If you’re a freelancer, you know that business isn’t always easy. The good news? You get to set your own hours, which means you get to work on your own terms.
The bad news? You only get to work on your own terms, which means you often get busy periods with no work.
This is where marketing comes in.
I’ve compiled 9 marketing tips below to help you get clients even when you’re not actively looking.
Marketing Tip 1: Create a Professionally Designed Website
When most freelancers talk about creating an online presence, they talk about creating a blog and blogging about what they do.
This can work. But the reason it doesn’t work is that it’s not professional.
The reason it’s not professional is that it looks like a website someone else created for you. It won’t stand out, and it’ll be hard to be seen in the competitive freelance landscape.
I’ve seen too many poorly designed websites that I’ve found either underutilized or abandoned.
What you need to do is create a
professional website and invest in an actual editor. This is the same editor
who edits for major websites like Mashable and The Onion.
Marketing Tip 2: Use Social Media
We all know social media is useful for promoting your website, but there are also a number of other things you can do to get the word out about your business.
It’s a no-brainer that Facebook and Twitter are the most popular platforms, and the most obvious ways to market your business on social media.
Post regularly, and create
interesting content that keeps your followers engaged.
Marketing Tip 3: Use the Research Tool Kit
The Research Tool Kit is a tool that will help you identify new trends and make the best decisions.
In particular, it will help you to
forecast your annual revenue, see what your existing clients are saying about
you, and identify influencers in your niche.
Marketing Tip 4: Use Your Blog
How many business websites have a blog section? If you’re a business owner that doesn’t have one, get one now.
Blogging can be an incredibly
powerful marketing tool, but it takes a lot of work.
Here are my top tips for creating a
successful blog:
- Start with quality:
Take the time to write original
content. Your blog needs to stand out from the rest of your website.
- Write in a consistent voice:
Blogging is a long-term
relationship, so take the time to write the content consistently. If you write
one blog post and it doesn’t feel right, stop.
- Don’t run yourself ragged:
Don’t spend hours and hours writing
blog posts, but don’t be a slacker either.
Marketing Tip 5: Use Your Business Cards
Most freelancers focus their time
and energy on marketing their website, but marketing your business cards can be
equally valuable.
The thing is, most people don’t
spend enough time picking out business cards, and they don’t usually use them
enough to truly tell whether they’re being well-marketed.
In fact, you should spend more time thinking about your business card than any other piece of marketing you do. Consider Going with a Product-Only Freelancer Card
If you’re trying to stand out from
your competitors, you could consider sending your clients a card with the
number of your website instead of a personal contact number.
Marketing Tip 6: Get Yourself Noticed with Press Releases
When you’re looking to get clients,
there are so many other things you can do to increase your chances of success.
For example, you can become a
marketing expert through regular writing, perform content marketing, make a
killer sales video, conduct a video review, or set up a live demonstration.
However, there’s one thing that can
stand out from the rest — your press releases.
Press releases give your name and
your business a lot more visibility. By getting featured on The Huffington
Post, Huffington Post Entrepreneur, Elite Daily, and the ABC Chicago affiliate,
you can gain press coverage.
Marketing Tip 7: Get People to Talk About You on Social Media
Marketing Tip 8: Know Who You’re Creating Marketing Content For
The problem with many entrepreneurs
is that they treat themselves like businesspeople while ignoring people.
You can’t become a successful
business if you only see yourself and your goals. You have to understand the
wants and needs of your customers.
By doing this, you’ll always know
who your customers are and what they’re looking for. This will give you a great
head start and allow you to attract people who will then become potential
clients.
You can create more than 200
different marketing platforms for your business. If you don’t know what the
market needs, how will you ever gain a competitive advantage?
Marketing Tip 9: Use a CRM System to Stay Organized and Connected to Clients
If you’re a freelancer, one of the
hardest parts of marketing yourself to potential clients is staying on top of
client information.
One of the best ways to get
organized is with a customer relationship management (CRM) system.
CRMs collect all of your client
information, allow you to stay on top of them, and help you connect with your
clients on a regular basis.
There are many CRM systems to choose
from, and depending on how you want to use it, one CRM system will be right for
you.
Additional marketing pieces for freelancers
It’s been said that 75% of new
businesses die within their first year. What’s even more disconcerting is that
55% of freelancers leave the job market altogether.
The reality is that most freelancers are motivated by income. It’s hard to have success when your sole focus is on finding clients.
I recommend developing a marketing
plan, determining goals, and writing a forecast.