How I Got My First Client
I am a successful freelancer with multiple clients, but this is not how I started. I jumped into this industry as a beginner and learned a lot during this journey. I can safely say that my skill set is relatively better now than the expertise I had in the beginning. Want to learn more about my beginning? Then this story might be an inspiration for you.
Being a freelancer is not easy. You have to manage many things, including your marketing and finances. Making a desirable profile is something that every freelancer wants. These tasks become increasingly challenging for a content writer because of the current saturation and competition with a large pool of potential writers available online. I knew these challenges, so firstly, I learned about this field and its demands. My first source was free Youtube videos from some top-notch content creators who are perhaps masters at their work.
Through these videos, I learned about the professional requirements of being a trustworthy freelancer, like setting realistic goals based on your expertise. I chose Upwork for my first official freelancing profile. In the beginning, I had no portfolio, previous jobs, or client recommendations. But thanks to those videos that teach you to create an exciting and engaging portfolio without any previous jobs for a beginner, I was able to make one for myself.
As I scrolled through a bunch of Job postings on Upwork, I got anxious as it made me feel as if I was not up to the mark. Despite this fact, I sent proposals to some jobs but never received a single reply. I still remember when I decided to quit freelancing and focus on my Med school studies. But here comes the magic…
I had a high school friend who was deeply invested in freelancing. He became my inspiration, and we decided to work together just for the sake of a lift-off. He was generous enough to work with me on very low rates, and I am indefinitely indebted to him for this favor. We modified my Upwork profile by adding some extras and staying to the point. I will point out that the initial days on any new marketing platform as a freelancer might be a little hurtful when you get zero offers. But this is the time when you should stick around and focus on bringing better things to the table to get ahead in the competition.
So I took some paid courses and participated in online projects on Coursera to understand the technicalities of my field. Like SEO and building a reputation as a freelancer. The well-learned instructors of my courses taught me the basics of a potentially better profile in content writing and the art of creating better gigs and projects to drive traffic toward your profile.
It was more than a month now on Upwork with no luck, and then I applied for a marketing-based job to write some product descriptions. This time I got lucky and got a response from the client, who asked us to write a test product description before he could make an offer. By working hard on this task, I was able to secure this client. Although the offer he made was the lowest one that anybody could expect, as it was my first job, I took the offer and started working on his milestones with the hope that I could ask for a raise later on. I worked so well on this job that this first client became a long-term one, and you will be surprised to know that he is still my client. I have written more than 300 product descriptions for him.
It is a reality that I learned a lot from this job about marketing and writing engaging content for promotional purposes. And I have come to the conclusion that every job you take on as a freelancer is not just a job, but it is also an opportunity for you to learn some new stuff and update your skill set. This client gave me five-star reviews, which undoubtedly boosted my confidence. As of now, I have my website, which you can visit to view my work and other achievements, and also contact me for any upcoming project you might have for me.
After getting this first client, I will say that one needs to constantly learn about the delicate technicalities of content writing to provide better services. That is why I am always busy learning new stuff and posting unique blog content. This story might inspire you if you are a beginner in this field or looking to start freelance content writing. But if there is one message I would leave here for you, then that message would be to focus on quality content and not quantity, set realistic goals, and not hesitate to ask for help from a partner who might be more experienced than you. Always take a second opinion for professional choices to get more options on the table. And do not fear competition; instead, keep learning better ways to connect with your potential clients to secure more jobs.
From me, its Best of Luck.
