When i started out freelancing, I took a long hard look discovered there was one MASSIVE problem: The majority of my income was coming from only few clients. And when I say the majority, I’m talking about a revenue concentration of over 80%.
Now that’s a precarious predicament. You only have to lose few client to watch your income take a huge hit. However, the good news is that you can protect yourself from these situations rearing their ugly heads by marketing yourself constantly to diversify your client base.
LinkedIn to the Rescue
Understanding the importance of having a diverse client base in my own business, I began looking for ways to get more clients.
I headed over to LinkedIn and worked my way down the list for finding clients. I typed some keywords on Google, before spending some time on LinkedIn.
I have used LinkedIn in the past when building a prospect list and finding clients, but decided to try something different: I searched for job posts on LinkedIn by typing keywords into the search bar.
I did so tentatively, not really expecting results. I visited my LinkedIn home page and typed the keywords: “Looking for freelance writer” or “looking for writer.”
Follow the arrows. It narrows down your search to latest jobs. You can reset!
I also got more specific and typed in “looking for a B2B copywriter” (yes that’s my niche). Before I continue, I’d like to give you a pointer: If you also choose to get that specific and search for jobs in your niche, you may ignore the advice about sorting by the “latest”
After finding several job postings, I started responding. All in all, I responded to a total of 10 in a day. While my responses varied depending on the post, I always included a follow-up connection request and added a personal note mentioning that I had responded to their post.
I got no responses with some postings and with others I was told that the position had been filled. Funny enough, it was the least expected job that i applied for that got a positive response: Only a few days later I received an email from that client.
Sent the client a cold pitch and boooom, i got hired. I filled out my contact form, and I followed up insisting that we jump on a Google Hangouts call.
I highly recommend writers do this as it allows you to create a personal connection with the prospect, learn more about their business, and see if you’re comfortable working with them.
During the client call, I followed my own advice about being prepared and remaining confident on client calls. By the end of what was a very informative and promising call, we had agreed on the next steps.
He was to send me a rough outline for two pillar pages he wanted me to write. I would then have a look and send through a cost estimate.
Boooooom, LinkedIn did the magic. Just imagine you do that often and secure 5 clients a month, you can make as much as $5k monthly
Here's the drill. Go on LinkedIn now, search brands or keywords along your skill. You can even go ahead as getting their marketing email. Send your pitch. Target the decision makers and send your cold pitch. Cold pitching is a game of numbers. Send out as many pitch as possible.
Build connections! Often times you can get another client through one you just did work for. After you’re done doing work for them ask if they know anybody else that might need help with your service. Referrals are a great way to get more clients!
"How to become a freelance writer in less than one month"
A Thread
I get a lot of questions in my DMs like "How do i become a writer?", "How can i learn writing?" No matter how long you’ve been in this business, whether you are new or a seasoned freelance writer, chances are, becoming a better writer will be super important to you.
After all, writing is a skill. It’s something you learned to do, and it’s something you can learn to do even better with a little hard work and practice.
- Sites for Freelancers
- Remote Job Sites in 2021
- In-Demand Tech Skills in 2021
- YouTube Channels for Freelancers
- Payment Platforms for Freelancers
- Twitter Handles for Freelancers in 2021
- Proofreading and Editing Sites for Freelance Writers
A Thread.
Top freelance marketplace dedicated to helping professionals like yourself find work.
"Email templates you can use to pitch your service(s) to clients"
For freelance writers, designers, developers and marketers
A Thread.
Freelancing sites are not the only place you can find work.
In a previous thread, I showed you how to get freelance and remote gigs through sending of cold emails, twitter and google. Most of these methods involve contacting the clients directly and sending your pitch via email.
I can’t stress it enough how important your first email really is. This is the email that your potential clients are going to use to analyze you and your skills.
"Top freelance sites for graphics designers and how they work"
A Thread.
Finding a freelance website can be a daunting task for graphic designers. With so many websites touting top talent and an endless well of gigs, how do you know where to start?
Designers, join a marketplace with quality projects that match your unbeatable freelancing talent. Here are a list of the top freelance sites for graphic designers:
"Hacks on how to find remote jobs through cold emailing, google, and twitter"
For freelancers and remote job seekers!
A Thread
You may be excited to start looking for remote jobs, but it requires careful planning and decision-making to job search effectively. For instance, going in unprepared may lead you to send out an application that’s a very bad fit for the position, killing your opportunity.
Do you want to be a content writer? Are you more interested in SEO or email marketing? Once your decision is clear, come up with a list of terms to use in your search.
Here are some examples:
VP marketing
Content manager
Copywriter
SEO specialist