When you are a freelancer, your clients are your lifeblood!
Whether you have been a freelancer for five months or 15 years, it is always important to know when it is time to look for new clients, to add to your client list or, to know what you can do to successfully land a client.
Of course, there are things that you shouldn’t do too, and here, this article will explore the top time-tested mistakes to avoid when aiming to attract new clients.
Not Having a Business Address
Are you a remote worker? A lot of people are! However, if you are looking to attract new clients, one of the worst things you can do is list your home address as your business address.
This can appear unprofessional and can also be a risk to your privacy. So, look on a website like yourcityoffice.com to get a virtual office for a business address. This will look good on job applications, and will also help with SEO.
Not Having a Portfolio
If you are a photographer, you need a portfolio. If you are a writer, you need a portfolio! If you are a gardener…you get the idea!
One of the cardinal sins of trying to land new clients is not having a portfolio to showcase your previous work. This can make you look, at best, cheeky and overconfident and, at worst, unprofessional. So, always have a portfolio with you, whether you are meeting the client in person, or if you are interviewing/applying for jobs online. You can choose to showcase your portfolio for free online, just ensure that you have the permission of the client that you did the work for.
Not Maintaining Communication
Did you have a meeting or interview with a client? Have you not heard back from them?
Much like a standard job interview, you should aim to maintain communication, right up until you receive news that you didn’t get the role. This will ensure that you appear eager to work with the client, which usually bodes well in your favor.
Not Asking For Details
When you are looking for new clients, always be sure to ask them what it is that they are looking for from you. This doesn’t seem weird; it makes you appear keen and eager to please, which is what most people want in any professional interaction.
If you fail to ask for specifics at the beginning, you may come across as blasé, which will not land you any contracts or clients!
Not Asking For Feedback
This is more of an issue that can bite you long-term and, oddly, may not impact on your relationship with your immediate client group.
When you run a business, irrespective of what it is, one of the worst things you can do for your own reputation is to not ask for feedback from your clients. Long-term, you can display this information on your website, which will in turn, help you to attract more clients. Imagine if you were looking for services online and a website had no reviews; would you trust it? Not likely! So, be sure to get feedback and display it!
