How to find freelance design clients

Are you just starting out in the awesome world of freelance graphic design? Or any type of freelancing for that matter.  I'm using the term AWESOME in it's full potential here.  Because it IS AWESOME and I hope that the fear of finding clients to work with is not the only holding you back because there are so many ways to find great clients to fill up your schedule.  I started freelancing a year ago and you know what?  I was actually able to quit my full-time job of 15 years just 4 short months ago and I cannot wait to help you on your way to living your dream life, like me :)

Ok, let's find you some clients!  ​

*This post contains an affiliate link to Weebly.com.  I wouldn't suggest anything that I don't use and love!

 Social Media - this one is a no brainer.   If you haven't already set up a business page for your freelance journey go right ahead and do that.  Once your page is set up and everything looks stunning go ahead and start "suggesting" your page to friends and family from your personal Facebook account.  Some of my very first projects were from friends that were not even aware that I was a graphic designer.   Actually, I believe my first two website clients were friends that messaged me on Facebook.  Speaking of Facebook, I love connecting and meeting new people every chance I get  so please find my page HERE and say hi!

Go thru your email address book and do not hesitate to send a quick group email to anyone with a brief overview of your new journey.  I was really hesitant to do this  because I didn't want to be like "oh hey everyone look at me!" but everybody was very receptive and happy to hear about my new journey!  

Outsource.com was also a GREAT starting point for me and it was WELL worth the $49.00/mo subscription. Trust me, I really hesitated on that one but I am so glad I signed up. (UPDATE: Outsource.com has recently rebranded to Remote.com)  I instantly landed projects. Yes, the first handful of projects I bid on and landed were well below what I currently charge but you know what?  Out of 15-20 clients that I worked for thru Outsource.com, all but maybe 5 of them ended up having multiple, ongoing projects 4 of them are still sending things my way on a regular basis.  Those jobs really helped me get a feel for how to set up pricing, finalizing my contract and really getting a feel for how to manage work flow.

Proposals - another key thing  I used to do (when I actually had down time!) was to Google search area businesses and do a quick glance at their online presence. I would check to see if they had a website and  if it looked halfway up to date or if it looked in serious need of help. I would put together a short little PDF proposal, sometimes even just a quick email just introducing myself as a designer from the area "oh and hey I noticed your don't have a website?" or "Did you know that I can whip up some  Social Media graphics for you to help you stand out?"  Low and behold, I couldn't believe how many people responded back!  It's like most of them knew they were in serious need of an update or something new but like all busy business owners they put on the back burner and forget to actually reach out and find someone.  By putting my information and price in front of them all they had to do was say YES!  Most of them were so thankful that I had reached out.  Don't be scared. It's worth it.  I would suggest sending out 4-5 proposals a week for the first 2 or 3 months. 

I would also suggest that you have, at the very least, a portfolio style website so that people can easily see your work after you reach out to them.  I never posted services or prices on my site because each job was so unique I could never set a list of services that encompassed everything I wanted to do.  You do what you feel comfortable with, there is no right or wrong.

Don't forget  to list the important stuff every time you reach out... phone, email address, website, social  media links... it's all part of creating a professional and trustworthy appearance.  I new NOTHING about designing websites a year ago when I started freelancing but obviously it's in high demand so I figured why not learn something new. I had to design my own site, which was easy because I found Weebly.  Sometimes it gets a bad rap but it has been perfect for my needs and I've designed 5 sites for clients using Weebly without any complaint.  It's even easier than SquareSpace!

Also, do not forget to ask for a quick referral after a project is complete.  Everybody that I asked was more than happy to write 2 or 3 sentences about their experience because most people understand the importance.  After you use these ideas to land a few jobs you will start to get referrals and the flood gates open! Make sure and drop me a line when you celebrate finding your first client! Yay!

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