How to Freelance Like a Pro

Find your first clients

Getting started is intimidating, especially when you haven’t built up a portfolio as a freelancer. But connecting with potential clients can be surprisingly easy⁠⁠—you may already have some in your contact list.

Mari Backus, founder of the North Carolina-based Stay Collective, started out by completing projects for organizations and companies that she worked with during her previous job. The result was a snowball effect of new business. “As I continued taking on more projects, many clients would refer me to their friends or colleagues, continuing the growth of my clientele,” she explains.

Marcy Chu, a freelancer based in Venice, California, took a different route. She began by offering her services for free, then promoting that experience on platforms designed to connect freelancers with clients. “After the free work, I started taking projects on Upwork⁠⁠—at a super reduced rate⁠⁠—and slowly raised it over time. I also applied for the Mailchimp Partner Program, which is still a large source of client referrals today.”

Figure out how much business you can handle

Once you’ve begun to build up your client base, it’s important to set boundaries to avoid getting overwhelmed. Everyone’s ideal workload looks different, so all 3 freelancers stress the importance of learning by trial and error.

Paige and Marcy organize their time based on the depth of the work, from one-off projects to long-term marketing initiatives. Marcy blocks off at least 2 days a week for her ongoing clients and uses the remainder of her time to take on new business, while Paige offers her services at project-based (rather than hourly) rates so she knows exactly how much time to dedicate to each client.

Mari has developed a system to keep from overloading herself while still keeping potential clients engaged.

“Clients make a deposit to save their space on a waiting list, at which point they are given an estimated start date, a survey to prepare for the project, and a list of 'homework,' such as gathering brand materials or content,” she says.

Get more business when you need it

While it’s important to set limits, you also need to know when to find new business. Mari can usually tell it's time to seek out new leads when she doesn't have a lot to do for several consecutive days. But signs of a slow period may look different depending on the kinds of projects you do.

“I don’t like to use income as an indicator because with multiple one-time projects, looking at monthly and even quarterly income is more important than weekly,” she says of her strategy.

When it is time to drum up more business, Mari’s methods include contacting past clients who may be interested in doing more work, reaching out to members of entrepreneurship groups, and using search engine optimization (SEO) to streamline her company website.

Paige likes to take a community-based approach in her search for more clients. She regularly attends local networking events and conferences, and also sponsors a weekly newsletter for a co-working space in her area. “It’s a great way to give back to the organization and present Fruition Studio to a community of local entrepreneurs,” she says.

Build community, not just business

While freelancing offers flexibility and freedom, it doesn’t come with the structured social environment that many traditional jobs offer. Each of the 3 freelancers turn to their communities⁠⁠—both local and virtual⁠⁠—to interact with like-minded people and share experiences.

Some of their recommendations include volunteering for community organizations, joining Facebook groups, and attending networking events.

“At the end of the day business is about relationships,” says Paige. “Finding and creating community has helped me thrive as a business owner and as someone who wants to change the world.”