Getting Clients and starting out

Jan 28, 2015

Good morning e-Learners,

I'm currently trying to move over into the world of freelancing after working as an eLearning developer for over year now I’m ready to begin my personal journey (hopefully to success).

 

I understand that this for a while will have a vast effect on my weekends and evenings while I maintain my current job role, all of which is fine.

 

My trouble is that I don't know where to turn to get clients, I work for a specific company and we do all our learning in house, Meaning I never build a course for another company - Rather i build it for other colleagues to use. So i can't build up any clients here.

 

Where would i begin to look? Does anyone have some tips or could point me in the direction of potential employment?

 

14 Replies
Jackie Van Nice

Hi Charles!

Since this is a common question for everyone starting out, I finally made it into a 3-step formula and summed up how I did it in a post: My 3-Step Formula for Finding Work as a Freelancer.

Check the comments people have made, too, for some testimonials!

Best of luck to you, Charles. It can certainly be done. 

Jackie

Ashley Chiasson

Charles,

Jackie's post has some fantastic advice; especially being irresistible :P I too drafted up some posts that might be of interest:

Some other great links to check out are: 

However, my all time best pieces of advice are as follows:

  • Build a portfolio...if you build it, they will come.
  • Engage in likeminded communities (like this one).
  • Brush up on your professional development - there are plenty of free courses out there.
Ashley Chiasson

Charles - Don't worry about the content of the samples; I did initially. When I left my corporate gig, I was deflated by the realization that I couldn't use any of my work at that company in my portfolio (it was military training, thus controlled goods). Instead, I created a couple basic interactions, one of which is How to Bath a Cat, and while not corporate AT ALL, it's still one of my most viewed samples.

Jackie Van Nice

Yup. Ashley's right. It has nothing to do with the content. If you look at all of the #ELHChallenges I've completed (which is exactly what clients look at) you'll see they're usually quite silly when it comes to subject matter. But the fact that they're short and entertaining (and good examples of whatever skills I'm demonstrating) makes life much easier for them.

Put yourself in their shoes. Do you really want to look at 500 portfolio samples that go on and on and on and are all deadly serious and all have something to do with the corporate world? You'll find it much easier to stand out if your work is fantastic and the subject matter is fresh and new.

Phil Mayor

Good luck Charles, I would build your profile, build your portfolio and build your contacts.  It takes hard work, I started over weekend and evenings but the rewards are worth it.  Although my boss now is more of a slavedriver than I have ever worked for, I had flu this week and couldn't phone in sick because it is me :-)

Bruce Graham
Ashley Chiasson

Agree - You really need to network like you mean it, and eventually it will pay off. There's a lot of hustling in the early stages of any independent career, so don't become discouraged if things don't happen instantaneously.

There's a lot of hustling - even in the later stages! :)

Never forget that when you enter a freelance life, you are primarily and foremost a salesperson. Then you use those skills to show that you are an instructional designer, then you demonstrate your capabilities. You have to know how to sell repeatedly, convincingly, and confidently. Remember to learn those skills as well - there are plenty of sources out there.

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