You’ll have already tried – with out success – lots of the frequent methods to seek out shoppers as a freelancer, coach, or entrepreneur.
Right here’s what normally occurs when freelancers/coaches/entrepreneurs strive essentially the most generally talked about tricks to discover shoppers:
- Ask for referrals: I’m simply beginning out and don’t have anybody to ask for a reference.
- Chilly e mail: I attempted this, however no one responds to my emails!
- Apply to jobs on Upwork: I utilized to dozens, however profitable a gig is not possible as a result of there’s a lot competitors.
- Construct a web site: I did that, however no one is aware of it exists!
Ultimately, you spend extra effort and time attempting to discover shoppers than truly doing work.
But these are the techniques many freelancers use to get jobs right now. The distinction is how they execute these techniques.
That can assist you land your first few shoppers, listed below are seven methods to seek out shoppers and, extra importantly, how you can execute every technique so that you simply achieve closing shoppers.
Need us to
scale your site visitors?
For the primary time, The Copyblogger methodology is now accessible to a choose few shoppers. We all know it really works. We’ve been doing it since 2006.
Publish on Social Media
If in case you have a longtime community on social media, you may simply earn shoppers with a single submit. For instance, Shaan Puri bought out his writing teaching program in days with a easy Tweet:
Listed below are only a few of the feedback:
As you may see, it’s straightforward to earn shoppers you probably have tens of hundreds of followers who suit your splendid buyer profile.
The plain drawback is that most freelancers simply getting began don’t have tens of hundreds of followers.
Sadly, in case you publish a submit on social media saying that you simply’re taking up new shoppers, but you solely have a handful of followers, you most likely received’t generate any shoppers.
For instance, this individual took the standard “finest follow” recommendation to looking for new shoppers by posting on social media:
But this individual has lower than 1,000 followers, and you’ll see that the submit generated minimal engagement and certain didn’t drive any gross sales.
If you happen to presently have zero followers on social media, listed below are two options to this drawback (and I like to recommend you do each of them):
- To shut a brand new shopper within the subsequent few weeks: Associate with somebody who does have a social media following.
- To generate countless shopper demand over the subsequent a number of years: Construct your individual social media following by constructing a private model.
To accomplice with somebody who already has a social media following, first determine your splendid buyer ({industry}, title, traits, and so forth.).
Then, attain out to an individual who suits that description and has a robust social media following (ideally, a minimum of 10,000 – 50,000 followers).
Attain out on social media and ask if you are able to do your service for them without spending a dime, and in trade, they are going to submit about your work on social media.
For instance, a freelancer named Diego reached out to influencer Sam Parr and supplied to make clips from his long-form content material. In return, Sam posted about it on his social media, and demand for Diego’s providers blew up.
In the meantime, begin constructing your private model on social media in order that a number of years from now, you’re the individual with hundreds of followers.
Upon getting hundreds of followers and a robust repute, you’ll have folks reaching out to you on your providers, and also you’ll by no means must do chilly outreach once more.
To construct a private model and appeal to hundreds of followers, begin posting about your journey working without spending a dime for a few of these folks. At first, count on that no one will remark or have interaction together with your content material.
As your free shoppers (who’ve social media followings) start speaking about your work on social media, you’ll quickly begin constructing a following.
Use Charles Miller’s 10-10-10 rule:
- Spend 10 minutes partaking with different content material you discover attention-grabbing
- Spend 10 minutes writing content material
- Spend 10 minutes replying to individuals who have interaction together with your content material
If you happen to nonetheless don’t know what you must discuss when posting content material on social media, Charles has a free course and 67 viral submit templates that you should utilize to get began creating content material.
Chilly Emailing
Most chilly emails have very low response charges, although I’ve personally received a number of shoppers utilizing chilly e mail.
Listed below are a number of of the most typical causes chilly emails sometimes don’t work:
- The topic line isn’t compelling sufficient to get them to learn your e mail.
- The recipient could not need or want your service in the intervening time.
- Nothing within the e mail offers them any motive to consider your service is superior to different service suppliers.
- There’s no real connection within the e mail.
