Career Experts: 5 Things You Must Do To Score a Freelancing Gig

Prostock-Studio / Getty Images/iStockphoto

The number of freelance workers in the U.S. has been steadily climbing over the past five years — from 57 million in 2019 to 64 million in 2023. According to the 2024 State of Remote Freelance Jobs Report from FlexJobs, the top 10 in-demand remote freelance jobs span career levels and industries and include job titles such as virtual assistant, graphic designer, project manager, bookkeeper, copywriter and social media specialist.

Whether you’re trying to break into a full-time freelancing career or you’re only interested in occasional gigs, here are a handful of things you must do to score the opportunities you want.

Leverage Professional Networks

Keith Spencer, career expert at FlexJobs, said one of the most effective ways to launch your freelance career is to tap into your personal and professional networks. He suggested tactfully letting your connections know that you’re going into work for yourself, explaining the services you’re looking to provide and informing them what your ideal client profile looks like. 

“People you already know or have worked with in the past might be able to offer helpful advice, connect you with potential clients, invest in your services directly or suggest resources you hadn’t yet discovered on your own,” he said. “You could even consider offering your services pro bono for a few close connections in order to begin building a portfolio of work and a list of references that could then be showcased to future prospective clients.”

Utilize Social Media

Spencer said that social media channels — such as Facebook, LinkedIn and X — can serve as fantastic resources for freelancers. He explained that it can increase your visibility and promote your services to prospective clients, while also building and strengthening your professional network. 

“By engaging with other professionals in your field and posting your own organic content about industry trends and best practices, you can establish yourself as an authority and showcase your expertise to a wide audience,” he said. “You can also share content that gives your audience a better understanding of the type and quality of work you can provide and how they can get in contact with you if interested in pursuing your services.”

Embrace Cold Pitching

Cold pitching is when you email or message potential freelance clients to offer your services. Spencer said that the key to cold pitching is to understand your audience. He said to think about what their top needs are and how you can help them accomplish their goals.

“This begins with researching target companies to understand what products or services they offer, what their client base looks like, how they brand and market themselves, and who their primary competitors are, which will give you better insight into the specific value your services could provide,” he explained. “It can also be helpful to conduct a SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats) analysis on the organization and perhaps even create a customized case study for their company to demonstrate how your services could benefit their business, which will help strengthen the persuasiveness of your pitch.”

Build a Personal Website

Spencer said that having your own website can benefit your freelance career in a number of ways. 

“A website can add to your legitimacy and increase your visibility by giving you a place to easily showcase and share your work, as well as any client testimonials or reviews you may have received,” he said. “It can also help you increase interest in your business by improving your ability to market your services to potential clients and help you with organizing and managing client inquiries.”

Additionally, Spencer said to remember the following when choosing either a free or paid website builder to do your research. 

“Make sure that it will offer you, or at least be compatible with, all the tools and resources you will need to effectively manage your freelance business,” he said. 

Ask for Referrals

Spencer said that an effective strategy for freelancers to find new clients is to leverage existing clients for referrals. However, he pointed out that you want to make sure that you do it in a tactful and professional manner. 

“After you’ve worked with a client, provided them exceptional service and know they are pleased with your partnership, it can be a good idea to say something along the lines of, ‘If you know of anyone else in need of similar support, feel free to pass along my information,’ or ‘If you are happy with the service I provided, would it be okay if I sent you a link to my review page/sent you a recommendation request on LinkedIn?’” explained Spencer. “You don’t want to be overly forceful, but asking their permission to send along a link and mentioning how referrals and reviews are helpful in connecting you with others in need of your services can definitely help you grow your business.”

More From GOBankingRates