When we set up our agency, here's what worked:
- Get your own site set up so that you have a web presence and can start to build a brand.
- You need to build your portfolio, so do a bit of work for cheap/free if you have to. You want to do this quickly, if you do a site for free the client will be more willing to go ahead straight away as it requires little decision making. We did a website for a primary school and a couple of photographers we knew to start off with.
- You're probably going to need to have low prices to start with, as smaller businesses are more willing to give a new business a shot, but won't have as much of a budget as bigger companies. Over time you can decide where you want to take the business and start charging more as you build a reputation. Your aim at this point is to build a portfolio, so you can charge more later on.
- Classified ads on Gumtree or whatever the equivalent is in your area. We met two of our biggest clients through classified ads (just be honest, link to your site and try and get across your ethos).
- Reach out to personal network, previous employers etc... they already trust you (hopefully) and may have work that can keep you going.
- Get involved with a co-working space, this has 3 main benefits: 1) regain some of the social element of work, which you may have lost if you previously worked in an office environment. 2) Meet other business owners and freelancers that can offer advice and are a good sounding board, and interesting people usually too. 3) You might even get work from other business working at the same space. We've got a couple of clients as a result of using a co-working space.
- Cold calls! I could write a whole post on this, but basically, try and figure out a niche and what your hook is; Why are you going to go after a particular niche? Have you worked in this industry before? Can you offer a service that will add value to them? Are you in their area (geographically)?
Remember this is one of the hardest bits of going it alone but once you gain some momentum and build a portfolio it will get easier.