How To Find Freelance Clients

In this episode Wes and Scott talk about how to find freelance clients — tangible things you can do to position yourself and set yourself up for success. Stackbit - Sponsor Build modern JAMStack websites in minutes. Stackbit lets you combine any theme, site generator and CMS without complicated integrations. Join the beta today by visiting stackbit.com/syntaxfm. LogRocket - Sponsor LogRocket lets you replay what users do on your site, helping you reproduce bugs and fix issues faster. It’s an exception tracker, a session replayer and a performance monitor. Get 14 days free at https://logrocket.com/syntax. Show Notes 1:27 - Question from Andreas Trattner: I am a backend developer with 4+ years experience working on large systems in Europe and am considering moving toward freelancing/contracting. However, I find it difficult to discover quality opportunities. Any tips you can share on how to strategically get projects? • There isn’t a secret trove of work, and there’s no one way to do it. 4:50 - Relationships • Trust and relationships rule all. The best paying gigs are never advertised. • Who should you know? • Other developers How? • Meetups, Conferences, Twitter, Slack rooms, Friends • Tip: Volunteering is a great way to get in to conferences, plus you often get to know people • Tip: If you are friends of a friend who gets a lot of work, as for a introduction • • Designers and marketers • You usually work together How? • Twitter, Email, Dribbble, Instagram • • Project managers How? • Cold emails, tweets • • Office managers • Life blood of the office - they know everyone • Often move into other roles How? • Meetups, previous employees • • Entrepreneurs • Lots of connections, often switching gears How? • Demo camps, Facebook marketing groups • • Venture capitalists • Have dozens of companies and tons of connections How? • Demo camps, introductions, cold email • • 19:08 - Display of expertise • It certainly is an option to just be really freaking good at what you do • Speaking at conferences and local meetups • Working on open source • Helping in chat rooms • Posting guides • Maintaining docs • • Offering reviews / Make things public • Performance - Harry Roberts from CSS Wizardry • Accessibility - HeydonWorks • WordPress speed • React checking • • Start a podcast • Blogging • Volunteering 9:22 - Visibility • You need to let everyone know what you do. Your mom’s uncle’s friend’s cousin on Facebook might casually ask for recommendations. • Instagram / Photos. Showing people what you are doing and what you are working on will make a mental note in their head that you do that type of work. • Facebook / Twitter / Instagram • Blogging • This makes the “vetting” process much easier • • Tweeting • YouTube videos • Slack channels you are involved in 38:02 - Other tactics • SEO - Locality (Toronto designer), specific technologies (Redux contractor) • Craigslist • This one sucks, but it can lead to decent work occasionally • You need to be more vigilant in screening, most clients will suck • • Cold asks - Just ask people what works well • “Hey, I’m looking to book a few contracts starting June 2019. I love working with ______ and you can see my work here” • • Put a phone number on your website. Seriously. • UpWork • Won’t make as much money here because of competition • • Local business listings • Find online and offline biz listings • Old fashioned — putting your card on bulletin boards • 47:29 - Maintaining Relationships • Check in every few months with non-biz related contact • But also just straight up ask for work • • Christmas / Thank-you gifts Links Canadian Couch Potato ××× SIIIIICK ××× PIIIICKS ××× • Scott: Google Drive Scanner • Wes: Endy Mattress Shameless Plugs Scott’s React Hooks For Everyone Wes’ All Courses Tweet us your tasty treats! Scott’s Instagram LevelUpTutorials Instagram Wes’ Instagram Wes’ Twitter Wes’ Facebook Scott’s Twitter • Make sure to include @SyntaxFM • in your tweets

Release date

Lydbog: 20. marts 2019