How do you connect with clients on many freelance sites?

JoeMilford

Barida,
O would like to send you well wishes also for the holiday and new year.
I first started going to freelancing websites and bidding for jobs. I still do this, but i have had MORE success using social media websites to advertise my services as a writer. Once someone lets me know they could use me for a sample, I ask them for their personal email on social media, and then I send them my contact info, my rate of pay for projects, and some writing samples. Sometimes, I direct them to one of my blogs so that they can see how I write and determine if they want to hire me. Often, it works the other way--they see my blogs and ask would i be interested in writing or editing this or that, so it goes from there. i am still learning, though, so I am not sure how good my advice really is, lol.

9 years ago

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Barida

I guess I need to start up a blog in order to make it look professional. Having a blog, as you did, can make my work easier when bidding for jobs in the sense that I can direct potential clients to check it out and see how I write. Thanks for your comprehensive explanation.

9 years ago

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mildredtabitha

Merry Christmas. I also have a blog though I never used it to get clients. I tried sites that required bidding and it was hard to get a single client. So I decided to try that some time later.
I write for clients but I never interact directly with them. There is always someone acting as a middleman who is in direct contact with the clients and gives the work to writers like me.

9 years ago

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JoeMilford

Barida,
Exactly--I actually, just minutes ago, filled out an application at another freelance website, and I have to provide writing samples to be considered for freelance jobs there. They also asked me if I had any blogs that they could observe or visit. So, I was able to provide both of these things for the application easily because I had already built the blogs a while back. It felt good to be able to do this in such a streamlined way.

9 years ago

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Corzhens

I think you get more clients thru your blogs because readers tend to develop a taste for reading well-written blogs. But I also agree that sending them information about your work can convert some into your clients. It is like given a person your business card that states your skills. When the person needs someone with that skills then he will probably inquire especially if the costs are indicated in the business card or email that you sent.

8 years ago

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augusta

Happy holiday to you.Relating with one's clients to get to interact with them more to me involves being humble and excellent at work.From the first job I try to draw my clients out from interacting a bit with them,don't just concentrate on the work alone,you call throw some banters here and there to get more comfortable with your client and same from them to you and from there you can continue the interaction, while this might be useful but excellent added to this will keep you in the client's heart to always remember not just as a seller but a friend to always work with.

9 years ago

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JoeMilford

augusta--
Precisely! It is so important to figure out the balance of contact with your audience or clients. This is SO tough. It is almost as if you have to figure out an "average"--some people do not want to be bothered at all, and some people don't really mind being bothered. Because of this, you have to find a balance between these two extremes in order to garner a CONSISTENT audience that is ok with your interactions. This can be though, though, at least in my experience.

9 years ago

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augusta

I totally agree,it isn't easy trying to draw a client to oneself especialy the difficult but we still needs to try if it works out we can can still use the method or try it if it isn't working out.

9 years ago

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Corzhens

I agree with the banter because it is one good way of touching people. It is like patting someone while smiling or laughing and you cannot go wrong with banter unless that someone is square. But anyway, I believe that connecting to people in freelancing sites is easier when you are natural with your ways. Never try too hard to please anyone or to be too polite because sometimes being too polite is a turn off. Just be natural and treat the other person like a peer.

9 years ago

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vhinz

Happy holidays everyone!
I'm also a newbie on this internet money making. Getting started is really difficult and I'm still at this stage. Getting clients now is very difficult compared to 10 years ago according to other freelancers. You have to stand out from other freelancers. You have to be good at what you do because the competition is high. There are lots of freelancers that have been doing already for a long time in the service that you can offer. So being really good is necessary. It would also help if you have an online portfolio that you can show to your prospective clients. Having your own website that showcases your services and skills can be a great help.

9 years ago

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JoeMilford

It makes sense that the more saturated the market is the harder it will get to attract clients. How does one stand out? How radical does your vision have to be in order TO stand out? I wish I would have gotten into this a very long time ago, but I was engaged in academia. I can only hope that now I can somehow market my intellect from my academic experience in a way that I can become a successful freelancer.

9 years ago

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vhinz

Because of so many freelancers today, clients are becoming more selective today. They are looking for the one that could really do what the are asking and the cheapest service possible. If you have a website or youtube channel where you can show what you can do, it might help to get clients. Ten years ago I have known already about different freelancing websites but I never took the action to start my online career because I was busy with my regular day job. Back then it is much easier to get a client. And now every time I tried to apply for a job, I am rejected because there are many other applicants that have been doing freelancing for a long time with different projects. What I am doing now is I keep on improving my website and I am planning to start my youtube channel. I'm still hoping that I could still get a good client.

