Guest post by Luis Magalhaes

I've been freelancing online for over twenty years. And while working as a remote freelancer offers many benefits, including the flexibility to work from anywhere in the world and the ability to set your own schedule, what no one tells you is how hard finding clients can be, especially at the beginning when no one knows you. 

When I first started, I began writing for video game websites in the late 90s. As you can imagine, the pay wasn't great, but…free video games! I then moved on to personal development and eSports and finally settled on writing leadership pieces. I was making the entirety of my living as a freelancer working remotely, which to me sounded crazy until I understood that getting clients as a freelancer is not rocket science.

Unlike when I started in the late 90s, today everyone wants a piece of the freelance pie. Whatever your area, freelancing is a highly competitive market. It's not enough to simply be good at your job; the key is in how you show yourself to the world. 

That sounds intimidating, but it doesn't have to be. Read on to find out how to solve the biggest question plaguing freelancers today: how to find clients.

The 4 Most Important Steps to Land Clients as a Freelancer 

1. Identify Your Ideal Client

Marketers like to harp on and on about their target personas and how important it is for you to create a profile of your potential clients down to the detail of what flavor of ice cream they like or whether they enjoy pineapple on the pizza or not.

I’m not going to do that. I’d much rather you analyze your past clients for common traits, or, if you don’t have all that many, then experiment.

There’s one thing the target persona people get right: if you want to fish, you need to know where the fish are. That will direct your client-finding efforts. 

What freelance site or job board do your typical clients usually frequent? Are they heavy LinkedIn users? Perhaps they are more active on Twitter (a favorite of the tech crowd.) Facebook? TikTok? Reddit?

Research your previous clients. Figure out where they spend their time. If you’ve only been freelancing through a specific platform, sign up for two more. See if the fish bite more over there. See if bigger fish bite. This phase will require a mixture of creativity, guessing, and experimentation. It will require the discipline to jot down the info in a spreadsheet and update it daily.

No clients yet? Great. That means you get to start your records from the beginning. Be active in 2-3 freelancer platforms and 1-2 social networks, and keep track of where it seems easier to get clients. You’ll learn how below.

2. Embrace The Power of Niching

Committing to working on a niche is much better than committing to looking for a persona. I know a lot of freelancers are wary because niching makes them feel they are limiting their options, but consider that:

• you don’t have to commit for life. You can try a niche for three months and then switch if the fish don’t bite;

• it’s much easier to build a strong portfolio if you are heavily niched;

• it becomes much easier to identify where your prospects are.

In my case as a freelance writer, I niched down from video games (no money, but free games) to eSports (some money) to a specific eSport, the collectible card game Hearthstone (good money!)

Eventually, I jumped niches a bit more, but always niching down (business to leadership to remote leadership.)

No matter what kind of work you do, you can find an intelligent way to niche. I’ve met accountants specialized in global remote contracts; I’ve seen designers specialized in diverse tech companies… While it is possible to niche too low (social media manager for cat-walking blogs, anyone?), you may be aiming too broad if you are overwhelmed in the search for clients.

3. Using Freelance Platforms and Job Boards

It would be a fool’s errand to try to surmise all the job boards and platforms available to you. This is a shifting industry, and there are hundreds of such resources, depending on your specialization (and niching!) as a freelancer. Instead, let’s talk a bit about what to expect from them and how to use them.

Freelance platforms are one of the most brutal battlefields for professionals. It’s all about undercutting the competition and doing the work for the smallest bid. I promise you: there’s always someone who lives in a country with a very low cost of living that can underbid you until the cows come home. If you stick to job boards, you’ll work hard for very little money, and guess what? The clients you get there are probably not the best—they’ll replace you once a cheaper person comes along.

For those reasons, I only recommend these platforms when you are starting. Use them to build a portfolio, not as a long-term money-making solution. If you find some clients that are very nice to deal with, treat them well, and build that relationship. Ask them for referrals and testimonials. In general, though, you want to exit the platform market as soon as you have a respectable portfolio under your belt.

