12 Places Where You Can Find Your First Freelance Clients

A Twitter-generated list

Freelancing success stories can inspire and motivate us to keep going when we don’t know how to start. But they can also become a source of frustration and self-doubt.

In the beginning, we’re all, “I can do this, too. My next client is just a pitch away.” As days pass by and no potential client answers back, every new success story brings a freelancer closer to “I’ll never have what they have.”

The ugly truth is, not all freelancers get their ideal client from day one. Some have to wait months to get the first gig, and when they finally get a job, it only brings some extra bucks.

On top of the frustration, we have bills to pay, kids to feed, and sometimes, a family that keeps pushing us to find a real job.

It’s hard to say where you can get the first client because there’s no one-size-fits-all solution out there. Freelancers work across multiple industries and verticals, have various skill levels, and speak different languages. Whatever worked for me might not generate the same results for you.

But you have to start somewhere if you want to see what’s working for you. So, here are some doors you can knock on when you’re new to freelancing.

1. Your Circle

I know it sounds scary. It took me years to tell my extended family that I was a freelancer, and my mother still doesn’t understand how I make money staying at home. I kept it a secret, and it took me a few weeks to get a client for a one-time project that brought me $10.

I might have gotten better jobs right from the start if more people had known about my business.

So, now I’m here to tell you not to make the same mistake. Share your vision with people around you, and someone might be able to help. On the other hand, by staying quiet and keeping your plans secret, you only grow the gap between you and your first gig.

Many freelancers find their first client with help from close friends and family, and there’s nothing wrong with getting a good recommendation when you have no work history or social proof to demonstrate your skills.

2. Your Past Employers

If you have previous work experience, make sure you also let your former and current colleagues, collaborators, and even managers know that you’ve become a freelancer. People who have worked with you can become excellent referrals and help you find a client from day one.

My friend, Manisha, landed her first freelance gig thanks to one of her colleagues:

“It was an informal request placed by a connection from my full-time work. He is building a start-up, and since he knew that I do design work, he approached me and asked if I would be willing to work on the logo for their business. I would have recommended him to someone else if it was a complex design, but it was a pretty simple design. So, I accepted, and that’s how it started.”

Do you think your colleagues might not be that kind? It’s worth taking the risk. Some will doubt you, but remind yourself that you only need one colleague to be helpful and mention your name in the proper conversation.

How can you spread the word?

It doesn't matter, as long as it makes you feel comfortable.

If you don’t like one-on-one convos, you can write a social media post, send some emails, or even use your WhatsApp status to tell people in your close circle that you’re looking for work.

The internet gives us plenty of opportunities to spread the word about a new business. Annabel Fay, for example, wrote a launch article in which she explained why she had decided to quit corporate life and become a freelancer. And the article brought her the clients she needed to get started.

3. Social Media

Social media can bring you many clients if you’re committed and consistent. What do I mean by that? You don’t wake up one day and start posting, “I desperately need a client; here’s what I do.” And you don’t send private messages asking for work to people you’ve never interacted with in the past.

Instead, you get involved in conversations and genuinely build connections with other people.

Ideally, you don’t get into this blindfolded. You want to connect with people who can send business opportunities your way, such as:

• Small business owners, entrepreneurs, or decision-makers who work in industries that you have an interest in
• Agency owners who outsource part of their workload to freelancers
• Other freelancers who might be looking for partners

Follow hashtags to find conversations and people to engage with. You can also participate in Twitter Chats or Twitter Spaces, join Facebook or LinkedIn groups, and answer questions on Reddit or Quora. Whatever you do, make sure you focus on the people you connect with, learn their pain points, and listen to what they have to say.

If you go to social media with the only purpose of selling yourself or your services, no one will pay attention. Be social, make friends, and help people when they ask for it. It’s a long-term strategy that requires patience and consistency, but it’s worth the investment.

4. Networking

Networking groups for freelancers can be very supportive when you’re a beginner. Pop a question during a regular meeting or inside the group, and someone will provide advice and encouragement in minutes.

In this journey, those freelancers who are two or three steps ahead of you are the best resources a beginner can have. They help you avoid scams, overcome bottlenecks, and land better clients right from the start.

Many networking groups are free, but my advice is to find a paid membership to get some basic freelancing training besides the support group.

Generally, memberships also have a free Facebook/LinkedIn group or a Slack channel where you can get familiar with the environment to help you pick the right community before making a purchase.

You can start with the free version and then upgrade to a paid service for better results.

