As freelancers, we sometimes focus too much on landing new clients and lose sight of our long-term goals. Thankfully, I’ve learned the importance of striking a balance between portfolio-worthy projects, “money” projects, and personal projects. Sometimes, when you’re lucky, they can all be the same. But when they’re not, the most challenging part is finding a way for them to coexist, while continuing to grow as a freelancer.
By finding a balance, you’ll be able to hone your skills, while continuing to pay the bills and positioning yourself in a way that will help potential clients (and the jobs you want) find you. Here are some tips that helped me along the way.
Define your goals
What do you want to achieve? Why are you doing this? And whom would you like to work with?
Sounds cheesy, but understanding what motivates you will make things a lot easier. Think about the projects you'd like to be part of, the roles you enjoy the most, and the type of clients you'd like to work with. Having a clear vision of what you want to achieve and planning where you'd like to be in the future will help you build a strategy to make it happen.
Perhaps you want to develop a career as a commercial video editor. What do you need to make this happen? Does your portfolio showcase relevant work? Besides video editing, what other skills could help you stand out? To get started, your strategy could be as simple as targeting jobs within a specific industry and mastering the unique services and skills they require.
Once your goals are set, list the tools you’ll need to reach them and map out next steps for how you’ll acquire them.
Define yourself as a creator
A good way to do this is with your portfolio. Your work is your strongest marketing tool, so showcase projects that best exemplify what you do.
Since I offer different services and work with diverse industries, I have a reel for each service in order to make it easy for people to understand what I do. I have one reel for video editing, one for motion graphics, and another for video production. I also have more targeted reels in my portfolio -- one for educational content, another for commercials, and another for music videos.
Now, think about past projects that represent you as a freelancer and will help attract the clients you’re looking for. But remember, less is more. Take a look at your work, make a list, and choose the projects that are important for your goals.
I know it can be hard to curate your portfolio, especially if you are starting as a freelancer and don't have much to show. A good way to do this is by working on personal projects. Build the type of work you'd like to be hired for.
If you are a filmmaker making commercials and looking to specialize in food film, challenge yourself to create those projects. Take your camera, try new shots, new angles, see what others are doing and what you could improve. Partner with others with similar interests and needs.
Gradually transition your work into what you'd like to showcase until you feel confident enough to add those to your portfolio. Building your presence with a clear portfolio direction will help you target the clients you'd like to reach.
Another great tip is to collect feedback, reviews and results from past clients and showcase them on your website. Share past experiences with your new visitors and help them get a better idea of what to expect when working with you.
Be Google-friendly
Raise your hand if you have googled someone or something before taking action.
Now that you have a client-friendly portfolio let's get down to the business of marketing. What else are you doing to be found? When people look for you, what do they find? Keep your website up to date, and make it easy for clients around the world to contact you. Nowadays, with everyone working remotely, consider stating your availability and showcasing any experience you've had providing your services globally.
Additionally, focus on providing value. Find tools that can help you connect with potential clients, while showing you’re capable of taking on their project. It could be a blog where you share your knowledge, a case study with insights about a past project, or even a vlog sharing tips or mini-tutorials relevant to what you do.
Get out there, connect with others and stay active on forums and social media. See what people are looking for and answer their questions. When networking on social media consider joining groups where people that might need your knowledge are already congregating. If you are an actor, of course it is good to connect with your fellows and colleagues, but consider joining groups of producers or directors who may need you for a project.
Are you working on an interesting project? Share your process, or give viewers a peek behind the scenes. Did you just finish something you are proud of? Let others know. Did you find another freelancer that inspires your work? Let them know.
The fact is, people won't buy what they don't understand or what they don't know. When you showcase your work, personality, and knowledge, you are targeting your presence to what you are looking for. Being present online is as important as having a portfolio — they both need each other to help you get noticed.
While I still look for clients, these tips help streamline my efforts by helping people find me, allowing me to dedicate more time to my creative process, building better proposals, fostering relationships with my clients, and providing better customer support.
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Note From Tongal: "How to Help Clients Find You as a Freelancer" is part of a series of Tongal Community-written blog posts that were originally sourced in the Tongal Blog Open Call Project. The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Tongal. Read more Tongal Community-written posts here and then Pitch us a topic you'd like to write about for the Tongal Blog!
