I haven't had to market my services since January 7th (I started just a few weeks ago back on Dec 26 when realized I needed a better way to pay the bills than try and get a student loan), and I'm still booked solid. It's all been word of mouth since. Before then I posted on industry forums and hung out in the same IRC chats they did. You'd be amazed how many people hang out in IRC still these days. The real beauty is most gigs are rather small, and most clients understand my reputation as a great serviceman so they usually send me a payment and then tell me what needs to be done.
I've been a freelancer off and on for the past few years. I'm 22, in university, and have a start-up habit, so I need a way to fund myself. I found a great niche for myself in the past month that allows me to focus on delivering great work at breakneck speeds.
My main focuses are to be fast ("wicked fast", "what do you mean you're done already?", etc. from some clients since), to deliver great quality, and to deliver more than I promise, and act beyond professional--yet not quite too friendly--to clients.
The result is amazing. I'm already at a stage where I need to decline work and were I to be doing this full time I easily bring in enough requests to amount to what I've totaled as $525~ worth of work a day, which I could complete were it a full-time gig.
It's very easy: Make a dead simple portfolio that lets your work speak volumes where most people use gimmicky words (mine's at http://sicret.net ). Make your clients proud of your work (a lot of my clients love showing off their new designs, even though it's an industry that typically keeps things very private for competition's sake). I'm brutally honest with a client as well. If I am running behind because of some other mix up or I am not satisfied with a design, I will tell them, and offer them a discount or to redo.
Customer satisfaction is more important than customer acquisition. So is being truthful.
Don't be afraid to drop ineffective clients. You're in it for business, not to make everyone happy. your happiness comes first.
The most important thing I've learned: constantly charge more. Eventually you'll plateau, but until then or until your own project takes off, keep learning and keep getting better; then keep charging more. You'll be worth every penny if you give half a damn.
This is something I've wondered about for a while. Everyone says "Hang out in IRC"
That's great and all, but there's a lot of IRC servers with a lot of different channels. Got any specifics? Its almost like saying "I find using email gets me a lot of clients". Its specific enough to have an idea, but not enough to be of any use at all if you don't know where to start.
As a direct example: the forum I go to (while I won't say its name) is tailored for people who make money through advertising. In their IRC they talk about advertising and I went in looking to just make friends with them and to let them know I'm a designer, without asking for work. Eventually, one person came to me asking for work (and by eventually, I mean within hours) and after the work I did for him, word spread VERY fast about my capabilities and I've been booked since. The ONE important thing it to make sure you always keep your word, otherwise the reputation you've built declines.
I've decided it's best to gradually increase rates, which is what I am doing. It takes longer to build up to the 'plateau' level, but there is more security, which is important because any growth I have right now would just be icing on the cake since all my core needs and growth needs are met currently.
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I haven't had to market my services since January 7th (I started just a few weeks ago back on Dec 26 when realized I needed a better way to pay the bills than try and get a student loan), and I'm still booked solid. It's all been word of mouth since. Before then I posted on industry forums and hung out in the same IRC chats they did. You'd be amazed how many people hang out in IRC still these days. The real beauty is most gigs are rather small, and most clients understand my reputation as a great serviceman so they usually send me a payment and then tell me what needs to be done.
I've been a freelancer off and on for the past few years. I'm 22, in university, and have a start-up habit, so I need a way to fund myself. I found a great niche for myself in the past month that allows me to focus on delivering great work at breakneck speeds.
My main focuses are to be fast ("wicked fast", "what do you mean you're done already?", etc. from some clients since), to deliver great quality, and to deliver more than I promise, and act beyond professional--yet not quite too friendly--to clients.
The result is amazing. I'm already at a stage where I need to decline work and were I to be doing this full time I easily bring in enough requests to amount to what I've totaled as $525~ worth of work a day, which I could complete were it a full-time gig.
It's very easy: Make a dead simple portfolio that lets your work speak volumes where most people use gimmicky words (mine's at http://sicret.net ). Make your clients proud of your work (a lot of my clients love showing off their new designs, even though it's an industry that typically keeps things very private for competition's sake). I'm brutally honest with a client as well. If I am running behind because of some other mix up or I am not satisfied with a design, I will tell them, and offer them a discount or to redo.
Customer satisfaction is more important than customer acquisition. So is being truthful.
Don't be afraid to drop ineffective clients. You're in it for business, not to make everyone happy. your happiness comes first.
The most important thing I've learned: constantly charge more. Eventually you'll plateau, but until then or until your own project takes off, keep learning and keep getting better; then keep charging more. You'll be worth every penny if you give half a damn.
This is something I've wondered about for a while. Everyone says "Hang out in IRC"
That's great and all, but there's a lot of IRC servers with a lot of different channels. Got any specifics? Its almost like saying "I find using email gets me a lot of clients". Its specific enough to have an idea, but not enough to be of any use at all if you don't know where to start.
As a direct example: the forum I go to (while I won't say its name) is tailored for people who make money through advertising. In their IRC they talk about advertising and I went in looking to just make friends with them and to let them know I'm a designer, without asking for work. Eventually, one person came to me asking for work (and by eventually, I mean within hours) and after the work I did for him, word spread VERY fast about my capabilities and I've been booked since. The ONE important thing it to make sure you always keep your word, otherwise the reputation you've built declines.
If you're declining work you should raise your rate.
I've decided it's best to gradually increase rates, which is what I am doing. It takes longer to build up to the 'plateau' level, but there is more security, which is important because any growth I have right now would just be icing on the cake since all my core needs and growth needs are met currently.
You are definitely right though.