How to Attract Clients on Freelancing Websites

Operating as a freelancer is a fantastic opportunity to supplement your income, improve your coding abilities, and expand your portfolio. So, if you’re looking to start a freelancing business, you’re probably curious about how to discover freelance work and possible clients as a beginning.

One obvious solution is to use sites like Upwork, Fiverr, Flexjobs, and others to find freelance project listings. Referrals can make it simpler to acquire freelance clients, especially given that these types of freelancing marketplaces have a reputation for poor compensation and because there is much rivalry for the top gigs and projects on these sites.

That isn’t to say you should fully disregard them. These sites help many freelancers locate clients, and they’re especially useful if you’re getting started as a freelancer.

So, how does it function? You can freelance in various fields (including, of course, web design and development), and some freelance gig sites are better suited to specific types of work.

We’ve included some helpful hints for navigating these often-overwhelming freelance job boards in this post. Read on to learn how to obtain clients for your freelance services using Upwork and other job sites, whether you’re looking for practice work or want to start a freelance career.

Where Do We Find Freelance Clients?

Freelancing Websites

Starting your freelancing career on a freelance jobs marketplace is frequently recommended. Why? Because freelance platforms make it easy to discover paying clients fast and securely. Every freelancing site is a little different, but they all have the same goal of assisting freelancers in finding work—whether by assisting clients in finding you or by assisting you in finding clients.

Your Social Network

Start telling your family, friends, past classmates, and professional connections about your freelance services—you’d be amazed what a little word-of-mouth can do for your freelancing career.

Social Media

When looking for clients, don’t forget the importance of social media. Your future clients are already on one or more platforms, giving you a free and simple opportunity to connect with them. It’s also a wonderful opportunity to meet and network with other freelancers in your area and adjacent fields who may be able to send you clients or include you in one of their projects.

Networking Events

In-person networking events have a far higher human element than online networking events, making it much simpler to leave a permanent positive impression on a potential client. Look up networking events in your area on Google, join social media groups, and use apps like Meetup and Eventbrite.

Local Businesses

Local companies are another excellent source of freelance clients. Make connections in your neighborhood, learn about the issues they’re dealing with, and tailor a proposition on how your services may help.

You never know when your local bar could want a new menu design, or your dentist’s website may require improved SEO. Reaching out to local companies will expose you to far less competition (perhaps none) than chatting to potential clients online.

How Do We Attract Clients?

Keep Your Profile Updated with A Picture

Why do I recommend that you provide a photograph of yourself? It demonstrates to new clients that you are not a robot and humanizes you. Clients are more likely to hire someone if they believe they can trust them, and seeing a real face can help in this process.

Determine Your Skillset

First and foremost, you must have a thorough awareness of your abilities to highlight them properly. Your competence to package and sells your expertise effectively is crucial to gaining clients. So, think about which hard and soft abilities you excel at and write them down.

Computer languages, SEO, and writing are examples of hard talents, while communication and time management are soft skills.

Strategic Sorting of Jobs

When you start, deciding which jobs to bid on can be difficult. Setting a reasonably high hourly or project rate is one approach to weed out clients who may not have the financial means to compensate you for your work appropriately.

On the other hand, if you’re willing to work with clients on a tight budget because you value the experience, you can charge a reduced hourly cost. You’re seeking jobs from clients who know exactly what they’re looking for and being fairly compensated.

Add A Personalized Cover Letter

If you decide to pitch the project, you’ll want to create a good first impression on potential clients by drafting a personalized cover letter (begins in a new tab) for each proposition you submit. While this may take some time, it demonstrates to them that you’ve taken the time to learn about their needs and how you might be able to assist them.

Charge A Fair Amount

Another issue is making sure you’re asking for a reasonable price for your services (opens in a new tab). You don’t want to make the blunder of charging too little for your time and services, even if you’re a newbie. Not only is that poor use of your time and energy, but it may also work against you.

However, it is easy to overcharge for your services, which you should avoid. If you charge the same as a senior developer or designer, you’re likely to increase expectations needlessly, leading to negative feedback if you can’t achieve the quality that clients demand. If your rate is comparable to that of your competitors, then you’re good to go!

Although researching and vetting clients takes more time, it may be worthwhile if you want to pursue a freelancing career. Working for a demanding customer and receiving a terrible review are two of the worst things. Freelancing is a two-way street, just like any other job: clients want to work with the best freelancers, and you want to work for the greatest clients.