Summary
You need to know how to sell and market yourself.
Some steps:
1. Build an online presence. Start a blog, a simple website whatever. Write about topics you want to focus on to get clients. For example, lets say you want to find clients in a specific domain say online learning. Write blog posts on that topic, If you cannot do it yourself, try to find someone who can write for you (not ideal but better than nothing)
2. Inbound marketing (related to Step 1 above). It is a lot better if clients can find you than you finding them. Take this free course from hubspot (no affiliation, just a happy student)
https://academy.hubspot.com/certification
3. Share code with public. Get a public github profile and do stuff there (build projects. Anything. small or large)
4. Build an audience. Start a youtube channel. Record screencasts of what you know. Anything. E.g. How to install WordPress on your computer ? Plenty of videos out there but people always like quality stuff
5. Join existing open source projects. Become a contributor. Fix some bugs. Send a pull request.
6. Create an online course and offer for free on udemy. Join freenode and offer help on topics you are good at
There are many more but this is to give you an idea. Rinse and repeat. Unfortunately in 2016, you cannot just get freelance jobs by posting a profile unless you want to compete on the low end sites like upwork etc for $10/Hour.
What to do: - Approach potential clients - Reach out to people, start getting used to it. Even if it doesn't go anywhere, get in the habit.
- Reach out to old colleagues for no reason than catching up. - End goal: Build relationships. Build Trust.
As far as where to get your first clients, I've had real world success with the following methods:
- Mailing lists A lot of times people ask on mailing lists when they need help with something. Every once in a while, you'll get an email from someone with some work they need done. If you've been part of the mailing list a long time, you can approach them as: Hey, I'm xyz. I've been part of mailing-A for long time. I am (insert why you're suited to help) Ask to move the discussion offline to a phone call.
- Meetups Meeting someone here already shows you care/know the topic at hand. You can see them face to face. Socialize without agenda. Towards the end and beginning, listen for announcements for work/jobs. Approach them after the meeting.
- Recruitment agencies. Yes, I know you said freelancing but these agencies are hubs of work to be done. It's just a matter of how you position your relationship with client and recruitment agency. It's a good way to expand your network circle. Best time to make a sale is when you don't need to make a sale.
It will be easier to approach potential clients in similar industries with
"Hey I work for client-a in your industry. I see you do great at X. I'd like to
reach out and pick your brain if possible."
This will open the conversation.
My background/experience: I have more work than I can handle at the moment. (that's with only a handful of clients as I'm a 1man band.) Had to figure out the business parts myself through trial and error.
Specifically to your question regarding first client -> https://doubleyourfreelancing.com/3-easy-steps-to-finding-yo...
It would help to start by putting together a portfolio and then putting the word out that you are available. This can be started with just putting a blurb in your HN profile and on social media, where it seems appropriate.
That will not likely magically solve your problem. But it starts the ball rolling.
You can also participate in HN's monthly "Freelancer? Seeking Freelancer?" post on the first of every month. Keep your eye out for the next one.
I see a lot of "I'm looking for work" in these type of posts.
(one sad thing is they paid me in CAD not USD.)
First off, I had to be convinced. Having people who believed in me was a huge help. Granted, the people who were encouraging me to do this were also looking to work with me, they had some incentive to do this.
Second, I had some great relationships established. People that knew me and wanted to work with me specifically. It took a long time to get into positions to create those relationships and a bit longer for them to turn into something positive, but building (and maintaining relationships) is key.
Third, the thing that sealed the deal for me was going to a local 2-day conference where a lot of people were looking for work. I spent about $300 in travel and expenses for that conference (and I had a session there too). It generated some significant business for me and I'm still working with and talking to people I met there every couple of weeks.
Lastly, I had faith. Yes, I mean in the religious sense. At the end of the day, I believe that God provides for me and my family and that I am ultimately a steward of the people and projects that come to me. Where some might attribute things to "fate" or "happenstance"—I've gone from "don't know what I'm doing in 2 weeks" to "booked out for the next 2-3 months" in a matter of days. Plan and consider the future but also realize that you are only in control of what you do and how you treat the projects and clients you have.
Do not get into trap of freelancing sites such as oDesk, toptal, .... they are the middle-man, you should eliminate the middle-man. Always contact potential clients directly.