Go to Meetups in your local area. For everything (but particularly ones were members would benefit from your skill set) - small business, entrepreneurs, marketi

Go to Meetups in your local area. For everything (but particularly ones were members would benefit from your skill set) - small business, entrepreneurs, marketing - whatever. Anywhere employees/owners of the businesses you're targeting (or don't know you could target!) are likely to be. Have a few drinks and chat with people, but never sell yourself. Wait until you're asked what you do, then explain - but be more interested in them, their business and their problems. Ask for their card, take one of theirs. Follow up in an email saying it was nice to meet them and you hope to see them again in the future. If you can offer any advice based on their business or problem, do so in this email and/or offer to meet them for a coffee or chat. Rinse and repeat. Anecdotally I was chatting to a friend who used to work in politics and we were discussing something similar to this. He was always instructed to take MPs drinking, for dinner, for chat - but never talk business. Then he'd call/email the next day, thank them for a great evening and ask them for coffee to discuss whatever/business. Not only would they always meet, but they were far more agreeable or ready to compromise. TL;DR: Get to know people socially. People like working with someone they can get on with or won't be hard work. If someone actually likes you (and you weren't all pushy), they'll be far more likely to use you than a competitor or recommend you to a friend/colleague.