Marketing is the oxygen of any business. Even for freelancers… or did we forget to mention especially for freelancers? For freelancers, especially when you are a newbie, it takes some time for people to start hiring you. It is easy to feel that you may not get the right client or job without much exposure or experience, but buckle up because 2018 (and 2019…and 20 and so on) is the year for freelancers. Remember that every successful freelancer once started his career with no sample or experience. But what they had was an ability to concentrate on finding out better quality clients with good marketing strategies.
Today, we will show you 7 Ways to Improve Marketing Strategies for Freelancers that you can easily adapt.
We Fear the Concept of Marketing and Selling
Many freelancers don’t give much value to marketing and promotion; in fact, most of them feel terrified of the concept. They totally rely on ‘word of mouth’ referrals.
What they don’t grasp is that self-promotion and marketing are not just about selling your skills or services but it is about creating a brand with your name that helps you to associate yourself with a product, or drive good traffic to your blog or get hold of the right audience from the industry with valuable information.
Agreed, marketing is not a cakewalk but it’s essential for a freelancer to succeed. And as you go along with it, you will soon be a seasoned marketing executive of your own brand. These marketing strategies for freelancers are for both, business people and job seekers.
7 Ways to Improve Marketing Strategies for Freelancers
Marketing strategies for freelancers can be improved by following the below-listed ways.
1. Website for a Good Shout Out
This might be the most basic and common thing in this digital marketing realm, but you will be surprised to know 70% of the freelancers skip this important part of marketing – a strong and lucrative website.
Your website or blog site will create a platform for you to showcase your skills and sample works. It could be an online business card.
In your website, you can showcase people what you have achieved, add samples of previous works, summarise your achievements and even add a call to action.
You should also add a blog page where you can share your ideas and invite viewers to discuss topics relevant to your services.
2. Know the People You Want to Impress
Before you start planting your promotions, you need to be doubly sure about “Who Are You? What Are You Selling? Who Would Be the Buyers?” It is important that you study the people who would likely be interested in your skills, understand what they like, how much do they spend and what are their stimuli, and then work on the promotions. Asking questions will help you understand people better.
For example, a freelance wedding photographer can ask young couples what kind of places, ideas, and concepts they prefer for video and photoshoots. After getting the answer he can create sample photos that include the answers and then promote.
3. You Need to Act and Be Like a Professional
Irrespective of the amount of expertise you have or the experience you are backed with, don’t take freelance business or job lightly.
When you are at work, you need to be a complete professional with clear ideas, equipped with good tools and technologies and a well-optimized website that talks about your work elaborately. Have a separate section for contact details.
Provide adequate, but viable and good information about your skills and services and become an industry influencer. For instance, if you are a blogger, you can tell your clients how blogging can boost their business and what its benefits are.
4. Social Media Should Be Your First Stop
Today 65% of the creative freelancers get their clients from social media sites. Take them seriously. Social media is one of the secret ingredients that many people don’t tap on.
Increasing traffic for your website through link sharing, creating a brand image, talking about your work through pics and sharing business stories are some of the few ways to market your work on social media.
Keeping your account up to date as well as staying active every day on sites is a good way to be on the limelight. Boosting your social media presence through social media management tools is also advisable.
5. Team Up with Other Freelancers
It is always a good idea to join hands with likeminded who share the same skills as yours. You can share the latest trends, insights, and thoughts and even working tips. In fact, if you are loaded with work, you can always share some of it with someone junior or someone who is actually looking for work.
The more you connect and join communities, the more people will get to know you and the better would be your circle of clients. In fact, your associations may lead you to work with clients across the world and improve your business.
6. The Word ‘No’ Shouldn’t Be In Your Dictionary
Time management is most important in freelancer career. The digital world is full of opportunities as well as competition, especially when you are a new entrant. If you say no to a project because of its size or your busy schedule, the bigger ones from the same client may also be lost to someone else.
You cannot always say ‘Yes’ and end up being less productive. But with effective time management skills, you will know where to commit and where to pull back.
7. Business Cards – Keep them Handy
What if you bump into a great client at the cinemas? You can’t just ask him to check your website or Facebook profile, can you? So, what’s the best option to market yourself quickly? – A business card.
An alluring business card could be a handy and effective marketing tool during emergencies and unexpected meetings. Although traditional, it does play a huge role in digital tools. (1)
Make sure your card is clear and crisp, creative and alluring with the decent color combination. Content placement, design, and pitch of a business card matter a lot. Always remember to carry them along. Opportunities can knock at the door anytime.