Remember that not all advice is good advice, and you should implement only the things that resonate with you and align with your values.

Conferences and industry events can also help you meet potential clients. Most of these events have moved online after the pandemic, so you can join events that happen thousands of miles away with just a few clicks.

Don’t have any resources for memberships or conferences? Network on social media. It’s effective.

5. Agencies and Other Freelancers

Working with one or more agencies can be like going back to the office but without the benefits of having an employer. Plus, the pay is often average, and the workload might be too much for someone just starting.

But not all agencies are built the same way. Many hire freelancers on a project basis, so you don’t necessarily lose your freedom. And the agency experience can change your freelancing journey forever.

Use the opportunity to grow and build a portfolio. It helps land better clients, boost your self-esteem, and learn a thing or two about pricing your services. Accumulate as much information as you can, and move on when the time comes.

Mark Grainger from Blossom Tree Copy started his career as a freelancer after working with an agency. Here are his thoughts about the importance of agency experience:

“I found it invaluable. It gave me connections to this day and a view of how the model works for better or worse.”

The easiest way to find agencies and freelancers to collaborate with is via social media. Follow them on Twitter or join dedicated Facebook groups and interact with people even when they have no work for you. Let them know you gradually and give them time to like and trust you before jumping in and asking for a job.

6. Cold Pitching

How does it work? You identify companies you would like to work with, find contact information, get in touch with the person who’s most likely to hire you (owner, HR, Marketing, depending on your services), and send them your proposal. It’s not exactly my favorite method of getting clients, but it works for some freelancers.

Depending on your skills and preferences, you can call, email, or contact the right people via LinkedIn or other social media.

I’ve never tried this method, so I’m not sure how things work. I can imagine you need a strong pitch — meaning that you need outstanding copywriting skills to convince them to go through your proposal.

Some say that it’s a numbers game. You’ll have to send hundreds of emails or messages to get a few leads and, eventually, land a couple of clients. Start with one or two emails a day and build from there. I’m sure it’s a process that gets easier with time, so don’t feel overwhelmed.

By the way, sometimes, cold pitching can look like this:

7. Volunteering and Pro Bono Work

You’re here to learn how to get clients, and I’m telling you to work for free. Not exactly what you’ve hoped for, isn’t it? Think about it again. Some freelancers use pro bono work to build their portfolios and get testimonials or referrals.

If you’re pitching regularly but still don’t have clients, don’t say no to your first opportunity to practice just because money isn’t on the table from day one.

Sometimes, by helping others, you end up helping yourself.

Jill Crossland, for example, got multiple clients with pro bono work:

I’m not saying you should allow yourself to get drawn in free work. Pick one or two most similar projects to your ideal clients, and then document the process as you start working. Share your progress on social media. People love to see behind-the-scenes, and if they like how you work, they might hire you for similar projects.

8. A Landing Page

Another way to spread the word about your services is by putting together a landing page — no, you don’t necessarily need a website to have one. Look for a free landing page builder online, and start experimenting.

In the beginning, it might look a little amateurish, but as you learn and get better at this, you can tweak the page and make it look better to get more clients. Set up a one-page landing page for your freelance business and share it on social media and groups. Add the link to your email signature and maybe ask some friends or colleagues to share it online.

How do I know it works? I haven’t tried it, but Anfernee Chansamooth has. He’s now a content strategist, copywriter, and podcaster, and he started as a freelancer with a landing page. He shared it in a few Facebook groups to get some feedback, and it brought several clients. Enough to get him started and set him up for success.

The key is to be proactive and willing to put yourself out there despite Imposter Syndrome or what people might say. Rest assured, the landing page won’t be excellent from day one but waiting until it’s perfect means never publishing it.

Give yourself a limited time to work on the landing page (let’s say, one week), and then hit the publish button. You can still make edits later using feedback from friends or colleagues. What matters is that you put yourself out there and make it easy for potential clients to find you and buy from you.

9. Speaking Opportunities

Does someone you know need an expert to speak in their Facebook group? Have you found a podcast host who’s looking for a last-minute guest?

Do it even if it doesn’t bring any money. Every speaking opportunity can increase your reach and get you known for your expertise.

Sure, preparing your presentation and putting together the tech for joining the event take time and might come with a cost. Should you do it anyway? YES!

You can always repurpose the content, and the tech will be helpful when you start getting clients. And, let’s be honest here. You must spend money to make money.

