Welcome to this article, if you are wondering how to get your first big client, you’ve come to the right place. Here we’ll discuss various ways and strategies on how you can best approach and apply yourself to different given situations when it comes to securing work with a big client. Whether you’re a freelance worker, working from home or in some kind of business partnership, you’ll find these ideas useful.

For many, it can be both exciting and daunting to even take the first step in approaching a big client. Our advice is to believe in yourself and take the following action to best help you in your journey. Remember to never give up! These steps will put you at ease:

#Idea 1:Personal contacts

Compile a list of personal contacts who might need your service or can help introduce you to your first big client. Follow this up by a good email to introduce your service and explain what you do. It is a great idea to have some kind of portfolio accessible online for your prospects to check you out. Chances are, you’ll know someone who can get your “foot in the door”, so to speak to help secure your work. This is how many first time freelancers land their first big client.

#Idea 2: Free work

Consider working voluntarily or donating your work, especially if you’re first starting out. By doing this, you can gain genuine testimonials from real companies which can give you credibility and a huge advantage in secure your big client. You can even volunteer to donate your work to a project from a large corporation. Afterwards, look out for any work opportunities to do further work with your services; you’ll stand a better chance in being contracted by them on future projects as they’ll be familiar with you and your work.

#Idea 3: Service free clients well

Once you have been given the opportunity to work for a big client, all does not end there. Be sure to demonstrate yourself as a valuable asset to them. The company may have taken on board your skills and qualifications, however that is not the most important thing when considering yourself as a commodity to the business. Instead, focus how you can be of service to them to problem solve and provide solutions, after all that is what they want. Flexibility as humbleness is the key, along with a good attitude.

#Idea 4: Monitor opportunities via social network

Whether you’re on public transport and you strike up a conversation with someone, or you do this online when chatting to a friend or acquaintance, always be on the lookout for any potential opportunities. For instance, your friend may mention or know of someone that is looking for a service such as yours. Take this opportunity to provide your details to be passed on to your new prospect and follow-up with a call after taking note of any contact details. This is another fantastic way of gaining a client.

#Idea 5: A mind-set tip

Regardless of the client being big or small, everyone’s first client is the biggest, and it will be your time to shine and to impress them

#Idea 6: Volunteer to do work for non profit sites

You may help out with a specific campaign or event where you can present your skills to the public. For instance, you may help out design a fundraising website, or promote a political campaign online by managing the social media side of things, that may attract others who seek your service and expertise. Be sure to physically attend any such events to liaise with other potential clients who could approach you for new work.

#Idea 7: Identify a niche for yourself

Just think for a moment, what is the difference between you and your competitors? If you can’t answer straight away, think about how you present yourself to your prospects. The best solution to this is to brand yourself as an expert. When your prospects see your services advertise, they will associate your brand as a solution to their problems and will be likely to remember you from all the others

#Idea 8: Complete customer satisfaction

Strive to deliver an excellent service and customer satisfaction every time, this is how you grow into “the expert”, along with your brand, you will be attract bigger clients and will become unstoppable!

#Idea 9: Contact the agencies

One way to find clients is to phone around agencies to see if they need your service. It has been known in the past for either “unwanted” work to be passed onto the freelancer as an opportunity to gain a client or asked for them to help out on some overflow work. You’ll not have anything to lose but a phone call; it is worth a try and has worked for some.

#Idea 10: Find clients that cannot afford a agency

Expanding on the previous idea, take the initiative on any opportunities that may present themselves. For instance, a freelancer contracted with an agency that brought him to a meeting with a company. The agency declined the company’s proposal due to budget. The freelancer asked the company if they could refer the work to himself, and lo and behold, he gained a big client! Take this as an example to think a little outside the box, as long as it doesn’t land you in any sort of trouble.

Apply our ten ideas above, and you should be on the right path to landing your first big client.

(Optional- Do you yourself have any experiences to share? Feel free to share here with us

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