For website designers: If you’re a web developer seeking contract work where would you look?
How would you go about finding small jobs or building a client list?
If you are willing to compete on price, try http://www.rentacoder.com
Most of the people there are offshore contractors who therefore tend to drive down price; budgets for projects will be set low. However, most do not speak English well, so native English speakers can generally ask a price toward the maximum budget amount and succeed.
You can also try http://www.elance.com which is aimed at higher-end work, but you will generally not be successful there unless you have a portfolio that demonstrates advanced abilities.
Other than that, you build a business social network the same way you build any social network: Go to the places where the people you seek tend to congregate and be sociable.
If you want to be local, join your state’s software developers organization and your local chamber of commerce, plus a civic organization such as the Jaycees, Rotary, Lions and / or Kiwanis. They tend to be good sources of leads. Go to the events they hold and devote your time to their projects.
Keep business cards with you at all times and give them to anyone and everyone with whom you strike up any positive conversation of more than a few words.
Business success is all about social network, drive / attitude and skills, in order of importance.
http://www.dougv.com/blog/2007/05/26/the-three-keys-to-successful-self-employment-in-programming-and-consulting-introduction/
If you are willing to compete on price, try http://www.rentacoder.com
Most of the people there are offshore contractors who therefore tend to drive down price; budgets for projects will be set low. However, most do not speak English well, so native English speakers can generally ask a price toward the maximum budget amount and succeed.
You can also try http://www.elance.com which is aimed at higher-end work, but you will generally not be successful there unless you have a portfolio that demonstrates advanced abilities.
Other than that, you build a business social network the same way you build any social network: Go to the places where the people you seek tend to congregate and be sociable.
If you want to be local, join your state’s software developers organization and your local chamber of commerce, plus a civic organization such as the Jaycees, Rotary, Lions and / or Kiwanis. They tend to be good sources of leads. Go to the events they hold and devote your time to their projects.
Keep business cards with you at all times and give them to anyone and everyone with whom you strike up any positive conversation of more than a few words.
Business success is all about social network, drive / attitude and skills, in order of importance.
http://www.dougv.com/blog/2007/05/26/the-three-keys-to-successful-self-employment-in-programming-and-consulting-introduction/
References :
http://www.dougv.com/blog/common-answers/
No joke, ask all of your elected officials staff for leads and follow up on a bi-weekly basis. Secondly, google Linkedin; a great place to gain greater exposure for both you and others who have a similar interest. Lastly, contact a Kinko’s, Staples Stores and your local newspaper(s) for contract work. Increasingly, paper products are giving way to internet web pages. I believe it is the New York Times or the Chicago Tribune that will have a tough go of it in 09 because the public is veering away from reading the newspaper.
You might want to look at higher education sites and identify the purchasing departments, register so that you can get contract opportunities to bid your work, particularly Art Colleges. I hope this helps you. Seasons Greetings.
References :