In recent years, freelancing has become huge and the movement is only getting bigger. More and more people are leaving their jobs, going it on their own, and taking control of their lives by starting a freelance business. Add to that, the fact that the internet has made it so much easier to make money online today. So, freelancers aren’t only taking control of their schedules and time, but they’re taking control of their finances as well and sometimes making way more money than they ever did at their previous jobs. In fact, according to a report from MBO Partners, 3.3 million full-time freelancers are making more than $100,000 per year.
So, if you’re a freelancer or thinking of going freelance, you might be wondering how you can make that much money. Many freelancing beginners struggle to get quality clients that will pay them what they’re worth.
But don’t worry, whether you’re a writer, a website designer, a virtual assistant, whatever, there are tips you can use to land yourself better-paying gigs that will take your freelance business from hobby status to full-time money maker.
Here’s how to get more high-paying clients for your freelance business.
Define your ideal client.
Just like big businesses spend time defining who their target audience is, you need to do the same for your freelance business. Many freelance beginners will take whatever client that comes their way and if you say yes to all of them, you’re going to be working with a lot of people who won’t help you advance and make the big bucks you want. So, define your ideal client and target only them.
To define your ideal client, research companies online and ask yourself questions like:
- What industry do I want to target?
- What kind of company are they?
- What are their pain points?
- What kind of people do I want to work with?
Defining your ideal client will help you better target high-paying clients and businesses that you can continue to work with over and over again.
Set your price to weed out low-paying clients.
Many freelancing beginners set their prices extremely low in the hopes that it will get them more clients and cash coming in. But if you set your prices too low, you’ll only be attracting low-paying clients. Those low-paying clients will always undervalue your work, so even if you try to raise your prices later on, they’re likely going to be unwilling to pay anything higher.
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Instead, set your prices to weed out those low-paying clients. Pricing your services higher will attract the high-paying clients you’re looking for who are happy to pay for your expertise — and those low-paying clients will stay far away. You can use a free tool like Your Rate to help you calculate your freelance prices to meet your financial goals.
Image Source: (Screenshot) http://www.yourrate.co/
Get off job boards and online marketplaces.
Next, get off job boards and stay away from online marketplaces like Fiverr and Upwork. Places like Fiverr and Upwork are typically filled with bargain hunters; people who are looking to pay as little as possible for a service. While you can find high-paying jobs through niche job boards like ProBlogger and Remote Work Hub, avoid wasting your time skimming through job ads on Craigslist and Kijiji. After all, you’re not looking for a new job, you’re a business and you’re looking for clients. So, to get those high-paying clients, you need to pitch directly to them.
Find your ideal clients that you defined earlier and reach out to them by building a relationship and then offering your services. You can find and interact with your ideal clients on LinkedIn and by emailing them directly through their company emails. Take time to perfect your pitch too. Tailor each pitch to the company or person you’re speaking to, include some of the best samples of your work, and be confident. The more you pitch to high-paying ideal clients, the more you’ll be able to land.
Don’t forget to market your freelance business too. For example, start guest posting, build a social media presence, build a professional website, improve your SEO, and create killer content. When you market your freelance business well, those high-paying clients will start coming to you instead of you having to chase them down.
Over to you.
Congratulations! You’re that much closer to making big bucks from your freelance business. With these tips, not only will you be able to make more money from your freelance business, but you’ll be able to work with people who value your expertise and respect your time. By marketing your business to higher-paying clients, you’ll also be able to work smarter, rather than working harder, so you can enjoy even more freedom as a freelancer.