I worked for a couple of years as a freelance web developer and the only tip I think is really valuable here is "Bonus tip: Make friends with small design shops

I worked for a couple of years as a freelance web developer and the only tip I think is really valuable here is "Bonus tip: Make friends with small design shops." As a freelancer, I think it is very difficult to try and attract work via your web presence. There is too much competition online. In fact, when I was freelancing, I didn't have a professional website of my own at all, I just had my own personal blog, which brought me zero clients. For me, being an effective freelance web developer was all about making and cultivating personal connections. As a freelancer you must be reasonably good at all aspects of business, including business development and sales. I think most salespeople would tell you that the key to sales is meeting people, telling them what you do, and finding out if they need your services or if they know anyone else who does. The great thing about being employed in web development work is that it is a skill with a lot of demand, so it is not difficult to find people who need it. What is more difficult is finding people who will pay at a level that makes the pain of freelancing worthwhile (for me, the pain of freelancing was mainly being solely responsible for absolutely everything, including the parts I detest, which are primarily billing and collections.)