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Ask HN: how to get "real" contracting gigs

54 pointsjustfortoday17 comments

I'm currently working as a contractor software developer, however all my jobs are for other IT companies who deliver work for the end clients.

I'd like to be in the position of delivering solutions directly to clients for two reasons - first, more lucrative, second the freedom to choose the technical solution rather than what the contracting company decides I should choose.

Could any contractors out there tell me how they got their first "real" clients ? Was it just knowing the right people, or are there steps you can take to market yourself outside the IT world ?

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It might sound trite but for me, the best clients I've found were people I either knew personally or who were introduced to me through an immediate acquaintance. Look around at your circle of connections - someone probably has a problem that you could solve, and they might not even realize it. After floating around on craigslist for a while, my first big client was my father in law, when I asked if he'd thought about making a website for his small business. This later turned into an online marketing campaign that paid my bills for quite a while.

If you need to build a portfolio or have no connections, you can try sites like elance or craigslist - but I wouldn't rely on them for too long. People shopping sites like that are looking for a bargain and probably won't pay what you're worth.

1. Network of your friends and ex-colleagues. Meet or call them to say that you are available. They or someone on their network is likely to have some work available. This is your best bet for the first gig.

2. Meet people at networking events.

3. Ask from your earlier middlemen if you can use "non-real" gigs as a reference on your website. "Together with Company X, I helped to build Y for company Z."

4. Be ready to do your first gig way below your price. And do it well. It's really valuable to have one gig under the belt.

5. Pick a niche. If you build just websites, there are several established small web development companies in your area. But if you build websites for lawyers, or build iPhone-versions of an existing websites, you have a better change to become a name that is recommended when people are looking for a right person for the job.

6. Do something small but visible as a spare-time project. It doesn't need to be on your niche, but something that other techies in your area appreciate.

The client has to have a trust that you are the right guy for the job. To get people calling you instead you calling them, you have to build that trust over the time. But you can shortcut it somewhat when people that already know you recommend you to someone.

Be ready to do your first gig way below your price.

The best way to do this is to offer a discount for new customers. Once you're established you'll instead want to offer discounts for established customers, but framing your low initial price as a discount will help you adjust it to the market rate once you have some experience under your belt.

Do something small but visible as a spare-time project.

This is extremely worthwhile. For example, I organized a meetup for JavaScript developers in my city. It grew over time and is now how I meet a lot of my clients and friends.

The best way to do this is to offer a discount for new customers.

Exactly, good that you highlighted that. And although other party knows that you couldn't ask your price at this point and the discount is not really a discount, I still did say our target price. It feels a bit stupid, but it's worth of it: "Our price is $100 per hour, but as we need a good show case project, we are ready to this for $60 per hour."

One other thing. Try to get gigs that have small enough scope in the beginning. You learn a bit about how to negotiate, how to deliver etc. Plus usually clients like it that you are not trying to structure a deal where you milk them for next 6 months.

Networking events work wonders on finding new clients. They might start you off with a small project, probably with constraints, but as you grow with them, you will usually have more freedom.

Check with your local Chamber of Commerce for events. Also, go to events that are totally outside of IT, such as construction or travel. Talk to people and tell them what you do. Somebody will have an idea that they want coded up.

I have been to several non-tech networking/CoC-type meetings, and my problem is that after saying I do web development, the conversation usually quickly turns to "my PC has some kind of virus".

I suppose I should see this as an opportunity of some kind (installing antivirus software an "in"?), but I want to avoid becoming someone's 24x7 Windows tech support guy.

Personally, I started off with the 'real' clients and then moved on to the position you find yourself in. Personally, the real client's weren't worth the effort. Once I had a good relationship with a few shops, I didn't have to bother with any more marketing and sales thus freeing me up to do billable work.

Of course, this was better for me b/c I hate doing sales. YMMV.

If the reason you want the freedom to choose a technical solution is because you want to use a really good technical solution, it might be a good idea to find a consulting company to work for that takes pride in their tools and practices. Ones that come to mind include Pivotal Labs, Viget Labs, Intridea, and here in Boulder, Quick Left.

If working remotely (i. e. from home or while traveling) is a big part of your reason for contracting, I suggest Intridea, where telecommuting is common and not limited to people at the bottom of the hierarchy. http://intridea.com/careers

Thanks, but I'm looking to get started on my own rather than join yet another consulting company.

Can anyone comment on the intersection between (clients who are happy to interact with you purely over Skype vs. clients who fly you out to deal with the in person occasionally) and (consulting through other companies vs. consulting directly for the client)? Is there any correlation between one property and the other in your experience?

I started off as a private contractor through an agency. I was hired through said agency to work for a large company.

The job went very well, and was rehired directly by that company as a 'vendor' (on their suggestion). More money in my pocket and theirs by cutting out the middle man.

Still there 3 years later, with the flexibility of being able to work on other projects outside.

I was pleasantly surprised by the clientèle on Craigslist, esp the Bay Area. Meet-Up.com has landed me some deals as well.

ONE and ONLY ONE word: networking. It's the most important factor in getting your initial customers. Once you have those, they are added to your network, and will continue to bring you new work IF you do good work.

I might be a good client. Can you point me to some stuff you've done?

Check my profile for my throwaway email account, if you want to email me I'll reply with a list of sites I've worked on.

Tell your next potential client about your crack staff.

1. Get them to sign a contract.

2. Put ads for 3 developers on craigslist. Send the developers over.

3. You go check on them every day at 10:30 am.

4. At about 11:30 am walk down to the client's office, chat for 10 minutes and then ask "have you had lunch yet?"

5. Take client to lunch everyday. They pay you to take them out to lunch. Just pad the fee enough.

provide the "warm fuzzy feeling" as some freelancing/consultant how-to once said:

http://unixwiz.net/techtips/be-consultant.html

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