A Freelance Marketing Strategy

Yesterday, I was helping a friend move from one office to another. (Owning a Toyata 4Runner is a blessing and a curse.) There were a few people around the office; my friend, the new tenant, a painter. 

I was loading some heavy pots into my car, when the painter came around the corner and saw me. He had a weathered face with kind eyes and gray hair. He immediately walked up, helped me lift the heavy pot, and asked if I needed anything else. I had loaded the last of the heavy things, so I declined and thanked him. 

I loaded a few smaller items in my car, and walked back to the office to double check nothing was forgotten. I saw the painter there. He walked up to me, handed me his business card, and said, “If you ever need a painter.” Then, without saying another word, he went back to his work. 

A freelance marketing strategy became crystal clear to me in that moment. Bring value, be a kind person, let people know what you do, and don’t expect anything. That’s the freelance marketing strategy. 

If you want to get granular with it, maybe you could add a bit of strategy in there. He helped me with the kind of manual labor I don’t love doing, which is adjacent to painting. He paints offices, and I was helping a business owner move offices. He gave his card to me, someone who is connected to business owners. There’s the targeting strategy. 

The painter could have been giving his card to everyone. He probably passes them out often. Maybe 18 out of 20 people don’t hire him. Maybe the 19th person hires him. And maybe the 20th person has a marketing blog and writes about him. 

So, if you ever need a painter, here’s his business card: 

Michael Layfield
Professional Painting & Drywall Repair
www.professionalpaintingca.com 
sanclementemike@yahoo.com
949.485.0855
Licensed. Bonded. Insured.