As a freelancer one of the most important skills you have is networking. Since the nature of freelancing usually involves limited project based payments, you want to make sure that you are building a good reputation in your industry and have a solid network of clients. It may be tricky to accomplish this since freelancing and working remotely both lead to working solo often in isolation at home. Here are some tips to get you off to a great start:
Find Online Events to Attend
Networking events are an easy way to meet new people. Everyone is there for a common goal and open to meeting you. Research online networking events. If there are certain companies or prominent professionals attending, look them up before hand and think of talking points or some questions to strike up conversations.
Make Use of Co-working Spaces
As liberating as it is, working from home can get lonely at times. When and if it does, look for a cool co-working space nearby. Most big cities now have many of these co-working spaces. They are offices for freelancers, startups, entrepreneurs and the like. You can work there for a small fee. Going outside of the house might get those creative juices flowing. These places are also a great way to meet other designers, writers, developers and others.
Use Flatwork Effectively
Flatwork is a great place to introduce yourself to like minded fellow freelancers, experienced professionals, entrepreneurs and clients. You can meet people in the industry and collect great reviews from clients for the stellar work that you do along the way.
Most Importantly: Set Your Goals
No matter what your strategy, try to define your goals first. What are you trying to accomplish by networking. Are you at an event to find clients that can commission projects? Are you looking for mentors? Or is your primary goal to find peers to collaborate with?