For instance, this can be a chilly e mail I acquired this morning. The topic line truly obtained me to open the e-mail as a result of it seemed prefer it might be one thing from a buddy.
Sadly, I’m not all in favour of it and simply deleted it.
There are two explanation why this chilly e mail was unsuccessful:
- I’m not all in favour of chilly e mail providers.
- There’s no proof that they’re truly good at chilly emailing.
However, this chilly e mail I despatched in the end was a shopper that paid me tens of hundreds of {dollars}.
There are a number of explanation why this pitch labored:
- I recognized an organization with demand for my service. I noticed this firm was already hiring a content material author on AngelList, so that they clearly need the service I supply.
- I mentioned why I’m completely different. As an alternative of simply writing weblog posts, I’ll interview their key workforce members after which monitor conversions – a really distinctive strategy most freelance writers aren’t pitching. Stating your course of is much more compelling than simply stating generic numbers or firm names (e.g., “we helped X firm drive X income”).
So, as an alternative of pitching generic corporations, discover folks/corporations that you realize are all in favour of investing in your service.
Observe that it’s necessary to spend money on corporations all in favour of your service that haven’t invested in it.
For instance, if they simply employed an website positioning guide, they most likely received’t rent one other website positioning guide.
Job boards are wonderful for locating potential shoppers. I desire to have a look at job boards for full-time hires as these corporations are essentially the most severe about investing in your service (and subsequently have extra money to spend!) they usually are inclined to obtain fewer freelance pitches than in case you submit on a standard freelance job board.
Construct Trade Partnerships
A good way to earn new shoppers is by partnering with different service suppliers providing parallel providers.
A shopper who wants a web site additionally wants website positioning.
A pair hiring a marriage planner additionally wants a marriage venue.
The important thing to constructing partnerships is knowing how referring your providers will profit your potential accomplice.
Needless to say many of those corporations obtain pitches for partnership alternatives incessantly, and plenty of have already got partnerships in place. Subsequently, merely sending a chilly e mail and telling them that you simply need to accomplice most likely received’t work.
As an alternative, use this technique:
- Determine corporations or freelancers who already serve your splendid buyer, however both don’t presently supply your providers or solely work with shoppers at a better worth level.
For instance, this individual presents design providers and, subsequently, could be an important potential accomplice in case you’re an website positioning who works with startups, as you each serve the identical buyer, and your providers are parallel however don’t overlap.
Alternatively, in case you’re attempting to promote your website positioning providers, you could possibly attain out to an enterprise website positioning agency and ask in case you may take the leads that don’t have the funds to work with them. This technique has helped me win shoppers prior to now:
- If you happen to’re pitching somebody chilly, supply to do a free pattern for them after which give them a excessive share (over 50%) or ideally all of the earnings for the primary few months working collectively.
This pitch is compelling as a result of the accomplice firm/freelancer makes considerably extra money with none extra work. Actually, lots of their shoppers are most likely already searching for parallel providers, so the partnership with you makes them extra enticing.
Community
Networking is a typical tip for locating shoppers as a freelancer, coach, or entrepreneur, however attending native networking occasions and handing out enterprise playing cards most likely received’t show you how to shut new shoppers.
Until you’re particularly attempting to win native shoppers, attending native occasions most likely received’t show you how to join together with your dream shoppers (until you reside in a serious metropolis like New York or Austin the place main {industry} occasions occur recurrently).
As an alternative, attempt to attend the most well-liked occasions in your clients’ {industry}. For instance, attend an equine vet convention in case you’re attempting to shut equine veterinary shoppers.
A fast Google search will present you the most important occasions in your {industry}:
When you’re on the occasion, acknowledge that relationships take time to construct, and other people can inform if you’re simply attempting to promote. So don’t count on to shut any offers in your first interplay with an individual.
As an alternative, use occasions as market analysis. Ask folks questions like:
- What are you engaged on that you simply’re most enthusiastic about?
- What have been the most important challenges in attaining your targets? (You can even tailor this query to be related to the providers you supply. For instance, in case you supply website positioning providers, ask about their greatest advertising and marketing challenges.)
- What are a few of your targets for this 12 months?
As networking is in the end about constructing relationships, additionally ask them questions on their normal pursuits and genuinely befriend them.
