Being a freelance designer is challenging when you don’t have a steady flow of work to keep your business running smoothly. So, where should we find clients? In this article, we’ll discover 5 proven methods for finding freelance design clients.

Build a strong online presence 

Get yourself in front of customers by building a strong online presence. Clients will notice you instead of you finding them. Following are the steps to build strong online presence.

• Create a professional website that showcases your work and skills

• Optimize your website with relevant keywords, meta tags and descriptions to boost your search results.

• Create a social media profile.

• Join Facebook groups. Post regularly in the groups and build your audiences. In this way, you will be able to build a strong online presence and customers will notice you.

Create your profile on freelance platforms

Freelance platforms like Upwork, Fiverr, and Freelancer are great resources for finding new clients. These platforms allow you to create a profile and bid on projects posted by businesses and individuals. Make sure to optimize your profile on these platforms.

It's important to note that freelance platforms are highly competitive, so make sure to offer competitive rates and provide excellent customer service to stand out from the crowd.

Network with other freelancers and industry professionals

Networking is key in any business. Whether you’re just starting out or you are a established business networking plays a key role. You never know someone, somewhere is in need of your service. So keep your network strong. Attend local meetups, events, conferences and connect with like minded people and exchange your business card.

You can also join local communities and forums and connect with other freelancers or agencies and share your work. Building relationship with others will help you in referrals and get new business opportunities.

Identify small businesses and reach out to them

Small business owner are looking to go online but they may not have the right budget to hire a larger design agency. Find and reach out to them and explain what services you offer and how you can take them online and that too in their budget. Make sure to have a strong portfolio to showcase you work. You can find these small businesses in your area through Google Business.

Be a ghost web designer

Sometimes large design agencies are busy. They are looking for web designers to assign additional design work. Design firms have lots of work, so they outsource it to freelancers. Contact these agencies. Share your portfolio URL with them and ask them if they have design work to outsource.

Frequently asked questions

How can I make my website more SEO-friendly?

• Perform on page SEO task

• Optimize page title and their meta description with relevant keywords.

• Make your site mobile friendly

• Make sure that your site loads within 3 secs across devices.

How can I stand out on freelance platforms?

Offering competitive rates on freelance platforms and providing excellent customer service are key to standing out. A strong portfolio and relevant keywords should be included in your profile so that you're in front of your customer in their search.

How can I network with other freelancers and industry professionals?

Register yourself on Meetup and visit the local meet-ups which is happening in your area. You can also join Facebook groups, follow other freelancers on twitter, find and connect with them on linkedin

How can I reach out to small businesses?

To reach small businesses, you need strong online presence. Create a portfolio and find local businesses on Google and connect with them. Pitch your services to these people at a affordable rate and onboard them as a client.

Conclusion

Finding clients for web design is a nightmare for freelancers. But, if you follow the above methods, you'll certainly have your first client.

Remember excellent customer service is the key here. Provide excellent customer service so that they come back to you again. By following these strategies and staying committed to your work, will provide you ample opportunities to grow. Good luck!