5 Steps to Landing Valuable Clients for Freelancers

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A freelancer is defined through the people he or she works with. And while at the beginning, virtually any work that lets you pay the bills and you’re not embarrassed about is good work, this changes as your career progresses. As time goes on, you’ll want to refine your client base. This will give you a lot of benefits, both financially and morally. Valuable clients help your business grow financially and keep you happy as a result. So, what are they and how do you find them?

 

1) Define what a valuable client means to you

Guess what – nobody determines what a valuable client is other than you. To keep things simple in this article, we’ll assume that client value is measured in the money they bring in. But that doesn’t have to be the case. Value can mean learning new things, expanding your network, nurturing a relationship, having that huge name on your résumé and a lot more. So the first step towards your journey of finding great clients is determining what those are.

We’re sticking to money, because that’s simple to illustrate and understandable for any freelancer. Valuable in that case would mean people who pay more than what you get on average. Ideally, you want to look for clients who will be at the top 20-30% in terms of what they pay you hourly.
 

2) Set clear limits

So, now that we have defined what value is in that example, you set a limit. Again, money is a convenient way to explain this, since it can be calculated easily. Let’s say the top 20% of clients pay you 100 dollars hourly or more – a valuable client is someone who is willing to pay you something in that range. If you’re looking for something else like experience, it can get a bit trickier. To help yourself out, combine that criteria with some other things you can measure – like time you’re willing to put in, for example. Once you figure out a limit, stick to it.
 

3) Convert current clients

We’ve got our definition and our limit, it’s time to start looking for those new clients, right? Wrong. The best way to find great clients is looking inwardly first. Current or ex-clients are going to be your greatest source of valuable ones. It’s just easier to build up on a relationship that already exists. Furthermore, you can make an objective assessment of what they bring to the table. How do you convert them? Be honest and straightforward. In the case of financial value, share your limit with them. Working with a freelancer they know tends to be more valuable to companies than a moderate pay increase.
 

4) Research a lot

Of course, looking outside of your clients list is not something that should be neglected. Sometimes, old clients just reach their limits or new opportunities present themselves as your experience grows. So go out there and research. Be aware of what these companies offer. Ask yourself: Are they compatible with your value definition and limits? If the answer to both of those is yes, then  you’ve found a good candidate.
 

5) Move on from refusals

The steps described here aren’t always an easy process. Sometimes you’ll try to convert a current client to a more valuable one, but they’ll be unable or unwilling to pay. Or when looking outside, perfect candidates will refuse your offers. I’m sure all of you know that by now, but learning to deal with refusals is a huge part of the freelancer business. You can’t give up, though, if you’re intended on gaining valuable clients. And trust me, it’s worth all the hard work.

Got a question regarding this article? Use the comment section below, we’re always happy to hear from our readers!


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Viktor Marinov

Viktor is the voice behind the freelancermap blog. Every week he comes up with helpful hints, checklists, and guides for freelancers and independent workers. If you would like to know how to find remote jobs online or how to niche yourself as a freelancer, don't miss his freelancer tips!

By Viktor Marinov

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