Ever wondered why other freelancers keep on getting high paying clients while you are still struggling?
Building a career as a freelancer, whether as a content writer, web designer, etc. is not an easy task (If it was, everyone would be a highly paid freelancer).
However, if you get it right, it can be a very rewarding career. According to Wikihow, freelancing also comes with its own share of freedom. You are free to work on your own schedule and no bosses to “boss” you around.
When you become a freelancer, the biggest challenge is landing and closing clients. It doesn’t matter your expertise or experience; you must figure out how to get clients. As such, you need to sit down and ask yourself some questions. For instance:
- Why did a certain client hire a particular freelancer?
- How did the freelancer contact the client and convince them to hire them?
- How can I land my own clients?
Identify your niche
According to Forbes, if you try to sell to everyone, you will end up selling to no one.
The world of freelancing is saturated. It is characterized by cut-throat competition such that only the innovative and creative can survive in it.
The initial feeling when you get into freelancing is that you should go broad. Thus, you won’t lock out potential customers. Therefore, you end up trying to attract general clients with the hope that one of them, from whichever niche, will respond positively.
As much as going broad is the safest way, narrowing down to a niche is the best strategy, though it is riskier. You formulate your marketing while targeting a particular audience.
The right niche should develop from your values, interests, and skills. It would help if you asked yourself questions like:
- Do I have any unique skills?
- Is there a problem in the world that I would want to solve?
- What do I love so much that I won’t mind doing it even without pay?
As you identify the niche, also assess the competition in the niche and the probability of making profits with it.
Build a website around your niche
If you want to establish authority as a freelancer, having a website is non-negotiable. A website is your online home where clients can visit and see what you offer. For more information on how to build a website and get the right hosting, visit Fortune Lords.
It makes it easy for clients to find your services online. Ensure that your clients will get what they want when they visit your site. Have samples of what you do and case studies. If you have worked with other clients, you can also include their testimonials.
Most importantly, ensure that the potential client can easily locate your contact info.
Maintain a professional portfolio to convince clients of your capability of turning their ideas into the best projects.
Add a blog
Having a blog is another working strategy towards establishing authority as a freelancer. After you have your online portfolio or online resume, you need to add a blog to it.
A blog helps you to write content and put it out there for people to read. A potential client will stumble upon your blog and contact you.
But before you can dive headfirst into blogging, ensure that the blogs you write appeal to the clients you want to work with. The articles you write should convince potential clients that you’re an expert in that particular field. For instance, you can write about how to make a website more responsive to increase sales.
Update your LinkedIn profile
Do you keep a LinkedIn profile because you have to or because it adds value to your portfolio?
According to a study by ADWEEK, 87% of recruiters use LinkedIn to hunt for new talents to hire. Therefore, the social media platform is a goldmine of opportunities that you cannot afford to ignore.
As you update your profile, upload any information that you feel will be of value to potential clients. Also, ensure you select the option that states you are open to new opportunities.
An excellent profile picture is also a must-have, and you can also feature endorsements from others.
You can also contact other freelancers to attract your customers.
Create content for others
Guest writing, which refers to creating content for others, is an excellent way of getting yourself out there. It puts you in front of many eyes, including those of potential clients.
In guest writing, you can be more strategic. You can target quality eyes that are most likely to become potential clients.
Alternatively, you can also allow guest writers to write for you. A guest writer brings with them their audience. As such, you get more chances of connecting and getting new clients. Guest writing is also an excellent way of sharing SEO optimized content.
Therefore, you should be careful who you allow to guest write for you. What contribution will they bring on board?
The idea is to collaborate with others to help you develop your authority in the freelancing world.
Be active on social media
In this digitally competitive world, you need to put your best foot forward to become an authority.
As such, you need to put yourself out there and strategically so. Being active on social media is an excellent way of marketing yourself.
Look for social media platforms that are niche-specific and join. With that, you will be connecting with other experts in your niche. For instance, if you are a videographer, you can join Vimeo.
Showcase your best services on the platforms to catch the eyes of potential clients.
Crazy networking
It is one thing identifying a niche and having the expertise, and it is another profiting from it.
Therefore, if you want to succeed in freelancing, network like crazy. Check the portfolios of people who have succeeded in the niche and contact them. Send them an email if you don’t know them personally.
Request them to advise you on how they grew and started getting clients.
Final thoughts
While becoming a freelancer is a profitable venture, the profit doesn’t just come. It would help if you established yourself as an authority to start getting clients. In this article, we have compiled tips that you should employ to establish yourself as an authority.
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