How to Build Your Client Base Without Cold Pitching

One of the main pain points for freelancers when trying to acquire clients is the fear of rejection. Many freelancers struggle to put themselves out there and market their services. Another pain point is not knowing where to start or how to find potential clients. Additionally, some freelancers may struggle with pricing their services and may not know how to effectively communicate the value of their work to potential clients.

You became a content creator and imagined that one day you can sell your skills to make money online. So you can travel the world and work from your laptop in some cafe off the coast. Maybe you wake up one morning to a rising sun from the top floor of some hotel in Europe, South America, or Asia. The dream is real. The only thing is getting started in the right direction.

Your goal is to acquire clients, that will pay for your skills.

How do you do that?

You work for free.

I know, I know. This sounds crazy and it doesn’t make sense. Till I tried it, and it worked.

This may sound counter-intuitive, but by offering your services for free you can show potential customers what you're capable of and prove to them that you have the expertise they need. You can also get valuable feedback from them on how you can improve your skills.

Why should you work for free?

If you spend any time on Twitter, outside of politics, there is a world of information on the platform. Everyone seems to know something, and there are tons of courses, newsletters, and ebooks getting marketed around.

If you notice, there is a plethora of information being given away for free. So many users are trying to establish their authority and expand their followers, so they offer free advice, tips, and experience. They offer it in the form of free e-books, free newsletters, and other free downloads.

It’s a great way to grow your audience. You trade information people want, then, and in return, they ask for some engagement on their tweets. They create high-value items. You click like, comment, and follow, and they send you valuable information. Great trade for you. It doesn’t seem like a good trade for them. Not at first.

But those creators’ goals are to gain exposure and cement authority over their niche. Their business. Their skills. Once they are recognized, they start monetizing their skills. Their curated information. Their craft. Digital or physical. Ghostwriters, copywriters, Notion template creators, video editors, Newsletter curators, and dozens of others.

What did they gain from giving away their hard work?

• Systems

• Followers

• Exposure

• Authority

• Experience

• Communities

• Networks

• A Portfolio

The list can go a little longer. But now, those beginners, who crafted for the community are now well known and become established leaders in their industry.

How you get paid working for free

Your payment will multiply and scale exponentially if you follow this process. The pace at which it grows depends on your consistency. You show up every day, you grow every day.

Your skills sharpen.

Your pace quickens.

Your systems become accurate and efficient.

Your working process refines like gold in the furnace,

What is the process?

First, pick a skill and work on it.

The best strategy for starting your freelance career is to pick up a skill and develop it. As you develop your skills, post what you’re building or creating on your social media platform. Let people see what you’re doing.

This will give people a chance to praise or criticize your work. I prefer Critiques, They push you to try better. These words send you back to the table to recreate or redefine your work. It usually comes out better when people point out flaws.

Keep doing this and eventually, you’ll have a product to sell. But, give it away for free. Make two versions if you like and give the basic version away for people to play with. To use it. Make the free version helpful and the premium version a paid product. If it is good enough, the premium will sell. Give it time.

When you give these products away, ask those viewers for a follow and reposts or Retweets. This will broaden your audience and increase your visibility. This is what you wanted after all. For people to recognize your work.

Keep doing this, and the right clients will come along. At that point, do not be afraid to start charging for your work. Yes. Start charging for your work when people need it, Put a price on it.

You need to start funding that nomad lifestyle or that dream vacation.

Second, find the audience's pain points and find a solution for it.

When you find a way to solve another person’s problem, they will thank you for solving it for them. Don’t bother asking for payment. Once again, you’re working for free.

Why?

Because by helping that one person, you have added to your work portfolio, your experience, authority, and confidence in your own skill. If anything, ask them if they liked your free service and if they wouldn’t mind tagging you on a post and giving you a shoutout for a good job done.

Now you have further expanded your reach with a satisfied customer. That’s what everyone will see.

Anyone looking at their post will go check you out. If you’ve added plenty of useful content, then people coming from this traffic will hit the subscribe button to learn more from you. To follow your work. To share you with their audience.

Last step for becoming a professionally paid freelancer

This final step before you start working out your laptop off the coast of rich blue waters in Bali is to continue to hone your skills and grow your social media following,

As a freelancer, you must seize the opportunity to increase your earnings by providing premium services, courses, or products. Build a wealth of information along the way and provide it to others that want to follow in your footsteps.

You did publicly build your skills and show your audience how you grew from an unknown person to a recognized leader. Now many of your fans want to be just like you.

Collaborating with other freelancers or businesses is crucial to expanding your reach and offering to their audience. Seeking out sponsorships or brand partnerships that align with your values and expertise is not just an option, it's a necessity.

By maintaining a strong reputation and building authority, as a freelancer you can attract more lucrative clients and opportunities. It's imperative for freelancers to take charge of their careers and actively pursue growth and success.

Recap.

1. Build and work for free. Keep developing your skills

2. Solve people's problems. Gain reputation and authority,

3. Market your sharpened skills. Monetize your experience.

Concluding Summary

• Start by picking a skill and developing it

• Post what you're building or creating on your social media platform to gain praise or criticism

• Give away your products for free and ask for follows and reposts/retweets to broaden your audience

• Find the audience's pain points and solve them for free to gain reputation and authority

• Hone your skills and grow your social media following

• Offer premium services, courses, or products to monetize your experience

• Collaborate with other freelancers or businesses to expand your reach and offer to their audience