Having established these platforms as a necessary evil and something you only want to use to get your foot in the door, here are some tips that will allow you to leverage them to get your first few clients:

• Your profile is the primary way to highlight your unique skills and experience and showcase your ability to deliver high-quality work. Include a professional headshot and a brief bio describing your background and expertise, plus testimonials from satisfied clients as soon as you have them.

• When bidding on projects, take the time to read the project description carefully and craft a personalized proposal that speaks directly to the client’s needs. I always put a P.S. at the end of my projects and automatically reject people who don’t reply. Other people have their filters and little tests. Pass them, and you’ll make a great first impression—80% of applicants fail them. It always pays to read carefully and reply thoughtfully.

• Follow up on your proposals and respond promptly to any messages from potential clients. Everyone has a cluttered inbox, so don’t be shy; I often only got through after the fourth message. Conversely, working with someone who replies fast and never misses a message is fantastic. Be that person. 

4. Pitching and Cold Outreach

Welcome to the big leagues. Most people hate selling and pitching their service. It makes them feel icky. If you manage to push past that discomfort, what happens? 80% of your competition melts away.

It’s still going to be tough. You’ll still have to work for it. But the clients you’ll get will be much higher quality than the ones you get through platforms.

Mindset shift: by approaching potential clients, you are giving them what they want. You are saving them the trouble of wading through dozens of profiles on a platform and giving them the gift of personalized interaction where they are the center of attention.

An example: I have a little side business writing and selling fantasy fiction novels. The cover is the hardest and costliest thing to get right in a fantasy novel. People expect beautiful artwork. Going on a platform, you usually deal with overworked artists with a dozen other commitments who want to charge you more than your novel will earn in a year. It’s a terrible, soul-sapping experience.

Both of my current cover artists found ME on social networks. They saw my books, understood my genre and style, and pitched me. They showcased great portfolios that matched my fantasy niche and engaged me conversationally. I’ve since ordered all my covers from either and never set foot (erm, clicked through) on a freelance design website again.

So how should you start? Again, that will depend on where the fish are (revisit Identify Your Ideal Client) and how you’ve niched (The Power Of Niching). Those should be the building blocks of your approach.

Don’t scroll to social media looking for a cry for help; instead, identify people who fit your niche, and approach them with an offer. Some salesmen tell you to identify a prospect’s challenge and offer a solution proactively. I don’t like this approach. I don’t like going up to someone and saying, “You have a problem.” It puts people on the defensive, and defensive people don’t buy.

Lead with the outcome. When you spot someone (or some business) who you believe could use your services, message them saying: “Hi, I saw that you work in/with X. Would you like this outcome?” Have an irresistible portfolio to back your words. Show that you bothered to look at who they are and what they do, and that you think you’re a good match.

Remember: everyone is busy and has their inboxes cluttered. Don’t be shy about following up. You can do it without being annoying. Create a tab in your spreadsheet where you write the potential client’s name, where to find them, and when you last messaged them. Message them 4-5 times over the next two weeks; that’s 2-3 days between messages… It will keep you on top of their inbox without being too intrusive.

No reply after the fifth message? Move on. There’s a line between persistence and pushiness, and that line is between the 5th and 6th messages.

That’s it. There’s no sophisticated, complex formula. Selling and pitching is a social skill; it requires you read the (virtual) room. Practice, and you’ll start seeing it as an art—and a fun one, too!

Kickstart Your Freelancing Career! 

Finding clients as a freelancer working remotely can be challenging, but it is possible with the right strategies. Identifying your ideal clients, embracing the power of niching, and strategically using freelance platforms and job boards can help you land clients and build a strong portfolio.

Remember, finding clients requires creativity, experimentation, and discipline to keep track of your progress. By following these tips, you can build a successful freelance career on your terms and enjoy the benefits of working remotely.

Author bio:  Luis Magalhaes is the founder of ThinkRemote, a remote work news source with a job board integrated, providing the latest jobs in the remote world.