Best way to attract clients. Scale! - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: mrburnzie
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: March 02, 2021, 08:02:37 am
content: Hi guys.In the past 3 years I had around 10 clients (a couple were reaccuring too).My goal is to make freelance my primary income in the next couple of years.What is the best method to scale? Mostly asking the veteran players here.I'm also ready to work with a team, because on some projects I had people recruited to complete the project faster (and because they knew how to do it better than I).I'm open to making my own product (which is always a better option, because I don't have to deal with clients), but I don't have the capital yet to do that...I would also like opinions on the pros and cons of freelance.Edit: My services are designing a prototype (PCB and firmware), optimising it for production and scheduling production (anywhere from 100 - 50K units (my largest number)).

author: brabus
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: March 02, 2021, 08:10:51 am
content: I started my business and had the same "issue", but I think I found a way.The question is very simple: how can you offervalueto your customers?If you can clearly identify thevaluein what you are offering, start from there.It may be the priceIt may be a specific know-howIt may be the personal connectionA million other things.The question is: why exactly should I contact you and no one else? Do you have an answer already?In my case, I am dealing with a very specific customer and environment (the railway), offering a very rare value nowadays: a clear and bullshit-free communication. May sound brutal sometimes, but it works wonders.

author: Nusa
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 02, 2021, 08:14:58 am
content: Scale what? What kind of services/expertise are you offering to your clients?

author: mrburnzie
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: March 02, 2021, 08:26:42 am
content: Reply to brabus and NusaAt the end of the projects I always request an honest personal review from my clients.They basically liked that I told them (straight up, no bullshit) if something was not possible/too expensive, which I always ended with me presenting a solution and a win-win situation.My services are designing a prototype (PCB and firmware), optimising it for production and scheduling production (anywhere from 100 - 50K units (my largest number)).Because I'm based in the Balkans, my prices are quite lower, but I had a couple clients say that I'm undervaluing myself.To answer brabuses question, I don't exactly have the answer to why exactly should someone contact me... I have a general answer, like above, but nothing specific.

author: kaz911
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 02, 2021, 09:20:11 am
content: The question is how much can you scale.Your commodity is time and knowledge.To calculate your full time working rates you can scale to - you need to estimate how much of your time your should sell. Normally for consultants - that would be somewhere between 55-60% "have" to be sold. So the 55% should provide enough money for you to pay a reasonable salary and set money aside for slow times. So for single person business - that would probably mean you split 50/50 - so 20-30% of your time goes towards paying your salary and 20-30% towards savings and general "overhead"So that means selling yourself 20-25 hours a week - should be enough to cover your salary and overhead. And 10-12 of those hours is what covers you "personal" salary.Then you are on the right path towards being able to grow your business.

author: mrburnzie
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: March 02, 2021, 09:44:12 am
content: Alright thanks.Any advice on where and what method is the best to attract larger clients?

author: brabus
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: March 02, 2021, 10:30:17 am
content: Quote from: mrburnzie on March 02, 2021, 09:44:12 amContacts, good deeds and again contacts.I ended up doing what I do because a friend of a friend remembered me and introduced me to the right people.One of my technical partners ended up working with a major european supplier because he had an occasional dinner with a top manager who was needing just that and at that time. Pure chaos!

author: mrburnzie
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: March 02, 2021, 10:52:40 am
content: Quite the chainBecause of corona I'm mostly stuck with LinkedIn, but it is quite hard to connect with the right people and at the same time fly over the spammy people.What is the best move when it comes to LinkedIn? Find people that are heads of a company and try to sell my services?

author: brabus
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: March 02, 2021, 11:00:31 am
content: Quote from: mrburnzie on March 02, 2021, 10:52:40 amMy experience with Linkedin?There are two kinds of people there:- Cocky monkeys bragging about their endless list of semi-fake titles; basically everyone MUST have the word "manager" somewhere in their CV- Recruiters who desperately try to spam the same email to 1000 people and get 1 or 2 answers back.Like: "Hello [INSERT NAME], we find your legendary CV particularly spectacular, you will be the best added value to our company since 1926, would you please sign this sub-contracting recruiting obscure contract to work for a company you will know after the whole process is done?". No, thanks.Keep an eye on Linkedin, but do not invest too much time there. I almost never saw a serious job offer, particularly for a contractor.Put yourself in the clothes of the company you want to work with. If you need a specialist contractor, would you first look at Linkedin? I wouldn't, or at least not as first choice.

author: kaz911
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 02, 2021, 11:16:14 am
content: The best way(s) to attract clients is through 2 ways:1. Word of mouth from your "old" clients - so they "advertise you" - you can't control that but you can always ask your prior clients to recommend you if they hear of any potential work. That is the easiest kind of sale as there is an implied trust through the recommendation.2. By networking with people - I have gotten a lot of work from going to Electronics conferences / Seminars and talking to everybody else there. But not everyone is geared towards that. I've also gotten quite a bit of work through my "non electronics" hobbies - where you meet other people - like joining golf, flying or sailing clubs. Even a chess club got me work when I was young(er) *G* - but that is a long term strategy.

author: mrburnzie
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: March 02, 2021, 11:27:47 am
content: Agreed, linkedin is like facebook, but they don't show their 231 month babies only their "manager" fullfilling livesI agree that recommendation is the way to go, but quite long term...If I would put myself in a companies shoes that is seeking such services, I would either ask the engineers that work there (or friends) if they have a recommendation...I guess for something like this linkedin is good, because if someone likes my post, all of their connections will see it and it can scale... opinions?Personal website would go a long way, too I think.

author: Ice-Tea
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 02, 2021, 11:38:38 am
content: Quote from: mrburnzie on March 02, 2021, 08:02:37 amAnd then you're dealing with customers. Not better.LinkedIn can be a good way to scout for opportunities. If you see a job opening asking for a fixed employee, apply. Explain that you can't offer them a fixed employee but that as a freelancer you fit their profile. That you understand that that may not be what they are looking for right now but that you invite them to put your CV in their 'toolbox' for when a future need would arise.

author: mrburnzie
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: March 02, 2021, 11:46:43 am
content: Hmmm, quite a good approach honestly. Haven't thought of that yet. Def will try!