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You’ve probably heard the phrase “marketable” at some point in your professional life. If something is marketable —such as an idea, or in your case, a freelance service— it’s considered attractive to potential employers or clients.
As a freelancer, you’re essentially running a small business in a highly competitive space—the gig economy.
According to recent statistics, the global freelance market is estimated to be worth $1.5 trillion, increasing at a CAGR of 15%. In the U.S., there are around 73.3 million gig workers in 2023. This number is expected to increase to 79.6 million by 2025 and 90.1 million by 2028.
Clearly, the competition is fierce. Consequently, you need to make consistent efforts to make yourself more sought-after by potential clients. You need to turn your freelance business into a standout brand that attracts lucrative projects.
In this article, you’ll learn how to do just that. Let’s look at four impactful ways to make yourself more marketable as a freelancer…
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1. Build a strong portfolio website with testimonials and client wins
Creating a portfolio website to showcase your backstory and work samples isn’t a novel idea. Every freelancer who’s serious about their business has one.
If you haven’t already, take your pick from the best website builders and get cracking. The question is, how do you build a compelling portfolio website that actually nudges prospects to reach out to you? The answer lies in social proof — a lot of it.
For example, take a look at Marijana Kay’s website. She’s a freelance writer who specializes in B2B content for SaaS companies. Note her minimalist and approach to writing website copy—all neatly backed up by happy client testimonials (and a quick backstory).
While she has an About page where she shares details about her values —making her more congenial— she understands that potential clients care about what she can do to help them.
This reflects in her Portfolio page, where she elaborates on who will be a perfect fit for her services. She also divulges what she brings to the table, more social proof in the form of screenshots, and her best work samples.
You’ll find even more social proof in the form of client feedback email screenshots and results achieved on her Work With Me page. She exudes professionalism by sharing her step-by-step onboarding and writing process, along with a dedicated FAQ page.
All in all, if you put yourself in the shoes of a SaaS company looking for a freelance B2B content writer, her portfolio website is persuasive. Consider emulating her strategy while building or revamping your own freelance portfolio website.
2. Learn supplementary skills
Becoming a specialist ultimately helps you land bigger-ticket clients than staying a generalist. Niching down gives you the ability to identify your ideal clientele, play to your strengths, and establish yourself.
That said, learning additional skills to supplement your core offerings is never a bad idea. Investing effort in upskilling enables you to bundle your services, creating offers that result in bigger contracts down the road.
If you’re a freelance graphic designer, you work with a variety of visuals: branding assets, user interfaces, illustrations, and more.
While the first three of these are your primary expertise, honing your photo editing skills lets you present clients with a higher quality production. It also means you don’t need to ask a photographer to retouch photos (although some photographers may work with you on an ongoing basis).
Using content tools
Luckily, there are plenty of great resources and free tools available to learn the skill and implement it. For instance, everybody has heard of Photoshop but not everyone has the budget for it. Luckily for you, we compiled a list of 8 Photoshop alternatives…
Another software you could try is intuitive photo editing app, such as Photoleap. Utilizing other programmes means you’re on your way to adding a marketable skill —visual content creation— to your freelance business.
With this tool, stickers, filters, effects, and typefaces enable you create unique social media images using the app. QuickArt lets you turn photos into art or create entertaining animated GIFs with a tap. Just entering words or a basic sketch prompt generates innovative, editable AI-powered graphics.
3. Create free value-add content for potential clients
Demonstrating a passion for your craft along with a proactive commitment to client success is what separates good freelancers from the great. That’s exactly what this strategy is all about — creating value for your clients, both existing and prospective, via content freebies.
Again, let’s take a marketable leaf out of Marijana’s website.
On her Homepage, she offers a free downloadable checklist for creating high-performing blog posts. This serves as a great resource for any prospective client looking to up their content game and start a successful blog.
This freebie immediately conveys not just her niche authority and expertise but also her dedication to adding value for her clients.
The checklist is an example of a lead magnet —a free resource offered in exchange for contact information, such as an email address. It’s an effective way to add prospects to your email list, as you can nurture the relationship with regular tips and more useful resources.
Even if they don’t use your services now, when the time comes and they need freelance help, you’ll be the first person they’ll think about hiring.
Other examples of such value-add lead magnets include templates, cheat sheets, step-by-step how-to guides, and even a free no-obligation consultation or audit for prospective clients.
4. Set aside time for personal branding on social media
Last but not least, the pursuit of making yourself more marketable is incomplete without social media marketing.
You’re likely already using social media platforms like LinkedIn and Twitter (and Instagram too, if you’re into creative visual services). Here, you can engage with fellow freelancers and potential clients, hunt opportunities, and stay up to date with the latest in your industry.
But are you using social media to build your personal brand? Are you actively sharing your knowledge, experiences, and insights in the form of actionable tips, short videos, case studies, etc.?
Posting helpful, experience-backed content on platforms helps you stand out and stay top of mind for prospects. It also allows you to build trust and credibility in your business, and improve your organic visibility on the web. Here’s an example from Alice Lemée, a freelance writer:
She actively tweets tips and her experiences as a freelancer to help fellow freelancers succeed, and in the process, gained over 21k Twitter followers and built a six-figure freelance writing business in two years. That’s the power of personal branding done right.
You likely won’t gain much traction right away, but do it consistently on a calendar, and you’ll build a decent following in a matter of months. As your content earns more engagement, it will drive more clients and referrals your way.
Wrapping up
Dedicated marketing and branding efforts are an essential part of running a successful freelance business. And now, more than ever, your efforts need to be more strategic and well-thought-out.
Implement the four tips discussed above to put yourself in the top 1% of freelancers in your industry and establish yourself as a marketable, coveted expert.
Ready to shine? Join Twine, a marketplace that helps you establish yourself as an expert in your niche. You can find freelance projects from over 150 categories, from design and development to copywriting and marketing. Promote your abilities, experience, and client testimonials to boost your freelance business.
Want to be recognized as an expert in your field? At Twine, we have dozens of top-quality jobs being posted each and every day. There is a job waiting for your skills in everything from design to marketing, development, and copywriting. Join the marketplace of diverse creative talent here.
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