Open Thread: Where Do You Get Your Clients?
Posted January 27, 2009 in Marketing, Open Thread
One of the neat things about being a freelancer is the enormous amount of flexibility you have when deciding how to grow your business and get new clients.
Some freelancers get almost all of their clients based on referrals and word-of-mouth. Others get almost all of their business through paid adverting.
Some freelance businesses operate locally, and get the majority of their work in a single region. Other freelancers choose to operate online, doing work for clients all across the globe.
Many freelancers do a little of everything.
Where does your business come from?
Do you prefer word of mouth, or paid advertising? Maybe cold-calling? Do you have other secret methods that you could share with the community?
In this open thread, let’s look at all of the different ways freelancers find new business — by comparing results we should be able to find out which methods work the best, and hopefully help some people make a bit more money :-)
Let’s answer the following questions in the comments:
- What’s your specialty? Design? Development? Writing? (as a point of reference)
- Are most of your clients local or long-distance?
- How do your clients find you? Word of mouth, advertising, other?
Related posts:
- Open Thread: What’s Your Slogan?
- Open Thread: What Was Your First Business?
- Open Thread: How Do You Stay Sharp?
- Open Thread: What’s Your Email Signature?
- Open Thread: What’s Your Story?
About the author: Mason Hipp is a designer, entrepreneur, and writer. He is co-author of the Book The Unlimited Freelancer, and has just recently launched a collection of premium graphic resources for web designers called MediaLoot. Follow him on twitter @MasonHipp
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64 Comments
Laura Spencer
January 27th, 2009 at 1:09 pmI’ll start the conversation.
1. My specialty is writing.
2. Most of my clients are long-distance.
3. By dollars and repeat business, my biggest clients come from referrals. By quantity, I’ve gotten the most clients by simply applying for a gig. Also, some clients find and contact me through my website and/or my presence online.
Good question! It will be interesting to see if there are variations for the different specialties.
Jeff Mackey
January 27th, 2009 at 1:15 pm1. What’s your specialty? Design? Development? Writing? (as a point of reference)
My specialty is utilizing WordPress for client sites, customizing it to meet their needs, however big or small. That, as well as general website redesign and development.
2. Are most of your clients local or long-distance?
My client based started out mostly local (Metro Detroit area), but has since grown national with clients from Texas to Ohio to Tennessee.
3. How do your clients find you? Word of mouth, advertising, other?
I haven’t done any advertising, other than having my own website. Local clients were gained by word of mouth referrals and recommendations. Once I took my business seriously and turned my focus to one primary skill set (WordPress), other requests for proposals started coming in from my website contact form. Also, I think that being recognized by Automattic and being listed on their site has given me greater exposure to people I otherwise wouldn’t had heard from.
Dave Sherohman
January 27th, 2009 at 1:17 pmLaura beat me to it, but…
1. What’s your specialty? Design? Development? Writing? (as a point of reference)
I do software design and development.
2. Are most of your clients local or long-distance?
I work online and world-wide. My last couple projects have involved clients in the US, UK, Dubai, and the Philippines.
3. How do your clients find you? Word of mouth, advertising, other?
Initially, I started out with some underpaid work from RentACoder, but was quickly able to leave that behind and start getting referral-based work at more reasonable rates.
Selene M. Bowlby
January 27th, 2009 at 1:18 pmGreat topic, Mason – and I’m very interested to see how other freelancers get the majority of their business. As for me…
1. My specialty is complete design and development of web sites (both static and WordPress driven sites). On occasion I develop a site based on someone else’s design – but my ideal or perfect project is one where I am responsible for both aspects.
2. All of my clients are long distance. I have a few in the same state, but none are local. I find it much easier to not have to worry about meetings which would be a requirement if working with local clients. Being able to work long distance is just a testament to how wonderful the internet is. Most of my clients are in the US, but this past year I’ve expanded out to several other countries, as well.
