Let me let you in on a secret.
Building your freelance business is going to be tough at first. You're going to spend more time marketing than actually working on client projects.
But like that little snowball rolling down a hill, over time it'll pick up steam and grow into the monstrous size you want it to be.
One of the most surefire ways to make that happen is through word of mouth.
Getting word of mouth sales requires you to make happy clients.
No brainer, right?
Well some people lose focus of that concept and try to pass the blame onto the clients for every failed project.
Then they're back to square one scouring the freelance job boards to find work.
The constant rat race against yourself is mentally draining and so time consuming you'll barely be able to justify the time you spend doing it.
The easier way is to grow your business through word of mouth.
Now, this could be friends and family talking you up in the beginning, but it will also be those happy clients you're creating and the connections you're making through social media.
The power of Word of Mouth marketing
Seth Godin used to call it The Ideavirus. The spreading of information from one person to another until a group of people that have never heard of you before are now talking about you.
And that's where the power of word of mouth marketing is - the ability for your name to spread to places you've never been to before, and more than likely would have never found yourself otherwise.
We already know that 71% of buyers are more likely to buy based on social media recommendations, compared to traditionally buying because they saw your advertisement, so word of mouth marketing is one of the most effective means of landing new clients.
Are you ignoring it's power, or leveraging it?
leverage the power of word of mouth in other places
Another way to get word of mouth sales is through the connections you make on social media.
Not everyone you talk to will become a client, but if they consider you a friend your name will stay at the front of their mind. Now, when someone they know mentions the need for services you offer, you're in.
You can ensure you're setting yourself up for the best odds possible by getting connected with people through social media, engaging clients and putting yourself into the daily views of the largest pond of people possible.
offer incentives for more word of mouth referrals
You could always sweeten the pot a bit too and offer a kickback or discount for someone who refers your business.
For instance, if you know a related business to yours, you can let the owner know that you will give every referral they send your way a 20% discount.
This way, you're getting sales without having to hunt them down and they look good because they're offering their clients a discount for your services.
This works especially well if you're a designer and you connect with a copywriter who knows their clients web designs are sub par.
They look good in their clients eyes because they must be important if they have special discounts given to them by a kick ass company like yours.
It makes them feel like there's a secret club of high end businesses ready to help them. Now, that potential client is dying to be a member too, so they can reap all of the benefits you have to offer.
What's your current Word of Mouth marketing strategy?
Do you even think about the fact that you could be getting a steady stream of clients without even doing any marketing at all?
Here's a quick overview of things you can do in order to get more word of mouth referrals for your freelance business.
Now that you have the knowledge, the real question is - are you going to use it?
You really should.