9 years ago

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kgord

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to all. I have gotten some clients simply from working on freelancing sites. If they like some of the articles you have written for them they will connect with you and ask you to write for them directly. I think it varies with the person though as to how they have gotten clients.

9 years ago

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JoeMilford

I think you are right about us all getting clients from different sources. As vhinz and I were examining above, the market has become saturated, so, in order to find jobs, which we are all obviously in competition for here, we really have to be more and more creative in finding clients and building up our reputations. I think it is possible for all of us to do so, but us new guys are gonna have to be determined and patient as we work to make it eventually happen in the big ways that we want it to.

9 years ago

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kgord

Yes, sometimes even if you do gain some new clients, they only want you for a certain amount of articles, and once that job is exhausted it is back to the drawing board again. I find that to be a problem in terms of freelancing actually.

9 years ago

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keen2write

I currently work on blogging and also on social media websites to connect with others out there.
Writing a blog can connect to many of your clients out there and through also adding subscriber and newsletter on your blog which I started using recently and seen a big difference.

9 years ago

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Barida

From what you said, it seems the major thing that I need to do fast is having a blog. I guess that's the way I can get better.

9 years ago

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Everett

You actually do a pretty good job connecting with people as evident from your discussion history. You have over 1,472 responses, which was probably seen by over 10,000 people at this point. What you need to do is starting posting services. I am not too entirely sure what you like to do with freelancing but from your history here you should probably offer some writing services. You can also go on WordClerks and post some services there for extra exposure. Because you are very active here, I do not see why you won't get sales.

Take Razzy for an example, he is a content king (he has a gold crown and all believe me!) He is constantly pumping out creative and new content for us all here. You can start to do that, and offer services on your page and I am sure people will buy from you. You lack services at this point, and I believe that is an issue.

If you need ratings, you can go to the WTB (want to buy) section and bid on some jobs and get ratings that way before you start offering services. Just some things to keep in mind. But whatever you decide to do, i do wish you luck, not that you need it.

9 years ago

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Barida

I've followed Razzy for quite some time now and I have to confess that he has been doing an amazing job all these while. You have a point by saying I should start creating good contents like him and that's what I've been thinking of doing. Probably, top of my agenda for 2018. Enjoy the season of Christmas with peace and love.

9 years ago

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Rumu

Thanks for the wishful thought, I hope you have a blast during this festive celebrations and merry christmas to you.

To the topic of discussion, am not very clear what it is you're asking but I think I can speak around the assumptions of my understanding.

I connect with my freelance clients via the platforms where I work. Am registered to Freelancer and that's where I do the majority of my freelance work. Everyone has an account with a profile allowing users to advertise job availability and also your line of work for freelancers. So it's quiet easy to make contact on the platform. All you need do is send a direct message to clients or bid for available jobs on client's page. It's that easy.

9 years ago

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Barida

Hi, Rumu.

I'm happy to read your comment and wish to know how you were able to build up your presence on that freelance site. I mean how was starting out like? Did you have to be mentored or you went on board and start earning? Will appreciate if you share more with me.

9 years ago

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Judas2018

Normally I talk with them via the sites messaging service. Any freelancing site worth its salt has a messaging service where clients can chat with freelancers about potential work opportunities, quotes, etc. If someone wants to order from me directly - then we chat via email.

9 years ago

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Everett

This site doesn't allow for off-site chat due to scams that could potentially happen to users that are registered here. We do want users contacting via email, or off-site in general. The site has an inbox system that works for everyone, so no need to contact off-site.

This is not geared towards you at all, just saying I will mention publicly as my duty of mod

On another hand, I would agree. If a freelance website has a messaging system then you know you can probably get more clients to order from you. Systems like our community discussions are also great because you gives you a lot of exposure.

9 years ago

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Judas2018

Oh of course. I was referring to me personally and the emails I receive from people out of the blue who are not connected in any way to SEOCLERK. But instead, people who on any given day find my site through social media, business card or contact me directly through my official website...And are in need of advertising or some sort of service I can provide them.

