How To Land Your First Clients As A Solopreneur

Working as a Solopreneur isn’t a 9-5 lifestyle. You might be able to call on contractors and freelancers to help you with certain tasks, but at the end of the day the buck stops with you. To quote Entrepenuer.com “A solopreneur is also the proverbial chief cook and bottle washer, who started the business, owns the business, runs the business and is responsible for the business' failure or success.”

Getting started on this path is simple, you’ll need time to dedicate to your new found career, and whatever equipment or resources you need to find the work. Get yourself into the right mindset by swatting up on blogs for solopreneurs and prepare everything you need to hit the ground running. Once you’ve got everything in place there are a number of sources you can start finding clients.

1) Cold Calling

This is a practice as old as business it’s self. From knocking on doors to picking up the phone to sending emails, this approach is for the all those brave solopreneurs out there. With this, preparation is key, try and identify the right decision maker for your product or service. Do a little research on each company and be prepared for knock backs. Cold calling is a numbers game, but as Jordan Belfort said, just pick up the phone and dial.

2) LinkedIn

If you aren’t on LinkedIn then just quit already. The internets largest professional network is a goldmine for new clients and leads. A well written profile can not only support your other efforts when it comes to landing new clients, but can also be a source of inbound leads if done right. Many companies will now actively search for freelancers and solopreneurs with certain specialisms than look for traditional hires because they can get a better deal than going through recruitment agencies.

3) Referrals

Even though you’re looking for your first client as a solopreneur chances are you’ve already worked for a company in the past. If you’ve build up good relationships now is the time to leverage them. Get in touch with old business contacts, tell them about your new venture as a solopreneur and ask them to bare you in mind if they hear of any opportunities. If you’re in a big ticket business, you can also promise a referral fee as a way of motivating them to send people your way.

4) Job Sites

This lateral approach might seem counter intuitive, but if a company is searching for a hire in an position you specialise in as a solopreneur, they have an immediate need for your services! It’s a slightly cheeky approach, but reaching out to the appropriate person could land you a juicy contract filling in the gaps while they find the right hire. If you do a great job, you might just keep them as a client for longer!

5) Freelance sites

Sites like UpWork are geared towards freelancers and many jobs might just be piece work that isn’t suitable for your solopreneur business, but hidden amongst these smaller jobs you can find bigger gems. Utilise search filters to focus on longer term, higher paying jobs in your industry and you could find some lucrative contracts.

Whatever channels you chose to explore to find work as a solopreneur make sure you stand out from the crowd. Be prepared for tough questions, do your research and show your understanding of the client. Businesses are always looking for ways to improve, you just need to show them a solopreneur is the right way to do it.