You might have already tried – with out success – lots of the widespread methods to search out purchasers as a freelancer, coach, or entrepreneur. 

Right here’s what normally occurs when freelancers/coaches/entrepreneurs strive essentially the most generally talked about tricks to discover purchasers:

1. Ask for referrals: I’m simply beginning out and don’t have anybody to ask for a reference. 
2. Chilly e mail: I attempted this, however no person responds to my emails!
3. Apply to jobs on Upwork: I utilized to dozens, however successful a gig is unimaginable as a result of there’s a lot competitors. 
4. Construct an internet site: I did that, however no person is aware of it exists!

In the long run, you spend extra effort and time attempting to discover purchasers than really doing work.

But these are the ways many freelancers use to get jobs right now. The distinction is how they execute these ways. 

That can assist you land your first few purchasers, listed here are seven methods to search out purchasers and, extra importantly, tips on how to execute every technique so that you simply reach closing purchasers. 

Submit on Social Media 

When you’ve got a longtime community on social media, you possibly can simply earn purchasers with a single put up. For instance, Shaan Puri bought out his writing teaching program in days with a easy Tweet:

Listed below are just some of the feedback:

As you possibly can see, it’s simple to earn purchasers in case you have tens of 1000’s of followers who suit your very best buyer profile. 

The apparent downside is that most freelancers simply getting began don’t have tens of 1000’s of followers. 

Sadly, for those who publish a put up on social media saying that you simply’re taking up new purchasers, but you solely have a handful of followers, you most likely received’t generate any purchasers. 

For instance, this individual took the everyday “greatest follow” recommendation to looking for new purchasers by posting on social media:

But this individual has lower than 1,000 followers, and you’ll see that the put up generated minimal engagement and certain didn’t drive any gross sales.

When you presently have zero followers on social media, listed here are two options to this downside (and I like to recommend you do each of them):

1. To shut a brand new shopper within the subsequent few weeks: Associate with somebody who does have a social media following.
2. To generate countless shopper demand over the following a number of years: Construct your personal social media following by constructing a private model. 

To companion with somebody who already has a social media following, first determine your very best buyer ({industry}, title, traits, and many others.).

Then, attain out to an individual who matches that description and has a robust social media following (ideally, a minimum of 10,000 – 50,000 followers). 

Attain out on social media and ask if you are able to do your service for them without spending a dime, and in change, they’ll put up about your work on social media.

For instance, a freelancer named Diego reached out to influencer Sam Parr and supplied to make clips from his long-form content material. In return, Sam posted about it on his social media, and demand for Diego’s providers blew up.

In the meantime, begin constructing your private model on social media in order that a number of years from now, you’re the individual with 1000’s of followers.

After getting 1000’s of followers and a robust repute, you’ll have folks reaching out to you on your providers, and also you’ll by no means should do chilly outreach once more. 

To construct a private model and entice 1000’s of followers, begin posting about your journey working without spending a dime for a few of these folks. At first, count on that no person will remark or interact along with your content material.

As your free purchasers (who’ve social media followings) start speaking about your work on social media, you’ll quickly begin constructing a following. 

Use Charles Miller’s 10-10-10 rule:

• Spend 10 minutes partaking with different content material you discover fascinating
• Spend 10 minutes writing content material
• Spend 10 minutes replying to individuals who interact along with your content material

Received 30 free minutes per day?

Then you possibly can construct a private model.

Simply observe my 10-10-10 methodology:

🧵

— Charles Miller (@charlesmiller_7) January 16, 2023

When you nonetheless don’t know what it’s best to discuss when posting content material on social media, Charles has a free course and 67 viral put up templates that you should use to get began creating content material.  

Chilly Emailing

Most chilly emails have very low response charges, although I’ve personally received a number of purchasers utilizing chilly e mail.  

Listed below are a number of of the commonest causes chilly emails usually don’t work:

1. The topic line isn’t compelling sufficient to get them to learn your e mail.
2. The recipient might not need or want your service in the intervening time.
3. Nothing within the e mail offers them any cause to consider your service is superior to different service suppliers.
4. There’s no real connection within the e mail. 

For instance, it is a chilly e mail I acquired this morning. The topic line really obtained me to open the e-mail as a result of it appeared prefer it could possibly be one thing from a pal. 

