Ask HN: How do you find freelance work?

You've got this figured out. Hoping for some additional tips, though my work is a different field.

I do freelance writing, like resume editing and copy for business websites. I have mostly worked when and as much as I wanted on projects I liked, but at low pay through a service where I can't build a portfolio because I am a ghost writer.

I am trying to figure out how to move away from that. Any thoughts on how to learn how to find clients, set rates, etc? I am struggling with this transition. I think I know a fair amount at this point about creating good writing for certain kinds of things, but I seriously lack business acumen when it comes to some of these specifics. And it's a serious barrier to closing deals.

I've used two strategies that have worked well.

First, I followed the advice of people lower in the thread and got embedded in two niche communities (private schools + small business owners in my local area). Second, given that in the past I wasn't a talented networker (that's changing, albeit over years, not weeks) I partnered with two other developers who were skilled networkers and observed how they generated leads and closed sales. The combo of [exposure to potential clientele (1) + knowledge of how to talk to and close those clientele] has been effective.

Another note: all my biggest clients have come through relationships - personal friendships and past customers of software I've created. It's a patient game, for sure, but after a couple years of slowly but steadily completing projects and doing the right things, I'm booked out 6-8 months and have a sustainable pace of work.

> And I took it at 40% of my normal day-job rate ... That was two years of nights and weekends that did not belong to me.

I wonder if the workload was high in part because you gave such an insanely good deal?

It took me a while to get my contracting rate up to where it was high enough to support me, and to feel comfortable asking for what seemed like large numbers. But the quality of work has actually improved the more I ask.

Contracting rate should be more like 150%-200% of your salary rate, since 4-6 billable hours are about the most you can consistently get out of a 10 hour work day. And that doesn't include the weeks spent looking for work between contract jobs.

A client that doesn't know what he wants is a bad client. Those kinds of people often have unrealistic expectations like "I want a website like Facebook for $500". Don't work for such people.

That leaves people who do know what they want. So let's look at it from their perspective.

Let's say they need a Windows desktop app.

Two people apply for the job.

You say "I'm a great programmer, here's a website I wrote".

The other guy says: "I'm an experienced C# programmer. In the past I've developed 3 Windows desktop applications in C#/WinForms and I can do the same for you".

If you were hiring, who would get the job.

This is not about pushing C# technology but a best match between what the client wants and what your skills are.

It's also not about C#.

What the OP meant is that if you have a specific skillset, you should market that skillset specifically. Both ruby backend programmer and an iOS mobile programmers are programmers, but when a client is looking for iOS mobile programmer, he'll pick someone marketing his "iOS programming skills" over someone marketing his "programming skills".

Always more to learn, but I've been happy with the results so far.

My rule when I was unhappy with my rates was simple:

1. Double my rates.

2. If the client mentions my rates, but still agrees, then I haven't increased them enough. Go back to step 1.

3. If the client says no because of my rates, I move on (this can be a good sign - if no one is turned away because your prices are too high, you don't have too high of prices). If enough potential clients say no because of my rates (50% lower conversion rate is break even when you've doubled your rates, so # of clients must more than half), then I lower my rates. I quickly climbed from $20/hour to my current rate using this strategy.

There's a nice effect here where higher rates suggest higher quality, which in turn attracts the right types of clients and makes them more willing to pay. I've also found that I want to give them $X/hour quality work, so I'm more focused and the quality increases as a result. Lots of happy feedback loops.

For your specific situation - do you have many repeat customers? One trick that worked well for me is to price my first project with a client at an introductory rate 20% lower than what I actually want to earn (positioned as a "first project discount"). When that project goes well and they come back for more work, the introductory rate doesn't apply, and you've earned yourself a 20%/hour bonus.