3. Most clients find me either through referrals (from friends, family, other clients, etc.) or through social networking and blogging. Through my own blog, guest blogging (here on Freelance Folder!) and through very active participation on Twitter, I’ve received many inquiries and several clients as a result. Some clients have found me through the search engines, too. It seems that I get the least amount of work from advertisements (I only have 1 client as a result of paid advertisement) so I’ve since decided to focus my marketing efforts elsewhere (aka social networking, blogging and SEO).
Kathleen Roberts
January 27th, 2009 at 1:38 pmWhat an interesting post!
1. I specialize in writing web copy and content.
2. All of my clients are long-distance. One is within a couple hours from where I live but the others are all over the country. I agree with Selene, I much prefer not having to have face-to-face meetings. I get much more accomplished through email.
3. I get most of my clients by applying to gigs I see posted in various places, but some are through networking. I really need to focus on marketing myself more. I do so much for other people’s websites that my own is neglected (and embarrassingly pathetic).
Ryan McMaster
January 27th, 2009 at 1:48 pm1. I design and develop standards-based websites as well as engage in logo design and branding for various clients.
2. Most of my clients are long distance. Since my move to Vancouver, a couple of opportunities opened up because clients wanted local talent.
3. My clients usually find out about me through referrals or by seeing design work I’ve done (through CSS and logo galleries) and contacting me. Other than that, it usually comes down to applying for gigs through design firms and cold-emailing people I’d like to work with. Both of these tactics work very well!
Like Selene, I have got pretty poor performance from paid advertising.
Nice to hear the response so far!
DKumar M.
January 27th, 2009 at 1:54 pm1. I’m specialize in Designing and Development Both Together.
2. Most of my clients are long-distance with some good corporate groups.
3. A designer is always known by his work or portfolio. Most of my clients find me through referrals of my previous work. Also I’m part of the some good foundations so that help me lot to find new clients.
Carter Harkins
January 27th, 2009 at 2:28 pmGood answers thus far, and a couple new ideas for beating the bushes for new work. Here are my answers:
1. What’s your specialty?
The short answer is “content strategies employing audio/video/web design”. The messy answer is probably what you’d expect, with chops in Adobe Master Collection apps to get the job done.
2. Are most of your clients local or long-distance?
Almost entirely long-distance, and it seems to work even better than local (I agree with above statements: in-person meetings take up a lot of time and are never as productive as Skype meetings!)
3. How do your clients find you? Word of mouth, advertising, other?
Most of the time, referrals get me working, but lately, my web site has started snagging new leads for me (SEO efforts are paying off!). Never tried advertising, probably won’t, other than listings in online directories. In my experience, nothing sells my services like a happy client!
Gabe
January 27th, 2009 at 2:45 pmMy specialty is web development. Most of my clients are within 100 miles of me. Most of my clients hear about me through word of mouth.
I’d love to start getting more work from my web site, but I don’t put a lot of effort into SEO really, and I’m not going to dump a lot of money or time into it until I’m freelancing full time (or I’m about to make the jump).
Devon Ellington
January 27th, 2009 at 2:56 pmI write. I publish in both fiction and non-fiction under a half a dozen names. I write articles, provide business writing services, write plays, novels, novellas, short stories, cover sports — you name it, I can do it. I have two books coming out this year, one play currently running, and another set to open in the fall. Plus writing reviews, teaching workshops, and the various business clients that come down the pike.
Where do I find my clients? Everywhere. I research publications or companies that interest me. Then I write a proposal to convince them they can’t live without me.
I have clients all over the world as well as locally.
For myself, I don’t believe in “niche” mentality. It doesn’t work for me. Part of the reason I freelance is so I can follow and get paid for whatever interests me.
Believe it or not, I’ve gotten some of my choicest assignments from people who randomly came across my blog and liked my style, even though my blog deals with the ups and downs of the freelance life (and life) rather than focusing on business-centric issues. I also land jobs through relentless research, referrals, networking, and off-the-cuff meetings.
