Lucy Miller
March 10, 2024
Reading time: 4 minutes
If you’re just starting out as a freelancer, you’re likely to have one question right away: where can I find clients?
Not being able to find work is one of the scariest parts of being a freelancer. Luckily, though, there’s a ton of work out there for those brave enough to strike out on their own. Freelancing can often feel more stable than a traditional career – especially if you have multiple streams of income you can rely on rather than just one. Also, thankfully, this is true for most industries that hire freelancers.
So where are you looking? In this article, we’ll walk you through a few different routes you can take to find clients. Let us know if you’ve found work in a way we missed…
Work tables
Job boards – Reed, Monster, the Indeeds of the world – are a dime a dozen, and you may have to sift through a lot of unrelated postings before you find a job that suits you. They can still be useful, though. Just make sure your email notifications are filtered so you only see the jobs you might want. Freelance journalists should watch Cision, where hundreds of roles are advertised. For the wider media, Mediargh and The media mentor they are good choices.
There are also special job boards for freelancers. Checkout The dots and Supported for great roles in many creative freelance fields.
Hirings
You might not think you’ll find clients for your freelance work through recruiters, but hear us out! If you’re looking for longer gigs (for example, maternity covers or one-off projects that may take a few months to complete), this can be a great option.
Recruiters can really help you when it comes to things like pay and contracts. Best of all, they’ll find the opportunities so you don’t always have to. Taking out policies can be a great option if you want a reliable stream of income for a few months. Look for recruiters who specialize in temporary contracts and be clear about the type of work you do (and don’t) do.
Newsletters
Independent journalists across the country sang the praises Freelance writing jobs, author Sian Meades-Williams’ weekly newsletter, for a while. Hitting the inbox every Thursday, FWJ lists all the best (paid) deals of the week – from in-house poets to publishers setting pitch guidelines for their glossies. Sign up if you are a writer of any genre. Look for similar initiatives in your industry if you are not.
Journalists should also check out reporter Anna Codrea-Rado The Professional Freelancera newsletter full of invaluable advice and relevant musings.
Mining your network
This is the time to make sure everyone you come in contact with knows that you are self-employed and open for business. This includes random connections on your LinkedIn profile and extended family members. Spread the word widely and don’t be afraid to reach out to old colleagues or acquaintances who may be able to help. Meeting people for coffee to update them on your work is a great way to stay in touch. You never know, that person from your old job could introduce you to a potential new client or spark the best idea you’ve had all year…
Communities of freelancers
As the freelance workforce grows, more and more groups are popping up to support both newcomers and those with existing experience. In all creative industries, community culture is pervasive. Everything from advice on finding clients to financial management (even just the company of others in a similar position) is offered free of charge.
Look for Slack communities in your industry and check out organizations like Society of Professional Journalists, Women in SEO Technologyand Free Professional heroes. This is, of course, the tip of the iceberg.
Your website and online portfolio
You’ve probably heard a million times that you should display your best work online through your website and online portfolios. But it doesn’t make it any less real! If you display your work clearly and your story is engaging, and if you have clear details on how to contact you, you’re on your way to having customers come to you, not the other way around. If necessary, invest in a graphic designer to make your website look as professional as possible. You will not regret it!
When it comes to online portfolios, you know better than we do the ones that best suit your particular industry. Do your research and make sure you have a profile and work that appears on the general freelance portfolio sites (BehaviorThe Dots, Underpinned) as well as those that are more specific to your domain.
Find clients at conferences
Conferences can be great places to meet people in your industry. This can include potential new clients as well as those in a similar position to yourself. Even virtual events, which have largely replaced face-to-face in 2020, can be a great springboard for conversations. It’s time to get involved…
Social media
Finally, we couldn’t end this piece without giving a shout out to the behemoth of freelance opportunities that is Twitter. In journalism circles, editors with a journalistic budget often head straight to the timeline to shout about the opportunities they have, what they’re looking for and how you can get in touch with them. Is it the same in your industry? Maybe – and you won’t know if you don’t pay attention. Trust us, the time you spend looking for new customers on Twitter is rarely wasted!
We hope this has given you some inspiration on where to find clients for your upcoming freelance projects. If you have an idea we haven’t talked about, we’d love for you to share it. Let us know in the forum!
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