This is the golden question for any freelancer or contractor – how do I grow? How do I find people to pay me for my services? There is no clear cut answer, sometimes work just falls at your feet other times you have to keep dragging yourself through hundreds of people to get that one job to keep you afloat for a while.
Ask yourself this. “What problem do I solve? What skill do I have that someone would pay for to make their life easier?”
This is your client.
It doesn’t matter what they do, what matters is how you make their life or their business run more smoothly. If you work in a field which accommodates many different people or companies it is probably best to specialise in one, or a couple of things to make this initial task easier. So if you are a web designer for example, maybe specialise in web design for the finance industry or the legal sector. Specialisation instils a certain level of trust within you, and from the clients perspective they are more likely to perceive you as an expert in your field if it is more refined.
Now you have a clearer idea of what your client looks like, where do you find them? Is there specific networking events they are going to be at, carrying on with the example of web design for solicitors, chances are you’re not going to find them on forums as they work with very sensitive information, you’re going to need to go out to events and meet solicitors in the wild and show them why and how you can help them. You may have to spend some money to do this, but the returns will be worthwhile if you’ve done your research correctly. This also means you will become a recognisable face in your industry and making allies is a great way to get work in the long run through referrals and who doesn’t need more friends?
So we have the target audience, we know where they are, the only thing left to do is pitch to them and or make an introduction. This is where a lot of people may fall down; you need to know the correct manner and approach to connect with your potential clients, speak to them with language they can understand and demonstrate how you can aid them. People want solutions to their problems and they want clear and concise information on how to fix things. You have to demonstrate the fastest possible route to reach their goals.
Business development is by far the most stressful and time consuming part of freelancing and contracting, taking you away from the work you enjoy doing to fight for the survival of your business, but it must be done.
Gorilla Accounting are specialist freelancer and contractor accountants who are both service and technology driven. Cloud Accounting software is included as part of the package so you can keep track of your accounts on the move. In addition you will receive unlimited support from your own dedicated accountant.
