Cheat Sheet: 69 Strategies for Attracting New Clients
Tailored for Freelance Web Developers & Agencies
Navigating the freelance or agency world can be challenging, so we’ve meticulously gathered 69 actionable strategies to help you secure your next client.
Referral Programs
- Offer referral bonuses to acquaintances
- Connect with former colleagues
- Reach out to previous clients
- Solicit referrals following successful projects
- Establish a partnership network
- Collaborate with other agencies
- Utilize your personal network
Online Communities
- Utilize Twitter’s advanced search function
- Explore who’s hiring on Hacker News
- Share client testimonials
- Contribute to meaningful discussions
- Provide insights on Quora
- Add “Open for work” to your social media handles
- Participate in relevant subreddits
- Advertise your popular content
- Engage with pertinent Slack groups
- Showcase your process via video
- Display your portfolio on platforms like Dribbble & Behance
- Cold outreach to relevant individuals on LinkedIn
- Cultivate an audience on Instagram
- Build a Twitter following
- Engage with relevant Facebook Groups
- Pin your work on Pinterest
- Share every completed project
- Initiate conversations on Twitter & direct message prospects
- Tag popular accounts followed by potential clients in your posts
- Offer your services as part of a contest
Online Strategy
- Identify local businesses with inadequate websites
- Incorporate a brief video introduction on your website
- Implement a chat tool instead of traditional contact forms
- Optimize your website for search engines (SEO)
- Specialize and target a niche market
- Offer funnel products
- Present successful projects as case studies
- Reach out to potential clients via cold emails
- Utilize Local SEO tactics
Freelance Platforms
- Establish partnerships with reputable platforms
- Browse and subscribe to classified ads platforms
- Apply to Upwork.com
- Apply to FreeUp.net
- Sign up for PeoplePerHour.com
- Register on Freelancer.com
- Create a profile on Fiverr.com as a funnel
- Join Angel.co
- Apply to jobs.smashingmagazine.com
- Subscribe to weworkremotely.com
- Sign up for krop.com
- Join authenticjobs.com
- Subscribe to SolidGigs.com
- Apply to 99Designs.com
- Subscribe to remote.co
- Subscribe to dowfh.io
Content Creation
- Launch a blog
- Guest blog on relevant platforms
- Develop a useful product
- Feature on podcasts or webinars as a guest
- Start your own podcast
- Launch a YouTube channel
- Write an ebook
- Initiate an email newsletter
Engineering
- Volunteer your skills for a pro bono project
- Fix issues with existing websites
- Revamp outdated sites
- Contribute to open source projects
- Add a “Designed by x” label to footers
- Provide redesign suggestions for existing websites
Offline Engagement
- Join a co-working space
- Attend local Meetups
- Leave your business card at relevant locations
- Speak at conferences or events
- Cold call potential clients
There’s no one-size-fits-all solution here, and not every idea may align with your preferences or strengths. Start with the strategies that resonate most with you and gradually incorporate them into your routine.
