If you missed part one of this series about growing your freelance business with referrals, you can find it here. And be sure to sign up for the Write Your Story newsletter here so you never miss content like this!
Once you’ve laid the groundwork for more referrals by integrating them into your client experience, the work isn’t done. To truly get freelance jobs flowing without needing to apply, you’ll need to leverage your network.
If you do great work, people will refer you, right? Wrong.
Most freelancers miss this important distinction. People don’t refer you just because they like you or your work.
They refer you when they know how, who to refer, and feel confident it will make them look good. That last point is crucial.
Referrals put their reputation on the line, and people don’t take that lightly.
So, let’s build the kind of network that gets you referred.
1️⃣ Define (and Share) Your Ideal Client Avatar
If your network doesn’t know who you’re best at helping, they can’t refer you to them. Don’t just say, “I write for SaaS companies.”
That’s vague. It could be anyone in the sector.
Instead, give them a picture so clear a single individual comes to mind immediately.
“I help early-stage SaaS founders who are overwhelmed by content but know they need to build authority. If they’ve just acquired funding or are prepping a new product launch, that’s my sweet spot.”
Start by writing a 2-3 sentence avatar description like this for the niche you serve. Then share it EVERYWHERE. Email updates. LinkedIn posts. When people ask what you’re working on.
Make it painfully easy for others to understand.
2️⃣ Build Relationships with Freelancers in Adjacent Niches
Freelance writing isn’t a zero-sum game. Your fellow freelancers (hey 👋) can be your best referral partners.
Writers who specialize in different formats (sales copy vs. long-form case studies), marketers who don’t do content, and designers with overflow leads can all be fantastic sources of traffic.
Staying small, but focused is powerful with this strategy. Create a small referral circle with 3-5 freelancers you trust. Together, commit to:
- Referring work you don’t take on
- Sharing templates and tips
- Giving each other a monthly “lead nudge” (one quick intro or opportunity)
This keeps you all top of mind, builds goodwill, and can turn into lucrative opportunities with no extra work from you.
3️⃣ Create ‘Referable’ Content
When someone shares your content, they’re indirectly endorsing you. You should already be posting regularly to LinkedIn and/or a personal blog. So give readers material they want to pass along.
Generic blog posts rarely fit this mold. Instead, focus on smart, personality-driven content that either a.) solves a real problem, or b.) shows off your process.
Examples:
- “How I helped a [niche] founder 3x their demo signups with one landing page rewrite”
- “5 ways [niche] marketers waste money on content writers (and how to avoid it)”
- “This email template I wrote increased survey engagement by 28%”
Aim to post one piece like this on LinkedIn every week. End it with a line like, “Know someone struggling with this? Send them my way.”
Next Up: Multiplying Referrals Without More Work
Freelance success often comes down to being visible. Referrals are one of the best, most trustworthy ways to get yourself in front of the right people.
But they don’t happen by accident.
When you make talking about you easy and train your network to share your content, more opportunities will come your way.
You don’t need dozens of contacts. But a dozen people who truly understand what you do and feel confident recommending you can fuel your freelance business for years.
In part three next week, we’ll tackle the next level. I’ll share the system I use for turning one referral into three and rewarding your best referrers so you have a system that grows even when you’re not actively marketing.
With the right strategy, clients don’t show up. They bring friends.
