Working as a freelancer is always exciting and challenging at the same time. On one hand, there are a lot of fantastic projects to work on; you also have the option to work from anywhere and to take control of your time. On the other hand, you need to be good at everything, including marketing your services.
The internet has made marketing easier for freelancers. That said, digital marketing is something that everyone does nowadays. There is a lot of competition, but these next three strategies will help you attract more design clients.
Leverage Social Media
Never hesitate to leverage social media to your advantage. Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and other platforms are the perfect means of reaching new clients and attracting more business. They are relatively easy to leverage too. All you need to do is show off your work and what you are passionate about the most.
Wahyu Ichwandardi, an Indonesian designer who now works in New York, showed how a social media post filled with passion can really take you to the next level. He posted his version of Star Wars: The Last Jedi trailer that he made using a 1984 Apple IIc. The tweet – and other posts showing how the trailer was remade – went viral.
Wahyu, who goes by the Twitter handle @pinot, received a lot of attention for his work. It wasn’t the first time his work received a lot of attention either. He was also commissioned to do the opening intro for Beyond Stranger Things because of his post.
Don’t Forget Craigslist
Despite many new classified ads websites and other platforms, Craigslist remains one of the most-used classified sites today. The site attracts close to 10 billion page views every month, making it an incredible place for promoting your services.
Craigslist is unique because of the way the site is designed. You can target specific cities or a state, be more specific about the kind of audience you want to reach, and even tailor your ads to capture the audience’s attention.
There are also tools like Zoom The List, designed to help Craigslist users perform advanced searches and find the things they need faster. Using Zoom The List will give you an idea of how to best craft your ads and reach the right audience.
Invest in Personal Branding
Sales and direct marketing are great for attracting new clients, but your online presence can be just as effective if you maintain it properly. Positioning yourself as an expert in a particular field, getting known for your unique design approach and style, and even establishing yourself as the go-to designer for certain types of work are all possible with good personal branding.
Start by creating a blog and updating it regularly. Your primary blog acts as an anchor to all of your social media activities. You can also intensify the use of platforms like Dribble and Behance to show off your best work to potential clients. Combined with the previous two tips, you’ll start attracting new clients in no time at all.
