Before me and my partner founded Simpleet, we were freelance for a good number of years. Like any new company in the website industry, the first concern is how do you get yourself known. When you are a freelancer, you’ll keep telling yourself you don’t know any bosses or managers. Well, here’s the the best damn marketing tip I ever learnt; business cards.
Everyone who asked me how I started or how I got clients, I’d tell them it was thanks to my business cards. The best damn advice which came with the best damn marketing tip was:
Give out your business cards like confetti…
Or, in a Malaysian slang I’d say, “give out your business cards like no tomorrow”. Believe me, business cards were (maybe still is) the best marketing tool you should have on-hand. And, if you didn’t know, even bloggers should have their own business cards!
So, stop asking how to get business and get designing then printing. Once you’ve got your 5-10 boxes of business cards, start handing them out like you really mean it. Also, you could start by passing them to your parents, siblings, relatives then friends and etc.
With Web 2.0 right now, you have basic solutions from email newsletters to Twitter, Facebook and more. So seriously, stop feeling helpless and go out and do it. I have faith in you too! :D
The best advise given by anyone I read this year. Priceless!
Yerp2…. it’s true… who said freelancer don’t need business card? My business card did a lot of business for me. Recommended by my previous clients is one of it. I never thought my client passing my cards to their friends. So business card is important. But please, design business card properly. Don’t make it like a cheap scam cards. :P
@chris:
Well, business cards aren’t going to leave the face of the earth just yet. :)
@lightdes:
Indeed, there are printers who charge cheap and you’ll get business cards which leave ugly markings in your wallet under immense heat. Also, there are some who believe in feng shui business cards. o.0