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Ask HN: How does a freelance web developer find clients?

• TheIronYuppie 13y ago
  My recommendation: Work on everything. EVERYTHING. No job is too small, no pay is too small (to start, anyway). Put up your resume/etc on craigslist, and say "come and tell me your project". As you get going, you'll be able to cull back and take less projects, but at the start, you'll meet far more people, far more quickly than any other way.
• scottporad 13y ago
  Essentially, you're being a salesperson, so do the things salespeople do... 1. Use every excuse you can to give out your business card. Need to write a note for a friend, write it on the back of your business card. Someone needs a bookmark, give them your business card. Give them away like candy. 2. Attend at least one meetup per week. Hand out those cards like Skittles. 3. Never eat alone--try to take someone out to lunch or coffee every day. Simply say, "I'd like to learn more about what you're doing, and tell you about what I'm doing, can I buy you lunch or coffee?" Now, you might find that meeting time doesn't mix well with maker time, so feel free to pile up your lunches and coffees all in one day. 4. Keep a CRM of your meetings. A spreadsheet will do. Of the people you met with in #3, loop back around every 4-6 months. Also, we're hiring at Rover, so maybe you would be interested in working with us: http://jobs.rover.com http://jobs.rover.com.
  • philiphodgen 13y ago
    > 3. Never eat alone--try to take someone out to lunch or coffee every day. Simply say, "I'd like to learn more about what you're doing, and tell you about what I'm doing, can I buy you lunch or coffee?" Years ago a marketing guy told me "2 lunches a week". I was indiscriminate in my selection of lunch partners -- anything remotely possibly business related counted. The year I took his advice I increased my income by $50,000. The extra business didn't, for the most part, come from my lunch partners. It came out of left field. The Universe works in mysterious ways. Take @scotporad's advice -- take people to lunch.
  • swah 13y ago
    Not all of us are in entrepreneurial places, unfortunately. For example, in Brazil, everyone I know personally dreams of having a higher paying 9-5 job, and working for government agencies means you're high status and set for life. (I want to have a business to make people happy though).
• timjahn 13y ago
  Start with your own network. Past colleagues, friends, friends of friends, etc. See who needs web work done. Then add on industry events. Go to local meetups and talk shop. This won't necessarily find you clients directly, but it will help you meet other freelancers who can refer you work when it's not up their alley or when they're too busy. Once you start getting some clients, use them for additional work too. Ask them to recommend you if you've done a stellar job. It's generally a snowball process. You start small and then start to gain momentum once you start doing some solid, quality work with clients who like you. Word of mouth is insanely powerful in this business. Also, check out my startup matchist (http://matchist.com/talent http://matchist.com/talent). We help web developers find quality work every day.
• bwh2 13y ago
  Contact other web agencies and tell them you're available for freelance work.
• vermasque 13y ago
  odesk.com or elance.com
  • swah 13y ago
    I get lots of emails from Elance with jobs paying 10 USD/hour - should I take those initially?
    • dirktheman 13y ago
      My experience is that is't hard to raise your rates to an acceptable level with Elance or Odesk. After a couple of gigs you can get away with charging double that amount, but it won't be worth the trouble. At least not where I live. My best gigs all came from my network. While starting small on Elance or Odesk isn't worth it IMHO, starting by building something small for someone you actually know is very valuable. Underpromise, overdeliver and let word of mouth do the rest.
• lifeisstillgood 13y ago
  I think the following might be a good summary - write a marketing plan for you (yeah I know how that sounds). Choose a niche - python web is niche enough ! Choose a location (where you live) - identify 50 digital agencies near you. - start a web site, use a bootstrap theme - put audio interviews transcribed with as many of those 50 agencies bosses as will talk to you - ask them to lunch, ask them three things - how did you get here, what is going to happen next, what should people in your industry do to survive? Most people will love those three - repeat this for CTOs of large companies in the area - don't cut your rates, charge 850 per day and charge no less than half a day - deliver god solid documented code - code that you can measure the amount of money it makes the client (ie choose your jobs well) There is loads I have missed out but try
• orangethirty 13y ago
  I'm a freelancer, too. After developing my own marketing system to get a steady stream of clients (took me about a year to develop it), I'm offering it other freelancers. Shoot me an email for more details (in profile).
• stevejalim 13y ago
  Ping me a line (in profile) and I'll sling you one of my last remaining freebie codes for https://leanpub.com/freelancedeveloperbook https://leanpub.com/freelancedeveloperbook - if you want it, of course :o)
• NameNickHN 13y ago
  One thing that really worked for me is doing customization and add-ons for a software for businesses I'm developing. It got me in touch with a ton of people. Plus I get to sell those changes and add-ons to other customers.