10 Proven Ways to Find Clients Online in 2023

If you’re looking to learn how to get clients online, the methods in this guide will help you start making more money fast.

Whether you’re just starting out as a freelancer full-time, or as a side hustle, or your business is well underway and you’re looking to find higher-ticket gigs, these strategies will help.

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Finding new clients is one of the most important yet challenging aspects of running a successful business. With more and more businesses establishing an online presence, the internet provides a huge opportunity to connect with potential new clients.

In this article, I’ll share 10 proven strategies to help you find more clients online and grow your business in 2023.

1. Cold Pitching

One of the most direct ways to find new clients is cold pitching – reaching out to potential clients even if you don’t have a previous relationship.

To get started

Identify your ideal client avatar – the specific type of client you want to work with, Get very clear on who they are
Build a list of prospects that fit your ideal client profile. You can find contact information on their website, social media, or use tools like LinkedIn Sales Navigator.
Craft a compelling pitch email that is personalized to each prospect. Communicate why you’re a great fit to help them.
Follow up with non-responders. It often takes multiple touches for a cold pitch to convert into a sale.

The key is to make sure your outreach is relevant and adds value so prospects don’t just ignore it as spam. With persistence and a strong pitch, cold pitching can be very effective.

2. Boost Your Online Presence

The more visible you are online, the easier it will be for potential clients to find you. Here are some key strategies:

Optimize your website for SEO. Include keywords related to your services in titles, headers, content, URL, etc. This will help you rank higher in search engines.
Be active on LinkedIn. Share content regularly, join relevant groups, and connect with prospects. LinkedIn is essential for B2B lead generation.
Engage on other social channels. Depending on your industry, platforms like Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, etc can help display your expertise.
Publish guest posts. Reach new audiences by contributing articles to industry websites, blogs and publications. Include a bio with a link back to your website.
Network in your industry. Attend conferences and events, both online and in-person. Connect with attendees before, during and after.

The more you can do to build your reputation and visibility online, the more opportunities will arise organically.

3. Create Free Online Content

Providing free, valuable content is a great way to attract new clients. You can share your knowledge, demonstrate expertise and provide samples of your work.

Some content ideas include:

Blog posts
Videos
Webinars
Whitepapers and ebooks
Podcasts
Toolkits or templates
Case studies

Promote this content on your website, social media, email newsletters, and other channels. Industry colleagues may also share your content with their network, expanding your reach.

Make sure clients can easily learn about your services and contact you from your content. Useful, relevant content not only builds authority but can directly generate new business.

4. Freelance Job Boards

Freelance job boards allow you to create a profile and apply to clients posting projects across all kinds of specialties. They make it easy for clients to find freelancers with your skills and experience.

Some top freelance job sites include:

Upwork
Fiverr
Freelancer
Guru
FlexJobs
SolidGigs

Make sure you fill out your profile completely and include portfolio samples or past work. Set up alerts for new projects in your niche and respond to postings promptly to increase your chances. While competitive, freelance boards provide great lead generation potential.

5. Optimize Your Payment System

To convert prospects into paying clients, you need to make it as easy as possible for them to pay you. Friction during checkout and complicated payment processes lead to lost sales.

Make sure you have an optimized online payment system set up. For example:

Invoicing software like Freshbooks, Invoice2go or Wave allows you to quickly generate professional invoices and receive online payments.
Credit card payments can be accepted directly through platforms like Stripe, PayPal or Square.
Offer flexible payment options – allow clients to pay one-time, monthly installments, deposits, etc based on their preferences.
Be transparent about your rates, pricing and payment terms on your website and proposals. Disclose any fees.
Send payment reminders to ensure on-time payment. Automate reminders through your invoicing software.

The easier and more flexible your payment system is, the faster you’ll get paid and retain happy clients.

6. Utilize Paid Ads

While organic strategies are ideal, paid advertising lets you reach highly targeted audiences very quickly. Paid ads are a foolproof way to generate leads when you need them fast.

Some options to explore include:

Google Ads – Target prospects by keywords, location, demographics. Great for local services businesses.
Facebook and Instagram Ads – Target very specific audiences based on interests, behaviours, etc. Ideal for visual products/services.
LinkedIn Ads – Reach decision-makers by job title, industry, company. Perfect for B2B.
Quora Ads – Sponsor relevant answers to questions from your target audiences.
Industry-Specific Platforms – Some industries have dedicated paid ad networks. Do your research.

Track conversions diligently so you can optimize your ads over time. While paid ads require a budget, the leads generated can have very high conversion rates when targeted well.

7. Create a Referral Program

Referrals convert at very high rates since they come from trusted sources. Creating a formal referral program incentivizes existing happy clients to refer you more business.