I’m interested in almost everything except math and anchovies, and my genuine curiosity opens many, many doors.
Max
January 27th, 2009 at 3:25 pmDefinitely an interesting topic – Glad to hear I’m obviously not the only one who thinks that regular face to face meetings are not always beneficial. :-)
1. I’m specialized in the concept, design and accessible coding of websites preferably using some kind of CMS such as ExpressionEngine, WordPress or Subdreamer for example.
2. Almost all of my clients except some I work for non-commercially come from around the globe. In my opinion this is far more enjoyable for various reasons – it’s just interesting to speak and write in a foreign language all day long, to get to know to people from countries far far away and I definitely prefer working on my own here without those meetings every now and then, because I also get much more accomplished this way.
3. Most of my clients either like my portfolio and the work I did, have been referred by past clients who were obviously satisfied with me or and this is probably the majority, are clients who once hired me for a project several years ago and come back again and again with new work, ideas and projects. While I usually enjoy working with new people, it’s simply amazing to talk to and work with a client I already accomplished various projects for. I probably wouldn’t go that far to call it a real friendship, but sometimes I’m really pleased when a past client sends me a message because he needs me again or even want to chat with me for a while just like that – in those moments I realize that freelancing is often more than just a job.
Antonio Diaz
January 27th, 2009 at 3:53 pmWhat’s your specialty? Design? Development? Writing? (as a point of reference)
I specialize in website design. However, we also take on a couple development jobs and print jobs.
Are most of your clients local or long-distance?
I would say 60% of our clients are local. And the rest long-distance.
How do your clients find you? Word of mouth, advertising, other?
Its almost going to be a year that we’ve been in business. And we JUST started doing marketing (aside from the website). Everything up to this point has been referrals and word of mouth.
In this business, networking goes a long way. In fact, in our services page, we say one of our services is building relationships. Far too many companies just boast about their technical skills and forget the true meaning of business: interacting with people. If you treat your customers right and put them on a pedestal no matter what industry you’re in, you’ll be pumping business all around in no time.
Word of mouth is king in this game.
Susan Johnston
January 27th, 2009 at 4:21 pmWhat’s your specialty?
I’m a writer/blogger who creates email campaigns for small businesses and writes/blogs about careers, entrepreneurship, and women’s lifestyle topics.
Are most of your clients local or long-distance?
A few are local, but the majority are long-distance.
How do your clients find you? Word of mouth, advertising, other?
I have yet to pay for advertising. Instead, I’ve found clients through my blog, website, online postings (mine and theirs), networking, personal contacts, or by sending a query or letter of introduction.
Leon Grant Bussinger
January 27th, 2009 at 4:28 pmGreat thread!
1. Motion Graphic Design, Animation, Video Editing, Videography,
2. About 50/50
3. I advertise and promote my services directly to prospective clients either by responding to their ads or approaching them with ideas and solutions.
I only started in May ’08 and was able to land some solid clients and contacts rather quickly by just putting myself out there, but it has still been a struggle. Emails and direct marketing are hugely important to me. I find a company/industry that I know could use my services and go crazy with calls and emails. I also feed craigslist through Google Reader using keyword searches.
Chad
January 27th, 2009 at 4:49 pm1) Direct-Response Sports Copywriting
2) Long-Distance, although I pick up a few odd jobs around town.
3) Word of Mouth and Google (Organic).
Maurice Cherry
January 27th, 2009 at 5:03 pm1. My specialty is in web design, graphic design, WordPress themes, and e-mail marketing.
2. Most of my clients are long-distance, although I have been trying diligently to find more local work.
3. I’ve actually had a really hard time finding clients since I started a few months ago. I’m trying to chalk it up to the economy and the holiday season, but I’ve been doing online networking, in-person networking, getting referrals from friends and past clients. No results yet though, so I might have to *gulp* go look for a full-time job.