You can even construct relationships on-line in case you can’t attend an {industry} occasion in individual.
The important thing to constructing efficient relationships on-line is setting the proper intentions.
Your purpose is to construct relationships – not shut shoppers.
To get began, make two lists:
- People who find themselves your dream shoppers and energetic on social media: These folks needs to be decision-makers who would ultimately rent you.
- Different freelancers/consultants working in your {industry} who’re additionally energetic on social media: If you happen to’re an internet designer, make an inventory of the highest net designers. These folks may ship you referrals.
Subsequent, begin partaking recurrently with their content material. Depart insightful feedback that carry the dialog ahead.
Right here’s an important instance:
It’s additionally a good suggestion to begin constructing your private model and posting your individual content material on social media. This offers the folks you’re partaking with some background on you in the event that they resolve to look into you, and it’ll additionally show you how to appeal to the proper folks you need to join with.
After a number of weeks of partaking with their content material, you may ship them a DM to proceed a dialog you had within the feedback. Nevertheless, keep away from instantly pitching them in that preliminary DM. You’ve already invested a lot effort and time into constructing this relationship, and there are such a lot of different methods it will probably repay in the long term in case you’re affected person.
So when are you able to pitch your providers?
The purpose of constructing relationships isn’t to pitch your providers.
As an alternative, the thought is that these folks such as you sufficient that they are going to ask to rent you straight (they most likely know what you do in case you’ve genuinely constructed a relationship with them). Nevertheless, in case you’ve been speaking (on-line or in individual) for a number of months, you may at all times ask in the event that they know anybody else searching for your providers.
That is normally softer and fewer awkward than a direct pitch, and in the event that they do want your providers, they’re prone to merely say so and rent you straight.
Host Workshops
Internet hosting a workshop can be an effective way to seek out shoppers, however how do you get folks to attend you probably have no social media presence?
Begin by becoming a member of an internet or offline group (Slack/Fb group or native meetup group).
Then, ask the group host in the event that they’d contemplate doing a workshop in case you organized it and obtained influencers to take part.
When you’ve discovered a number of different audio system, embrace your self as one in all them.
Internet hosting the workshop can be an effective way to construct beneficial {industry} connections for a number of causes:
- Audio system: You present huge worth to the audio system who doubtless need publicity and the chance to attach with their viewers.
- Host: You present worth to the host since you’re bringing worth to their group.
- Individuals: These persons are your prospects and can see you as a reliable {industry} influencer as you realize all the audio system and the group host. You’ll additionally be capable to exhibit your information in case you converse on the workshop. After all, in case you’re planning to talk on the occasion, you must have some real information of the topic, so this isn’t an important technique in case you’re model new to the service you’re providing.
I as soon as collaborated with a content material advertising and marketing Slack Group (Superpath) and hosted weekly workshops. For the primary workshop, the Slack group host promoted it to the group, and so as to add an additional incentive for folks to indicate up, I basically hosted a pizza get together the place I used Pizzatyme and despatched pizza to everybody who signed up.
The pizza get together/workshop constructed up quite a lot of goodwill, and a number of other folks reached out to me for content material advertising and marketing providers following the occasion.
For instance, in case you’re attempting to win shoppers as an internet designer, attain out to an internet design Slack group and supply to host a pizza hangout.
Alternatively, if you need extra health shoppers, attain out to an area health membership and ask in case you can host a workshop the place you invite prime nutritionists and health trainers.
If you need extra shoppers as a personal chef, attain out to an area Mothers group and ask if you are able to do a free cooking class for them.
Use Job Boards
Job boards like Upwork are very aggressive, and most jobs obtain dozens of candidates.
Nevertheless, some freelancers are wonderful at profitable shoppers and always obtain job presents by way of these platforms. For instance, Adam has earned over $600,000 on Upwork as a contract copywriter.
The rationale most individuals aren’t profitable on freelance job boards is as a result of they don’t place themselves appropriately. In an effort to enchantment to as many potential shoppers as doable, most freelancers have a generic profile. But shoppers need to rent consultants – not generalists.
For instance, in case you’re a shopper trying to rent a B2B Gross sales copywriter and promote enterprise degree providers, which profile are you extra doubtless to decide on?
