Capturing Projects And Prospects: 3 Key Tools for Freelancers and Startups

Have no clue on how to start looking for new projects and prospects? We share what we consider to be the 3 Key Tools to get started with solo sales.

As a developer, you can usually go through three paths: 
You can go solo as a freelancer and pitch for projects that are completely aligned with your expertise and experience. 
You can join a company and be part of something bigger that requires a full time commitment with a team. 
And finally, if you have that entrepreneur sparkle, you can start your own business with a team of your choice.

Going freelance or starting a business, however, imply that you’ll be, if not fully, at least partially responsible for finding new business and projects to work in. Not only you’ll have to code, but you’ll have to pitch ideas, discuss payment rates and delivery time frames.

Thankfully, nowadays, looking for new projects is fairly easy, but there’s plenty of fish in the sea, so you might want to be informed of how to do it in the smartest and most effective way possible. 

Online Platforms

These are the safest and easiest options for beginners (freelancers and startups as well) and keep in mind that you can also use these platforms for hiring processes.
By creating a profile, you’ll be able to look for new projects with hourly rates estimates completely disclosed from the start and even some info about the hiring company. 

Pros: almost every single one of these platforms is easy to use and very intuitive. You’ll be able to get daily updates on your email with project suggestions that suit your skills which is quite helpful. Oh! And most of them are free to use and offer premium options if you want to step up your game.

Cons: unfortunately, there are a lot of developers in the same position as you, so prepare for serious competition. We recommend that you get your elevator pitch and portfolio completely ready to go and extremely appealing. Make sure it leaves a good impression – the first impression is extremely important when you’re competing with other freelancers and companies. Don’t feel the pressure to lower your price rates and instead, stand by your work and results.
And we can’t sugar coat this: not every project is qualified so get comfortable browsing and keeping an eye open for interesting prospects. Persistence is essential to success!

Platforms Suggestions: AppFutura, Freelancer, Twago, Gun.Io, Upwork, Hired, Top Development Agencies

Outsourcing Sales Team 

Bigger companies usually have a sales team working full time to find and develop new businesses opportunities.
Unfortunately, this reality isn’t inclusive, so as a freelancer but most importantly, as a startup or small business, you might want to find a different solution that fits your needs better.
An outsourcing sales team or freelancer aware of the market and your business needs might be the answer to find new prospects and take care of new leads.

Pros: You won’t have to do all the sales work by yourself nor commit to an integral sales and business development team.
Outsourcing sales companies and freelancers usually specialise in specific fields or geographical areas, so you’ll be able to work your prospects according to the type of industries and projects you’re interested in developing and even find better bids in tempting markets.

Cons: Although it is not a bigger deal as it would be hiring a full time sales team, an outsourcing sales team doesn’t come for free, and keep in mind that sales work might not immediately show the results you’re looking for. It takes time, patience and dedication, so don’t expect results right away. Manage your expectations!

LinkedIn 

If you’re a freelancer or just started your business, we can’t recommend enough that you create and properly curate your LinkedIn profile. That is the basic of basics. Yet, keep in mind that LinkedIn is more than a social media platform for professionals: it can be one of your most useful tools to get noticed by hiring companies and potential prospects. 
You can search for companies that match your fields of expertise and interest, know what they’re up to developmentally speaking and get in touch with their team. 

Pros: LinkedIn is fairly easy to use and you’ll be able to find almost every single existing company there. It’s a channel that promotes interaction among professionals, filled with interesting information and useful tips. 

Cons: Cold mailing can be challenging at first and it might require paying for LinkedIn premium in order to do so. 

So now you can measure the pros and cons and see what might suit your needs better in the long run! 

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