Marie Poulin
January 27th, 2009 at 5:06 pm1. I’m a graphic designer with a specialty in designing and developing websites built on content management systems.
2. mostly local, a few long distance… but even the local ones, I rarely meet face to face!
3. Word of mouth, friends passing on my contact or dropping my name, and just by contacting local people whose websites are seriously lacking attention and offering my services. I also find it beneficial to work for trade. Just by offering to work for trade with a few people, they have passed my name on to other people, and so on and so forth. (I get free hair cuts/colour, and personal training every week!)
Colin Wright
January 27th, 2009 at 5:08 pmI specialize in print and web design and development, with illustration (and a few other multimedia skillsets) thrown in for flavor.
Most of my clients are local, though some of the larger ones are long-distance (though in general I make those connections locally…for example, I met my contact for a client across the country while eating sushi with a group of mutual friends).
Most of my clients find me by word of mouth, these days, though I still do make it a point to go out several times a week so that I can meet new people, shake some hands and make connections. So far each of the clients I’ve met while out networking or socializing has led to 2 or 3 other clients (some larger than others, but all appreciated).
I haven’t spent a cent on advertising, though I did design some business cards that I had letterpressed on 220 lb. post-consumer-waste paper with vegetable oil ink, which cost quite a bit more than something from OvernightPrints.com (and they’ve MORE than paid for themselves, what with all the reactions and followup emails I get after handing them out).
Avonelle Lovhaug
January 27th, 2009 at 5:16 pmWhat’s your specialty? Design? Development? Writing? (as a point of reference)
I’m a software developer that uses Microsoft technologies. That includes Windows programming, web programming, and even some mobile phone programming.
Are most of your clients local or long-distance?
Most of my clients are local, but I rarely have in-person meetings so some of the concerns raised by others haven’t been an issue for me.
How do your clients find you? Word of mouth, advertising, other?
Some of my clients worked with me previously. The rest have found me via search engines. Last year I started working hard on SEO for my site and this is an area I will continue to work on improving.
Emilio Mariscal
January 27th, 2009 at 5:39 pmWhat’s your specialty? Design? Development? Writing?
- Design & Development, project management
Are most of your clients local or long-distance?
- Long-distance
How do your clients find you? Word of mouth, advertising, other?
- Word of mouth and Google
Steve Atkinson
January 27th, 2009 at 9:16 pmI consider myself a multi-business man. I’m a technology consultant working with local small businesses and I’m a writer who publishes informational websites. Three of those sites deal with local tourism on the Delmarva Peninsula, another is a trivia related site and a third deliver Technology Tips for Small Business. Some of my work involves payment through services rendered, others are through link advertising and a third is through affiliate marketing.
Are most of your clients local or long-distance?
Depending on the business the answer is both. While as a technology consultant, I try to stay local, that doesn’t mean I can’t nor won’t do long-distance consulting work. As long as travel is not involved, my rates are inexpensive, but traveling is expensive. For my sites, again it depends on what site.
How do people find me?
I am not good at cold-calling for anything so if someone wants my type of service(s) they will find me either by my advertising or via word of mouth. Word of mouth advertising give one an edge anyway, yo already been referenced by someone.
Lindsay Wood
January 27th, 2009 at 10:57 pmWhat a great thread!
I specialize in marketing copywriting as well as beauty writing.
I’ve just started out and have only one big client, but the time spent filling out the Craig’s List ad has more than paid for itself.
I’ve been trying to get my name out there locally, but, alas, I am such a night owl and have to be forced awake if it’s before 10 AM. Craig’s List and word of mouth are big players for me so far though.
Adam Dunford
January 28th, 2009 at 12:19 amSpecialty: Web design and development (php, ruby on rails)
Clientbase: 20% local, 80% long-distance
How they found me: 100% word of mouth
Although I’ve been freelancing part-time for 8 years, I only went full-time last March. When I did so, I let both my existing freelance clients as well as former colleagues and contacts know that I was available for freelance work. It sounds ridiculous, but that one action kept me solidly busy for the first 6 months.