Sadly, I’m not interested by it and simply deleted it.

There are two the explanation why this chilly e mail was unsuccessful:

1. I’m not interested by chilly e mail providers.
2. There’s no proof that they’re really good at chilly emailing. 

However, this chilly e mail I despatched finally was a shopper that paid me tens of 1000’s of {dollars}. 

There are a number of the explanation why this pitch labored:

1. I recognized an organization with demand for my service. I noticed this firm was already hiring a content material author on AngelList, in order that they clearly need the service I provide. 
2. I mentioned why I’m totally different. As an alternative of simply writing weblog posts, I’ll interview their key group members after which monitor conversions – a really distinctive method most freelance writers aren’t pitching. Stating your course of is much more compelling than simply stating generic numbers or firm names (e.g., “we helped X firm drive X income”).

So, as a substitute of pitching generic corporations, discover folks/corporations that you realize are interested by investing in your service. 

Observe that it’s vital to spend money on corporations interested by your service that haven’t invested in it. 

For instance, if they only employed an search engine optimization marketing consultant, they most likely received’t rent one other search engine optimization marketing consultant.

Job boards are wonderful for locating potential purchasers. I want to take a look at job boards for full-time hires as these corporations are essentially the most severe about investing in your service (and subsequently have extra money to spend!) they usually are inclined to obtain fewer freelance pitches than for those who put up on a conventional freelance job board. 

Construct Trade Partnerships

An effective way to earn new purchasers is by partnering with different service suppliers providing parallel providers.

A shopper who wants an internet site additionally wants search engine optimization. 

A pair hiring a marriage planner additionally wants a marriage venue. 

The important thing to constructing partnerships is knowing how referring your providers will profit your potential companion.

Needless to say many of those corporations obtain pitches for partnership alternatives incessantly, and plenty of have already got partnerships in place. Due to this fact, merely sending a chilly e mail and telling them that you simply wish to companion most likely received’t work. 

As an alternative, use this technique:

1. Determine corporations or freelancers who already serve your very best buyer, however both don’t presently provide your providers or solely work with purchasers at a better worth level. 

For instance, this individual provides design providers and, subsequently, is likely to be an amazing potential companion for those who’re an search engine optimization who works with startups, as you each serve the identical buyer, and your providers are parallel however don’t overlap.

Alternatively, for those who’re attempting to promote your search engine optimization providers, you possibly can attain out to an enterprise search engine optimization agency and ask for those who may take the leads that don’t have the finances to work with them. This technique has helped me win purchasers prior to now:

1. When you’re pitching somebody chilly, provide to do a free pattern for them after which give them a excessive share (over 50%) or ideally all of the income for the primary few months working collectively. 

This pitch is compelling as a result of the companion firm/freelancer makes considerably extra money with none further work. The truth is, a lot of their purchasers are most likely already on the lookout for parallel providers, so the partnership with you makes them extra enticing. 

Community 

Networking is a standard tip for locating purchasers as a freelancer, coach, or entrepreneur, however attending native networking occasions and handing out enterprise playing cards most likely received’t show you how to shut new purchasers. 

Until you’re particularly attempting to win native purchasers, attending native occasions most likely received’t show you how to join along with your dream purchasers (until you reside in a significant metropolis like New York or Austin the place main {industry} occasions occur commonly).

As an alternative, attempt to attend the most well-liked occasions in your prospects’ {industry}. For instance, attend an equine vet convention for those who’re attempting to shut equine veterinary purchasers. 

A fast Google search will present you the most important occasions in your {industry}:

When you’re on the occasion, acknowledge that relationships take time to construct, and other people can inform while you’re simply attempting to promote. So don’t count on to shut any offers in your first interplay with an individual. 

As an alternative, use occasions as market analysis. Ask folks questions like:

• What are you engaged on that you simply’re most enthusiastic about?
• What have been the most important challenges in reaching your objectives? (You can even tailor this query to be related to the providers you provide. For instance, for those who provide search engine optimization providers, ask about their greatest advertising and marketing challenges.)
• What are a few of your objectives for this 12 months?

As networking is finally about constructing relationships, additionally ask them questions on their normal pursuits and genuinely befriend them.

