#Freelance

1 messages · Page 1 of 1 (latest)

meager ridge
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Hi, I'm a dev but I feel like this applies in general?

  • Getting noticed helped.
  • Showing improvement lead to someone seeing and helping further. I felt like I owe them, and have since found them two jobs.
  • Help people. It solidifies your understanding and will be useful in client discussions. A good way to retain data is to teach it. This also helps you get noticed.
  • For pricing, establish budget early. If it's too low or they're annoying, decline.

For conventional routes, I tried walking into every business I could find, for two weeks. I think I walked 10-15 miles a day every day for that period. I had some interest but generally this was a huge failure. Mostly because I was not a good dev then, didn't feel confident in selling and the designs we had were not well displayed. In other words, I think it will be worth your time planning.

versed igloo
# meager ridge Hi, I'm a dev but I feel like this applies in general? - Getting noticed helped...

Thank you for sharing your experience. I did lots of in person cold-calling when I was first starting out (2006-2008). That was somewhat successful and also led to some good (and not so good) referrals but I was also undercharging since I was brand new. I want to aim more strategically (client/competitor research, pricing options) this time for sure and also set the boundaries and expectations up front. I'm also only approaching businesses I feel that I have a very high chance of helping and who actually value a website and brand.

What else has helped you get clients? Do you have a specific type of client (ie: locally owned restaurants)? I follow some freelancers designers on linkedin, some post content regularly, some do not. I almost never post on social media, even personal, but I realize I may have to at some point.

meager ridge
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Hey, I literally just use discord in some tech servers. Since I know certain technologies well, it helps me get jobs. I don't put too much effort into it, but I replied because my pay per hour is decent. If I took it more seriously, I probably would target a certain client

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And yeah I think if you approach certain businesses, you will get a better outcome!

versed igloo
meager ridge
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that sounds like a good idea

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it depends on the server

versed igloo
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I guess it's similar to slack and LinkedIn groups and messages, just depends on the group and members at the time.

it's hard selling by the hour, even to people who earn good money. I say if a website is costing money and earns nothing, something (usually several things) is very wrong. Most business owners, even if they can't afford the service at the time, will agree to at least that much.

Is your portfolio more like that of an individual or more like a web dev business?

meager ridge
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I don't even have one actually, I just send people my github and they can usually tell I know my subject from talking to them. sorry I'm probably the worst example! that said I think if you're one person, don't act like 20 people running a business. it's easy to see through that.

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there aren't many people in here with links in their profile, so maybe having a link will help if you get noticed. not sure, there's a few scammers here unfortunately

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maybe check out dev meetups in your area too!

versed igloo
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That's a good point about links. I feel there is too much emphasis on portfolios and process lately, at least in design. I would rather work with someone I can talk the same subjects with for ~30 mins than try to decipher a collection of case studies.

I think of github as a type of portfolio if you are a developer. I've def. sub contracted a developer recommended by a friend and all they had was github.

Defiantly planning on hitting more meet ups this year, I've been talking to more people there that are freelancers/consultants so it was part of what inspired me try this again.

meager ridge
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ohh good idea, i hope it works out for you!

versed igloo
jade crescent
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Is there anyone who can genuinely guide me on how to find reliable and consistent clients? I've been struggling with this for the past year, trying various platforms and approaches, but nothing seems to work. I’m eager to learn and grow—any advice or insights would mean the world to me!

meager ridge
jade crescent
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I have tried fiverr, behance discord , linkedin, Instagram Twitter to reach out client

meager ridge
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Those are platforms

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What actual approaches have you tried?

jade crescent
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I post regularly about logos or anything related to graphic designing in linkedin

meager ridge
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maybe it would help to do an online course on marketing or something, idk

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or something free on youtube, idk. courses can be expensive

jade crescent
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I use to approach clients on Twitter by searching for posts where people are looking for graphic designers. However, I frequently encounter two issues: either I get responses from scammers, or I don’t receive any replies at all