As a shopper, you’ll most likely select Adam as a result of he particularly serves corporations like yours.
The important thing to standing out on freelance job boards is making a focused profile that gives a really particular service to a really particular viewers.
You’ll instantly discover from Adam’s profile that he presents one service (gross sales copywriting) for one kind of shopper (enterprise B2B). The primary part in his description is his splendid buyer profile; an organization promoting SaaS, tech, or enterprise degree providers with a excessive quantity of outbound gross sales and over 30 salespeople.
Tailoring your description to obviously say what you supply can be necessary.
Many freelancers spend time discussing why they’re dependable, straightforward to work with, and quick, however by the top of the outline, shoppers nonetheless don’t know in case you can truly do the job they want. So state what you do in easy-to-read bullet factors on the prime of your description:
Actually, Adam additionally states what he does NOT do:
You’ll additionally discover that Adam has a 100% job success price. Success price is a key issue shoppers contemplate when selecting candidates, so work together with your shoppers to verify they offer you a 5 star score.
One other tip to get nice shoppers is to submit on industry-specific job boards. For instance, in case you’re a designer, contemplate attempting a job board like Dribbble, as industry-specific job boards have a tendency to draw higher-quality shoppers.
Alternatively, in case you don’t need to always apply for jobs on job boards, you could possibly additionally do long-term contract work with a longtime firm that already has loads of shoppers.
For instance, My Physique Tutor is a health teaching service that hires tutors to work three to 4 hours per week.
Ask for Referrals
If you happen to’ve accomplished nice work on your shoppers, they’ll doubtless be more than pleased to refer you to different folks.
Nevertheless, most freelancers and coaches don’t actively ask for referrals.
Or, in the event that they do ask for a referral, it’s normally a message like this:
“Hello (shopper), I’m presently increasing my enterprise and trying to convey on a number of extra shoppers. Would you contemplate referring me to any associates who could also be all in favour of my providers?“
The issue with this message is that it places the work on the shopper to consider individuals who could be all in favour of your providers. They’ve to consider individuals who could also be all in favour of your providers. It’s additionally awkward for them to actively attain out and ask these associates in the event that they’d like to rent you.
As an alternative, most shoppers will say, “Positive, if anybody asks, I’ll give them your contact information.”
Consequently, you received’t get any enterprise.
A greater technique is to provide them a selected request like this:
“Hello (shopper), I’m presently increasing my enterprise and trying to convey on a number of extra shoppers. Would you contemplate making a submit on (social media platform they’ve a following on) in case anybody in your community could also be searching for my providers?“
You would even write a draft for a submit.
Right here’s an important instance of somebody who posted for a buddy searching for a full-time job:
Posting this isn’t awkward for the shopper, and in case you write a draft of the submit, it’s little or no work for the shopper to execute your request.
Get Extra Assist Discovering Your First Consumer
Any of those methods can work that can assist you get your first shopper, although ideally, you need potential shoppers reaching out to you.
One of the simplest ways to effortlessly appeal to shoppers is by constructing a private model. Relatively than sending customized messages to folks separately, a private model permits you to write one message and strengthen your relationship with many potential shoppers.
But most individuals strive posting for a while, solely to obtain little engagement and ultimately quit.
If you happen to don’t know what to say or how you can package deal your ideas in order that they earn engagement, contemplate becoming a member of the Copyblogger Academy. It’s a private branding course and group run by two seven determine entrepreneurs; Charles Miller and Tim Stoddart. Tim is the proprietor of Copyblogger and Stodzy, a seven determine advertising and marketing company, and Charles has over 180k followers on Twitter and has helped shoppers earn 7 figures by way of private branding.
Along with the private branding course itself, you’ll even have entry to the group the place you may ask questions and attend accountability classes. There are additionally different programs on copywriting, content material advertising and marketing, website positioning, and different advertising and marketing abilities it’s good to succeed as a freelancer, coach, or entrepreneur.
You may strive it out right now danger free to see if the Copyblogger Academy is the proper funding for you. If you happen to’re not 100% glad, we’ll provide you with a full refund within the first 30 days.
