At first, it may seem impossible to find any clients. “It’s all about using your connections” is the common piece of advice you’ll hear for finding freelance clients, but if you’ve never done any work, you can’t rely on previous clients to recommend you.
You have more connections than you think, though.
Here are a few places to look.
1. Family Members
2. Friends
3. Local Businesses
4. Social Media - Use social media marketing to its fullest
5. Cold Emailing - Sometimes you have to be direct.
Here are some basic things to keep in mind:
- Be professional and courteous. This means matters than you might think. In all communications with your client, be polite. Don’t kiss ass, but make your client feel appreciated and respected. Besides being the decent thing to do, this will make them more likely to refer you to others and work with you in the future.
- Communicate clearly. Especially when doing business over the Internet, misunderstandings are just a vague sentence away. Make sure your client knows what you’re talking about, and don’t be afraid to ask detailed questions if you don’t understand what your client wants. Get on Skype or call them on the phone if necessary.
- Deliver on time. If you agree to a specific due date for a service, you should provide it on the agreed day at the latest. If something legitimate comes up, then of course let your client know, but don’t delay just because of laziness or procrastination.
- Get it in writing. When entering into a business agreement with someone you (probably) don’t know well, it’s best to have a written agreement. This make sure that both parties are clear on the expected services and compensation, and it also gives you something to refer to in case a client doesn’t pay you. You don’t need to involve a lawyer. Just follow a guide such as this one or use this online contract creator from Freelancers Union.