Being a free agent is exciting, rewarding and gives you the flexibility to choose your own hours and assignments. But when starting out, bringing in business can be a major challenge. Here are seven ways to help build your client base:

1. Specialize in a Growing Niche
Examine your skills and background to identify the unique services and value you can offer. Then think of ways to apply them in an area that has high and growing demand - and not a lot of experts to do the work. For example, a freelance writer was having little luck finding travel and entertainment assignments, but after taking inventory of past projects, found several pieces she wrote for her former employer's I.T. department. Today, she has a flourishing technical writing practice and more work than she can handle.

2. Nurture Your Network
Go where the people who can hire you are. Attend the same conferences, join the same associations, read the same magazines and newsletters. Call all of your friends and colleagues. Tell them what you are looking for and what you have to offer. Be sure to contact former bosses and coworkers, too. If you left the company on good terms, this can be an excellent way to get clients. Stay top-of-mind by regularly keeping in touch with your network.

3. Establish Yourself as an Expert
Write articles in industry magazines, newsletters and trade journals and arrange to speak at professional or trade association conferences on topics such as trends, opportunities or creative ways to solve common problems. Having a publication print your article or an association sponsor you as a speaker positions you as an expert is the best advertising you can get. Those who like your articles and speeches will contact you when they want more information, some may even become clients. Post your articles and speeches on your website, send "FYI" copies to your clients and associates, and include them in your marketing literature.

4. Build Referrals
Referrals are one of the easiest and most effective ways to build your business. And, once you get rolling, they have a snowball effect! To encourage referrals, first be sure to take care of your existing customers in a way that will leave them absolutely thrilled with your services. Then, whenever they compliment you, ask them to pass along your name, number or website url to others. One independent accountant even began his own "referral reward" program, where he sends a thank you note along with a twenty-five dollar gift certificate to those who send new clients to him.

5. Subcontracting
Subcontract your services out to other firms or independent professionals in your field. For example, a freelance graphic designer supplements her direct business by subcontracting with a large ad agency that uses her talent when it has more work than it can handle or can't do the task as efficiently or economically. The designer works behind the scenes and is paid by the agency - often at a lower rate than if she got the project on her own. But she says it's a win-win for both parties and has been a great way to build her portfolio!

6. Join a Service
Many freelancers report great results with on-line services like Sologig, which helps market the talents of its members and match them with a wide variety of projects nationwide. After registering with Sologig, members create a profile companies can call up when searching for a freelancer to do a particular project. Members also have access to a data base of thousands of assignment postings and can contact the companies or agencies directly. Besides connecting its members with project opportunities, Sologig offers a wide range of resources to help them run their business.

7. More is Good
The more qualified prospects you reach, the more clients you will have. Even if you can only handle several assignments at a time - a larger client base gives you the option of choosing the most exciting and rewarding projects! And isn't that why you became a free agent in the first place?

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