Since then, I’ve kept up work with some of those initial clients as well as received referrals from them and I’ve been doing pretty well. I keep thinking that I’ll need to start more actively marketing/selling soon, but then another gig falls in my lap and my website retains the same design it had 3 years ago–sigh…
One other point: it helps to cross-market with other freelancers if you’re both on the same gig. I was involved in a project last summer in which the firm had hired an outside marketer. Even though that particular project fizzled out, this marketer liked what I could do and has since referred 6 of his clients to me for web work. It’s developed into a really nice symbiotic relationship.
Daniel Brinneman
January 28th, 2009 at 3:23 am1. What’s your specialty? Design? Development? Writing? (as a point of reference)
Computer Desktop support for Windows and Ubuntu. New at Graphic Design, finishing out my last semester at a community college. Just learned to set up WordPress on a server and wrote a template from the ground up with a little help from an online video tutorial and a stripped down template. Jack of all trades, master of none. ^_^
2. Are most of your clients local or long-distance?
A few have been long-distance and most of them have been local.
3. How do your clients find you? Word of mouth, advertising, other?
Word of mouth. Google web forums.
ArcherTC
January 28th, 2009 at 5:14 am1. Copywriting, editing and proofreading for sales, marketing and member relations. Long-term specialization in nonprofit fundraising with success in grant writing for social advocacy.
2. Complicated! I currently work in sales and marketing for an international localization company. (Don’t ask!) The clients with whom I work are long-distance and I expect that will be true for my freelancing practice, ArcherTC.com, since I am working that from home offices in Berlin, Germany and the U.S.
3. I am a firm believer in networking for projects. In my formal office, we also do cold calling (yes, it still works) and account management to drum up business from our current clients.
Twitter @archertc
Jeremy Wilken
January 28th, 2009 at 6:21 amI think first its safe to say that every client finds me for different reasons, but it often is because of a personal/network connection.
1. I specialize in development, particularly with Joomla, WordPress, like to do graphics for many projects, and actually have my degree in video production, but thats not what people come to me for. I do many things, but I love development.
2. I would call my clients ‘local’ only because of the personal connections I have with most of them. Some of them I knew from my hometown (I live in another country now), and others I’ve met at events and so on.
3. Personal connections seem to be important to a lot of business people. I have also gotten clients that have found me through forums, my site, and so on, but often those projects are smaller. I’m pushing twitter now @gnomeontherun especially if you are a joomla person, and am also starting to offer back a lot to the community, such as free extensions, scripts, and templates. This has started to open up some more avenues, particularly in a niche market.
Devaki Khanna
January 28th, 2009 at 7:27 am1. Writing and editing.
2. My clients are local.
3. I work for publishers, so I get business by sending across my CV and samples of work–they get in touch if they’re interested. I’ve also set up accounts on LinkedIn and Facebook, as well as a blog. I’ve also put up my CV on job sites–a lot of people contact me because they’ve seen my CV on Monster or Indian job sites.
Craig Scott
January 28th, 2009 at 7:36 am1. Graphic and Web design
2. Usually local
3. Mostly word of mouth.
I am active on a number of forums which increases my reach, as well as having a website with contact details.
Kai Brach
January 28th, 2009 at 9:56 am1) web design and development
2) mostly international (work from Australia, clients in all of Germany, Australia and the US)
3) mostly word of mouth. often the find my name/website via css galleries or clients websites. some of my clients are repeat clients and have been for the last 2-3 years
Reza Tehranian
January 28th, 2009 at 10:49 amI do mostly 3D Renderings and Industrial design. I’ve been doing graphic design for some time now.
It started as a local business, but it has grown to other provinces in Canada. I’m hopping to get some clients in the US by doing some print advertising.