Here are some tips for starting a referral program:

Offer incentives – Give referral rewards like discounts, gifts cards, credits or early access to new products. The reward should be enticing enough for clients to make referrals.
Track referrals – Use referral codes or links so you can attribute new clients to the correct referral source.
Make it visible – Promote the program visibly on your website, invoices, email signature and social media. Remind clients about it.
Say thank you – Show gratitude and recognize clients who refer new business to you. A handwritten note or surprise gift goes a long way.

Referrals create a positive cycle that builds on itself over time. The more referrals you get, the more credibility you gain, which leads to even more referrals.

8. Build Referral Partnerships

Find complementary businesses who serve the same type of ideal client you do, and partner with them to receive warm referrals.

Some partnerships that work very well include:

Web designers + digital marketing agencies
Photographers + graphic designers
SEO consultants + web developers
Event planners + caterers
Home inspectors + real estate agents

Reach out directly to relevant businesses and propose a referral partnership. Offer to refer clients to them if they refer clients to you.

To make these partnerships successful:

Only partner with those who truly serve the same audience.
Formalize the agreement and track referrals.
Promote your partners visibly online and offline.
Communicate regularly to send each other hot leads.

Referral partnerships allow both businesses to grow together by leveraging each others’ networks. It can take time to build trust and alignment, but leads to a steady stream of highly qualified new business.

9. Guest on Relevant Podcasts

Podcast interviews allow you to tap into new audiences by borrowing the host’s platform. Find podcasts aligned with your niche and approach them to be a guest.

When researching podcasts, look for:

Average number of listeners and downloads
Guest interview format and focus
Hosts who ask thoughtful questions

Make sure it’s a good fit in terms of topic and audience before pitching yourself as a guest. Have 3 key messages in mind that you want to communicate on the podcast.

Once booked, the interview is a chance to share your story, discuss your expertise, and direct interested listeners to learn more about your business. Podcast links can of course be reused on your website and social media.

Podcast interviews raise awareness just like guest posts and can bring in quality leads, especially for personal service-based businesses.

10. Attend Networking Events

While much of your client discovery may happen online, in-person networking is still invaluable. Conferences, trade shows, seminars and meetup groups in your industry allow you to make direct connections.

Here are some tips to maximize your success:

Strategize ahead of time – Set some goals e.g. 5 new connections, 3 leads gathered, 1 media contact made etc. Prepare an elevator pitch.
Initiate conversations – Be proactive in starting conversations with attendees. Share what you do, ask questions, find common ground.
Collect contact information – Make sure to get people’s business cards

how to find clients online

What do you say to attract more customers?

To attract more customers, your message should be crystal clear: tell them exactly how you’ll solve their problem like nobody else can. Use language that resonates with their deepest needs and desires. Remember, it’s not about you; it’s about them. Highlight the transformation they’ll experience after working with you. Think, “Go from feeling overwhelmed with your finances to confidently managing your money in 90 days.” Make them feel seen, understood, and ready to take action.

Join Professional Organizations In Your Niche

This is yet another overused piece of career advice.

However, as with #4 and #5 above, you need to find ways to set yourself apart from the crowd who are just using these to find clients.

Just because the professional organization was built, does not mean that clients will come.

Aside from finding connectors, a great way to leverage the power of a professional organization is to volunteer for them. Offer to do something for them for free: design a landing page, restructure a database; make your offer valuable to them.

Unfortunately, you won’t be the only person attempting this strategy. So you might need to do this a few times to raise your visibility before a staff member provides you with a contact who might hire you.

Of course, you would also want to learn something from this organization along the way. Professional and personal growth are often reasons people join these organizations, not just for new business. It could be a terrific unexpected benefit of getting involved.

Watch this to get your first 5 customers

How do I find new online clients for my business?

Here are 10 steps you can use to find new online clients for your business: 1. Leverage your current client base for referrals Your current clients can be a great resource for you as you build your business. They have experience with your product or service and can often direct you to other people who find your products or services useful.

How do I get clients?

Beginners get clients by leveraging their existing networks. Start with who you know—friends, family, former colleagues. Don’t just ask if they need your services; ask if they know someone who does. Use social media to share your journey, the services you offer, and the value you provide.

How do you find your own clients?

As a small business owner, you need to find your own clients. No clients, no business. There are some tried and true ways to do this—joining online communities, building a social media presence, and reaching out to past clients—but I wanted to explore some more unconventional ideas.

How do I get clients to find me first?

Here are a few ways to help your clients find you first: A website makes you and your business legit. Your site doesn’t need to be a masterpiece—it just needs to professionally communicate what you do. Include your website in your bio, email signature, and social media profiles.