How to get your first
client on PeoplePerHour

Before you send a single proposal, your profile needs to look credible. A half-finished profile is an instant red flag to a client deciding whether to risk hiring someone unproven.

• A clear, friendly, professional photo
• A specific title, not “Freelancer” but “WordPress Developer” or “Logo Designer”
• A short bio focused on what you do for clients, not just a list of skills
• A few portfolio pieces, even self-initiated samples if you don’t have client work yet

It’s tempting to list every skill you have so you don’t miss opportunities. For a first client, narrow is better. “I build landing pages in Elementor” is far easier for a client to say yes to than “I do web design, WordPress, graphic design and copywriting.”

A tight niche also makes every proposal you write sharper, because you genuinely know the work well.

Alongside bidding, list a clear, fixed-price Offer (sometimes called an Hourlie) in your niche. This gives clients a second way to find and hire you, sometimes faster than waiting for a matching job to bid on, and it works in the background while you’re doing other things.

Resist the urge to bid on everything. For your first client, target jobs that closely match your niche and that you’re confident you can deliver well. A smaller, realistic job you can nail beats a bigger one that’s a stretch.

Newer, less competitive postings are also worth prioritising, jobs with fewer existing proposals give you a better shot than ones that already have twenty bids.

This is where most beginners lose. Open by showing you understand their brief, not with “Dear Sir/Madam, I am a professional with 10 years experience.” Reference something specific from their job post, mention one relevant bit of experience, and end with an easy next step.

Keep it to four to six sentences. Long, generic proposals get skimmed and skipped.

With zero reviews, you’re a risk to the client. Pricing competitively for this first job removes one of their objections and tips the odds in your favour. Don’t go absurdly cheap, that can backfire and signal low quality, but accept a smaller margin in exchange for the review.

Think of this first job as buying your reputation. The review you earn is worth more than the fee.

When a client messages you, even just to ask a question, reply quickly and professionally. Speed signals reliability before you’ve done any actual work, and it’s one of the easiest ways to beat freelancers who take a day to respond.

If they want a quick call, make it easy to schedule and show up prepared.

Once you win the job, this is where the review actually gets earned. Communicate clearly throughout, hit your deadlines, and deliver slightly more than was strictly asked, a small extra touch, a bit of polish, a helpful suggestion.

You’re not just completing a task, you’re building the case for your next five clients, who’ll read this review before they ever talk to you.

Once the client confirms they’re happy, politely ask for a review. Most won’t leave one unprompted, even if they were genuinely pleased, so a simple, friendly request goes a long way. This single review is what makes your second client significantly easier to land than your first.