The hardest client to get is the first one. Without reviews, every proposal you send is competing against people who already have a track record. The good news: clients don't hire reviews, they hire people who make them feel confident the job will get done. You can create that confidence before anyone has rated you.
This guide walks through a practical plan that works whether you write, design, code, edit video or do admin work.
1. Pick one thing you can deliver well
"I can do anything" sounds flexible, but to a client it sounds risky. A client looking for a logo wants a logo designer, not a generalist who also does logos.
Choose one service you could deliver this week with the skills you already have. Make it specific:
- Not "writing", but "blog posts for small online shops"
- Not "web development", but "fixing and speeding up WordPress sites"
- Not "design", but "social media graphics for restaurants and cafés"
You can widen your offer later. For the first client, narrow is easier to sell.
2. Build a small portfolio before you need it
You don't need paid work to show what you can do. Create two or three samples that look like the work you want to be hired for:
- A writer can publish three sample articles on topics their target clients care about.
- A designer can redesign the menu of a local café, or create a brand kit for an imaginary company.
- A developer can build a small working tool and put the code online.
- A virtual assistant can show a cleaned-up spreadsheet or a well-organised inbox system (with made-up data).
Label concept work honestly as "concept" or "sample". Clients respect that far more than an inflated claim, and it still shows your skill.
Add these samples to the portfolio section of your profile, with a short line on what each one shows, so clients can see your work in one place.
3. Write a profile that answers the client's questions
A client skimming your profile wants to know three things fast: what you do, who you do it for, and why they can trust you with it.
Headline: say the service and the result. "Shopify product descriptions that turn browsers into buyers" works better than "Creative freelance writer".
About: two or three short paragraphs. What you do, how you work (for example "I send a first draft within 48 hours and include two rounds of changes"), and what clients can expect when they message you.
Skills and tools: add the ones that match the jobs you'll apply for. Clients and search filters both use them.
Photo: a clear, friendly photo of your face. It sounds minor, but it makes a profile feel like a real person.
4. Apply to fewer jobs, but better
Sending 50 copy-pasted proposals feels productive. It rarely works. Clients can tell when a proposal wasn't written for their job, and they skip it.
Instead, pick jobs where you can honestly say "I've done something very close to this". For each one:
- Read the whole post, including any questions the client asked.
- Open with their problem, not your biography.
- Show one relevant sample.
- Suggest a clear first step.
We wrote a separate guide on writing proposals that get replies with examples you can adapt.
5. Make your first project easy to say yes to
Clients worry most about hiring someone new. Reduce that worry:
Offer a small first stage. Instead of asking for the whole budget, suggest splitting the project into stages. For example, a deposit, then the first draft, then the final version. The client risks little at the start and sees progress before paying more. You're protected too, because you never do all the work before any money arrives. See how staged payments work.
Be specific about delivery. "First draft by Friday, final version two days after your feedback" is more reassuring than "fast delivery".
Price fairly, not desperately. A slightly lower price than experienced freelancers is reasonable while you have no reviews. A price that is far too low makes clients suspicious and attracts the hardest clients. Our pricing guide explains how to find your number.
6. Over-deliver on communication, not on scope
On your first projects, the thing clients remember most is how easy you were to work with. You don't need to do extra work for free; you need to be clear and reliable:
- Confirm what you understood before you start.
- Send a short update at each stage, even if it's just "on track for Friday".
- Ask questions early instead of guessing.
- Deliver when you said you would. If something slips, say so before the deadline, not after.
Keep this communication inside the project chat. If there's ever a disagreement, the messages and files recorded on the platform are your evidence. Conversations on other apps aren't.
7. Turn one client into the next three
When the project is finished and paid:
- Ask for a review. Most happy clients will leave one if you ask politely.
- Add the finished work to your portfolio (with the client's permission).
- Ask whether they have other work coming up, or know someone who might.
Your first review changes everything. From then on, every proposal you send carries proof that a real client trusted you and was happy with the result.
A realistic timeline
For most people, the first client comes after a week or two of steady, focused effort: a solid profile, a few good samples, and a handful of carefully written proposals each day. If nothing has happened after a few weeks, look again at your headline, your samples and your proposals. Usually one of the three isn't speaking to the clients you're applying to.
Ready to start? Browse open jobs and send your first proposal today.