Freelancing offers its fair share of benefits — especially if you have a steady flow of quality clients. But, sometimes, getting more quality freelance business clients is a little easier said than done.
If you want the freewheeling life of a digital nomad or remote-working freelancing creative, you have to know how to juggle plenty of plates with confidence — and keeping your client list healthy is no exception.
Of course, finding a constant stream of top-notch clients can feel daunting at times. But, by leveraging the treasure trove of online networking opportunities readily available to you, you can take your freelance business to the next level (while still enjoying a decent social life).
Intrigued? Great. Here, we’re going to show you how to land the right freelance business clients with professional networks and forums.
Let’s dive in.
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Maintain freelance momentum
Before you start sparking up conversations and selling yourself on professional networking forums, gaining the right momentum is a must.
With the right foundations in place, you’ll become a well-oiled, client-attracting, freelancing machine. To gain and, of course, maintain momentum as a freelancer, you need to…
- Work with the right digital tools
- Manage your time effectively
- Set the right expectations for your clients
Pro tip: When setting client deadlines, it’s always a good idea to choose a mutually agreeable date, allowing enough time to deliver the work or project a day early. If you do manage to deliver the work a day early, it will work wonders for your reputation. If not, you’ll still have enough time to get everything in on time.
Forums that can get you more freelance business clients — and how to use them
With your freelancing foundations in place, you’ll be able to carve out plenty of time for networking. Getting active on social media is an effective way to showcase your personal brand, share your work, and connect with potential clients. And, I encourage you to do so.
But, there are certain professional networks and forums that could open you up to an abundance of potentially rewarding professional opportunities.
Let’s explore.
Quora
First up, we have Quora — the world’s most popular question-and-answer-based social content-sharing platform.
Did you know? Quora has 300 million active monthly users and covers pretty much every piece of subject matter imaginable. That’s a lot of people.
It works like this…
Someone posts a question on the platform, and people publicly answer it. Some answers are brief, while others are entertaining, inspiring, and thought-leading.
By searching for subject matter on Quora questions relevant to your niche, you can place yourself before potential freelance business clients at a time when they’re most likely to engage. And to win the right clients on Quora, you have to show that you’re an expert in your field. Yes, you have to be the thought leader.
To use Quora to your client-boosting advantage, you should focus on writing quality content that directly answers a user’s question in your niche.
For instance, if you offer digital marketing services, you can search for questions you think people or businesses might be asking in your niche, such as, “How do I write ad copy that sells?”
Once you’ve found relevant (and recent) questions from people who are likely to belong to a business in need of marketing services, you should create a short list and write articles — complete with links, subheadings, and images — that showcase your expertise.
If you do this regularly, not only are you likely to spark up direct conversations with the people asking the questions, but you’ll also attract leads from others on the platform who come across your thought-leading content.
Quora content ranks on search engines like Google. So, if you do a good job, you’re likely to rank well for relevant Google search terms, gaining more clients for your freelance business in the process.
Next, we arrive at Reddit — a weird and wonderful space filled with random subject matter.
This might be one of the more offbeat forums for professional networking, but with a little time and persistence, it could become a valuable string in your client-acquisition bow. And the key here is “subreddits,” or subject-specific forums within the Reddit universe.
To find subreddits relevant to your niche, you can use the platform’s simple search platform, using this example format…
r/copywritingtips
or
r/copywritersneeded
These are just two example subreddit searches for your inspiration. (If you are a copywriter, try them and see where they take you.)
Once you’ve found subreddits that you feel are relevant and potentially rewarding, you can join in the conversation by responding to questions or threads and reacting to certain comments.
Doing this consistently enough will boost your presence on Reddit and forge valuable relationships that could lead to rewarding long-term work.
Treat Reddit like a virtual networking conference every time you use the platform.
And, don’t be afraid to create or share valuable content or showcase your portfolio of skills when the time is right. It could just land you the freelance gig that catapults you to professional success.
Related: Networking for women: 7 ways to work your network for leads and clients
Okay, LinkedIn may be an obvious one — but are you using it to your fullest client-boosting potential?
By adopting a Quora-like thought-leading content approach to your LinkedIn networking efforts and joining relevant conversations, you can boost your visibility on the platform and get ahead of the pack.
To tap into the right conversations and opportunities, use the platform’s search function to discover freelance gig callouts. You can also discover and share content that you can use to your advantage.
Finding the most recent content or callouts in your niche means that you can strike when a lead is hot — showcasing your skills at the time where a client is most likely to bite.
Here are a few LinkedIn engagement tips to help you with your efforts:
- Approach a potential client with a message or comment that is approachable yet professional. Don’t get too salesy or go for the “I want this gig” jugular. Simply introduce yourself, respond to the specifics of the LinkedIn post or callouts, and tell your potential client how you can help.
- Offer to complete a small paid trial. This will showcase your initiative while allowing you to demonstrate your skills in a value-driven way.
- Share relevant content or ideas that prove your expertise or knowledge on the subject in question or task at hand.
If you do this and have a brilliantly optimized LinkedIn profile, you’ll be destined for freelance client-boosting success.
Related: Building a powerful LinkedIn profile: Tips for networking and job searching
Freelancer marketplaces
You’re most likely well-versed in the web’s various freelancer marketplaces. But, there may be some you don’t know about.
I’m not saying you have to spread yourself thin and sign up to all of these freelance marketplaces: simply take the time to decide on the ones you feel will be most valuable and that are a great fit for your skillset.
By choosing a small selection of these quality freelancer marketplaces and applying the principles I’ve mentioned so far in this guide, you’ll boost your client-landing potential in a huge way:
- Upwork
- YunoJuno
- Passionfruit
- Freelancer
- Fiverr
- Toptal
- Bark
Related: 6 steps to navigate a freelance marketplace & get clients
Using AI to your business-boosting advantage
We’re living in the age of artificial intelligence (AI). By using AI technology to your advantage, you can streamline many of your business’s key operations — boosting your productivity and allowing more time to find quality freelance clients.
Here are some tips on using AI to your freelance business-boosting advantage:
- Use generative AI tools like ChatGPT to create marketing content and client communications with ease.
- Create a thought-leading podcast using AI tools.
- Automate your business processes, including social media posting and email marketing content, with platforms aligned to your specific goals.
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Related: AI tools every small business owner should consider using
Final thoughts
By building the right foundations for your freelance business and using the right tools for the job, you will give yourself the best possible chance of networking in a way that offers a real return on investment (ROI).
These slightly less trodden (or misused) platforms offer bundles of potential when it comes to getting more freelance clients that can push your business forward.
Explore these platforms and online forums, start engaging, and create content that showcases your expertise — and you’ll connect with droves of quality freelance clients. You’ve got this.
