The gig economy is on the rise, and more people are looking for short-term freelance opportunities than ever before. Becoming a successful freelancer means growing your number of contacts and making sure that you can find those that need what you offer. Whether you’re a content writer, a photographer, or a video editor, the key to growing your monthly invoices is marketing. If you fail to market correctly, you’ll struggle every month to find enough clients to pay for your daily living essentials. With so many businesses moving to freelance hiring, here are some basic marketing tips that can help you grow your freelance business.
Know Your Market
Your first step is to develop a thorough understanding of what you’re planning to sell and who needs those skills. Ideally, you want a firmly identified buyer persona that will make it easier to target your marketing messages. Take the time to think about their likely spending behaviors and budgets, the industries they are positioned in, and your understanding of those industries., The more that you can understand about who will be more likely to buy your skills for a set time, the easier it will be to find the right clients.
Prioritize Professionalism
Nobody is going to hire you for a good wage if your only online presence is a vague Fiverr profile. Start building your reputation on professional social platforms. You should already have a LinkedIn profile, but there’s a good chance that you’re not using it as much as you do Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter. Of course, all social platforms will have their value when it comes to spreading the word about your freelance business. There are alternative professional platforms alongside LinkedIn, and it’s worth building a presence on those too. Follow thought leaders in your field and get involved in the conversations to build your own profile.
A More Professional Website
If your only web presence is that Fiverr ad and a hastily put together WordPress page, then you’re missing out on one of your best opportunities. Your online portfolio is one of your most valuable resources and needs to be as professional as possible. It’s a simple fact that most freelancers will lack the skills needed to build and design a website that looks professional, which is why you should always consider outsourcing your website build. Look at established and professional website designers like ALT Agency (https://www.altagency.co.uk/services/design/web-design-coventry/) who can turn your web presence into a major selling platform for what you offer.
Have a Blog
Content marketing is one of the most valuable digital marketing methods, so it’s a good idea to start getting into the habit of writing blog posts related to your field. That content won’t just be useful for ranking higher on search engine results pages, it’s also valuable for sharing on social media and attracting potential new clients to your website. Content marketing can take time to create, but it’s well worth it. Build a content calendar and have news alerts set up that reflect your freelance skills. Create timely content alongside evergreen content, and remember to use your keywords for improved SEO.
The gig economy is seeing year on year growth. That means that you will have a lot of competitors out there looking for similar gigs as you. Work on your marketing, and you’ll be more visible online, making it far more likely that you will attract the clients that need you.
