While finding new clients is important for you at the beginning of your freelance career, you should strive to reach the point when your clients will be the ones looking for you.
Hard to believe? Well, right now you better start throwing your doubts out of the window, because it is happening to me — the lonely freelance cowboy from the Philippines, who works from his home. And I am convinced beyond reasons that, with the right mindset and the right timing, it will happen to you one day.
I am not a motivational author, but if that motivates you, feel free to give me an advice if I should start a change of career. But as far as this article is concerned, my main focus is to share the lessons I’ve learned on how to have projects coming your way instead of you sniffing after them. I call this the art of self-promotion.
If you are ready to continue, I will not waste your time any longer in some useless marketing pitch. Here they are the techniques, straight from my treasure chest of freelancing wisdom.
1. If You Have It, Show It
If that sounds like a statement coming from a sexy star, I can tell you that your showbiz mind is operating at its peak level. As a freelancer (programmer, consultant, web designer, or whatever), don’t be afraid to show everyone your stuff or what you are capable of doing. Be loud and be proud, but do it in a civilize manner.
2. Use The Power of Networking
“Carlos, are you into some kind of Multi-Level Marketing?”
Hahah. You have me scratching my dandruff. 😉 By networking, I mean your friends, your business associates, your former employer, and so on… you get the point. But take note, there is a right way and a wrong way of networking. (I will get into that in another article.) For now, jut be warned of networking with the wrong kinds of people. They will only suck your high-value energy.
3. Let Your Customers Do The Marketing
I can’t think of anything else more efficient and effective than having satisfied clients do your marketing. It’s cheap and, above all, it works!
4. A Leader Leads…
…but sometimes he writes an article like this.
You need to acquire the qualities of a good leader to command respect from your clients. In any industry, the leader always gets a lion’s share of the market. It’s only natural. People like to work with experts. People like to get for what they are paying for.
5. Teach
“To teach is to learn twice,” said Joseph Joubert. But I’d like to modify that: To teach is to market. You can quote me on that one. Teaching is one of the cheapest way to market yourself. Done properly, it could also be fun. (And please don’t teach if you’re not enjoying it.)
And take note of this: teaching, like learning, doesn’t have to occur in the classroom.
I have a short stint as a teacher, and I still would love to fantasize that I have the heart of a teacher.
And so sometimes still I teach…
… by sharing an article like this.
Leave a Reply