Hi Reader,

Happy Friday!

Hope you've had a good week! I got my first tattoo this week, which is something I've been wanting to do for YEARS but have only just plucked up the courage/really set my mind to it.

It's a reminder that if we really want to do something, we should do it... and, at least for me, the anticipation is always way worse than doing the actual thing.

P.S. This week on Instagram, I shared 89 ways to find freelance clients (yes, 89!!!). Check them out here. And don't forget to give me a follow for regular tips and tricks!

Here's what I've been up to this week work-wise:

👉 I wrote 2 pieces for clients (Spoke and an influencer marketing tool)

👉 I refreshed 4 pieces for Shopify

👉 I held the final mentoring call in this batch

👉 I had a call with a potential partnership opportunity

⏱ Approx hours spent on client work this week: ~17

⏱ Approx hours spent on non-client work: ~2

💰 Total revenue this week: £3,900

Want to advertise your business, course, product, program, or software to 7,000+ freelancers and creative business owners? Check out the affordable sponsorship options here.

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Check out my three practical courses that have helped 500+ people get more clients, earn more money, and create better content.

Friday Freelance Tip​​ ✨ ​

When you’ve been freelancing a while, you start to realise something most “how to find clients” threads forget to mention... more hustle doesn’t automatically mean more clients.

Usually, the issue isn't that you're not pitching enough, it's that not enough of the right people know you exist (or trust your judgement... yet).

Getting seen is one thing. Being liked and trusted is another beast entirely.

Here’s how I’ve learned to bridge that gap.

Stop treating lead generation like a buffet

Most freelancers treat lead generation as a scatter of one-off tactics: A post here. A DM there. Maybe a networking call if they’re feeling brave.

And to be fair, each of those can work. But the magic happens when they all work together.

I like to think of lead generation as an ecosystem rather than a checklist I can work my way through.

You’ve got different layers: visibility, proof, and connection. When those layers start to feed into each other, you create a flywheel, a.k.a. a self-sustaining loop of warm leads that find you.

Posting builds visibility.

Engaging builds familiarity

Showing your process builds trust.

Individually, they’re tiny actions. But together, they form the foundation of consistent inbound interest. And you can see how they layer on top of each other.

Build a “people map”

The scattergun approach (messaging anyone who looks vaguely relevant) can get you started, sure. But at some point, it stops working.

To go deeper, you need to know: Where are the rooms full of people who already want what I do?

Once you know that, start creating a living document of names, companies, and communities worth staying visible in.

Add:

• Founders you admire
• Companies you’d love to work with
• Newsletter writers your clients read
• LinkedIn creators speaking to your audience
• Agency owners who subcontract
• Podcast hosts in your niche

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Your people map tells you where to spend your energy instead of chasing random opportunities that don’t go anywhere.

Warm yourself up before you reach out

A classic freelancer mistake is to...

1. Arrive.
2. Pitch.
3. Hope for the best.

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A better approach is to:

1. Observe.
2. Add value.
3. Become familiar.
4. Pitch only if it makes sense.

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This is what I call “warming up" and is what turns a cold pitch into a natural next step.

Here are a few low-effort, high-impact ways to warm up:

• Thoughtfully comment on their content
• Reply to their newsletter or story
• Share their post with a genuine insight
• Offer a tiny observation about their brand or positioning

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Once your people map is in place, you can spend just 5–10 minutes a day doing warm-up activities. It’s one of those small habits that compounds b-e-a-utifully over time.

Show your brain

Look, clients don’t hire you because you write, design, code, or strategise.

They hire you because of how you think (😱).

The skill is the foundation, yes, but your thinking is the differentiator.

So show it. Share:

• How you make decisions
• The questions you ask on projects
• Problems you’ve solved (and how)
• Mistakes you’ve made and fixed
• Behind-the-scenes screenshots
• 60-second videos or voice notes breaking down an insight

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Try to post at least one “thinking” post per week which will give a little window into how you approach your craft.

Use micro-asks to open doors

Instead of jumping straight to, “Do you need help?”, try smaller, softer questions that invite conversation.

We're not looking for someone to sign a 12 month contract with us TODAY because, chances are, if they don't know us, like us, or trust us, they absolutely won't.

Instead, we want to offer smaller asks.

Things like:

• “How are you currently approaching X?”
• “Do you ever outsource Y?”
• “Who owns X inside your team?”

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These “micro-asks” unlock hidden opportunities. They start conversations that often lead to work without really feeling like sales outreach (because you're literally just asking a question... you're just being curious!).

Try sending 5 micro-asks a week to people already in your orbit.

Getting clients is the biggest hurdle a lot of us freelancers face, because we NEED clients. Without them, well, we just don't have a business lol.

But there's not really any correlation between how much effort you put in and the results you get. Sure, more numbers means more potential opportunities, but ONLY if you're putting your energy in the right places.

Build a small ecosystem where the right people see you, like you, and trust you enough to say yes. Map your world. Warm your rooms. Show your brain. Ask better questions.

~ Consistency compounds ~

You're welcome.

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Click the button below to do yours!

As always, happy freelancing :)

Lizzie ✨

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