Today’s freelance economy is expansive, so to avoid getting lost in a sea of competitors, develop a system that gets your skills and talents seen, heard, and sought after.To best market your talent and services, set aside your personal motivations and kick your logical brain into full gear. A strategy marketers use to increase sales and gain more conversions is a content marketing funnel.Here are 4 ways you can easily tap into this approach and land the clients of your dreams:
Marketers use content to spread awareness and educate customers about a product or service. Content comes in many forms, and ultimately, you need to find a mode that's relatable and accessible to everyone.On the other hand, you're the one creating the content, so you also need to select a medium that works best for you! This could be a blog, Youtube channel, website, Instagram page—the options are endless. Make sure to choose a platform you like because you'll be the one using it the most. Be precise and deliberate in your approach, too! Don’t just put out anything for the sake of meeting a regular posting schedule. Instead, create work you find meaningful, innovative, and distinct.
Next, you must refine your target audience. Although booking any client is great, keep in mind your goal is to attract the best clients.Marketers produce content for a target audience, making it possible for them to build trust and help customers decide if they need the product. If you haven’t already, make a list of companies you would love to work with, then ask yourself, ”How can I zero-in on them?"Mainly, you need to interact with your favorite companies as much as possible. This could be through researching opportunities they offer for contributing articles, tagging them in various posts, or contacting someone in the right department and expressing an interest in their brand. If that approach isn't getting you anywhere, you can gain a lot of exposure by networking in-person, too! There are various ways to gain traction—check out your nearest co-working space, sign up for a local freelancer meetup, or go to a marketing expo where your favorite companies are featuring their services. Better yet, you can take it a step further and develop a presentation at a conference to really market yourself.When you contact people or show up to these events, remember that you are the face of your brand. Talk about your skills, your areas of expertise, and let them in on your aspirations. Just think, the more connections you make, the closer you are to reaching your target audience.
The competition is fierce out there, which can be overwhelming for clients. When it comes down to decision time, find a way to make your portfolio pop.At the bottom of the funnel, marketers develop offers and comparative content to give consumers the last push towards buying the product. Like marketers, you can create an offer that's too good to refuse by strengthening your portfolio.This is your opportunity to entice them—post your latest projects, show your personality in your bio, and broadcast your specialties. Keep an eye out for when those top companies post job listings and use this information to get an edge on the competition. Make note of what skills and areas of expertise they are looking for, and gear your profile towards it so it meets those needs. Obviously, you don't want to embellish anything, but take a moment to familiarize yourself with their voice, hone in on their keywords, and tailor your resume accordingly. Great clients want to see that you pay attention and care to every field showcasing who you are since it speaks directly to how you'll bolster their platforms.
When you land top clients, be professional, aim to please, and don’t be afraid to ask questions. Being transparent at all points of contact helps build trust and confidence.Marketers know open communication is the key to long-lasting relationships, and this is why they ask customers for feedback. They study user data to make adjustments and improve a product or services. By the same principles, the feedback you solicit helps you better understand your client. Plus, it shows you where there is room for professional growth.Today, there are tons of ways to gather analytics—you can draft an email, create a survey, link to a feedback page, or request a phone/video conference. Your inquiry should be simple and user-friendly, just as long as it gives clients an opportunity to express their thoughts.
The more you invest in yourself, the more clients trust in your service. You want them to keep coming back for more, so do everything you can to gain leverage and traction.Of course, you may have times when you're working for clients that pay the least for the greatest amount of work, but the time will come when your dedication pays off. Setting high expectations for yourself is a good thing—don’t stop until you get your ideal clients to notice your worth!