Mostly by referral and repeat of business. Couple of my clients in Toronto and Calgary were working on a project with another local client. They saw what I could do and the quality and service pleased them, so on their next project, they contacted me. And what do you know, they became regular clients.
Melek
January 28th, 2009 at 11:04 am1. What’s your specialty?
Design, whether that be website design, logo, print or Twitter background design.
2. Are most of your clients local or long-distance?
Most are local, but I do have quite a few in other states. I find that my best business comes from smaller, locally-owned companies, as they tend to give good referrals to each other.
3. How do your clients find you? Word of mouth, advertising, other?
About 95% thru word of mouth. I network with small local business groups, form friendships, and the work just seems to flow from there. I’ve also gotten a great deal of business thru close friends who know people who need a designer. I’ve recently updated my listings on Google and have gotten 2 gigs thru search engine results, and in the last two weeks, have gotten jobs thru Twitter!
I’ve also formed good relationships with agencies, or companies with large marketing groups, and end up doing work for all groups in the marketing department. I’ve found that it’s great to network with marketers as they’re always in need of a designer.
Isabel Gil Pereira
January 28th, 2009 at 11:18 am1. I’ve started half a year ago doing Graphic and Web design but I’ve studied product and industrial design. In general DESIGN was always there, that’s the point.
2. I get almost all of my clients based on referrals and word-of-mouth. The majority of my work comes from a single region (Portugal) but because I don’t live there anymore (I live in Hungary) I operate online. Is better because each time I go to Portugal I have to attend to meetings, etc. Internet get things easier and faster!
Because I’m just starting I didn’t have even time to really take care of my own website, it doesn’t help indeed. I’ve never payed for adverting but in the last months I’ve discovered that it will not be that way I will get more clients.
3. My clients found me through word-of-mouth as I said before. Until now is like this. I hope this second semester of work as a freelancer will bring me news.
Great post!
Tasha Lee
January 28th, 2009 at 12:00 pmWhat’s your specialty? Design? Development? Writing?
I focus on print design (logos, brochures, direct mail, etc.) , but also take on a bit of web design and can help my clients in the commercial printing process
Are most of your clients local or long-distance?
Mostly local, but have clients nationwide
How do your clients find you? Word of mouth, advertising, other?
Word of mouth, referrals, I believe that design and business image is a very personal choice. Clients tend to use me because they know me, have seen previous work or because a previous client raved about me. I am a part of a few community organizations that give me the opportunity to meet many new people on a regular basis. I have also just started dedicating some time to social networking, so we will see if that pays off.
Paid advertising does not work for me.
Khaled
January 28th, 2009 at 12:54 pm1. What’s your specialty? Design? Development? Writing?
Web Development in general, Drupal and WordPress as favorite tools.
2. Are most of your clients local or long-distance?
The majority are long-distance, and I don’t accept any job, the job has to be interesting so I can do it in perfect way.
3. How do your clients find you? Word of mouth, advertising, other?
Jobs board and referrals
Nicole LaMarco
January 28th, 2009 at 7:30 pm1. What’s your specialty? Design? Development? Writing? (as a point of reference)
I specialize in ghostwriting and copywriting.
2. Are most of your clients local or long-distance?
Most of them are long-distance.
3. How do your clients find you? Word of mouth, advertising, other?
My clients find me through my website, my blogs, and meet me at One More Referral meetings.
Aliff Afiq
January 29th, 2009 at 11:27 amI specialized in illustration & photography
most of my client is a local
my client find me through friends, website , and recommendation
Marighela
January 29th, 2009 at 5:54 pm1. What’s your specialty? Design? Development? Writing? (as a point of reference)
Design and Development…Xhtml, Css, allitle of Php, Ajax and javascript. Also WordPress and love for ModX
2. Are most of your clients local or long-distance?
Are local…..:(
3. How do your clients find you? Word of mouth, advertising, other?
please…can someone tell me how to find new clients?….i try and try and try but it’s the most hard thing i’ve never tried to do in my life! :(
Emily
January 29th, 2009 at 10:16 pmI run an online program for middle- and high-school students; I’m also a freelance writer/editor (although I’ve only recently begun to focus on that area).
