How to Find Freelance Work & Respond to Enquiries

min read

How to Find Freelance Work & Respond to Enquiries

Six tips for finding freelance work in 2024

Knowing how to effectively search for and secure freelance jobs is a crucial trick of the trade. Wondering how to find clients as a freelancer? We’ve put together our six top tips on how and where to find freelance work and how to keep clients coming back to you time and time again.

1. Speak to everyone you know

Make sure you use your own network to your advantage. Tapping into both your professional and personal network can encourage word-of-mouth marketing. Your connections can spread the word of your expertise and recommend your services to their own network, which can help expand your client base.

Why not reach out to friends and family, or even former colleagues to get your name out there? Those who know you best can shout about your successes, and you may find opportunities you otherwise wouldn’t have known about. Freelancing is built on trust and reputation, so having others speak about your talents to their network can be a valuable asset to grow your freelance career.

Freelance Copywriter & Content Consultant Jess Peace says, “Comment and show up for fellow freelancers in your field. It costs absolutely nothing to be nice. You gain valuable insights from people doing what you do. And the more people get to know you and what you're about, the more likely you are to be referred to and remembered when someone needs a freelancer.”

2. Build a website and showcase your work to help with others share your services

Your website is your online portfolio, there to showcase your skills and shout about your successes. But as a freelancer, your website is also a valuable, accessible tool for attracting work. With strong testimonials and examples to browse, your website can demonstrate your expertise and build trust with potential clients.

A key element of your website should be testimonials, which provide social proof of your skills and experience. They serve as endorsements from others who have worked with you, which can go on to persuade others to do the same.

If your testimonials are limited, here are some tips on how to ask for recommendations from others:

Time it right: Ask for a testimonial from your client when you’ve just completed a project, so your work is at the front of their mind. This ensures their feedback is specific, genuine and relevant.
Be specific: If you’re looking to get a certain message across on your website or highlight a particular talent, request testimonials that highlight this. For example, you could ask your client to focus on how well you meet deadlines or your creative approach to projects.
Provide a template: Creating a feedback form or template that your clients can fill in can speed up the process. You can ask them specific questions and make it easier for them to provide specific feedback.

3. Use social media to build connections and your business brand

Social media is now the top sales generator for one in four small businesses in the UK, making it a powerful tool for growing your freelance business and brand. Using social media platforms strategically can boost your brand visibility and help you build connections within your industry.

Freelance Content Specialist, Jessica Hodkinson says, “Networking on LinkedIn has been a big part of my technique to finding contracts and building connections with people. A recent example is that I started doing a small amount of work for someone who then introduced me to two people - the conversations that we had then turned into winning projects. Commenting on posts that raise topics of interest and joining groups and posting on a regular basis can help you build your own personal brand.”

Here are just some of the ways social media can help you find freelance work online:

Visibility: You can use social media as your business’ voice, to showcase your skills and knowledge on a global scale. You can promote your services on platforms like LinkedIn, share updates and industry insights to keep your name on the top of your clients’ or potential clients' radar.
Networking: Social media is a great way to connect with potential clients, participate in industry discussions and keep in the know about the latest advancements, events and trends in your industry.
Your reputation: Actively participating in industry groups and discussions can help position you as an expert in your field. You can use social media to share your knowledge and enhance your credibility, in the hope that potential clients will come across your posts and view you as a knowledgeable professional.

4. Explore the best freelance jobs and websites

A more traditional approach to finding freelance jobs is searching freelance platforms and freelance job boards. Freelance platforms are essentially marketplaces that focus on freelancing as a whole. Platforms such as Fiverr and Upwork allow you to create a profile, showcase your work, bid on projects, message clients directly and manage payments. Whereas freelance job boards are more straightforward, listing available freelance jobs without the extra features. You can browse job boards like Indeed to find freelance gigs and negotiate rates, but it’s likely you’ll have to manually handle processes like payments yourself compared to using a freelance platform.

Being active on both freelance platforms and job boards can offer you the best chance of finding new freelance opportunities. Freelance platforms tick all the boxes and can make your job feel simpler, including being able to manage client relationships through built-in messaging options and payment systems. Whereas, job boards offer a wider range of job listings you may otherwise miss if you were to rely on freelance platforms alone.

5. Go out and meet people

A simple but often underrated way to find freelance work in the UK is by meeting people face to face. It may sound like an obvious one, but many rely on searching online for freelance gigs and forget the benefits that come with meeting potential clients face to face that may not be available online.

Ray Saddiq, Founder of The Social Diary, says, ‘It’s good to turn up to events relevant to your industry or your clients’ industries. Meeting people face-to-face is so powerful. Networking, sitting down and talking to potential clients, and openly discussing the services you can offer. Solving problems on the spot when you meet them can be incredibly effective.’

