How Do You Find Your Clients?

When you are starting out, well, to be honest, at all times through your career as a freelancer, this finding clients will be a big focus.  The really good freelancers, contractors or consultants will never leave a job, until they have the next one lined up. Therefore, the really good operators will have a constant source of income.

So how do you get clients?  There are a number of methods youcan use to win clients, some of which we have summarised below.  Some of these are easier than others, some may suit you and some may not.  To be honest, one could write a book on each one of these methods, but in this article I will keep it brief, so you get a good high level view.  I will go into more detail on most of these methods in later articles published at TheOnlyWay.com.au

1. Cold ContactingIn the old days, there was cold calling.  Now, with the plethora of communication mediums available to us, Iprefer the term cold contacting. 

The principle is simple.  You have to get out and contactyour potential clients and sell your wares.  To most peoplethis is a very dissicult job, as rejection rates are high(Ie. the number of potential clients who say "no" is muchhigher than those who say "yes".) You need to have a reallypositive attitude to rejection, to make this form of clientacquisition work.  Having said that, I have never met a person who has mastered the art of cold contacting, whowasn't a rich person.  When mastered, its a skill which can be applied to any industry in the world.  As such,this method of sales can then become another skill whic you can freelance with.

2. Marketing and AdvertisingThis is the most expensive method of client acquisition. It simply entails that you put a sales message somewherewhere your potential clients will see it, and do it in away that will make them call you.  If you get this right,half the time the client has already made up their mindto use your services,before they've called you, so you donot have to sell at all.  One big benefits of this typeof client acquisition is that you can reach a much largeraudience, than you can cold contacting people.

Successful marketing and advertising requires an investmentof time and money though.  You need to research to ensure your campaign is positioned correctly.  You need to testto find the mix of words, pictures, sounds and smells whichwill stimulate a positive reaction from your target audience.Until you find a campaign that works, you most important resources of time and money will constantly be drained.  But when you find that one that works, its happy sailing foryou my friend.

3. ReferralsThis is an extension of cold contacting, albeit typically this type of client acquisition activity has a much highersuccess rate than cold contacting.  As such, your tolerancefor rejection does not have to be as high as it does for those going cold.

Using referrals means you need to contact your entire network,everyone you knwo, to see if there is anyone your family, friends, colleagues, acquaintences, friends of family and family of friends may know, who may need your services.  Once you find people who need your services, you can use the person who told you about them, to give you an introduction and recommendation.  The reason this works is that you are leveraging off the trust your friend has in you, and the trust your potential client has in your friend, to generate an element of credibility in your skills.  That way the potential client has a much easier time deciding to use your services, than those of someone that no-one has recommended

This can be particularly effective when you have some clientsalready, and they give your referrals.  This is the case asthey have a "story" of your skills at work, which helps further build the credibility in you.

4. Get Involved With An Organisation Who Already Owns Your ClientsBack in 2003, I left the Australian Superannuation industryand specifically a company which made database software forall the major players in the industry.  I did my own thingfor a while, but then realised how much money there was tobe made, contracting back to the superannuation industry.  Instead of contacting all my old clients through out the Superannuation industry, I contacted my old employer.  Why not, they already had a relationship with all the clientsI was going to speak to anyway.  So we discussed some potential engagement models, and finally agreed that they find me work, and take a percentage on every hour I charge their clients. 

Using this method, I have filled up my calendar going on 3years now, contracting to my old clients through my old employer.  I earn much more this way, for much less time, than I would have when I worked permanently for them.  They love this situation too though, as they have no overheads for me, and don't pay me when there is no work.  They actually save money with the office space I no longer occupy.

Not all contractors and freelancers are as lucky as I havebeen in this case though.  Quite often employers will nottake back past employers on this basis, purely as an exercisein principle (or narrow mindedness if your like)  That shouldnot stop you though searching out other organisations to set up similar, or different arrangements and joint ventures.

One such organisation we reviewed on our website on the following page: Freelance Work and JobsThis is a service that actively finds people who want to freelance work.  They do the sales for you, and in return,instead of taking a percentage of your pay, the charge youa monthly fee.  You should really give them a go for at least 1 month, as they have a trial for less than $5.00.  I use themto find additional work when the Superannuation Industry is a bit dry.  Here is the page with some more information about them again: Freelance Work and Jobs

As you grow in your freelancing career, you'll quickly learnthat there is no absolute and perfect way to find your next client.  All of the above are proven methods in their ownright, but the most successful freelancers, consultants andcontractors will use a mixture of some or all of the above.An example of this process may be that on day 1 of your contracting career, you join an organisation similar to theone detailed here: Freelance Work and Jobs

As you get each new client, and complete each project youask for 3 or 4 referrals and over time you build up quitea book of clients just from these referrals.  Quickly you haveenough work on a monthly basis, that you no longer need thesubscription service.  So you stop paying for that. 

And each time you get paid from what is now a steady stream of income, you put a little bit away for a big advertising campaign,which you may need one day if your industry runs out of work,or for that matter if you want to make more money by subcontracting a stack of work, so you can make more money from other people, and havemore time for yourself.

I hope that gives you some ideas.  Goodluck.

_____________________________________________________________________

TheOnlyWay.com.au - Learn the only way to live the dream. Make some more money and let that money make you.