
Ask HN: Freelancing starting out – any tips or tricks? - a_lifters_life
Thanks
======
fairpx
When I set up fairpixels.co, I launched www.logodust.com to share unused
logos. Accidentally then (deliberately now), it became a powerful lead
generator. Almost 2 year in, I now have a business that supports multiple
people and we’ve expanded into new services, with the latest being
www.fairpixels.pro (UI design service for software developers). And we’re
following the same framework to automate the qualification of leads. So let me
break down the exact strategy that seems to work for us, to consistently
attract high quality leads:

* 1. Productize your service: Create a clear proposition, and turn your service into a product-like-package. Have a clear deliverable, timeframe and price.

* 2. Then, create ‘side projects’. These side projects should be super valuable to your specific target customer and 100% free.

* 3. Instead of marketing your main service, promote your side projects. These are free, frictionless tools that people gladly share. Driving traffic to these free side projects is a lot easier and the sharability is higher.

* 4. On these side project, upsell your productised service, driving a portion of the traffic to your main service.

Voila.

------
mattbgates
This is assuming you are a web developer.

Make sure you have at least one website built up that represents a good
example of your work.

Make sure you document everything you do. If you finish a project, take
screenshots. Set up a portfolio online. Get a LinkedIn and update it often.
That is a great place to show off everything if you don't have a website.
Every job in which you receive a paycheck constitutes as working a job that
you can list on your LinkedIn resume. Make sure you list out the details of
what you did or do for the client. Don't go crazy, but list important
keywords.

With LinkedIn, you should also connect to clients who are on there and get
them to write you a RECOMMENDATION as soon as possible. (
[http://www.confessionsoftheprofessions.com/useful-feature-
li...](http://www.confessionsoftheprofessions.com/useful-feature-linkedin-
recommendations/) )

Specialize in customer care, service and support, which is something that many
web developers lack and will make you in demand. A client wants to know they
can pick up the phone or send an email and receive an answer within a few
hours. They are panicking already about issues with website or whatever, and
you are the person who can keep them having a peace of mind, and you can
certainly charge for that. I usually come in when the web designer before me
has disappeared without a trace or is hard to contact.

I was referred to a very popular client in my town. She runs a paint and wine
business and her web developer before me, developed all custom software, which
worked, but had so many problems, that I ended up charging her hundreds of
dollars just to repair the damages. It began to get annoying and while the
money was great, I hated that I had to charge her for someone else's mess. It
also gets exhausting tracking down a few dozen PHP files and figuring out what
is causing the problem. Touching someone else's code is never fun. I came to
her with an ultimatum: I could keep charging her hundreds of dollars a month
and she would keep losing money from paying me, or let me install a calendar
system that will cost her a few thousand dollars to install, but save her more
money in the long run, as I probably wouldn't have to charge her to keep
putting band-aids on a wound. It has been installed for a year now and I can
tell you, she has definitely saved thousands of dollars.

Sure, I'm out thousands of dollars because I'm not charging her to patch bugs,
but I'm not annoyed anymore, because I installed quality software that
actually works. She comes to me with new ideas for her website and that is
where I continue to make money with her.. and the general maintenance fees.
She is more likely to stick with me because she really is saving money and she
knows it.

I would highly recommend that you get a business card. You can get a few
hundred made for less than $20. Hand them out to your clients. Do a good job.
It will likely be that your clients will refer you to their friends. You can
give them a referral percentage on the first project you do for the new client
or you can just thank them. Whichever you prefer is best. If you have clients
who run a business with a physical location, ask them if you can drop off a
few cards and leave them in the front of the store.

Note the local businesses in your area. "Ma and Pa" places or small
businesses. Check to see if they have a website. If they don't, show them the
website(s) you have already built and give them a good deal on building them a
website. Don't undercharge, but don't overcharge, either. This is where you'll
have to figure out what a good 6-10 pages cost ... or more specifically, what
price would make you feel comfortable doing a website. If they do have a
website, but you clearly see it can be improved, than ask them if they are
satisfied with their website, or if they are looking for a new look.

Lastly, make sure you know how to write up an invoice. Keep ALL documents of
everything you do. Keep it organized. Google Drive or OneDrive is a good place
to store them so you never lose them.

I have been in the business of freelancing websites for almost a decade. My
first website was for a non-profit organization so I did not charge them at
all. My second website, I think I charged $250, and then $500, and my prices
only went up as I gained more experience. The other reason they also went up:
I have noticed a huge change in what clients are looking for nowadays. Years
ago, you would build them a website. Make a few changes they wanted and be
done with it. Nowadays, clients are more selective, more picky, and want more
custom work. So by the time you get done, you were literally working for free
for them with all the changes they want. Be fair in charging your clients. If
they aren't a million dollar business, and even if they were, you aren't going
to make a million dollars from that one business. So don't get greedy.

Most of my clients nowadays are also repeat business wanting newer websites,
as they themselves are entrepreneurs, and I usually get new ones from word of
mouth. I don't usually seek out new clients anymore. I'm actually looking to
get out of this business soon.

Good luck. It's a fun business to be in but it can get tiring. As for
competition... Craigslist is filled with people looking for websites. Local
businesses are a great place to start. And most people don't want someone who
is "remote" or "overseas". They want someone who is local, in the same
timezone, and in their area.

~~~
odonnellryan
Hey!

Would you mind reaching out to me offline? ryan@luma.im

