THE NETWORK.

THE NETWORK.

As a freelancer, how do you find clients and then keep them as repeat clients?

As with most things, there isn’t a magic formula – but I’ll tell you what I do.

When I first moved back to London it was definitely about getting back into networking.
Now, I hate this word. ‘Networking’ makes me think of an awkward drinks party or someone coming on too (professionally) strong when they’ve only just met you. What I mean by that word is making yourself known to anyone who could possibly be a client, and then seeking out more, making links between two people and always being willing to meet and discuss ideas – whether it’s for an upcoming job or just so a client has you on their radar. The goal of networking is to be the first person someone thinks of when they do have a job, or when their friend asks them who they think could be right for this job.

It’s not about getting the job immediately, and trust me – pushing too hard will only deter them.

Over time, I’ve learned to relax into it. There simply is no way of knowing when you’ll next get booked for a job. And that’s ok. Sometimes it’s none for 2 weeks and then 5 in two days. Allow yourself to believe in yourself enough to know that you will get booked for another. Promise.

How to keep them?

Most obviously, do a good job the first time around. I also find that mentioning you’d like to work with them again when you send your invoice is great too. Something like ‘it was great to work with you, do let me know if you have any other projects coming up you think I’d be right for’ lets them know you were happy with the job. Sometimes, spelling out that you enjoyed the experience (and only if you did, don’t work with bad clients) and letting them know you’re interested in more will put you in that place in the clients mind for future jobs.

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