Easy Ways to Find Freelance Clients

It’s no secret that the freelance job market has exploded in recent years. With more and more people turning to freelancing as a way to earn supplemental income, there are many opportunities for those who want to start their own business on the side or make some extra cash on the weekends. Maybe you’ve decided to jump right in, and are looking to freelance full time! Let me show you some of the easy ways to find freelance clients, in order to make that extra money!

It’s not always easy to find freelance clients, particularly if you aren’t looking in the right places. Sometimes, even if you are looking in the right places, you still won’t find the jobs. I have advice for that situation too.

5 Easy Ways to Find Freelance Clients

If you’re looking for easy ways to find freelance clients, I’ve got your back! Been there, done that, lived to explain it to you! Here are 4 easy ways to find freelance work:

1. Start with your Network. You know some people, right? Think about who you know that is also self employed. I personally know real estate agents, artists, bloggers, restaurant owners, and online business owners. Chances are they are already hiring freelancers and virtual assistants to help them with their business, or they are open to the idea. Create a short pitch, describing how you can help each of them, and make time to present it to them. Do it in person if possible, particularly if it’s someone you know well.

When I was first starting as a baby virtual assistant, one of my first jobs was for a friend of a friend, writing blog posts about residential electrical improvements (or something like that). I was not interested in that topic at all, but at the time, I hadn’t yet chosen a niche, so I was open to anything. I learned a lot from that experience.

Even if those friends and acquaintances aren’t interested in your freelance services, they are likely to refer you to others in their industries that could be.

In this industry, it can truly be about who you know. Tell everyone what you’re trying to do, you’re bound to find someone willing to help you.

2. Freelance Websites. There is a vast network of online websites, dedicated to linking freelancers with the employees who need them, and this is one of the best ways to find freelance work. One of the best ways to find freelance work is through freelance websites.

Your first stop should be Upwork.com. This is one of the largest freelance sites, and where I’ve found many clients over the years. Be sure to read the instructions and tips that Upwork offers in order to create the best possible profile and craft responses to job openings that will cause the hirers to want what you’re offering.

Another great website for new freelancers is Fiverr.com. Here you can offer gigs for as little as $5 each, and build a reputation as a go to person in whatever it is you do.

3. Social Media. Another way to find freelance work is through social media. Sites like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok are great for freelancers, because they allow you to have a voice and push out your freelance offerings to a wide network.

Be careful not to go to hard and fast into the social media churn though. Think about which platform you understand best, where your ideal clients are on social media, and what you can reasonably keep up with. Trying to create content on too many platforms can be exhausting.

My Tip: Look on Facebook for groups for freelancers. You may find places that you can advertise your services, or you may find others like you who you can network with and learn from.

4. Utilize LinkedIn. Yes, LinkedIn is a social media platform, but it’s so much different than all the others. LinkedIn has been designed and used for years as a professional networking website, rather than a social sharing site. Build up your profile, search for jobs, and create important professional connections for your freelance business.

5. Work for Someone Else. As a new freelancer, you may have trouble finding clients on your own. This could be due to a number of reasons, and I won’t speculate as to why that’s happening to you. You may consider getting more experience in the industry that you’re trying to freelance in.

So, if you want to be a freelance writer, but you aren’t finding freelance jobs, consider applying for full or part time work with a marketing agency or publishing house, to get real world experience with writing for various industries. This might hold up your plans for world domination — I mean, your plans for self employment, but you can always leave that job when you have more experience and more prospects for work.

Another option along these lines is to start working for a freelancing agency, or a freelancer who is finding themselves with too much work to do. In the industry we typically call this outsourcing. I have in the past found myself with more freelance work than I can reasonably do. I’m sure I’m not the only one!

My Tip: Don’t be afraid to spend some time at a lower rung. You may need time to learn more, gain skills, and build confidence in your freelancing.

How To Learn Freelancing Skills

You are in luck, because everything you could ever want to know about freelancing is available online! You don’t need to go to college or get any expensive coaching, but you may need to take a course or two to get your skills up to scratch. Here are some that I recommend:

1. Lightnight Fast Content Creation: This inexpensive and short course will teach you how to create written blog content quickly and efficiently. The faster you can write, the more money you can make!
2. Skillshare Writing Courses: There are quite a few writing courses available on Skillshare that are taught by professionals and entrepreneurs in the freelance space. Try “Copywriting for Beginners” or take an Editing and Proofreading Masterclass to get a primer on writing, punctuation, and grammer. A class like this can be super helpful if you aren’t a native English speaker or if it’s been a while since you’ve done any formal writing.
3. Take a course about Freelancing: This Skillshare Course teaches you exactly how to get started on Fiverr.
4. Masterclass: I am recently obsessed with this learning platform! You can learn from famous people, how to do all sorts of things. For writing, there’s a course on How to Write for TV with Shonda Rhimes. SO COOL.

About Me:

I have been working as a freelance writer and virtual assistant for over six years. My specialty is working with Food and Recipe Bloggers, and I also have a special interest in working with mental health and substance use providers. It took me a long time to get a place where freelancing was my main source of income, and I understand that it can be frustrating. My biggest piece of advice: Don’t stop. If you want this, you can have it. The internet is a big, big place, filled with lots of money, and there is a place for you and your skills.