All of my clients are long-distance.
All of my students either knew me already or found me through word-of-mouth recommendations. I found my most consistent (writing) clients through cold e-mail marketing, although my first (editing) client was a friend. As I attempt to my writing services, I’m spending more time on cold-e-mail/cold-call marketing. Hopefully it’ll work!
Dan
January 30th, 2009 at 9:41 amI use PR! It’s been the most cost-effective form of marketing for me. I also only pay my firm when they get an article placed (I use Publicity Guaranteed). I don’t pay that much, but I’ve gotten a ton of leads – clients read the papers!
Full Circle Studio
January 30th, 2009 at 12:29 pm1. What’s your specialty? Design? Development? Writing? (as a point of reference)
While our specialty is new media marketing, we usually deal mostly in web design.
2. Are most of your clients local or long-distance?
Most are local, but we’d love to expand our presence to those outside north Florida.
3. How do your clients find you? Word of mouth, advertising, other?
The majority are referred by family, friends, and former clients, but we’re looking to break out of that mold and find new ways to market. Reading everyone’s responses here definitely gives us some great ideas and we can’t wait to put them into action. Thanks everyone!
Jake Haugen
January 30th, 2009 at 1:03 pm1. What’s your specialty? Design? Development? Writing? (as a point of reference)
I focus on graphic and interactive design but often branch out into other areas. Mostly small projects like flash banners and print collateral. Sometimes I design and produce other times I just do production.
2. Are most of your clients local or long-distance?
The majority of my clients are local. I have found it hard to secure lasting relationships with long-distance clients without face-to-face meetings, although I am a firm believer in emails being more productive.
3. How do your clients find you? Word of mouth, advertising, other?
Now, almost 100% by word of mouth and referrals. However, I found most of my clients on craigslist and cold calling. I can trace back almost all of my current clients to 3 or 4 clients that have spread my name around. There are a lot of crappy jobs on craigslist but if you can pick the good ones it can turn out really great. Now I am trying to branch out and use social networking and blogging to get some new leads.
My philosophy is: Make people happy and they will come back with their friends :)
Janine
January 31st, 2009 at 7:11 amGreat idea for a post :)
1. What’s your specialty? Design? Development? Writing? (as a point of reference)
Web Development. My main focus is building web standards compliant sites for designers, often with PHP programming or a CMS involved. I also offer website maintenance.
2. Are most of your clients local or long-distance?
Mostly local. While the majority of communication for all clients is done via e-mail, I find that Irish clients like working with local suppliers if they can. They often like to meet face to face initially which, while time consuming, is beneficial from my point of view too as both sides can properly gauge whether working together will work out quite quickly.
I find working with international clients easy too, once we can communicate well in English. I’d say I just mainly work locally because I have never advertised.
3. How do your clients find you? Word of mouth, advertising, other?
A combination of word of mouth (former work colleagues, existing colleagues etc) and enquiries via our website. Somehow, I’ve been freelancing with another developer full time for over 2 years and we have not had to advertise yet – we don’t even have business cards! :) However, with a recession crippling Ireland at the moment, I anticipate that we will have to work much harder at finding clients in the future and invest time and money in advertising and networking.
Andy
February 1st, 2009 at 11:57 am1) Software development of all kinds (web, windows, handhelds, whatever).
2) 80% of my clients are within 60 miles of my home; the rest are scattered across the globe.
3) The remote clients found me via word-of-mouth from my local clients. Local clients find my company mostly via Adwords and free freelance/micro-business directory sites like FreelanceLocalTech.com and others.
