfecting Your Pitch

Your pitch is your first impression, make it memorable.

A personalized and compelling pitch can significantly increase your chances of getting noticed by potential clients. Tailoring your pitch to address the specific needs of your client shows that you're not only skilled but also genuinely interested in contributing to their success. 

That said, how do you create a tailored pitch for a potential client? 

Here, let’s assume you're doing cold outreach with your prospects.

In the first stage, your aim should be to qualify your audience. Nothing feels worse than creating a hyper-personalized, valuable proposal only to be left on delivered. 😅

Qualify your prospects by asking a question like “Would you be opposed to something like this?”

If they want to proceed, THEN you create a pitch to audit their business needs and draft a plan to 

P.S. Notice how I said “opposed to something like this”? It’s because psychologically humans have a default answer of “NO”. It’s easier to get out a ‘no’ than a ‘yes’ – so why not search for more “no’s”? 😉

All in all, take the time to research your potential client inside out and craft a pitch that demonstrates how your services can solve their specific problem. 

Review their website and reference specific areas that you can improve. This approach not only sets you apart from the competition but also demonstrates your commitment to providing value.

Offering Free Value

Sometimes, the best things in life are free, including your initial value offer to a potential client.

Providing free value upfront can be a powerful strategy to build trust and get a first interaction sorted with your ideal prospect!

Offer a small but valuable service for free, such as a mini consultation or project outline to differentiate yourself from the competition. That said, make sure to set clear boundaries around your free offer to avoid overextending yourself. 

If you’re a marketing consultant, you can offer a free 15-minute funnel strategy review.
If you’re a graphic designer, you can provide free Canva or Photoshop templates for your prospect to use.

The key takeaway is that offering something of value for free not only showcases your expertise but also paves the way for future engagements.

…And that’s all for today!

TL;DR:

• Preparation and Strategy Matter: Many new freelancers struggle to land their first client because they don't prepare/strategize, focusing too much on their hard skills and not enough on marketing themselves and building client relationships.

• Build a Strong Portfolio: Your portfolio is your professional identity. Make it count by showcasing your skills, experiences, and versatility. Update it regularly with your best and latest projects to make a strong first impression.

• Network Online and Offline: Trust is the foundation of networking. Actively engage in both online forums and offline events to create relationships. Position yourself as an expert by being proactive in discussions.

• Leverage Social Media for Personal Branding: Use social media as a global platform to promote your freelance services. Choose platforms based on your niche, content creation style, and where your target clients are most active.

• Perfect Your Pitch: Make your pitch memorable by personalizing it and addressing your client's specific needs. Show your genuine interest in their success by tailoring your pitch to demonstrate how your services can solve their problem.

• Offer Free Value: Stand out by offering a valuable service for free, such as a mini consultation or project outline. This strategy builds trust and opens the door for future engagements while setting clear boundaries to prevent overextension.

Thanks for reading – good luck on bagging your first client! 💸

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