How to get freelance marketing work

If you’re a marketer who loves a challenge and the flexibility to set your own hours, a freelancing career might be for you. But how do you get freelance marketing work to begin with? 

This guide will help you get started by covering the following:

• Why freelancing could be a good idea
• How to get freelance marketing work
• How Countingup helps freelance marketers manage their finances

As a freelance marketer, you have the potential of earning much more than you would as an employee in a company. How much you earn as a freelancer is directly related to the hours you put in, how much you charge for your services, and how much you’ve perfected your skills. Still, it’s very likely you won’t see that income in the beginning. 

The first few months of freelancing typically means you need to sacrifice income while you establish yourself and find clients. But once you get the ball rolling, freelancing means you can choose your own schedule and rates. As an established freelance marketer, you also have the power to pick and choose which jobs and clients you take on.

Since you can set your own hours and choose who you work with, freelancing can also give you a better work-life balance. Freelancing also allows you to choose where you want to work from. As a marketer, all you really need to get your work done is a laptop and a reliable internet connection, meaning you can work from anywhere. This makes it easy to fit in things like childcare, fitness routines, dog walks, cleaning, and so on. 

As a marketer, you’ll already know how to sell services and products to clients. But how do you go about selling yourself? And where do you find jobs? We’ve listed some tips below to help you get started. 

1. Pick a niche

As the old saying goes, “if you try to reach everyone, you reach no one”. You need to take the same advice you’d give your clients and start by determining what your focus is and who you want to target. 

If you’re not sure what your niche is, think about what you enjoy and what you’re skilled at. You could start as a generalist marketer and offer a bit of everything, then pick whatever you find most enjoyable or successful as your niche.

2. Optimise your portfolio

Freelancers need portfolios that can speak for themselves to unlock more opportunities. Likewise, clients need proof that you’re as skilled as you claim to be.

Having a portfolio can save you precious time by weeding out clients that won’t suit you before the initial call. Add clarity to each project or task by explaining:

• What the brief was
• What your role in the project was
• What you did and why

You can use Dropbox or Google Drive to gather the different pieces. Just make sure you separate the pieces into categories, for example, Social Media Campaigns, Blog Posts,  Newsletters, Graphic Design, and so on. Alternatively, you could use a website builder like WordPress, Wix, or Squarespace. 

3. Join a freelancing website

You could also join a freelancer marketplace to find your first clients. Some of the most popular freelancing websites include:

• Fiverr is a freelancing platform where freelancers can set their rates to match their skill level, with prices per project ranging from £5-£10,000 depending on skill level and portfolio.
• UpWork is one of the largest freelance websites and offers a lot of exposure for freelancers. Unfortunately, there is a lot of competition, which makes it more difficult for new marketers to get jobs.
• PeoplePerHour allows you to show off your skills in several ways, from building an awesome profile to joining competitions to get noticed. Skill levels vary from beginner to expert, so there’s something for everyone. 

4. Put yourself out there

Networking is a key part of marketing your new freelancing business. This is where you apply your marketing skills to dig out opportunities to network with other professionals. The key is to think of it as ‘relationship building’, meaning the goal isn’t to get more clients but to meet and get to know new people.

Having this mindset allows you to relax more and open up an authentic conversation with potential clients. You can think about how you can truly help them. Even if you don’t end up working together, they may refer others to you.

5. Stay active on social media

Marketers know about the power of social media when it comes to marketing. Platforms like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn are probably your best bet for finding jobs. Use your marketing knowledge to build your brand and online presence. Build connections and interact with potential clients. 

Engage with their posts by asking questions or sharing content with your network. The more time you spend perfecting your profiles and sharing content that has value to people, the faster you’ll establish a name and reputation for yourself. 

6. Get testimonials as often as you can

Research shows that 92% of customers read online reviews before making a purchase. Since 88% of people trust online testimonials and reviews as much as recommendations from friends or family, getting good work from your clients could be invaluable. 

If a client is happy with your services, ask them to share a good word about your work and business. Potential clients will be more comfortable (maybe even eager) to hire you if they see that other brands found success from working with you.

Once you start getting more clients, you need to charge them for your work, which you can learn all about here.

Thousands of business owners are using the Countingup app to save time on their financial admin and focus on growing their business. 

Countingup is the business current account and accounting software in one app. It automates time-consuming bookkeeping admin for self-employed people across the UK.

With automatic expense categorisation, receipt capture tools and cash flow insights, you can confidently keep on top of your business finances and save yourself hours of accounting admin, so you can focus on doing what you do best. Find out more here.