9 years ago

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overcast

I am picking one client at a time. If they select me I keep in touch. I regularly ask them questions. And then hoping that things may work out. I'd say that connecting with the clients on freelance sites is kind of hard. Most platforms don't allow you to share whatsapp and the skype. So that's something we have to consider as well. It may come out the odd way but it would be interesting to see if we establish contact once then other can jump in as well.

9 years ago

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JoeMilford

I think this is a smart approach. If you get one solid client who ALWAYS comes to you for their freelancing needs; then, you have a regular paycheck. I feel that one way is to spread out over many different freelance venues, but the approach of just seeking out one good (or a few good) REGULAR and RE-OCCURRING clients is most definitely an interesting approach to freelancing success.

9 years ago

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Judas2018

Freelancers like customers and business but repeat customers are always something freelancers try to cultivate. Nailing down one is a great thing. Two, three or more is a godsend.

9 years ago

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JoeMilford

I concur with you here, sir. I have, for example, one family that I know, and the parents have six children. So far, over the years, I have been the English tutor of four of them, and the parents want to keep me around for the other two, once they need me, as well. This family, also, referred me to other families, so that ended up being very lucrative for me. Basically, I had "one" client here, but it just kept branching out from there. Like you said, this is a godsend type pf thing--no doubt about it.

9 years ago

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overcast

Yes. Though I am working with one client at a time. It can be seriously harder though. Some clients are just cheap. And they don't seem to be working with the higher rate. So I think as long as you get decent rate for the freelancing work it can be all good. But one just have to work harder in either case.

8 years ago

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Kakashi2020

I do agree with you that most of the freelance job sites doesn't let clients and freelancers exchange personal information. Third party sites have strict rules on how freelancers should communicate with clients, you have to communicate with them through the site, but in some cases clients would get my email and contact me after the contract, I would then build a good relationship with them by offering my services directly and sending them service related emails and messages monthly.

8 years ago

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overcast

Yes fiverr seems to be the top in this approach. They avoid direct client interaction. I understand that anyone who wants low cost work should instead follow the fiverr formula. And that is one approach that may work out on the lot of small things. I have learned that some freelancers struggle on the client side just because of that part.

8 years ago

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vinaya

First of all, I wish you Merry Christmas and a Very happy New Year.
Secondly, I will answer your question.
Create accounts on various freelancer sites. Apart from SEO clerks and its sister sites, you can also join upwork, freelancer, guru etc,
Create accounts on various social media sites, build followers and remain active.
Launch your blog or personal website.

9 years ago

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Judas2018

Guru has been pretty good to me so far. Upwork I haven't been really impressed with enough to join yet. I kind of miss the days when it was Elance actually.

9 years ago

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vinaya

I have a bad experience with Guru. I joined Guru years ago, I applied for a writing job and delivered the work. But the buyer did not pay me, she ran away from the site. Another buyer said my work was crap and refused to release payment.

9 years ago

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AmieBotella

Happy holidays to all of you here! All your suggestions to Barida are very useful to all. I don't have to add up at all since you all suggested the best things to do to sell yourself in this saturated world of freelancing. All I want to do is wish all of you here more success and cashflow in the coming year! Cheers!

9 years ago

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Tronia

Happy holidays from me too

Now to the question, you have to know that every beginning is the hardest. Trust me on that because I have been through it as well. Especially in the freelancing world, the market can be quite tough and competitive. You are fighting with hundreds other people that are offering same services as you, or are they? You need to stand out from the crowd. When you make a listing of your service make sure that it's attractive looking, memorizing and so on.

It isn't easy to connect with clients but once you establish some reputation and good reviews it does get easier.

9 years ago

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Judas2018

The key to connecting with clients imo is cut down on the small talk. When they show interest in your services, be to the point. Tell them what you can do for them, give them a fair price, and even perhaps tell them what you can throw in as an extra or two.

9 years ago

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JoeMilford

Tronia,
Like any business, as you have pointed out, it is tough to get started and to gain momentum and clients. I think that we, as freelancers, are in competition with thousands of people--not just hundreds. It is incredibly competitive, and I have been struggling myself with finding ways to stand out so that I am approached as a content-producer by customers and clients. Reviews do help, but you have to attract enough people to even get those in the first place, right? Also, as you mentioned, your "brand" or style has to be memorable, and that too is a challenge. I guess that the key is not to give up. With time, our businesses should hopefully become more and more successful.

9 years ago

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Seoclerks

How do you connect with clients on many freelance sites?

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