If you are a full-time software developer you might felt slight envy when you see a developer that goes freelance. Many freelance developers earn more than in a full-time job. Besides that, you also have the freedom to be your own boss and enjoy the flexibility of working. We understand that you have that kind of “Free” and “Wealthy” desire that pushing you to start freelancing immediately and quit your current job. But it’s a bad idea to quit your job and strike out on your own if you don’t yet have a stable client base. So, here are the 5 Easy Steps to Land Your First Client as a Freelance Developer.    

1. Online Portfolio  

Clients are searching for a freelancer who can complete projects on schedule. They’ll take a look at your resume and past jobs. There’s a 90% chance you’ll lose work to a more experienced freelancer if you’re new to freelancing. As a result, in order to impress a potential customer, you must have a compelling portfolio. That’s the first rule in 5 easy steps to land your first client as a freelance developer.  

Online portfolio can be a website, if you have time to create your own website.  Or  you can just build online portfolio on freelance marketplace platform like Flexgigzz.  Your portfolio must  include these three main things. First your skill, then your previous or daily jobs or projects. Put up some screen shots and a description of the project. The last  you must tell customers what problem that you can solve for them. 

2. FreeWork to Get Testimonials  

Imagine you are doing a promotion of a drink product. You see some sales offering you free tester.   Put yourself on their position, but you offering your service. What you will do ? You will offering some free service right ?. You need a reputation focused on projects you’ve already done to get projects. However, since you’re starting from scratch, you don’t have any projects or a reputation. If you’re in this place, your primary goal should be to develop your credibility rather than to make money first.  This is very crucial to get your first client as a freelance developer. 

So how you can do free work ? 

• Approach  start-up companies or projects by your friend or colleagues. Start –up often has tight budget, so they will happily give you project.  
• Check with local businesses to see if they require any software development services that you can provide. 
• Make a professional-looking business e-card with your name on it and send it to all of your contacts. Let them know that for a limited time, you’ll be offering your freelance services at a reduced rate. 

After you finish the project, don’t forget to ask their testimonials. Testimonials or recommendations are extremely important in obtaining new clients. 

3. Create Video Tutorials and Write Articles

You can create video tutorials on youtube about programming  or write articles about it. It doesn’t need to be  a good video  and you can post yor article on your blog, or platform like medium or even twitter.  You can put  the link of your articles and youtube video tutorial on your portfolio as well. 

4. Online and Offline Marketing

When it comes to landing projects, marketing is extremely critical. You must make yourself known in areas where potential clients are likely to be found. You should have a plan for both online and offline meetings so you will reach clients both ways. 

Prepare a name card so when you meet a potential client in person you are ready to give him your name card. Maintain a relaxed and welcoming sound. Avoid being too formal because a potential client is more likely to recruit you if you can communicate with him or her directly. 

While for online marketing you can use social media like stackoverflow  Where You can also take part in online discussions related to your area of expertise. Respond to questions on forums to interact and communicate with other.

5. Contribute to open source projects

Contributing to open source projects gives you a leg up on the competition. It’s also not difficult to do, but it can be a little overwhelming at first. 

Here ‘s how to start  

• Look for initiatives that are still relatively new but are gaining traction. More advanced projects have more lines of code and are more complex than newer projects. 
• Look at the project’s problems list after you’ve chosen a project, then pick a minor bug and try to fix it. 
• Alternatively, you might launch your own project. Make a hobby project or service that you can share on GitHub. If other developers like it, they’ll ask for new features or improvements, and your project will expand. 

After that be sure to include your open-source accomplishments in your online portfolio ! 

You’ll need experience, a strong portfolio, and a strong network to succeed as a freelancer. Those three important things can’t be built in one night. But you must start to starting. You can start to create freelancer profile now on Flexgigzz.com and  put your job accomplishments on your profile, you can also create your service packages (gigs) to offer to clients.  

Source : Sitepoint

#freelance #developer #portfolio #marketing #tutorial

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About Skyhigh.Vip

Skyhigh.Vip is a global institutional investor with vast interest in Arts / Construction / Education / Business Services / E-Sports and various other growth industries.

Several of its popular portfolio includes GO Chambers which is the world’s largest business chamber listing providers with over 30,000 active chambers as its members.

Flexgigzz is the Asia leading marketplace for freelancer service and together with SOHO Learning Hub which is an online platform for short courses and both of them aims to be the number one provider in Asia. For growth industries such as E-Sport Authority which is dedicated to providing independent media coverage to all E-Sport News related from around the world and for the art world, there is Atelier Auction which is an investable art auctioneer and being in the art scene for decades