You can even construct relationships on-line for those who can’t attend an {industry} occasion in individual. 

The important thing to constructing efficient relationships on-line is setting the suitable intentions. 

Your objective is to construct relationships – not shut purchasers.

To get began, make two lists:

• People who find themselves your dream purchasers and lively on social media: These folks must be decision-makers who would finally rent you. 
• Different freelancers/specialists working in your {industry} who’re additionally lively on social media: When you’re an online designer, make a listing of the highest net designers. These folks may ship you referrals.

Subsequent, begin partaking commonly with their content material. Depart insightful feedback that carry the dialog ahead. 

Right here’s an amazing instance:

Supply

It’s additionally a good suggestion to start out constructing your private model and posting your personal content material on social media. This offers the folks you’re partaking with some background on you in the event that they determine to look into you, and it’ll additionally show you how to entice the suitable folks you wish to join with.

After a number of weeks of partaking with their content material, you possibly can ship them a DM to proceed a dialog you had within the feedback. Nevertheless, keep away from instantly pitching them in that preliminary DM. You’ve already invested a lot effort and time into constructing this relationship, and there are such a lot of different methods it may well repay in the long term for those who’re affected person. 

So when are you able to pitch your providers?

The purpose of constructing relationships isn’t to pitch your providers. 

As an alternative, the concept is that these folks such as you sufficient that they’ll ask to rent you straight (they most likely know what you do for those who’ve genuinely constructed a relationship with them). Nevertheless, for those who’ve been speaking (on-line or in individual) for a number of months, you possibly can at all times ask in the event that they know anybody else on the lookout for your providers. 

That is normally softer and fewer awkward than a direct pitch, and in the event that they do want your providers, they’re prone to merely say so and rent you straight. 

Host Workshops

Internet hosting a workshop can be an effective way to search out purchasers, however how do you get folks to attend in case you have no social media presence?

Begin by becoming a member of an internet or offline neighborhood (Slack/Fb group or native meetup group). 

Then, ask the neighborhood host in the event that they’d think about doing a workshop for those who organized it and obtained influencers to take part.  

When you’ve discovered a number of different audio system, embrace your self as one in every of them.

Internet hosting the workshop can also be an effective way to construct useful {industry} connections for a number of causes:

1. Audio system: You present large worth to the audio system who possible need publicity and the chance to attach with their viewers.
2. Host: You present worth to the host since you’re bringing worth to their neighborhood.  
3. Contributors: These individuals are your prospects and can see you as a reliable {industry} influencer as you realize the entire audio system and the neighborhood host. You’ll additionally be capable to exhibit your data for those who converse on the workshop. In fact, for those who’re planning to talk on the occasion, it’s best to have some real data of the topic, so this isn’t an amazing technique for those who’re model new to the service you’re providing. 

I as soon as collaborated with a content material advertising and marketing Slack Group (Superpath) and hosted weekly workshops. For the primary workshop, the Slack group host promoted it to the neighborhood, and so as to add an additional incentive for folks to indicate up, I primarily hosted a pizza celebration the place I used Pizzatyme and despatched pizza to everybody who signed up.

The pizza celebration/workshop constructed up a whole lot of goodwill, and a number of other folks reached out to me for content material advertising and marketing providers following the occasion.

For instance, for those who’re attempting to win purchasers as an online designer, attain out to an online design Slack neighborhood and provide to host a pizza hangout.

Alternatively, if you would like extra health purchasers, attain out to a neighborhood health membership and ask for those who can host a workshop the place you invite high nutritionists and health trainers. 

If you’d like extra purchasers as a personal chef, attain out to a neighborhood Mothers group and ask if you are able to do a free cooking class for them. 

Use Job Boards

Job boards like Upwork are very aggressive, and most jobs obtain dozens of candidates.

Nevertheless, some freelancers are wonderful at successful purchasers and continually obtain job provides by way of these platforms. For instance, Adam has earned over $600,000 on Upwork as a contract copywriter. 

The explanation most individuals aren’t profitable on freelance job boards is as a result of they don’t place themselves accurately. In an effort to attraction to as many potential purchasers as attainable, most freelancers have a generic profile. But purchasers wish to rent specialists – not generalists. 

