How to Get First Clients: 10 Tips from Pros to Newbie Freelance

Randy works for the cool essay writing service UK, and additionally has enough time to work part-time as a freelancer on Upwork, one of the best freelancer sites. He has more than 40 successfully finished projects and over 1000 hours at work, which can be considered as a very good background. Nevertheless, he still has to fight for new clients.

But those who only start their way as a freelancer will have a much more difficult quest for finding first clients. Randy gave some tips to his newbie colleagues. If to keep up with pro recommendations, your debut as a freelancer will have more chance for success.

1. Neutralize All Distracting Factors

There is no place for laziness and inactivity in a freelancer’s career. People sometimes feel it difficult to abstract from social media, Internet surfing and other distracters to just begin doing their job. So, 50% of your success depends on your ability to overcome your own laziness.

As for me, I found my first client as a freelancer in nearly a week. Then it took me two weeks to get the second project. And then things went much easier. Further projects were possible to open them in a couple of days on average.

2. How to Become a Freelancer: Store Some Patience

Okay, so you are charged and full of decisiveness but you don’t get answers from clients. Don’t think everything is weird and impossible, just be patient. It can take a freelancer one day or even three-four weeks to find the first project. On average, my experience says the probability for a newbie to get the answer is nearly 5%.

If everything is totally quiet, you possibly do something wrong. Then, let’s see how to become a freelancer and what to fix first of all.

3. Make Your Profile Perfect

Describe your skills well. Mention situations when you can be useful as a freelance worker to a client, say about your experience if you have some. Write shortly, without “water” and senseless text, otherwise, clients just won’t be able to read your info to the very end.

4. Test and Prove Your Knowledge

For instance, on Upwork there are multiple tests relevant to specializations of every freelancer who dares to find clients there. Do as many tests as you can in order to prove the level of your professional skills.

Of course, not all clients pay attention to such tests, but some of them consider marks and certificates as important factors when hiring a freelancer. So, you shouldn’t neglect this point.

5. How to Be a Successful Freelancer: Make Sure Your Portfolio isn’t Empty

This point won’t be a problem for experienced specialists. But a newbie freelancer and a person new to IT, in general, might get confused with the portfolio problem. To be a freelancer, you should get used to finding solutions to many different problems in many different ways. This skill is critical if you want to know how to become a successful freelancer.

For instance, if you are a freelance writer and have many articles completed, it is not worth to upload and share them all. Choose some texts, including a written cover letter for example. The point is to show the client that you know how to do your job as a freelancer, to let them see the quality of your text (code, design, whatever else you specialize on). With time, you’ll replace these funny projects with really cool ones. But to begin as a freelancer, something is much better than nothing.

6. Try Not to Look Silly as a Freelancer

The sixth tip is partially about the profile, but I decided to mention it separately. Upload a normal photo for your freelance profile avatar! It should be a simple and clean photo where clients can see your smiling face well.

It seems to be obvious. But as my experience showed, not every freelancer understands this point to be critical.

7. Read the Client’s Application Attentively

And read it to the end. Why do you need that? There are two reasons:

– to understand if it suits you at all;

– to get helpful data and then write a cover letter correctly. A cover letter is the first message from a freelancer to a client where you have a simple goal: to sell your services.

8. How to Be a Successful Freelancer: Write a Cover Letter Correctly

A cover letter is one of three pillars for the client’s decision to hire a freelancer (the other two are a profile and reputation). As you don’t have a reputation yet, the other two pillars have to be solid. Avoid templates, always write unique letters. The client should know for sure that you addressed a letter exactly to them and described problems mentioned in their separate application. And keep in mind one thing: a letter should be short and straightforward. Length: nearly 300 symbols.

9. No Dumping

How to price yourself as a freelancer? Yes, first of all, don’t dump. It won’t add you reliability. Know what you cost and be confident when negotiating. If the client themselves asks for a discount because of giving you the first order, that’s fine – give it to them. Offer a test task or a 20% discount. But make sure it looks like an exception, not a desperate move.

10. Don’t Give Up

Remember, sooner or later your efforts will bring you lots of dividends. I’m honest. So, be optimistic, have more self-confidence and don’t quit it halfway, maybe you’ll have to learn how to start an llc later.

In all other situations – keep calm and call Tony Stark. Good luck to you!