Kasper Christensen
February 1st, 2009 at 6:55 pm1) Creative Design, Development, Online Marketing and Seo + much much more
2) Most of my clients are places around the globe but i have a few good clients within a few hours from my office
3) Word of mouth got to be the best thing
Lisa Ghisolf
February 2nd, 2009 at 1:05 pm1. What’s your specialty? Design? Development? Writing? (as a point of reference)
Print, web and email design – with a focus on web design and template sites for clients.
2. Are most of your clients local or long-distance?
98% of my clients are in the Chicagoland area if not Chicago proper.
3. How do your clients find you? Word of mouth, advertising, other?
I network a lot [even have my own site for it: http://www.networkinchicago.com ] and get much of my work from this, referrals, and my web site, which has a blog and now a twitter feed [ http://www.twitter.com/gizmodesign ].
H
February 2nd, 2009 at 3:08 pm1. What’s your specialty? Design? Development? Writing? (as a point of reference)
2. Are most of your clients local or long-distance?
3. How do your clients find you? Word of mouth, advertising, other?
1. My specialty is print design for small biz marketing. I also have an extensive background in writing and editing so I also work with the client make new and existing copy better and sharper.
2. Most of my clients are scattered across the U.S. with just a few being local.
3. Getting work for me is from a variety of sources including, word-of-mouth referrals, through my website and online marketing. I also work with a web developer who subcontracts site designs to me and then he develops them.
Thanks for the opportunity to share!
Lauren
February 3rd, 2009 at 7:25 pm1. Writing, proofreading, copyediting, and cover letter/resume services
2. Some local (NYC), others all over the world
3. Some Craigslist and job boards, a lot of word of mouth and self-promotion
Adrian | Rubiqube
February 11th, 2009 at 5:07 pm1. What’s your specialty? Design? Development? Writing? (as a point of reference)
Most of my work involves design / development using for websites or blogs using WordPress as CMS. I also provide design only services, or convert client PDS into a XHTML / CSS template or a WordPress theme.
2. Are most of your clients local or long-distance?
100% long-distance. Never had a local client, only 2-3 requests.
3. How do your clients find you? Word of mouth, advertising, other?
I usually have to go and find clients myself. Sometimes I use Elance and look for those quality projects, sometimes I use other job boards. The people that get in touch with me do so because of my website / blog.
Meryl K. Evans
February 17th, 2009 at 5:31 pm1. What’s your specialty? Design? Development? Writing? (as a point of reference)
Writing and editing.
2. Are most of your clients local or long-distance?
Long distance. I have only one client in the Dallas area and we met through a colleague in Seattle!
3. How do your clients find you? Word of mouth, advertising, other?
Word of mouth, online networking, referrals and the rare occasion when I respond to a call for writers because I believe I can contribute something of value to its readers.
Paul
February 26th, 2009 at 7:50 pm#
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Meryl K. Evans
February 17th, 2009 at 5:31 pm
1. What’s your specialty? Design? Development? Writing? (as a point of reference)
Design mostly and some development
2. Are most of your clients local or long-distance?
Long distance. I live in the midwest and have two clients on the east coast.
3. How do your clients find you? Word of mouth, advertising, other?
Networking online through sites like entrepreneur.com.
Preston Lee
March 20th, 2009 at 2:12 amThanks everyone for your great insight.
eneralme
April 22nd, 2009 at 5:41 pmИзвестная компания Дженерал Мебель предлагает кухни из сосны, лавочки чугунные и пластиковый стул в Москве по специальным ценам. Гарантируем высокое качество всего ассортимента продукции нашего магазина.
Dan Sunderland
April 19th, 2010 at 10:39 am1) What’s your specialty? Web design & branding, WordPress & Magento themes
2)Are most of your clients local or long-distance? Local
3) How do your clients find you? Word of mouth is extremely important, and often the best clients come from what they’ve heard about you. However, job boards, cold calling and the odd website enquiry are often impotant to help fill the books.
Explainer Video Production
December 12th, 2011 at 2:16 amWe create animated web videos and explainer videos for your website making your business, ideas and innovations easy to understand and become viral and fun at the same time.
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