Where do you find clients?

[JZMedia]

For the past few months I've been struggling to get any new clients. Here is whats been working for me since I started:

1) I started my ''career'' on upwork - with hard work and dedication I was a Top Seller and with 100% success rate jobs just came to me one by one. It was all nice and sweet until one day bad review appeared on my profile which had a huge impact on my Success Rate and eventually I lost top rated status and ended up with 87% SR. Obviously upwork didn't care and their system is so unfair that I decided to leave the platform and be on my own.

2) Reddit - most of my clients have been from Reddit. I am on it all day long.. seeking for jobs. Don't get me wrong.. I get 50% of them (that I apply to) but reddit have been quiet for the past month.

3) Facebook - Same story, it's a lot of competition but you can get few jobs here and there.

4) I am working with an Agency - they send me gigs on weekly basis (usually 1-2 per week)

Right now I have a lot of spare time.. which I am using to find new ways/methods/websites where I can find long-term/small-big projects.

So how do you get clients? Please don't start with .... freelance/upwork/fivver as I don't wanna go there.

P.S If anyone is starting in this field then feel free to ask questions below and I will try to answer them. Thanks!

 

[randybishop]

I dunno, I was a graphic designer for 12 years, the pay was shite. I got burned out, got fired, started my own business (not graphic design) and never looked back.
My tip is during your downtime learn new skills, like SEO.

 

[Nut-Nights]

In basement.

 

[JZMedia]

I dunno, I was a graphic designer for 12 years, the pay was shite. I got burned out, got fired, started my own business (not graphic design) and never looked back.
My tip is during your downtime learn new skills, like SEO.

True, pay is isn't something that I am satisfied with. I was looking at E-Commerce but I need about $2k to tap into that successfully. Right now I am seeking for a long-term project/job that can help me:

1) Pay the bills
2) Save some cash to start/build something else

 

[JZMedia]

In basement.

I don't think there's space for two of us there. You can keep the spot

 

[arneyhaha]

Honestly, most of my clients come from my friends telling other people. I'm one of the only webdesigners in a rather small town so I'm usually mentioned when people want to start doing things on their own. There's an uprise of herbalife coaches here and for some reason they all start needing websites. Me likey

 

[DeLaGarde]

I will echo what the user above me just said about graphic design.. its a thankless low paid profession with way to many people desperate to be designers willing to do it for practically free. I also have +10 years at agency's working for top corporate clients that make people go "wow", as designer up to senior art director and account manager. Fuck that business, a very ineffective way to make money. Sorry I cant be of more help about getting customers, don't mean to derail the thread, wish you best of luck if you stick with it.

 

[mickyfu]

Street corners or public toilets.

 

[JZMedia]

I will echo what the user above me just said about graphic design.. its a thankless low paid profession with way to many people desperate to be designers willing to do it for practically free. I also have +10 years at agency's working for top corporate clients that make people go "wow", as designer up to senior art director and account manager. Fuck that business, a very ineffective way to make money. Sorry I cant be of more help about getting customers, don't mean to derail the thread, wish you best of luck if you stick with it.

Thanks for you input. I don't like how graphic designers are paid neither. In fact, that's not something I want to do for the rest of my life. Design is just the ONLY thing I know .. that makes money, which I am using to save up, that I can use to start something else.

 

[Reaver]

Thanks for you input. I don't like how graphic designers are paid neither. In fact, that's not something I want to do for the rest of my life. Design is just the ONLY thing I know .. that makes money, which I am using to save up, that I can use to start something else.

Ah, I've been there OP.

Try contacting web and marketing agencies directly. You can pitch your own prices and refer them to your portfolio.

I can't guarantee the work is steady but all it takes is one client to pay you your asking price. You will feel a freedom you have never felt before. Then you'll have the confidence to keep going, knowing that you can get the price you deserve.

 

[Mariothecashcow]

I am in a simular niche, like most creative arts, instagram is a very good place to promote your work. You could reach out to companies there, or you could grow accounts promoting your artwork.

 

[DeLaGarde]

Thanks for you input. I don't like how graphic designers are paid neither. In fact, that's not something I want to do for the rest of my life. Design is just the ONLY thing I know .. that makes money, which I am using to save up, that I can use to start something else.

I totally understand, you are in exactly the situation I was in not very long ago. In fact, I still do the odd offline job since I just started making $$ online (thanks to this forum and a friend who opened my eyes). Its good to have some extra cash to invest here and there. You are totally on the right track On the bright side, being good at design is a plus at whatever else you may want to do online, there is often a visual aspect involved.

As far as getting clients is concerned, I have had good luck with offline networking. Say you find yourself at gym... tell the owner how you made something awesome for another gym.. Now you are at a restaurant? You happen to be a menu redesign expert, a menu that will help them promote their products and make more $, sell their expensive dishes and so on. Give them your business card... go back next week if the lead was hot. If you are a customer somewhere, that is an instant opening to promoting your services without coming in 'cold'. At least that's how it is in my country where people are chatty and like the personal connection. I just got a client for my online thang two hours ago like this.

Good luck in the wars to come!

 

[GuruPapa]

Honestly, most of my clients come from my friends telling other people. I'm one of the only webdesigners in a rather small town so I'm usually mentioned when people want to start doing things on their own. There's an uprise of herbalife coaches here and for some reason they all start needing websites. Me likey

HAH! Herbalife coaches.... I hope you charge those fucking retards good.

 

[Vladamir]

pick a niche I.E Plumbers, invest in a data miner to get you a list of emails. Email each name or business with a tailored mini page overview of what their seo values are using a took like serpstat or semrush overview, and discuss a view ways you can improve, would take you about 5-10 minutes per client.

This will make you stand out over the india autoemail spam they get daily also stress your local in the message and that the email is directly for them. Meet, present start seo.

Make sure you know how to do seo before selling seo services

 

[IPlease]

Have you considered posting on sites such as SEOCLerks to get some new clients? This may be beneficial to you.

 

[living2xl]

organic traffic everytime
seo aint dead son

 

[darulez]

posts ads for stuff you hate to do.
works like honey for bees.

dont know why.
but thats the process when I start to find out what stuf I actualy like to do with clients.
pump out ads to different tasks. see what sticks.
usually, the annoying tasks and working with morrons..

 

[MorboPower]

IG is so so beaten,my success with it so low,maybe just me.

 

[bartosimpsonio]

Upwork gets so much shit, how do they even stay in business? I mean, it seems like everyone has a negative story about it.

 

[MisterF]

The best way is word of mouth referrals.

Go back to your client base, offer them a nice juicy discount on their next project but on the proviso they also supply a written testament to put on your site.
Then you go back to them after and offer them a extra 10% as a refer a friend type bonus.

You get the drift?