When you become self-employed, you must market your offering and shout about what you do. Why? To build awareness of how you help others, generate enquiries and land work! This is not easy if you don’t have any marketing experience or don’t know where to start. Our Marketing Wizard, Hayley Maisey, shares her knowledge and gives some direction.
Ok, first off. There’s no one-size-fits-all answer to Marketing. What may work for you may not work for somebody else. In my experience, two or three key marketing strategies work well for most freelancers. But before diving into what these look like, there are a few things to think about.
Who are you trying to talk to?
Who’s your ideal client?
You’ve probably got a good idea, but it’s worth mapping this out (and where a marketing strategy becomes your beacon in a night sky – but that’s for another blogpost).
Keeping it simple, think of your perfect client:
- What industry?
- What’s the organisation?
- What do they do? Why?
- How big is the business?
- Who does it employ?
- Does it operate globally?
Then, consider who within that organisation has the purse strings:
- What’s their job role?
- What department are they in – L&D, HR, Ops? Or are they dedicated department?
- Where do they spend their time – online, in-person or a mix of both?
- What platforms or networks do they use to stay updated with industry trends?
- What L&D communities are they a part of, if they’re L&D based?
- What networking events do they attend?
These are a base layer of things to consider but a starting point to help you choose the best approach to your marketing. For example, if your ideal clients aren’t active on a particular social media platform, then there’s no point in spending time there. If they don’t attend industry events, conferences and trade shows might not be the right move either.
You need to underline this understanding before considering your messaging and how you’ll talk to your ideal client and your target audience. Furthermore, you need to understand why you’re talking to them – what challenge do they have that you help overcome? This is fundamental in Marketing, especially if you have a product to market, and where you need to focus your time and energy before you start putting yourself out there.
What’s your budget?
How much do you have to invest in Marketing? Your budget will determine your approach and if it’s realistic. It usually covers things like:
- Your website and branding
- Any outsourced support (e.g., copywriting, design)
- Email marketing platforms
- Customer Relationship Management systems or networking tools
- Attending events or exhibiting
- Printing collateral or material to support your business development
- Any paid ads you may want to set up.
Freelancers’ marketing budgets tend to be tight, so focusing on an approach that delivers real value is important. If you’re working with a smaller budget, things like paid ads and big sponsorship deals might not be the best use of your money. If you have a good contact base, then a free email marketing platform like MailChimp would be the way to go.
What kind of freelancer are you?
You may be new to freelancing or more established and wanting to refresh your approach. Do you work directly with businesses (B2B) or individuals (B2C)? Maybe both?
B2B and B2C marketing aren’t the same, but they do share some core tactics. The main difference is how you communicate your message. Equally, some types of communication (like email marketing) might be more relevant for specific industries than others.
Finding your approach to Marketing
To reiterate, no one-size-fits-all rule determines how you market your business. However, here are a few approaches to consider. You may not need all of them to make your Marketing work.
Content Marketing
Content marketing is about sharing valuable, engaging content that pulls people in. Done well, it raises awareness of your offering and how you help others, builds interest and generates enquiries.
For L&D freelancers, content could be blogposts about industry trends, short explainer videos or case studies of successful learning projects. The key is ensuring it’s relevant to your audience and delivered through the appropriate channels (think where your ideal client is, remember your budget etc).
One of the most valuable types of content is client-led content. Use it if you’ve got happy clients who are willing to shout about how great you are! Testimonials, case studies and user-generated content are gold dust. Which leads on to…
Client Advocacy
Your best clients can also be your best marketers. When people love working with you, they naturally recommend you to others. This word-of-mouth marketing is hugely influential and helps move potential clients through decision-making.
People trust people, so testimonials, case studies and video interviews can all have a significant impact. They also help strengthen relationships with your current clients, increasing satisfaction and loyalty. Win-win!
Brand Marketing
Brand marketing is about consistently showing up in a way that reflects who you are and what you stand for. It’s what makes you recognisable and trusted.
A strong brand influences buying decisions and helps build long-term client relationships. Combining brand marketing with content marketing and client advocacy amplifies your message and creates a more memorable experience for your audience.
Social Media Marketing
Social media can be a great way to reach new audiences and build relationships – but only if it makes sense for your business.
I’ve seen L&D freelancers put loads of effort into social media when their audience isn’t even there. It can be time-consuming, so it’s important to plan and focus on the platforms that work for you.
Notably, 75% of B2B buyers use social media to research suppliers*. Your social media presence is a second website where potential clients check out your content and decide whether you can help them.
Paid Media Marketing
Paid media – like social media ads, Google Ads and paid email campaigns – can help you reach a wider audience quickly. It’s a “push” marketing approach, as opposed to “pull” – think content marketing – meaning you’re getting in front of people rather than waiting for them to find you.
Paid ads can generate quick enquiries but can also drain your budget quickly. It might not be the best strategy to rely on if you’re working with limited funds.
Partner Marketing
This is all about teaming up with other businesses to reach new audiences. Whether co-hosting online events/webinars, sharing content on each other’s platforms or collaborating on offers, partnerships can help amplify your message.
For freelancers, this could mean guest blogging, being interviewed on podcasts or running joint webinars with other L&D professionals or industry bodies.
Product Marketing
Product marketing focuses on what you offer, why it matters and how it benefits your client (and the end user). This messaging should be embedded in all your marketing – from your website to your content to your client conversations.
When you integrate product marketing with content marketing and client advocacy, you create a strong, persuasive message that reinforces your value.
Choosing the right marketing strategies for you
There’s no magic formula – the best marketing strategies depend on your niche, audience and budget. But once you’ve nailed down what works for you, you can build structured campaigns that help you achieve your business goals.
Want to kick-start your Marketing approach? The Marketing edition of our Challenge Hour provides practical tips and techniques for building personal brand awareness and taking an effective marketing approach.
Hayley heads up Maisey Marketing, a marketing consultancy that supports small businesses. Maisey Marketing is a corporate partner of L&D Free Spirits.
*International Data Corporation, IDC Social Business Study, February 2014
