Using job boards to get your first freelance clients
When you start a freelance business, you likely want to know: how do you find freelance work and potential clients if you're a beginner?
Some people start by tapping into their network and doing free work for their friends, hoping someone will refer them to a paid client. I did that, and the only thing you can attract by doing free work is more free work.
One second obvious answer is to look to freelance project listing sites such as Upwork, Fiverr, Flexjobs, and more.
Many companies rely on freelancing sites to get reliable and skilled freelancers. Despite the availability of thousands of projects, it's challenging to land your first client because freelancing job boards are flooded with others chasing to take a piece of the pie. Also, a lot of these marketplaces have a reputation for low pay.
Many people criticize job boards, and they have good reason to. Competing with other freelancers can result in "race to the bottom" pricing wars, and the public feedback system can be aggravating, even if you do a fantastic job.
They cost money, but you should still pay attention to them. Plenty of freelancers find clients through these sites, which can be especially helpful when you're just starting as a freelancer.
If you cold email a potential client, chances are they already have someone fulfilling your service or aren't interested. On a job board, the opposite is true. Everyone desires a specific service. They wouldn't be there if they didn't.
In essence, you have thousands of hot prospects waiting to be served. This is your best bet for making money quickly. I got my first job a few days after opening an Upwork account. Cold contact rarely has such quick success.
But before you take the plunge and sign up for the marketplace, make sure you completely understand the fee structure, as this can vary from website to website. Also, find out if there is an exclusivity policy, which means you can only work with clients through the platform, even if the client wants to work with you after you leave the website.
If you are a designer or writer, specific websites deal with freelance jobs in your industry, but all the big freelance websites offer projects in many areas.
How to get clients on freelance marketplaces?
No matter which marketplace you choose to get started in, the universal principles outlined below will work for any of that.
Update your profile (don't forget a photo)
Clients are more likely to hire someone if they believe they can trust, and seeing a human face can help build trust. This is why I always suggest including a photo of yourself. It humanizes your profile and demonstrates that you are not a bot.
Strategically sort through the jobs
Deciding which jobs to bid on can be difficult when you first start out.
Setting a relatively high hourly rate or project rate is one way to screen out clients who may not have the budget to adequately pay you for your time. On the other hand, if you are okay with working with clients on a tight budget because you want the experience, you can set a lower hourly rate.
You're looking for jobs from clients who know exactly what they're looking for, in addition to being fairly compensated. The more the client knows about what they want, the less likely they will request revision after revision (because they are unsure what they want).
While there may be a huge opportunity to impress the client by being extremely creative, if they are vague, it can be a frustrating experience because the client may not be able to tell you why they don't like something.
The more specific a client is about their needs, preferences, and dislikes, the more you have to work with — and, at the very least, you'll know they can communicate with you if you need clarification.
As a result, you should look for jobs that are within your desired range and are clear about their specific requirements.
Write specific proposals
I used to get ignored on 95% of my proposals. Why? Because they were entirely generic. While these messages are effective for high-volume cold contact, using them on hot prospects wastes time.
My success skyrocketed when I became more specific about how I could assist them, as well as a bit quirky at times. That includes mentioning precisely what their company does (if you can tell from the job posting), why you're a good fit if you've previously worked with similar companies, if you have a relevant sample, and so on.
Another thing to remember is that if a job has questions attached to it, your potential client will read these first (this is how it works on Upwork).
As a result, if questions arise, make your best effort to answer them. Although you should still write a strong cover letter, the questions will be far more critical in getting hired.
Finally, it is best to only apply to some jobs on the platform. Again, you want to go deep rather than wide. Because you are a specialist, screen your clients the same way they will screen you after your proposal. Only apply if you are a good fit. If it isn't, find another job.
Make it personalized
If you decide to pitch the project, you'll want to make a good impression on potential clients by writing a personalized cover letter(opens in a new tab) for each proposal you submit. While this may take some time, it demonstrates to clients that you've taken the time to understand what they want and how you can assist them.
Clients who appreciate that you've done your research are more likely to hire you over those who send generic cover letters or need help understanding what they're looking for.
While a personalized cover letter does not guarantee the job, it does help you make the best first impression possible.
Solve pain points
You want to demonstrate in your cover letter to the business owner or startup that you understand their pain points, can solve them and can add value that other freelancers cannot.
For example, suppose a cost-conscious small business owner requires someone to create graphic designs for their website regularly in an unusual file format with quick turnaround times. In that case, those are their pain points: they're struggling to get the designs in the required format and are having difficulty meeting deadlines.
In your cover letter, you should let them know that you have the necessary skills, that you can export to that file format because you own that software license, that you can design quickly on short notice, and that you can work within their budget.
If you can provide additional value — for example, not only can you create graphic designs, but you're also a typography expert — let them know so you can stand out from the crowd by providing services that no one else can.
Show your expertise
It's also critical to demonstrate expertise in your profile and cover letter, not just talk about it. You want clients to know that you can complete the task they are hiring for and that you do excellent work.
You can demonstrate expertise by displaying a portfolio of sites you've designed or built as a designer or developer, a collection of testimonials or referrals, or even sharing your professional insights on your blog or social media.
Even if you're starting, it's critical to list the skills you already know and excel at. Even if you've only used the skills in your portfolio projects or a few client gigs, you're qualified for the job if you can solve someone's problem.
If you can demonstrate your professional expertise, you'll be able to command higher hourly rates.
Find the dream clients
You might think, "What do you mean, find dream clients?"
While it's flattering to have someone interested in hiring you, remember that you'll have to work for this person. If the client is difficult to work with — demanding, unresponsive, or changing the project scope while working on it — you'll have difficulty working for them.
On freelance platforms, it's not always easy to tell good clients from bad, but you can get a sense of their personality by looking through the job postings they create or reading other people's reviews of them.
Good clients know what they want (for example, the specifications for their MVP), when they need their project completed, and how to communicate effectively.
If someone's job posting is very vague, they're more concerned with the price than the quality of the work, and they talk about having super high standards or going through a lot of freelancers, chances are they'll be challenging to work with.
Although researching and vetting clients takes more time, it may be worthwhile if you want to build a career in freelancing. There are few things more frustrating than working for a difficult client and receiving a negative review.
Like any other job, freelancing is a two-way street: clients want to work with the best freelancers, and you want to work for the best clients.