If you are thinking of going freelance and don't know how, this post is for you.
Here's the first thing you need to know about freelancing: You must be able to at least get new clients (although getting and retaining would be even better).
Think of your skillset first. Then, think of who can benefit from it. Those who can benefit are your potential clients.
- If you're good at computer troubleshooting, people with broken computers are your clients.
- If you're good at design, people who are publishing books, websites, or other products are your clients.
- If you're good at nothing in particular, people with dirty houses or unkempt lawns are your clients.
As for me, I specialize in writing. And my background is in academia.
When I quit my teaching job, I decided I was going to make a career in writing fulltime work for me. I took the advice above, and realized that my clients are university professors who need help with editing their papers and manuscripts.
I decided to make a huge shift in how I marketed my skills. Whereas in the past, I would apply to any job listings I saw through advertisements, today I take a more focused approach.
I decided to laser-target professors.
In November of 2010, I began researching all of the professors who would potentially be interested in my service. Using the Internet, I looked up the mailing address of all the professors who were consistently publishing papers. I put these addresses in an Excel file.
Next, I wrote a sales letter introducing my service. It put it together in a direct mail package, along with my resume and some testimonials from past clients.
Then, I sent those professors each a sales letter.
And then I waited.
At that time, I was not a copywriter. I did not understand how sales letters should be written, nor did I understand how to create an appealing package.
Yet, I got responses within a week. And the responses kept coming.
I was getting clients simply based on the mass quantity of letters I sent out. Within two months, I had enough consistent work to where I could support myself. And to think if I hadn't done that I would still be sitting at my computer, looking at the job boards.
Although this method sounds like something a copywriter or marketer would do, this option is available to anyone wishing to find clients. In short, if you are looking to start your own freelancing business, follow these steps:
- Determine your niche
- Ask yourself what clients could need your service (often what the market wants is more important than what you want, sorry!)
- Research that client base
- Contact those clients in a direct way
- Provide good service to maintain those clients
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