Many freelancers have the dream of landing a handful of high-paying freelance clients and never having to search for new clients again. The problem is, when most freelancers think of high-paying clients, they think big companies. They assume big companies = big budgets and small companies = small budgets.
Here’s the problem: it’s an assumption. Sure, some big companies do have big budgets. But some are in the red. Some small, solopreneur companies are multi-million dollar profit generators.
So, while it’s natural to have a bunch of those “If only I could work with …” dream clients, it’s also worth adding other types of clients to your list.
In fact, high-paying freelance clients might be businesses that don’t initially excite you. (The keyword here is initially.)
Read on to find the four reasons why extending your search beyond your dream list can result in even more high-paying freelance clients.
1. Limiting Your Client List Holds Your Business Back
Think about it: there are so many high-paying clients (that could turn into repeat clients) in the world. You couldn’t possibly have a majority of them on your list of favorites. When you limit your list in any way, it just keeps your business from reaching its full potential. Why would you want to do anything to hold yourself back?
Additionally, you shouldn’t assume you wouldn’t like to work with a certain business until you at least meet with the potential client. Making assumptions is another common way freelancers hold their businesses back, so don’t fall into the trap of assuming anything.
You have no idea how much money the business does or doesn’t have. You have no idea all the projects that may be in the works.
Even if you start working with a client and realize it isn’t a perfect match, you can always walk away when the project is over. At least then you know for sure that they aren’t the type of company you want to work with and you got some more experience along the way.
The key is to identify what clients or projects are just challenging and pushing you outside of your comfort zone and separate those from partnerships that genuinely drain your energy and are a bad fit for you. This will lead to more opportunities to find high-paying clients moving forward.
2. Leaving Your Comfort Zone Helps You Grow Your Skills
Facing challenges frequently is the best way to grow as a person, and this is also true for growing as a freelancer.
Remember that part of being a freelancer is being able to tackle multiple industries and types of companies. That’s also part of the fun! So, if a company feels foreign to you, working with them will be another opportunity to widen your scope.
Plus, the perk of being a freelancer is you don’t have to continue working with a client if you do not want to. Just remember to check in with yourself: are you genuinely miserable working with the client? Or are you growing? Is the client pushing you to be an even better freelancer and it’s a little (or a lot!) uncomfortable?
3. Digging In Will Make You Excited About a Client
It’s highly likely that once you dive into a client’s business you will become excited about the work. Getting a behind-the-scenes look at the business, their product or service, and their mission may even give you inspiration for your own work and how you can help the client reach its intended audience.
In fact, one of my most interesting clients happened to be a residential tractor company. This was just about the opposite of what I thought I would find interesting at the beginning. But once I learned the full-story behind their business, I was fascinated.
One of the best parts of freelancing is that you get to experience working with a variety of companies. And being open to opportunities that don’t initially excite you can lead to some pleasant surprises.
4. The More Diverse Your Portfolio, the More Valuable You Become
Finally, partnering with a broad range of clients is a great way to land more high-paying clients. It makes your freelance website much more appealing to prospective clients. Not only do you add more samples of your work to your website, but you also show that you can match your services to any industry’s needs.
You’ll find the most traction when you demonstrate that you can accommodate the needs of any client regardless of their industry. Working with clients that aren’t the most appealing to you at first will definitely help you do that.
Are you ready to land high-paying clients by searching beyond the companies that wow you at first glance? Why or why not? Tell us in the comments below!
Last Updated on July 1, 2023.
