In partnership with

Welcome to the 10th edition of Expert•ish Freelancer, a newsletter that helps you launch or elevate your freelance business. Every other Friday, get tips tools, and insights based on my 35⁺ years as a freelance writer.

New here? Welcome! Subscribe for free.

Unlock High-Converting Funnels with this Free Swipe File and Workshop!

A special recommendation for Expertish Freelancer subscribers...

Want to learn the #1 sales funnel mistake you’re probably making?

Imagine attracting the right customers, credit cards in hand, effortlessly!

Join this FREE, live SalesFunnels workshop on Thursday and discover the EXACT steps to create the perfect sales funnel for your business.

Plus, get a FREE copy of the 'SalesFunnels.com Swipe File' book- packed with 74 high-converting funnel examples!

Don’t miss out – register now! 🚀

Hi Friend!

Besides providing freelance tips and insights, Expert•ish Freelancer newsletter aims to instill a positive mindset. And part of that involves cultivating kindness—with yourself and with your broader freelance community. And kindness doesn’t have to be a “big” thing.

For instance, I recently gleaned a great tip from a freelancer on LinkedIn. Rather than just “liking” her post and moving on, I left a detailed comment on why I liked what she said and how much I appreciated that she shared her insights. Sure, I’m “engaging online.” But more simply, I’m being kind. I’m acknowledging the thoughtful insights that another freelancer took the time to compose and share with others.

Another time, I sent a book about how to get started in content marketing to a freelancing friend who wanted to break into this type of writing. She’d been asking me about content marketing for months, and I thought the book explained it much better (and more thoroughly) than I ever could. This same freelancer (who I met in a Facebook writer’s group, BTW) is now a good friend—the same one who sent me the beautiful flower bouquet recently when she knew I was dealing with several tough personal issues (family members’ health struggles and job loss).

I’d love to hear about your examples! Were you recently on the receiving end of a freelancer’s kindness? Did you pay it forward and sprinkle kindness to another freelancer? I’d love to include some “real-world positivity” in future newsletters—including your stories. Please share your examples with me at [email protected]. 

P.S. Before you dive into this issue’s Freelance Focus, take a moment to check out the newsletter sponsor above. Sponsors help keep the newsletter free, so please support them!

Today’s newsletter dives into where to find clients.

🔍 Key Takeaways: 

• Leverage current clients  

• Tap the power of referrals

• Diversify client acquisition methods

Freelance Focus: Where to Find Clients

Lately, the freelancer rallying cry I’ve seen on LinkedIn and in Facebook groups focuses on one issue—where to find clients.

The reality is, there are plenty of companies and organizations that need your services. But, many don’t value freelancers or don’t have the budget to pay competitive fees. So, the key is to find good clients—the ones that pay well, that need your services, and that are in niches you specialize in.

In Issue #2 (How to Find Steady Work), I highlighted the importance of identifying your ideal client. If you haven’t taken the time to nail down what you’re looking for in a client, it will be very hard to market to prospects effectively. Be clear about whom you want to work with.

Once you know the type of clients you want to work with, you can hone in on those that seem like just the right fit.

The Key Ways I Find Clients

Everyone’s got their own methods of finding clients. And what works for me might not work for you. Add these to the mix of client acquisition methods that you’re using to see if they boost your results.

Ongoing Work & Referrals

If you’re just starting out and have zero clients, you’ll have to come back to this method once you’ve started building your client roster. But if you’ve been in business for a while you’ve likely got clients you’re currently working with as well as some you’ve previously worked with. I find this to be one of the best ways to drum up more work.

If I haven’t worked with a client in two or three months, I’ll reach out to see if I can help with anything. I often say something like, “I’m mapping out my project calendar for the next month (or quarter) and wanted to know if I should allocate any time for your projects.”

Or, I’ll ask if any of their colleagues in other departments or divisions might also need to outsource some freelance work.

Other times, I’ll ask if they can refer me to anyone in their network who might need my services.

