As it is with all businesses, being able to acquire new clients and retain existing ones is a BIG challenge. Even freelancers face this same problem. However, attracting new clients poses to be more difficult and, often times, more expensive than retaining old ones.
For a freelancer, it is important to do both at the same time in order to guarantee a regular flow of income. Sometimes the time spent in attracting and retaining clients is more than the time spent doing the actual work. For some freelancers, putting up adverts to attract new clients is way above their budget. However, there are some inexpensive ways of doing this.
Here are some ways you can attract new clients to your freelance business.
1. Get referrals
Word of mouth is so powerful! Every time you are hired for a job, do as much as you can to provide excellent service. Go the extra mile. When your clients like your work, ask for a referral. Your clients will be glad to refer you to people they know who would need your service.
2. Guest post
Creating content for other blogs is a good way of showcasing your talent and expertise to thousands of people. When you show your level of expertise in the quality of your content, more people will be interested in hiring you.
3. Build and market your portfolio
As you build your portfolio, showcase your work, and let the quality of your work speak for itself. You can showcase your work on your website or blog, if you have one, by simply creating a separate page for it. You can show off your portfolio on social media.
Attracting clients is not all there is in the freelance business. You need to know how to retain them as well. Here are some ways you can do that.
1. Always give quality service
What better way to retain your existing clients than by giving quality service? Quality service builds the know, like and trust factor in your freelance business. When you do a good job, your clients keep coming back for more.
2. Take interest in your client’s goals and help your clients achieve them
Your client hired you for a specific purpose. Take time to find out what exactly they want to achieve and give helpful suggestions on how they can meet those goals. Your genuine interest in your clients will endear you to them and they will keep coming back.
3. Keep in touch with your existing clients
After completing a project, some freelancers forget about their clients completely. This is not a good practice. Staying in touch can help you get hired again. Sending your clients eCards during holidays or simply an email to ask how they are doing and if there is any way you can help them is a good way of staying in touch. Give them incentives like promos or discounts to reward their loyal patronage. This gives you an edge over other freelancers who just forget about their clients because you will constantly be on their minds.
How do you attract your clients? How do you keep in touch with existing clients?