How to get the clients you want.
Whether or not you have been freelancing for years, attracting the right client can often be difficult. Believe it or not, there is a formula that can be used to attract the clients you want. It does take patients, but results will appear if the steps are carried out correctly.
Produce work similar to their industry
Humans will be humans and most of the time, we gravitate towards people that are similar to ourselves. This is typically the case also in the creative industry, when potential clients are looking to hire a creative. it is unlikely that clients may hire you as creative if you haven’t carried out a similar project to what they are looking for, as well as producing a project that has similar attributes/ aesthetics. For example, if you are a brand identity designer that has identity projects all based on sports teams, the chances that a corporate banking company in need of brand identity will hire you are extremely low. There for, produce the work that your target audience may hire you for.
Produce good work.
This may sound cliché, but good work always wins. You certainly don’t need to be the best to get hired, you you need to produce the best work you possibly can at your current level. Hard work pays off, and will always show as a creative. Work that you produce is almost like giving out invitations to potential clients, as any one may come across your work so it is important that everything you create is gold. It is also vital to see your work for what it actually is and ask you self ‘could I do better?’, ‘If I was a client, would I hire me for X amount?’. By being transparent with your work, you are able to make decisions that can attract particular clients. Once these decisions are made, it is time to get your work out in the open.
Expose your work
The saying "If a tree falls in a forest and no one is around to hear it, does it make a sound?" is the same as “Is a good piece of work actually good if no one sees it ?”. Creating good work isn’t only for you eyes to be pleased, use it for inspiration and motivation for others in your field, or possibly clients that have an idea but can’t grasp it until they see it. Your work needs to be seen anyone and everyone - period. Creating constantly is a good practice that may increase the chances of your work being seen by your target audience.
Take every opportunity
Once the above steps are carried out and you finally get leads, make sure to negotiate right. It can be exciting to talk with a potential client over the phone, especially when they are asking for your rate. However, assuming this is your first actual target audience client, you need to be conscious of not over pricing or under-pricing. Over pricing may scare your client off and result into you not receiving a reply which can be annoying or upsetting. In terms of under pricing, this may affect the perception a client has on the value of your work, as well as a chance that the project may not be worth your time. To find out how to negotiate correctly, watch this video her made by The Futur.
So, when pricing the project to your first potential targeted audience client, It may be a good Idea to settle with a price that is good for you, as well as for them. By doing so, both parties will feel comfortable with collaborating, and there may be a high chance of being referred to more clients similar to your current client if the outcome of the project is successful.
Free work… If you can afford it.
Yo have probably heard “don’t do free work for anyone!” or “do free work to get the right clients”. This choice is up to you. If you carry out free work, be aware that it is not guaranteed you will get anything out of it, especially exposure. Someone may have a high following, but there followers may actually not be your target audience, or simply interested in what you provide. Also, your personal circumstances as an individual should also determine whether or not to produce free work. If you are someone living with parents, being taken care of, or simply have another steady stream of income, then maybe it’s an option to explore. However, of you are someone who doesn’t have a lot of time on your hands and needs to provide for your self and possibly your family then free work is not a good idea. Remember, time is the most expensive currency as it can’t be earned back, so use it wisely.
In a nutshell, to attract the clients that you want, the first action to carry out is to produce more work you want to get hired for. As mentioned, it is very unlikely clients will hire you if you haven’t done a similar project previously. It is then important to make the quality of your work really good despite this being a lengthy process. This may then result into more leads, which it is then your responsibility to grab every opportunity that comes your way. Depending on your situation, you can offer free work, but possibly in return for value that isn’t monetary.