The Freelancer's New Client Primer

How can you get new clients for your freelance business?

This is a fairly common question, and it does seem very difficult to do when you start out in business. Try not to get discouraged. It all gets easier as you go along, and experience what it's all about.

Here are some general ideas, along with a few things that have worked for me (we survey our clients, and clients of other businesses, on a very regular basis).

The key methods to building your initial business might include:

1. ads and releases in the target market's media,


2. direct mail campaign with follow up phone calls,


3. asking for referrals,


4. networking, and personal visits to your target market asking them for business.

But first, let's take a look at the art of selling.

The Art of Selling

This is my golden rule of selling:

Now some people do this a lot better than others.

A Case Study

I purchased a boardroom table yesterday. It was from a young guy just starting out in business who's about to open his retail outlet. He asked me a heap of questions before I bought the table. How long have I been in business, where are my offices, what sort of business, etc., etc.

He sold me the table. Then he proceeded to ask me if I needed chairs with my new table? Was I okay for stationery -- because he sells stationery and could get me a great deal on letterhead, envelopes and business cards? He told me that his average customer saves hundreds of dollars a year.

What about fax machines, printers, scanners, and computers? Did I have all of those? "It's so hard to get good fax machines," he said. He sells all of those and would make sure I got a great deal. He could sell me a $300 fax machine for $280.

Okay then. I'll need print cartridges, fax paper, copy paper, etc. He sells all of that and his price is better than anywhere else. Can he help me with that? It's all delivered for free!

The Lessons Learned

This salesman did it all perfectly. He identified his target market (that's me -- with a business and an office). He told the target market how he could help them, and he quantified the benefit ("I'll save you hundreds of dollars").

1. Access the Market

He accessed his target market initially by advertising his second hand office furniture in the 'Office Furniture' section of the local paper.

So that's the first example of figuring out who wants your product and then telling them you have what they need. Simple!

2. Build Rapport

The second important point is that people deal with people they already know (and generally like). What that means is that you need to meet as many people as you can (called networking). Now this is an art form. Go to the opening of everything (except envelopes. You can get some nasty paper cuts)!

Your market as a Web designer is almost certainly businesspeople. Go where businesspeople go. It's a no-brainer. They go to industry functions. They go to charity lunches. They go to golf days. Go to those things and get talking!

We get a huge amount of our new business from networking things. And it's because it's an opportunity for personal contact.

For example, let's say I've just met you at a party and you tell me that you're a Web designer. I have a small business selling widgets. You know I'm in your target market, but you don't want to be pushy. Let's look at that golden rule again:

Getting clients is simple in theory. Figure out who wants (not needs) your product (Web design services) and tell them that you have the service that they might need. Now some people do this a lot better than others.

Here's crunch time for you as a business person! Get your communication skills working and you'll have your first sale. Stand out from the crowd. Get people to remember you.

3. Make The Sale

Start off by asking questions about my business. Find out about my industry and my work. I'm like everyone else -- I love talking about myself, so I'll keep going for hours!

Be sure to empathise. Tell me what a difficult industry it is. Tell me that you agree that it is very competitive. Then tell me this:

Explain that you do Web design and that you have a few ideas that can help me make more money. Tell me that you'll give me a call next week to have a chat. And make sure you get my details (don't give me your details and expect me to call. In 99% of cases I won't).

Of course, when you meet me you follow through with a proposal that demonstrates to me how a Website will help me sell more widgets. And you will even take a guess at how much more money I will make. This all goes without saying!

Now that's called a lead. And because you've established a personal contact, the lead has a far greater chance of becoming a paying client that other "cold" leads might.