Almost all new freelancers in the SEO industry ask me about this. Although they have undeniably great skills in SEO, they are having a hard time proving to their clients what they can do since they do not have a portfolio just yet. So, how do you get your first client?

1. If you have finished some SEO tasks from your previous office job, you can give the client the URL of that website. Though it may not be individual work, YOU were still a part of the team that worked on it. It can also be included in your portfolio.

2. If a client talks to you via e-mail, respond as fast as you can. Every client loves fast response to their inquiries.

3. If you are to offer SEO Services, don't EVER tell the client that you will guarantee a spot on the first page, or worse, a guaranteed spot on number 1. Honestly tell them that you will do your best to get it there, but there could be factors for that not to happen, like other SEOs working on the competing sites. Remember, if you fail to deliver what you promise, the client can ask for a refund, and you can't do anything about it.

4. When sending a proposal, organize your plans for every category. State what you are planning for on-page optimization, linkbuilding, brand reputation, etc. It would be better if you will put them on a bulleted list.

5. Clearly state out payment terms. At Search Engine Primacy, we clearly tell our clients that a 50% payment is required after signing the contract. Of course, if you are to work on a site, it would be better to ask for guaranteed payment before the start of work.

6. If you want to effectively impress clients, submit your reports on or before the set deadline and make clear and detailed reports on what you have done. A client will most likely be impressed if you can also give additional statistics like analytics, traffic rank increase, and others instead of passing only linkbuilding reports. Discuss what campaigns are effective and what are not. Also, tell the client what your future plans are.

So, what are you waiting for, go out and get your first client!

P.S.

The things that I posted here are according to my opinion based on my client-handling experiences. If you agree or disagree, you are free to share your comments below.