You might have read that freelancing is starting a business with almost zero costs. But it doesn’t mean it’s cheap. You either pay with money or you pay with your time. If it costs zero, it might turn out to be quite expensive.

The sooner you become aware of this, the sooner you learn to evaluate opportunities better and invest in the right things.

You want to go for speaking opportunities that help you grow as a professional and put you in front of your ideal clients. The other thing to remember is always to do your part: help the host promote the event and share it with your audience, too. Collaborations require teamwork to generate results, and you should do your best not to take more than you give in the process.

10. Platforms

I owe my freelancing business to UpWork, so I’ll forever be an advocate of using platforms to get clients and protect yourself at the same time. I’ve found some of my best clients on platforms for freelancers, and I’m happy to pay the fees to keep working with them.

Was it frustrating to share my $10 with platforms and banks after my first project? You bet it was!

Do you know what was even harder? Writing over 20 articles for a client who’s never had an intention to pay me. If you think platform fees burn your pocket, wait and see what scammers can do to your motivation.

You can choose to see platforms as an extra cost or as an investment in your protection. I know how much these services are worth, and I’m happy to pay for them.

It’s all mindset: be happy to pay for services that add value to your business, and you’ll attract clients who are happy to pay you for the value you bring to the table. It’ll also help you feel more comfortable charging a little extra to cover fees.

Plus, as more folks embrace freelancing freedom, platforms aim to attract more freelancers with better products and services. UpWork has leveled up as never before, and it’s never been a better moment to have an account on the platform and use its services to get clients — no, they’re not paying me for this post, but I do sell UpWork-related services.

The thing with platforms is that they work when you do. Just because you have an account doesn’t mean you’ll automatically get clients. You must send proposals, contact potential clients, and keep an eye on how other freelancers on the platform stay relevant and get jobs.

You must commit to regularly pitch new clients and be proactive to make this work. Also, you want to join webinars and workshops that the platform makes available for freelancers to learn about new features that could help you stand out and get more clients.

11. Blogging and Guest Posting

As a freelancer, you’ll be learning new things all the time. You might as well start from day one and, as you get familiar with new topics, tools, or techniques, write about what you’ve learned.

It’s an excellent exercise to put your thoughts in order. Plus, if you’re consistent and publish your articles or blog posts, it helps you build an audience. Will it bring clients from day one? I don’t think so, but it might pay off sooner than you think, depending on your niche.

You can start your blog or write articles or blog posts for established pages in your industry. The first option is more manageable — you write what you want when you want it. The downside is that you’ll need time to build an audience and get enough eyes on your work.

Or, you can publish long-form content on LinkedIn:

With guest posting, you might have to work a little harder to have your pieces published. The advantage comes from reaching a relatively large audience who already has an interest in your niche. However, finding the right websites and pitching editors can quickly become a second job, so you want to ensure it doesn’t become a distraction.

12. A Book or An Ebook

That’s right! If you’re an expert and want to share your knowledge with the world, write an ebook and, why not, self-publish. It can become an excellent source of income in the long run. And, in some cases, it can also bring you clients who need help with implementing the advice you share in the ebook.

Nope, I didn’t invent this. Someone on Twitter told me about it. John Friedman got a contract with this method — the client read his book and contacted him to get more help.

“But I don’t have writing skills”! Put together a draft or an outline and hire a ghostwriter to help you. As I said before, sometimes you need to spend money to make money. And, if you’re reading this article, you don’t need me to tell you about the advantages of working with freelancers.

What’s next?

When you decide to become a freelancer, you tend to underrate the importance of actively looking for clients. However, it’s most likely you’ll have to spend a significant amount of your time pitching, networking, and building your reputation online.

If you use a single approach to get clients, you put your business at risk — keeping all your eggs in one basket is never a good idea. If you focus on too many channels at once, you won’t be able to keep up.

Pick two or three methods from this list, and start putting yourself out there consistently.

• Block time in your calendar every day to send at least two or three pitches.
• Make updating social media a habit.
• Be strategic and intentional about your networking efforts.
• Find ways to show your skills instead of just talking about yourself.

At the same time, focus on building relationships. Every person you get in touch with is more than the job that they can offer you. Treat people with respect, try to be helpful and never take advantage of someone who shows you kindness.

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Note: I couldn’t have written this article without the fantastic support from my Twitter friends. I’ll be forever grateful for the excellent advice they’ve shared with me. There are plenty of more suggestions for new freelancers where this article came from, and if you want to go through the entire thread, you can do it here.