All You Need Is a Toehold

As with so many things in life, it’s that first yes that matters so much. The first time you go on a date, the bank gives you credit, or investors help you fund your own business—it’s getting the first yes that takes so much effort.

Once you get this toehold, you can leverage it to make the next yes’s that much easier. In the case of freelancing with Elance, you must focus intensely on getting the first job. It may take you dozens of proposals submitted, or it may take just one. But focus on this until you succeed, then nurture that project like it’s the newborn babe it is. From this point, you develop your reputation.

One technique some new contractors have used is to bring clients over to Elance themselves. Let’s say you have a connection with a local printing shop to help design logos. Get the owner to post one of her projects on Elance. It’s no cost to her other than the few minutes it takes to sign up.

Explain what you’re doing and that this will help you grow your logo/design business. If you have a positive relationship to begin with, there’s no reason why she wouldn’t want to help out. As well, you may be doing that printing business owner a big favor by exposing her to the possibilities within Elance.