Freelance work

Was wondering if anyone here had any suggestions on a good way to go about finding freelance type work. I know it's out there. Any comments would be greatly appreciated.

print some business cards....

then hit every used car dealer, denist office and eye doctor in the area... and I like to run a classified ad or 2 from time to time.

Sign up at www.elance.com or www.guru.com for national accounts. If you just want local work, then do what torn said. Also consider joing Business Network International. When I had a design firm with my father, we got 90% of our business from that.

http://www.bni.com/

a. find 1 client
b. do a good job
c. finish the project on good terms with the client
d. ask them to recommend you to their friends/colleagues
e. get a new client based on a referal
f. repeat!

this really works! you can set up a nice little network of repeat customers this way. the key is doing a good job and having a good relationship with your clients.

as all of them as said....
for me, word of mouth seems to work really well
also, do have a nice portfolio to convince your potential clients

Also, try this sneakyness:

Find a bussiness with clientell (hair dresser, coffee shop, computer repair, etc.) and offer to do or redo their site for free if they recomend their clients to you. Leave them a stack of bussiness cards and see what happens.

Just get an actual job doing it, like at a company.

Then you don't ever have to worry about finding clients...they will always come to you.

I agree with matt and charm. Moreso with matt though. Word of mouth can only carry you so far. Especially if you are in a large market. There's always someone better who will do the work for cheaper. Being underbid is a real bummer too. Specially when you are hungry and the rent is due.

My father has a saying that I have recently found to be true. You can't find a job, unless you have a job. So, get yourself a real, honest 9-5 job and freelance in your off hours. Time management is very important, but after you have yourself a nice cleint base that pays the bills monthly, you can leave your boring 9-5 grind and work on your own time. Be careful of economic slumps though. Internet/IT jobs are sometimes the first to go.

There's always someone better who will do the work for cheaper.

No, you can always find someone to do the work cheaper. They're usually not better, because folks who are really good charge what they're worth.

Freelancing is tough tho, i make it but it's rough. I do get a lot of word of mouth referral to be sure, and I also spend a lot of time looking on sites and responding to job postings. Being able to work in my pj's is nice tho

Chris

No, you can always find someone to do the work cheaper. They're usually not better, because folks who are really good charge what they're worth

Unless they have no idea what they are worth or they underbid just enough to get the job while not robbing themselves because they need the money.