The Real Secret to Landing Your First Freelance Client (It’s Not What You Think)
The Only Way to Start Freelancing: Get Your First Paid Client
If you're ready to start freelancing, here’s the one critical thing you need to do: get your first paid client. Many new freelancers believe that offering services at rock-bottom prices is the key to landing that first client, but that’s a misconception. Clients don’t buy based purely on price—they buy because you solve their real, painful problems.
With over 12 years of freelance experience and running a multi-six-figure business, I’m here to share the proven approach to not just winning your first client but charging confidently and getting paid what your work is truly worth.
Identify the Real Problem: Not the Surface Fixes
The journey begins with discovering your client’s real problem. Almost always, what clients first tell you is just a surface-level issue. For example, a client might say they need a new website, but their real problem might be low conversion rates, high operational costs, or poor customer engagement. A project is always about solving a problem, but finding the actual problem requires skill—it's an opportunity to provide real help.
Here’s a story to illustrate this: A shoemaker once sent two sons to Africa to evaluate opportunity. One returned discouraged because people went barefoot, while the other saw the market as wide open because there was no competition. You need to train yourself to see opportunities where others see none.
Think in Terms of Your Client’s Pain: The Financial Impact
The problems you solve for clients always boil down to money—saving it, making it, or avoiding losing it. High labor costs, wasted expenses, lost sales, and unhappy customers are the pains clients want to end. Your job is to uncover the financial consequences behind their surface problems by asking the right questions.
For example, if a new system is slowing company operations, ask:
• How many employees were hired to manage inefficiencies?
• How much overtime is paid?
• What’s the lost opportunity cost in sales or leads?
Once you quantify these figures with your client, you set the stage to show impressive results.
Selling the Solution: Speak Their Language, Not Feature Lists
Clients don’t buy services based on feature lists or technical jargon. Instead, focus on the benefits: how solving their problems financially improves their business. Paint a vivid picture of their future when the problem is fixed and connect that to real money saved or earned.
Projected ROI Is Your Secret Weapon
After diagnosing pain, the next step is showing the projected return on investment (ROI). When you present your pricing, it should be framed as an investment that yields multiples of the cost you charge. This makes the price easy to accept because clients see tangible value.
Pricing Strategy: Offer Choices, Don’t Undervalue Yourself
Never underprice yourself. Instead:
• Offer clients three pricing tiers: a bare minimum solution, a middle option, and a premium package that offers accelerated results.
• Use price anchoring by introducing a high-priced option first, making other tiers appear more attractive.
• If clients can’t afford an option, negotiate by adjusting the scope, not the price, to maintain your value.
Finally, Use Social Proof to Win More Clients
After delivering your first successful project, ask for a testimonial. Social proof is powerful in convincing new clients you’re trustworthy and competent. Testimonials are your best tools for growing your freelance business.
Starting or growing your freelance journey is about mastering the art of solving real problems and confidently communicating your value. If you want personalized guidance, I’m currently looking to work with three freelancers ready to elevate their businesses—just fill out the form linked below for a chance to collaborate.
Thank you for reading, and here’s to your success in freelancing!
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