Because I’ve already built a relationship with these clients, it’s a much easier sell to get additional work than if I were trying to woo a prospect who’s never worked with me. And it’s also an easier way to get new clients when you’re referred to them by someone they know and trust who’s already worked with you.

Other Freelancers

Referrals don’t just come from my current/past clients. I often get work from other freelance writers. For instance, a few years ago, I went on a press trip with a writer and we’ve stayed in touch. Turns out, she’s since gone on to work part-time for a few agencies. One time she hired me directly for a project and multiple times she referred work to me through her agency colleagues.

Develop relationships with other freelancers and learn about each other’s niches and types of work they do. Even if you work in the same niche, don’t think of yourself as competitors! I occasionally don’t have the bandwidth to take on a project or assignment that comes my way, so I’ll refer different writers whom I think will be a good fit.

LinkedIn

In Issue #9 (How I Use LinkedIn to Find Clients), I detailed how I leverage this platform for both my inbound and outbound marketing efforts. I also shared Bonus #5 (Template: Asking For LinkedIn Recommendations) to provide the wording I use (but you should tweak) in my outreach efforts.

Muckrack

This is a gold mine for freelancers (especially writers), boasting an extensive media database that lists newspapers, magazines, websites, blogs, TV programs, newsletters, radio shows, and more.

With the media industry’s staff turnover on warp speed these days, I find Muckrack doesn’t maintain the most up-to-date information on the people that currently work there. But it does provide an overview of the outlet, the Unique Visitors Per Month (UVM), the address, the phone number, and sometimes the email format. This info offers a good starting point, so use this to build your own, customized media database for when you’re ready to send pitches.

Facebook groups

You’ll find dozens of groups that cater to all types of freelancers and entrepreneurs, many of which share job leads, pay rates, and contacts.

Most of the groups I’ve joined focus on general freelancing, writing, and travel, but lots of others focus on graphic design, PR, social media, and other specialties.

For instance, I find great value in groups such as The Freelance Content Marketing Writer, The Binders (and various subgroups), and Travel & Hospitality Czars. Some randomly post job leads all week long, and some have a special day or thread where they post leads, so get to know how each group works.

Job Boards and Newsletters

I’m not a big fan of job boards because I think people posting job opportunities get inundated with replies. That being said, if you’re hungry for work, and you see a freelance opportunity that’s a good fit, why not apply? Check out these two job boards: Freelance, Contract & Remote Jobs and Qwoted. I’ve found a handful of opportunities, but again, I don’t spend a lot of time on these.

On the other hand, I love combing through the curated list of pitch calls and freelance opportunities of some amazing newsletters (some free, some low-cost). I’ve mentioned a few before (Write Jobs PLUS+ and Sonia Weiser’s Opportunities of the Week). But I’ve also fallen in love with these: Freelance Opportunities and Journalism Jobs and a photo of my dog.

For a more comprehensive listing of newsletters, job boards, and other freelance resources, check out Kaitlyn Arford’s post on LinkedIn.

High/Low

⬆️ High: A freelancer friend referred a client to me who needs multiple deliverables (web copy, articles, blog posts, emails) for a prestigious travel client. #NetworkingMatters

⬇️ Low: I am getting overwhelmed by the sheer volume of different platforms clients use for pitching, uploading content, and invoicing. #TechWillBeTheDeathOfMeYet

Up Next

• Healthy business habits for freelancers

• Making LOIs (Letters of Introduction) work for you

• Building relationships with clients

Thanks for allowing me into your inbox!

I look forward to sharing my freelance journey with you, and I look forward to hearing about yours. I’m just here as your guide. Take what works for you, and tweak it to your needs. Rinse. Repeat.

I’ll be back in two Fridays with another edition of Expert•ish Freelancer.

In the meantime….

Be kind. Do good. Give thanks. 😊

With gratitude,
Lisa

P.S. I would LOVE to hear how you’ve implemented any of the ideas in Expert•ish Freelancer and found success. Please share your win with me! I’m at [email protected].