I thought there was only one way to find freelance clients. Learn a skill, create a resume, apply for jobs, get interviewed, and hope someone hires you.
But the funny thing is, looking back, I don’t think I ever followed that kind of path myself.
Because here’s what I realized early on… My clients don’t grow their businesses by applying for jobs. They market themselves. They build websites, create content, run ads, and put themselves in front of the people they want to serve. So should I treat my freelance business any differently?
When I decided to become a virtual assistant, I enrolled in a VA course that offered a referral system for graduates. Instead of spending weeks (or even months) sending applications, I took advantage of that opportunity, and it worked. I landed my first international client without going through the usual cycle of applying, waiting for interviews, and hoping someone would choose me. At the time, I didn’t think much of it. I was just grateful to have landed my first client.
Looking back now, I realize that experience shaped the way I think about freelancing and business. I wasn’t trying to avoid hard work. I was just looking for a different way to get in front of the right people. Fast forward a few years, and I’ve already had the opportunity to work with different international clients.
One thing they all have in common is that they don’t wait for clients to magically find them. They actively market their businesses because they understand that visibility creates opportunities.
So, if I help my clients build websites, create landing pages, and support their marketing so they can attract more clients, why wouldn’t I do the same for myself?
Don’t get me wrong… I still believe job platforms have their place, especially when you’re just starting out. They’re a great way to gain experience, build your portfolio, and earn your first testimonials. But I don’t believe they should be the only strategy we rely on for finding clients.
There are so many other ways to get your business in front of the right people. Referrals, networking, content marketing, your website, LinkedIn, email marketing, and even paid advertising are some ways to help potential clients discover you before you ever send a proposal.
So What Does That Look Like?
The first is building a home for my business.
Instead of relying on a profile on a freelance platform, I want potential clients to have a place where they can learn about me, see my work, understand who I help, and decide if we’re a good fit.
That’s what my website is for.
The second is becoming more visible.
For the longest time, I stayed behind the scenes. I wasn’t very active on social media, and I mostly relied on referrals to bring in new clients. These days, I’m showing up more, not because I want to become an influencer, but because I’ve realized that people can’t hire me if they don’t know I exist. For me, social media has become a way to market my business and build genuine relationships with the people I want to work with.
The third is nurturing the relationships I’ve already built.
I used to think that once a project ended, that relationship was basically over. Now, I don’t see it that way. A client may not need your services today, but that doesn’t mean they won’t need you six months from now. And they may know someone else who does.
So if you’ve had a good experience working with someone, why disappear the moment the project ends?
Stay connected.
If you’re connected on social media, wish them a happy birthday. Check in from time to time. Congratulate them when they launch something new. Share something you think might be useful to them. And let them see what you’re working on, too.
You don’t have to constantly sell yourself. Sometimes, simply staying visible and maintaining a genuine relationship is enough. Because when that person eventually needs help again, or someone they know asks, “Do you know anyone who can help me with this?” you want your name to come to mind.
That’s one of the benefits of building relationships instead of treating every client interaction as a transaction.
The fourth is learning marketing.
This is probably the biggest shift for me.
I’m starting to understand how blogging, LinkedIn, networking, referrals, email marketing, and even paid ads can work together to help the right people discover my business.
It’s a skill I wish I had started learning sooner, but I’m excited to keep improving it. I’m not saying every freelancer needs to run ads or become active on every social media platform. The point isn’t to be everywhere. The point is to stop relying on just one way of getting clients.
That’s where I think many freelancers get stuck. We spend so much time learning how to become more employable that we forget we can also learn how to become more discoverable. And I think there’s another mindset shift that comes with that. You don’t always have to be looking for a new client.
Sometimes, you just need to stay connected to the people you’ve already worked with. Your past clients, current clients, professional connections, friends, and people in your network can all become part of the ecosystem that helps your business grow.
The fifth, start thinking of freelancing as a business.
This is something I’ve believed for years throughout my freelancing journey. I’ve always considered freelancing a business, even though I know many people (at least here in the Philippines) don’t think of it that way.
You see, at the end of the day, you’re selling a service. You’re running your own business. And if you want to be your own boss, you also have to start thinking like the CEO of your own business.
When you think of freelancing as a job, your focus naturally becomes finding someone who will hire you. You look for job posts, send applications, wait for responses, and hope someone gives you an opportunity.
But when you start thinking of freelancing as a business, your perspective changes.
You start thinking about your positioning, your services, your pricing, your website, your marketing, your relationships, your visibility, and how you want to grow.
You stop asking, “Who is hiring?” and start asking, “Who do I want to work with, and how can I get my business in front of them?”
That doesn’t mean you have to turn yourself into a big agency or build some complicated business machine.
It simply means recognizing that you are not just selling your time or skills. You’re building something of your own.
And just like any other business, you have to learn how to market it, communicate its value, attract the right people, build relationships, and create reasons for people to come back or refer you to others.
For me, this has always been an important part of how I approach freelancing. And the more I learn about business, the more I realize how much that mindset matters.
I’m not just looking for my next client. I’m building a business that can create opportunities for me.
So, if you’ve been freelancing for a while and you’ve built experience, a portfolio, and confidence in what you do, maybe it’s time to ask yourself a different question.
Instead of asking:
“Where can I find clients?”
Try asking:
“How can I become easier for the right clients to find and easier for the people who already know me to remember?”
Sometimes, that one question is enough to change the way you build your business.
Image by: Atlantic ambiance
