How to Promote Yourself as a Freelancer in 2023
Nice work! You’ve started your freelance journey. So how do you get the word out?
Projects usually don’t waltz through the digital door and land at your feet. As any seasoned digital nomad will tell you – it takes continuous effort and work to stay relevant and visible to your audience.
The post-pandemic freelance market can be tougher than ever before; millions of individuals have switched to remote jobs. Everywhere you look, there are hundreds of professionals offering similar services, with skills almost as excellent as yours. So, how can you stand out?
You’re already honest in your deals, fair in your prices, and well-equipped to give the service at hand, but with so much competitive static, you’ll need to get good at promoting yourself and your skills.
So, in this post, let’s chat about some of the best ways to promote yourself as a freelancer in 2023.
Let’s jump in!
1. Family First
For many people the best way to begin, or to land new projects, is by letting everyone in your current contact list know about the services you offer. No brainer, right? Your niece might need invites for her wedding, your friend’s company might be hiring copywriters, or your neighbor’s firm might require a new business website.
Be vulnerable. If you never promote yourself to friends and fam, you’ll never know how many potential projects are just waiting to be gobbled up. And since these kind humans already know you, in one way or another, you are already more trustworthy than any other stranger they could hire. So milk those relationships, baby!
Your colleagues, family, friends, and even neighbors, will be happy to leave a good word for you, which will in turn strengthen your credibility and bring in your valuable reviews! Word of mouth marketing is the best kind of marketing.
2. Get Social
For strangers to trust you with their work, you need a little more effort than with your family and friends.
Social media is an excellent marketing tool for freelancers. It works as a portfolio, token of credibility, and an ad for your service. As a freelancer, you can have an Instagram page for your photo-editing service, a Twitter account if you are an author, and a LinkedIn if you are a UI/UX designer. Better yet, all those platforms if you can handle it. You can also post behind-the-scenes of your work, or tutorial videos on YouTube to build interest in your potential clients.
And if you want to get aggressive – try running ads on social media. Put your face and skills smack dab in front of your target audience.
Don’t forget – helping individuals by answering their questions, sharing knowledge, mentoring and otherwise and providing free guidance can go a long way in building connections and credibility..
3. Get Writing
Blogging is an excellent way to promote yourself. And even more so if you offer content-related services. Your blog can be a part of your portfolio, and your readers are your license to create content for well-known companies.
Even if you offer other services, like social media management, SEO-Optimization, or app development, running a consistent blog about your work establishes your authority and visibility. You’ll let potential clients get a peek into the extent of your knowledge and experience. Post links to these content pieces on social networks like LinkedIn and Twitter.
It also works the other way around. Subtly promoting your services through your blog can easily convert your reader base into clientele, helping you establish a steady income stream.
Not sure what to write about? Think about common problems, concerns, or frequent queries that your clients may have related to the work you do. This allows you to give out a fleshed-out answer and improve communication with clients, while building your personal brand.
4. Freelance Platforms
A freelance platform works as a middleman between you and your client. You sign up to these websites in the hopes of finding a project, and your clients do the same in the hopes of finding someone like you. Most freelance sites work like a job board, but we think most of them are broken, inconvenient, and as impersonal and frustrating as the nine-to-five you just left.
CommonCreatives is a uniquely different social working network for freelancers. We provide our freelancers with resources, benefits, real connections, better compensation, education, and more. We are a community of fun, hard-working, positive freelancers who not only want to grow their bank account but who also want to pay it forward and help others.
Check out our “How CommonCreatives is Better for Talent” article to learn more.
5. Guest Appearances and Collaborations
One plus one equals three. Sometimes finding freelancers in your network who are willing to collaborate with you on projects can go a long way. Collaborative projects often have a higher reach, and can help market your talent to a larger audience, many of whom are potential clients. Imagine the possibilities of a talented writer just getting started teaming up with a seasoned illustrator with a large customer base.
Collaborations can put you in front of new followers and ultimately boost your client base. You can also try your hand at guest appearances on podcasts, sharing your journey, tips, and lessons learned to the listeners. Something like this helps you stay in people’s minds for longer, and yours just may be the first name that pops up when they consider needing a service relevant to your skills
6. Networking is the Worst. Or is it?
Many freelance networking events are happening digitally. Many are increasingly in person. Find the ones that seem most interesting and fruitful, and go to them well-prepared. Have your business cards ready, practice conversations and questions, and try not to hate it.
These events can not only help you meet and learn from the experience of other freelancers, they can also help you meet potential clients. Always try to learn who is attending, and what value you can add to their work.
7. Don’t be Shy: Ask for Reviews and Referrals
Reviews are the first thing clients want to see once they get interested in your portfolio. They act as a legitimacy certificate to everything you are promising as a freelancer. Helping companies discover just how satisfied your current and past clients are is certainly worth the effort..
Consider promoting yourself using reviews. They could be on your social media profiles, your website, or even part of your ad campaigns which feature testimonials and reviews from your clients.
Naturally, the more detailed a review is, the more impactful it will be for you, and the potential buyer trying to find out more about you. Try requesting your happy clients leave a few sentences, instead of a “perfect” or “thank-you” as a review.
If you have an exceptionally happy client, ask them to refer your service to other people as well. Word-of-mouth builds credibility faster than any other marketing strategy. People who hear from their peers about a service tend to pay higher and end up becoming loyal clients in the future.
8. Get the gear that gets you gigs
CommonCreatives knows the power of marketing your creative services where ever you may find yourself. You would be surprised how many people are interested in your services and just don’t know you are the person they need to talk to. Why? because we don’t typically go around wearing our portfolios, skillsets, and resumes on our sleeves. Well… now you can! The CommonCreatives Shop sells all the gear you need to help you strike up that conversation and tell the world what you do, and that you’re open for business. So, whether you are in line at the grocery store, or sipping that pina colada on the beach, you can be wearing the gear that says “I Freelance” and I’m ready to take you on as a client. Come check out the CC store and get the gear that gets you gigs!
Conclusion:
Promoting yourself as a freelancer in 2023 is a skill. And it’s a skill you can get good at. It requires time and continuous effort. To find clients, you can look for job listings on freelance sites, join groups, or run ad campaigns. You can also ask friends and family if they have a job for you, start a blog about your service, and appear in podcasts of other freelancers. But one of the most effective ways is to join CommonCreatives today!
And never forget – always stay honest. Always give your best. Consistency and quality are some of the best ways to build your personal brand and get people talking about your work.
