I'm sure most freelancers would agree when I say that being a freelancer is easy and convenient, but being a successful, self-sustainable freelancer poses quite the challenge.
Blood, sweat and tears, doesn't even begin to describe what it takes to transform a freelance startup into an income-generating workhorse.
One of the most vital and overlooked aspects of freelancing is advertising, promotion, and overall marketing. Some freelancers are completely aware of marketing but choose to deliberately overlook it because it carries the moniker of being time-consuming, complicated, and meticulous.
While that can prove true in many situations, some marketing tactics are actually not as hard as they are made out to be.
From one freelancer to another, I can honestly say that I would much rather devote my time to my actual work than to attracting new clients.
Does that hold true for you?
If so, then you're in luck because I am going to help you out by providing a few relatively (and I use this term lightly) simple tactics that have helped me.
Let's start with...
Blogging
Most freelancers are aware of what blogging is - some even base their freelancing on it - so I won't waste any time explaining it.
Besides, the vast Internet world has literally become flooded with wannabe bloggers blogging about blogs (what a mouthful, right?).
If you don't already have a blog, it would be worth your while to start one. There are many inexpensive - and sometimes free - platforms that can not only help you establish a blog, but also assist you with programming, layout, etc.
I personally recommend WordPress as your blogging platform of choice. Not only is it a perfect CMS for blogging, but it has so many themes and plugins that you're able to expand your WordPress powered website into a full blown portfolio rather than just a simple blog. Oh, and it also powers 23% of the entire internet!
Anyhow, the point I'm trying to make is that better blogging equals better freelance success, and a blog can literally act as an extension of your freelancing venture.
It is also a great marketing tool too! Write about what you know - if you design logos for a living, make your blog about logo design, your thoughts on the marketplace, tips and tricks on how to design better logos, etc. You're making yourself an authority with every post you publish, so treat blogging with the respect it deserves.
The best part is that your blog doesn't have to be some high-ranking, SEO-laden, content-producing behemoth to be effective.
To put it simply, you just need to create insightful content on a regular basis (ex: once a week, three times a month, etc.). Over time your blog will pick up loyal followers just waiting to see what you will post next.
Do you see where I'm going with this yet? As you gain more and more followers, the opportunities to put your freelancing business out there increases.
You can also earn some great income from your blog through advertisements - see what the top 25 design blogs make from ad sales.
Promo Products, Contests, and Giveaways
I think it is safe to assume that most folks love getting cool stuff, especially when it is free. With that in mind, as a freelancer you can use this angle to your advantage by using it as a deadly marketing tool.
Most businesses—freelancing and otherwise—feature some sort of contest, promotion, or giveaway on their website or blog. The reason for this is actually quite simple to comprehend ... It is easy, relatively cheap, and effective!
A simple Google search will yield literally hundreds of vendors pushing all sorts of different promotional products. These can run the gamut, ranging from cheap pens and stress balls, to hi-tech gadgets, apparel or free WordPress themes, design resources, etc.
Practically any of these items can be purchased in bulk and customized with a logo, contact information, business info, etc. This makes every single one of these items a powerful little marketing tool.
You can dispense them at will to just about anyone, but they are significantly more effective when received by a targeted audience; in other words, people that would benefit from your services.
Promotional items can also be used as giveaways, contest prizes, and thank-you gifts for your customers. The versatility of promotional items as a marketing tool is seemingly endless.
We've run promotional contests here before to give away copies of ebooks we've released, and it brought in a lot of extra traffic, which turned into more subscribers. Intangible items like ebooks are great items to give away because it doesn't take you any extra effort if one person - or 1,000 people - download it.
SEO
Yes, that tiny 3-letter acronym that terrifies most bloggers, freelancers, and business owners alike. SEO is short for Search Engine Optimization, which is actually quite important as far as marketing is concerned, but it can quickly become a complicated endeavor.
An effective SEO campaign will ideally push your blog or website up in the search engine rankings (as the name suggests).
That may not seem like much a face value, but when you break it down a little further it starts making perfect sense.
Most folks will only search through 1-2 pages of search results, so if you're website is on the 6th page, chances are that most people will never even see your site.
Undertaking an entire SEO campaign can be a complex task, but certainly not impossible. The web is littered with helpful sites offering free SEO tips, tricks, and tutorials.
For instance, if you use WordPress to build your website, the Yoast SEO plugin is something you can use which will instantly make your website more search engine friendly.
However, if you're not the DIY type, it may be best to hire a professional. This is where marketing can potentially become a budget-breaker.
You can find cheap SEO "gurus," but you will likely get what you pay for.
Do your research and make sure you can find reviews of particular SEO firms online, to figure out which ones are good enough to spend your money on.
As always, research is key!
No matter what method above that you choose (or another method entirely), you need to make sure you've done the proper research and aren't going into things completely blind.
Take some time to ensure that what you're planning has worked in the past, or there's at least high probability that it'll work for you first.
There's nothing worse than spending a ton of time on marketing tactics only to find out that nothing is working.
Study the guides we've posted here before, plan properly and reach the success you want - and deserve!