Down and Dirty Tips for Getting Clients Fast!

Quick ways to get freelance clients Recently, I discussed what to do when your freelance business is slow. Those tips were helpful if you already have clients and an established freelance practice. But what if you’re just starting out? How do you get clients if you need work fast?

I don’t recommend that you put yourself into a position like this. But things happen, and you may find yourself needing to kick start your business. So here are a few ideas to consider.

Work your referrals. It’s great to have people send business your way, but this takes time to work. To speed things up, simply ask people you know for names of potential clients. Contact these people and ask for more names. You keep working this chain of referrals until you find someone who needs your expertise. This won’t be to everyone’s taste. But if you’re persistent, it can work.

Contact your “wish list.” Come up with a list of businesses you would like to work with and start making phone calls. You will probably need to talk to a few people within an organization before you find the right contact. Be pleasant and brief. Most people are willing to help direct your call if they know what you want. Don’t try to sell yourself to everyone, just ask for the person who hires freelancers. Once you reach the right person, confirm that they hire freelancers, very briefly introduce yourself, and offer to send information about your services. Later you can follow up to answer questions, set up a meeting, or schedule future contacts.

Set up “power meetings.” This is a technique that works when you’re looking for a job, but it can also work for your freelance business early on. Find a few people who are big shots in your industry and set up a personal meeting or a phone meeting. Your goal is not to ask for work, but to ask for advice about where you can find work. A little flattery here goes a long way, so express your admiration and gratitude. Briefly explain that you’re starting your freelance business and you are seeking expert guidance. You’ll probably get good advice and a few good referrals.

Write letters. So many people rely on e-mail these days, it’s easy to forget about sending a simple letter. Your letter can be a brief introduction to who you are and the services you provide. Or better, it can be an offer for free information, such as samples, a brochure, an article you’ve written, etc. If you’re targeting specific businesses, go ahead and send the information then follow up with a call. If you’re mass mailing, encourage people to request your information so you can tell who is most interested. Mass mailings are the surest way to find business fast, but you’ll have to spend a little money on postage and maybe an evening folding letters and stuffing envelopes.

Mass mail postcards. Postcards are not as effective as letters, but they’re faster and cheaper, so you can contact more people. I’m not talking about vacation type postcards, but a special postcard that you write and design specifically to mail to promote your services. Like any good advertisement, it should have a strong headline and benefits. It should also provide a clear “call to action” by offering additional information and an easy means of reaching you, preferably a phone number. Don’t just send people to your Web site because that gives you no way to know who responds to your card.

Do spec work. I don’t like spec work. But if you’re looking for a fast way to land a client, this could work. People have two major hurdles when they’re considering hiring you: they don’t know you and they don’t want to risk paying you. Offering to work on “spec,” short for speculative and which means working for free, helps potential clients leap these hurdles. However, you should make it clear that this is a special arrangement because you want to prove your skill and find paying clients.

Do something dramatic. If you’re looking for work locally, and if you’re the dramatic type, you might pull a stunt to get attention. I read about a writer who set up a desk and a typewriter near a busy intersection and offered to write things, such as cover letters or resumes, for business people passing by. He notified the local media and received so much press coverage, his phone was ringing off the hook for weeks.

Do you have another way to get clients fast? Let me know.