For instance, for those who’re a shopper trying to rent a B2B Gross sales copywriter and promote enterprise degree providers, which profile are you extra possible to decide on?

As a shopper, you’ll most likely select Adam as a result of he particularly serves corporations like yours.

The important thing to standing out on freelance job boards is making a focused profile that gives a really particular service to a really particular viewers.   

You’ll instantly discover from Adam’s profile that he provides one service (gross sales copywriting) for one kind of shopper (enterprise B2B). The primary part in his description is his very best buyer profile; an organization promoting SaaS, tech, or enterprise degree providers with a excessive quantity of outbound gross sales and over 30 salespeople. 

Tailoring your description to obviously say what you provide can also be vital.

Many freelancers spend time discussing why they’re dependable, simple to work with, and quick, however by the top of the outline, purchasers nonetheless don’t know for those who can really do the job they want. So state what you do in easy-to-read bullet factors on the high of your description:

The truth is, Adam additionally states what he does NOT do:

You’ll additionally discover that Adam has a 100% job success fee. Success fee is a key issue purchasers think about when selecting candidates, so work along with your purchasers to ensure they offer you a 5 star score.

One other tip to get nice purchasers is to put up on industry-specific job boards. For instance, for those who’re a designer, think about attempting a job board like Dribbble, as industry-specific job boards have a tendency to draw higher-quality purchasers. 

Alternatively, for those who don’t wish to continually apply for jobs on job boards, you possibly can additionally do long-term contract work with a longtime firm that already has loads of purchasers.

For instance, My Physique Tutor is a health teaching service that hires tutors to work three to 4 hours per week.

Ask for Referrals

When you’ve finished nice work on your purchasers, they’ll possible be very happy to refer you to different folks. 

Nevertheless, most freelancers and coaches don’t actively ask for referrals.

Or, in the event that they do ask for a referral, it’s normally a message like this:

“Hello (shopper), I’m presently increasing my enterprise and trying to deliver on a number of extra purchasers. Would you think about referring me to any mates who could also be interested by my providers?“

The issue with this message is that it places the work on the shopper to think about individuals who is likely to be interested by your providers. They’ve to think about individuals who could also be interested by your providers. It’s additionally awkward for them to actively attain out and ask these mates in the event that they’d like to rent you. 

As an alternative, most purchasers will say, “Positive, if anybody asks, I’ll give them your contact information.”

Consequently, you received’t get any enterprise.

A greater technique is to provide them a particular request like this:

“Hello (shopper), I’m presently increasing my enterprise and trying to deliver on a number of extra purchasers. Would you think about making a put up on (social media platform they’ve a following on) in case anybody in your community could also be on the lookout for my providers?“

You would even write a draft for a put up. 

Right here’s an amazing instance of somebody who posted for a pal on the lookout for a full-time job:

Supply

Posting this isn’t awkward for the shopper, and for those who write a draft of the put up, it’s little or no work for the shopper to execute your request. 

Get Extra Assist Discovering Your First Shopper

Any of those methods can work that can assist you get your first shopper, although ideally, you need potential purchasers reaching out to you.

One of the best ways to effortlessly entice purchasers is by constructing a private model. Fairly than sending personalised messages to folks one by one, a private model lets you write one message and strengthen your relationship with many potential purchasers.

But most individuals strive posting for a while, solely to obtain little engagement and finally surrender.

When you don’t know what to say or tips on how to package deal your ideas in order that they earn engagement, think about becoming a member of the Copyblogger Academy. It’s a private branding course and neighborhood run by two seven determine entrepreneurs; Charles Miller and Tim Stoddart. Tim is the proprietor of Copyblogger and Stodzy, a seven determine advertising and marketing company, and Charles has over 180k followers on Twitter and has helped purchasers earn 7 figures by way of private branding.

Along with the non-public branding course itself, you’ll even have entry to the neighborhood the place you possibly can ask questions and attend accountability classes. There are additionally different programs on copywriting, content material advertising and marketing, search engine optimization, and different advertising and marketing abilities you must succeed as a freelancer, coach, or entrepreneur.
You possibly can strive it out right now threat free to see if the Copyblogger Academy is the suitable funding for you. When you’re not 100% glad, we’ll offer you a full refund within the first 30 days.