Freelancing makes up a primary sector of the commercial industry today. As more traditional employees realize the potential of a work-life balance quite unlike anything the average office can offer, they are striking out on their own. Working independently presents freelancers with the chance for new opportunities and challenges. With the influx of new workers into the growing industry, there is naturally a lot of competition. For freelancers to find themselves regular paying clients that are dependable, they must invest their time and energy into showing why they are the best choice for getting the job done. To help out newer freelancers on the path to financial freedom, 15 members of Forbes Coaches Council offer advice on how a freelancer looking to stand out from the background noise can do so professionally. Members of Forbes Coaches Council discuss how new freelancers can attract clients. 1. Get Clear On Who You Serve It can be so tempting to not want to limit yourself to a specific niche, but the truth is, as life coach Marie Forleo says, “If you’re tawkin’ to everybody, you’re tawkin’ to nobody.” Getting clear on your niche and how you serve is only step one. The real magic happens when you start to consistently communicate in a way that resonates with your audience. Speaking their language makes all the difference. – Kelly Weber , The Wander Project 2. Talk From The Client’s Point Of View One of the hardest things in marketing is to identify your unique value and then sell what you do. Flip the message and share your service from the client’s perspective. Rather than building a gushing résumé of how great you are, share what this will do for them and how it will help. A simple trick is asking questions, e.g., “Looking to attract clients in a catchy and compelling way?” – Christy Geiger MCC, CPCC , Synergy Strategies Coaching & Training 3. Share Knowledge For Free One of the best things I’ve seen freelancers do is share best practices and their own knowledge for free. It may seem like it would reduce one’s ability to attract and retain clients if you told them how to do things themselves, but I think it creates the opposite effect. Clients are more willing to work with you because you are willing to share and be on their team. – Billy Williams , Archegos 4. Create A Niche The biggest mistake that freelancers make when going off on their own is that they try to be everything to everyone! When freelancers create a niche, they can more clearly tell people what it is they do. That will help people give you referrals. When you have a clear niche, it is also easier to market to your potential customers and tell them exactly what your offer is and how they will benefit. – Susan K. Wehrley , BIZremedies 5. Be Yourself I see entrepreneurs trying to follow someone else because that person is successful all the […]