Here are some key benefits of how in-person interactions could benefit you as a freelancer:

New relationships: In-person interactions can help you build a closer, more authentic relationship with your clients or potential clients. You can show your professionalism and personality firsthand which may encourage others to want to work with you.
Networking: Events such as conferences and industry meetups can introduce you to like minded professionals in your industry. These interactions may lead to freelance opportunities such as partnerships, referrals or even new clients.
Local opportunities: Meeting face-to-face may open the door to local opportunities you wouldn’t have found online. Events can introduce you to local business owners who may benefit from your expertise.

6. Embrace cold pitching

While the idea may sound intimidating, cold pitching can be an effective way to get your name out there and find freelance opportunities you’d otherwise miss. Cold pitching is a way to demonstrate your passion and confidence in your craft, by proposing services and solutions to businesses directly. Instead of waiting for a job ad to appear, you’re showcasing your skills to potential clients in the hope they’ll take a chance on you - you may even be offered a job that otherwise wouldn’t exist.

Senior Freelance SEO Copywriter, Kiri Nowak-Smith says “My best piece of advice with cold pitching is not to give up. Keep doing it. Keep doing it even when you’ve got work because you need a steady flow of leads to come in. You want to be proactive rather than reactive. Don’t just message people in a blind panic when the work dries up. Stay one step ahead of the game and keep cold-pitching people even when you’re fully booked with work. Just adapt your pitch so that you’re aiming to make people aware of what you do rather than asking to work together. Set yourself daily targets. For example, today I am going to research ten contacts and send them a cold message (that appears to be very warm!).”

Before reaching out to potential clients, make sure you thoroughly research each individual or business you’re looking to contact. Understand their pain points so you can specifically outline what your services will offer them and the benefits they’ll gain. While finding work is a priority, make sure you only pitch to companies whose mission and values align with your own. This improves your chances of a successful client-freelancer relationship and makes your pitch sound genuine too.

7. Schedule time to build your freelance base of contacts

Scheduling regular time to build your freelance network can help you maintain a steady income and in turn, make the process feel less overwhelming. You could dedicate a specific time each week to reach out to companies, browse job boards or freelance platforms and focus on networking. A proactive approach ensures you stay informed with the latest trends in your industry, expand your freelance contacts and boost your reputation as a result.

What is the best way to respond to freelance enquiries?

There is no one size fits all approach when it comes to responding to freelance enquiries. Each potential client you come in contact with will have unique pain points and their own communication style, so tailoring your responses accordingly is key to building strong relationships from the start.

If you’re looking to answer freelance enquiries effectively, the following tips can help guide your responses.

1. Ensure you understand the project

Before committing to a new project, it’s vital that you understand the full scope of work and feel confident that you’re the right person for the job. Knowing exactly what is expected of you will ensure you can respond to the potential client confidently. Here are some questions you could ask the prospective client to ensure you have all the information you need:

What are the key deliverables?
What is the budget for the project?
Can you give me a list of deadlines I need to meet?
What are the project’s goals and objectives?
Who is the target audience or key buyer personas for the project?

2. Craft a winning proposal

Your proposal is your chance to show potential clients what you’re made of. A well-crafted proposal should demonstrate that you understand your client’s needs and how you plan to fulfil them. Detail your approach to solving the client’s pain points, your experience and how you’ll bring value. First, summarise the client’s objectives to make it clear you understand what they’re looking to achieve. From there, you can detail how you plan to meet those goals, as well as your former experience and skills.

3. Negotiating with prospective clients

As a freelancer, negotiating with potential clients is a valuable skill that can help you manage your workload and expectations and in turn, remind you of your worth. Key aspects you may find you need to negotiate include rates, deadlines, scope of work and payment terms. When it comes to pricing, make sure you understand the client’s budget beforehand and have evidence to hand of the value your work delivers. That way, should you need to negotiate on price you have the evidence to justify your rates. With deadlines, make sure you have a clear picture of when work is due and have deadlines in writing to cover yourself. Remember to be confident in your worth, listen to clients’ needs and be open to compromising on deadlines and cost without devaluing your services.

4. Following up with your prospective client

Once you’ve sent off your proposal or had an initial chat with a potential client, there’s no doubt you’ll be eagerly waiting for a response. Don’t be afraid to follow up with them - in fact, doing so demonstrates your genuine interest in working with them as well as your passion and professionalism. Following up with them gives you the chance to answer any questions you may have as well as confirming you have everything you need to get to work on the project. Typically speaking, a good timeframe to follow up is within 5-7 business days, following your last interaction.

Continuing your freelance journey with help from SUAZ

The freedom and flexibility that comes with freelancing are truly unbeatable, but finding work can feel tricky to begin with. We’re hoping our tips above will give you the confidence to share your passion with the world and score some great opportunities.

If you need some extra support to get things going, there’s no better place to start than SUAZ. Our company formation service can help you start your freelance business, with professional advice and guidance whenever you need it. Apply to form your freelance business today.