Lucy Miller
tenth Mar 2024
Studying Time: 4 minutes
In the event you’re simply beginning out as a freelancer, you’re more likely to have one query straightaway: the place can I discover purchasers?
Not having the ability to discover work is among the most daunting elements of being a self-employed freelancer. Fortunately, although, there’s a tonne of labor on the market for individuals who are daring sufficient to strike out on their very own. Typically, freelancing can really feel extra secure than a conventional profession path – particularly in case you have a number of revenue streams that you would be able to depend on, slightly than only one. Additionally fortunately, that is true of most industries that rent freelancers.
So, the place do you look? On this article, we’ll introduce you to a couple totally different routes that you should use to search out purchasers. Tell us for those who’ve discovered work in a method that we’ve missed…
Job boards
Job boards – the Reed, Monster, Indeeds of the world – are ten a penny, and also you would possibly have to sift by plenty of irrelevant postings earlier than you discover work that’s applicable to you. They’ll nonetheless be helpful, although. Simply be sure that your electronic mail alerts are filtered so that you’re solely seeing the roles you may want. Freelance journalists ought to control Cision, the place lots of of roles are marketed. For the broader media, Mediargh and The Media Mentor are good choices.
There are freelance particular job boards, too. Take a look at The Dots and Underpinned for nice roles throughout quite a few inventive freelance areas.
Recruiters
You won’t suppose you’ll discover purchasers on your freelance work by recruiters, however hear us out! In the event you’re searching for long run gigs (maternity covers, for instance, or one-off initiatives which may take a number of months to finish) this generally is a nice possibility.
Recruiters can actually enable you to out on the subject of issues like pay and contracts. Better of all, they’ll discover the alternatives so that you don’t at all times need to. Taking over contracts generally is a nice possibility if you need a dependable revenue stream for a number of months. Search for recruiters that concentrate on non permanent contracts, and be clear concerning the type of work you do (and don’t) wish to do.
Newsletters
Freelance journalists throughout the land have been singing the praises of Freelance Writing Jobs, the weekly e-newsletter by author Sian Meades-Williams, for some time. Touchdown in inboxes each Thursday, FWJ lists all one of the best (paying) alternatives of the week – from in-house poets to editors laying out pitching tips for his or her glossies. Enroll for those who’re a author of any form. Search for related initiatives inside your personal business for those who’re not.
Journalists also needs to take a look at journalist Anna Codrea-Rado’s The Skilled Freelancer, a e-newsletter with a wealth of invaluable recommendation and related musings.
Mine your community
That is the time to ensure everybody you might have contact with know that you simply’re self-employed and open for enterprise. This contains the random connections in your LinkedIn profile, and prolonged relations. Unfold the message extensively, and don’t be afraid to succeed in out to previous colleagues or acquaintances who would possibly be capable of assist. Assembly folks for coffees to replace them in your work is a good way to remain in contact. You by no means know, that individual out of your previous job might introduce you to a possible new shopper or spark one of the best concept you’ve had all 12 months…
Freelance communities
Because the freelance workforce grows, an increasing number of teams are popping as much as help each the newly self-employed and people with present expertise. Throughout the inventive industries, the tradition of group is rife. All the pieces from recommendation on discovering purchasers to monetary administration (and even simply the corporate of others in the same place) is being freely provided.
Search for Slack communities inside your business, and take a look at organisations just like the Society of Skilled Journalists, Girls in search engine optimisation Tech, and Freelance Heroes. That is, after all, the tip of the iceberg.
Your web site and on-line portfolio
You’ll in all probability have heard one million instances that you should show your greatest work on-line through your web site and on-line portfolios. But it surely doesn’t make it any much less true! In the event you show your work clearly and your story is partaking, and for those who’ve acquired particulars of how one can be contacted displayed prominently, you’re in your approach to having purchasers coming to you slightly than the opposite method spherical. If you should, spend money on a graphic designer to get your web site wanting as skilled as doable. You gained’t remorse it!
With regards to on-line portfolios, you already know higher than us concerning the ones which are greatest suited to your particular business. Do your analysis, and ensure you’ve acquired profiles and work displayed on the overall freelance portfolio websites (Behance, The Dots, Underpinned) in addition to those which are extra particular to your sector.
Discover purchasers at conferences
Conferences could be nice locations to fulfill folks inside your business. That may embrace potential new purchasers in addition to these in the same place to your self. Even digital occasions, which have largely changed nose to nose ones in 2020, generally is a nice springboard for conversations. It’s time to get entangled…
Social media
Lastly, we couldn’t finish this piece with out giving a shout-out to the behemoth of freelance alternative that’s Twitter. In journalism circles, editors with a pitching price range typically head straight to the timeline to shout concerning the alternatives they’ve, what they’re searching for, and how one can contact them. Is that the identical in your business? Perhaps – and also you gained’t know except you’re paying consideration. Consider us, the time you spend scouting for brand new purchasers on Twitter is never wasted!
We hope this has given you some inspiration on the place to search out purchasers on your upcoming freelance initiatives. In the event you’ve acquired an concept that we haven’t talked about, we’d love so that you can share it. Tell us over on the boards!
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