How to get clients as a freelancer

Introduction

If you’re a freelance designer struggling to find quality clients and raise your prices—or you’re just starting your freelance career—this guide is for you.

First of all, you shouldn’t be chasing clients. Instead, clients should be looking for you. You just need to show up where it matters.

In this article, I’ll share the 5-step strategy we’ve been using in our branding studio for over 10 years, the same process that helped our students elevate their freelancing business.

We even created a free course that walks you through everything covered here.

Why Most Freelancers Struggle to Get Clients

Going through all the steps takes time and effort. But once you put in the work, you’ll escape the red ocean of cheap designers—where it’s impossible to stand out and you’re stuck with low budgets and difficult clients.

Instead, you’ll enter the blue ocean of experts, where it’s much easier to differentiate and work with smart clients on high budgets.

Blue Ocean Strategy is a book that shaped the way we approach business. One key idea:
“Value innovate and let the competition worry about you. Industry structure is not given; it can be shaped.”

While every agency and freelancer was selling design, we shifted. We began selling strategy as the service, with design as the outcome. That shift changed everything.

Many freelancers believe branding is too exclusive, but that’s not true. Big agencies cannot charge less than $10,000 because of their overhead costs. As a freelancer, you can reach that level too—not overnight, but with consistent effort.

10K is both a mental barrier for designers (who fear asking for it) and for entrepreneurs (who fear trusting freelancers). That’s why positioning and professionalism are key.

What Clients Really Think About Cheap Designers

One client once told us:

“I’ve started and failed three businesses, and I learned a big lesson: working with cheap designers ends up costing more in the long run.”

This is why clients are willing to pay more if they trust you.

The 5-Step Process to Get Clients as a Freelancer

1. Choose Your Niche

By choosing a niche, you position yourself as an expert. Specialists stand out and can charge more. Clients seeking your specific expertise will find you more convincing and easier to trust.

Focusing on branding, for example, often leads to related opportunities: packaging, web design, illustration, photography. You can deliver these, outsource them, or take referral commissions (10–25%).

2. Build Your Personal Brand

You are a business. And like any business, you need branding. A strong personal brand builds credibility, helps you charge higher prices, and makes clients trust your expertise.

Go beyond a logo. Treat your brand as you would a client’s brand. Your presentation must reflect professionalism.

3. Build Your Website

Most designers skip this step. They rely on Behance, Instagram, or Dribbble, but those platforms drown you in the crowd.

A personal website is your most powerful tool. Use it to:

• Clearly communicate your services
• Showcase only relevant projects
• Convince clients you’re worth their investment

Tools like WordPress, Wix, or Webflow make building websites simple, and AI tools like ChatGPT can help you solve technical issues along the way.

By far, the simplest and effective way to build a website is with the DIVI Builder. We have been using it for years – drag and drop, no coding needed.

4. Make Yourself Visible

Once your website is ready, you must get visible. The main channels are:

• SEO (Search Engine Optimization): The biggest driver of consistent, organic clients. Our steady flow of leads comes from ranking high on Google.
• B2B platforms: Sites like Clutch.co are highly effective. Reviews rank you higher and attract global clients.
• Social Media: LinkedIn, Instagram, and Facebook can be powerful if used consistently and professionally.

5. Deliver Excellence

Attracting clients is only half the battle. To earn reviews and referrals, you must deliver excellence from the very start—beginning with your proposal.

Never send a plain text proposal. Instead, design a professional PDF aligned with your brand. Include:

• Introduction about yourself
• Services offered
• Budget, project structure, and deadlines
• Creative process
• A relevant case study or project from your portfolio

Throughout the project, maintain professionalism: reply promptly, follow up on commitments, and deliver more than expected.

FAQs on Getting Clients as a Freelancer

How do freelancers get clients without platforms like Upwork?

By building a strong personal brand, creating a professional website, ranking on Google with SEO, and using B2B review platforms like Clutch.

What is the fastest way to get clients as a freelancer?

Short term: reach out directly to your network and ask for referrals. Long term: focus on SEO and niche positioning, which bring consistent leads.

How can beginner freelancers charge more?

Start by delivering professional proposals and filtering your portfolio to only show relevant work. Position yourself as a specialist instead of a generalist.

Do I need social media to get clients as a freelancer?

Not necessarily. Social media helps when starting from scratch, but long-term, SEO and word-of-mouth referrals bring more consistent and high-value projects.

How do I stand out from cheap freelancers?

By specializing in a niche, building a personal brand, and delivering professionalism in every step, from proposal to final delivery.

Conclusion

To attract high-paying clients as a freelancer, you must:

1. Choose your niche
2. Build your personal brand
3. Build your website
4. Make yourself visible
5. Deliver excellence

We’ve put together a complete course that guides you through all these steps, including templates, examples, and a tool to evaluate your potential niches. And you can get it for free: