[Workflow/Pics] Use this process when freelancing to land high paying clients - Part 1/2
Tags: career, webdev, freelancing, iknowguacisextra
Published: 2021-02-18 20:22:56

##HAVE A PROCESS IN PLACE AND DON'T WING IT
In order to succeed in freelancing and make over six figures a year, you **MUST** have a process in place.  Which is exactly why you should take this one I'm giving you.  This is developed from my 6 years in the advertising space (with some guys having 30 years experience) landing clients like US Army, Mattel Toys, Cleveland Clinic and LiftMaster/Chamberlain.  After that, I landed my very fist freelancing client for $19,950 USD using this exact framework.  So it works.  Let's dive in.
![Alt Text](https://dev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/articles/0d7dz6f902kazje1zg2j.jpeg)
#THIS PROCESS HAS 2 STAGES: 
##Stage 1
![Alt Text](https://dev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/articles/jepwzllqs7xz5x6cayrz.jpg)
This is where you are hunting and gathering.  You're looking for new companies to work with.  DO NOT rely on word of mouth.  The goal here (and this is the most important skill you'll learn) is know what companies to work with and what companies to not work with.  Which ones have budgets to support a website valued at $15,000 USD and will be easy to work with - get good at finding this and your life will be 10000000X easier.  Just like anything else, it will take time to learn.  

So let's say you've identified 50 companies in your niche that you believe would benefit from a new website.  Now what?  
##OUTREACH 
![Alt Text](https://dev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/articles/pn7f7hyab6rzowrxdmmz.png)
Start with the phone.  I'll make a future post about how to cold call but start there and if they don't answer use email.  While email is way more scalable than calling, it ruins the element of surprise which you can play in your favor if done right.  With the cold outreach you need to get across that in your niche you're the expert and have your act together.  This process helps you communicate that.  So let's say that you cold called an HVAC company and you get the CEO on the line.  You want to keep the conversation brief!  You want to have their website in front of you with ideas ready to go because at first, you're going to sound like every other developer/agency that has called them.  BUT, when you niche down and have their stats in front of them (use SEMrush) they listen.  Learn their industry and carry the conversation about it.  Ask them "why hasn't the website been updated in X years?" "are you looking to get a modern facelift" "what problems would a new site solve?" "I'll show you how a new design can boost sales/revenues".  Ask their timing on something like this.  You want to ask those questions to vet them, not the other way around.  You want to be sure the person you're talking to is the decision maker, recognizes the need for a new website and is currently in the market for a new site.  Or at the least is open to the idea of one. 
##FIRST TOUCH...QUALIFY THEM
What this means is you want to know who you're talking to.  Is this person the decision maker?  That's the biggest thing, can this person put ink to paper?  They know the heartbeat of the company and are willing to invest if presented with the right opportunity.  How do you qualify?  Ask these questions in a non robotic, conversational way:
-are they the decision maker?
-do they like the idea of a new website?
-do they have budget to cover the cost?
-does the timing make sense?
Use Linkedin or just go to the 'About Us' page on their website to know you're talking you're talking to the dm.  Everything else can be covered in the ~10 minute phone conversation for the most part.  If they say they are not interested, Great!  You know what company to NOT waste time on.  Fantastic.  Go to the next one.  In the event they would like to chat more, awesome schedule a Zoom call.  Ask them what their email is and let them know that you'll be sending a Calendly link to schedule.  Have Zoom integrate with Calendly.
here, ask to schedule a 45 minute Zoom call so you can share your screen and ideas along with your internal design process... along with a past project you've done and what results that has brought to that business.  
##FIGURE OUT THE PAIN POINT
What is it that would make the decision maker move?  What will drive them to make a decision quickly and in your favor?  I'll cover that in the next post but when you know that information, you have leverage.  And leverage is a great thing to have... combine that with timing (sense of urgency) and *boom* you have yourself a deal.  

#QUESTIONS?
If there are questions on this initial phase, ask me and I'll get to them.  This process while simple, took me about 3 years to refine with the help of many people and trial and error.  

www.codersales.io