Sourcing Freelance Work

By: Fiona White (fionawhite.net)  is a freelance journalist based in Waterford, specialising in all aspects of radio production and print services. She has worked at Today FM, 98FM and has written for online and print publications.

Sourcing Freelance Work

A recent survey on the Freelance Ireland LinkedIn group showed that a large number of freelancers are sourcing work from referrals. With this as food for thought we set about coming up with the 10 best ways to source freelance work….

Get Networking

In order for your business to be a success people have to know that it exists. Even if you have a great company and can provide the best service, it is not going to get you anywhere if your potential clients don’t know about you. There are many places to network, to meet business people with needs like yours. Some of these include, BNI, Open Coffee Club, Connector.ie, Plato Ireland, Irish Business Women Forum,  Network Dublin, BizCamp etc. Search on the Internet and talk to colleagues to find out where relevant networking takes place in your industry. Networking can be done over the Internet, at a coffee morning and at events, so you can choose which forum suits your needs.

Get Business Cards Printed

Don’t show up to a networking event (or anywhere) without a personalized business card. Possible clients will be impressed if you are prepared to do the work in making contacts. It also shows that you are serious about business and that you are professional. It’s an easy way to give your contact details to potential clients. Try to go for a unique design as having a card that’s different might help you to stand out amongst possible contenders for their business. There are websites where you can create a card quickly and easily like www.vistaprint.ie.

Get Recommended by your Friends

Be sure to tell all your friends about your business ventures, that way they can recommend you to others. Give them some of your business cards so that they have your contact details on hand if they meet anyone that might need your service.

Put Together a Portfolio

Put together a portfolio of your work. Whether you are a freelance writer, web designer, or project manager you should keep a detailed account of all of your work. Keep clippings, website links, client feedback and so on and put it all together to show to new potential clients should they request a meeting. This shows that you are organized and dedicated to your work. It also showcases your talents and makes details of your experience more accessible.

If you are more inclined to do business over the Internet, then post your portfolio on a website.

Create Your Own Website

In this day and age if someone hears your name and thinks they might be interested in hiring you, one of the first places they will look is on the Internet. If they do not find you there then they might not look any further. There are many freelance web developers that can create a website for you. Shop around to get the best value but remember that quality is very important. If someone finds your website but it is not up to standard this may prevent you from getting hired.

Spend Some Time on Social Media

Never has it been more important to use social media to promote your business. There are so many platforms for you to shout about your services from. Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn are there to help you. Make sure to post regularly to keep followers interested in and up to date with your company. Another web based networking tool is a blog. Set one up on www.wordpress.com (or BlackNight) or  www.blogger.com and blog about the interests of your company or industry.

Be careful not to mix business and personal issues on social media accounts!

Get your Name Out There by Word of Mouth

As well as telling your friends about your business, tell everyone! When your picking up the kids from school be sure to chat to other parents, chat to your neighbours at the supermarket or at your local restaurant etc.  If people know that you are offering a service they are likely to tell others about it. Gossip can be your friend!

Work hard to get Re-hired!

Gaining a client can be the easy part, keeping them may be harder. But if you can follow through and show a client that you can provide the service that they need and that you can provide a high standard of work then the work will flow. If a client is happy with your work it is likely that they will hire you again and recommend you to others.

Do some Email Marketing

As well as having a website to showcase your business talents you could market to potential clients by email. If you are doing this be sure to make the email professional. Also be sure to let the recipient know that this is a one off email and that you will not be bombarding their inbox! This could be a good way to let potential clients know that you are out there. Even if they are not looking for a service right now, they may remember you in the future.

Get Referred

‘89% of freelancers find work through referrals.’*

You can market yourself brilliantly but if you cannot do the work well then you will not be hired. Working hard and constantly upgrading your skills will help you to keep getting work. If you begin with just one client and do an excellent job, they may rehire you and may also recommend you to someone else.

Referrals are a big part of a freelancers career, that’s why networking and getting your name out there is so important. Be sure that as well as being able to talk the talk, you can walk the walk!

There are several ways of finding work as a freelancer whatever industry you want to work in, but all roads lead from hard work. Be sure to be prepared and to be accessible to potential clients. Work hard and show that you are the best person for the job and hopefully people will stand up and listen, hire you and recommend you to all their friends!

* Figures from The Freelance Statistics Report from  www.freelanceswitch.com

Comments

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