Attracting the right clients that will pay on time, respect the contract agreement, and are great to work with is very difficult. It’s a challenge to find any client at all.
Wait, this is not to discourage or even scare you.
You deserve to attract and work with high-quality clients. What you need is to have a different mindset in addition to implementing new tactics when thinking about how to get clients for your business.
Finding high-quality clients is possible, and this article will show you how to do.
So, let’s get into it.
How Do You Know Your Ideal Clients?
Niches, they say, are riches.
Knowing the niche market you want to serve, will help define who your target audience is.
So, the question to ask yourself, what is my market? It could be a specific industry (like digital marketing, content creation, education, tech).
Now, you’ll be able to do something that will lead to the success of your business: decide who you like to attract, and the people you’ll like to allow other freelancers to serve.
How Then Do You Attract These Ideal Clients?
Let’s explain this with dating, you take your time to be clear on who you love to spend your quality time with. Like they say that “work is the total of your days, enjoying the people and subject matter you engage with is very crucial.”
This is the very reason why you became a freelancer, right?
Identify Your Ideal Client
First, identify who your ideal client is and then create buyer personas for them.
You do this by getting in touch with your values and the services you have to offer. Next, sketch out the type of person that benefits most from your services.
While creating the features of your ideal client’s attributes (demographics, psychographics), you will also gain more insight into what makes them tick.
Understand What Their Pain Points and Challenges Are
Finding this empathetic spot of how you can be able to serve someone best gives you a sense of purpose and a leg up on the competition you are about to enter.
Create Your Website or Portfolio to Align With the Work You Desire
To show the clients you’re the right freelancer for the job is the perfect way to easily attract them.
Build your portfolio in a way that highlights your skillset and the kind of work that will appeal to your ideal client base is the perfect way to attract the right clients.
There are chances that your potential client is in constant contact with a few freelancers with similar abilities to you. So, you must demonstrate that you are well-versed in that niche and that you have what it takes to differentiate yourself from others.
The truth is, there are a lot of freelancers online. So, show your potential clients why they should work with you and not the other freelancer.
Are you already feeling overwhelmed? And you don’t know how to start? Don’t bother yourself.
When building your portfolio, here are some questions to consider:
i. What services do I offer?
ii. What work have I done that speaks to my skill set and the work I want to be doing more of?
iii. The type of work that will appeal to my ideal client?
If you’re new in the niche and don’t have any work to reflect the kind of clients you want to work with, then try working for free for some months to gain experience and testimonials. Or better still do an audit on the niche you want to venture into.
For instance, you aim to write content for eCommerce companies, find a major eCommerce company’s blog and do an audit of it, including what you would do differently to improve their blog if you’re allowing working with them.
The goal is to demonstrate that you have an understanding of what you want to offer and to whom and why they should hire you for the job.
Always Produce High-Quality Work Time
Many freelancers either don’t deliver projects on time or even fail to consistently produce quality work.
If you having a difficult time balancing your workload and meeting your client expectations, then you need to evaluate your situation:
• Are the deadlines unrealistic for your workload as a whole?
• Do you charge enough money for the work you do? Or perhaps you’re taking too much work just to meet a financial goal when the solution might be to raise your rates.
• Do you get excited doing the work?
There are a lot of reasons why freelancers fail to meet up with the deadline, but if you’re meeting expectations or even better, then exceed them — you’ll be better positioned than others in your niche.
How Do You Find More of Your Ideal Clients?
Now, you’re attracting clients consistently, then it’s time for you to find the high-quality clients you want and deserve.
Simple, the trick is to find enough of these right clients is for you to be both proactive and selective.
Engage with Your Dream Clients on Social Media
If you use social media strategically, it will be an excellent way for you to grow your business and also find the right clients you want.
So, how do you engage with them?
a. Make a List of Ideal Clients
Know where they are active online and compile a list of people you want to work with. Doing this will help guide your efforts to be able to maximize your time.
b. Be Genuine When Reaching Out
Rather than you going straight to the point — or even asking them for something, first, try and build genuine relationships with them.
c. Provide Value Always
Don’t ask them to help you, instead tell them you can help them.
Knowing how to provide value to potential clients and other people in your niche will set you apart and help you build relationships.
Ask Your Past Clients for Referrals and Testimonials
Ask your past clients if they have any business contacts that could benefit from your services. If they do, see if they would be willing to make an introduction.
You need to understand that your past clients have a network that could lead to additional work for you. And you’re comfortable asking them for help, then take advantage of it
Make sure that you get a testimonial from your past clients to use on your site or in any other marketing materials as a form of social proof.
Network with Others Who Have High-Quality Clients
Being a freelancer doesn’t mean you have to be alone. It’s good to make connections with others who provide services to your target clients.
For instance, you’re a content writer who loves writing recipe articles, connecting with a graphic or web designer who works for recipe brands will be a fantastic source of referral business.
Understand that networking can be done on the internet through groups on Facebook, LinkedIn, WhatsApp, or even industry sites, or in-person (i.e., conferences, local meetups).
