Our readers often ask a question to us more than any other question. The question is - “How can I, as a freelancer, find more work and generate new client leads?”

So here we would try to answer this question. This is quite a big list of ideas to help you find more freelance work.

Here are your 101 ideas:

Word of mouth is the best

Ask your family and friends to spread the word about your business, products and services

You might be having hundreds of friends in your e-mail’s address book. Send out an e-mail to each of the people and let them know what you’re doing and what you can offer to them

Ask for referrals from your satisfied clients

You can also offer free consultations to new referrals

You can offer a referral fee.

Love your clients

Love your client because your clients only give you business and money you need. Contact your past and present clients whenever you have a new service to offer.

Let your clients know what you’re doing and the new things happening in your business. Let them know about any new skill you have acquired or any new service you are offering.

Start a newsletter

You can always start a newsletter for your past and present clients as well as for new referrals.

Your e-mail signature can help you to spread the news every time you send out a mail. Send promotions and advertisements for services with your invoices

You can ask your clients to place a credit on your work in web, video or print

You can also create a calendar for your clients. A calendar in their office and desk will constantly remind them about your services.

You can create a poster for your client to act as a reminder for your services.

Talk the talk

You should always attend industry events - meetings, conferences, association, seminars etc.

Also visit the events in your client’s industry

Sponsor a client event

Get involved with your local Chamber of Commerce

Socialize with prospective buyers

Always keep your business card handy

Help some charities which have industry links

Join local social groups such as church, school, university etc.

If there is an industry organization, do join it and get yourself listed

Contact people you used to work with

You can ask people you used to work with to send you work

Host a seminar for a local business group

Keep a speech ready for any occasion that may arrive suddenly

Take part in online forums. Here you can use the signature line which may include link to your website or blog

Comment on blogs to draw people back to your freelance site

Promote Yourself

You can get car signage of your website

Print your URL in t-shirts

Try local ads

Advertise in your local newspapers

Try location based Google AdWords

Advertise in a niche magazine

Advertise in a trade publication

Get listed in business directories

Get listed in Yellow Pages

Find out the sites your clients are visiting and buy advertising there

Advertise your services in online directories

Take part in trade shows

Use the different holidays every year. Send a greeting card to your clients

You can offer a free first consultation service which will help you to promote your services

Create a campaign that helps you stand out

Offer something for free

Advertise in industry newsletters

Offer products for free with your name on it at industry events

Be an industry expert

Get your article published in an industry publication

Pitch a story to a blog

Publish your article in a resource website

Speak at industry events

Speak at networking events

Start a blog and publicize it

Submit tutorials or how-to’s to websites

Get on the radio

Offer a free eBook or Report for your target market and promote it online

Take part in competitions and try to win awards

Use the media

Whenever you can, issue a press release related to service

Try to get it into a local newspaper or magazine

Create the contest and offer a lucrative prize

Pull a publicity friendly stunt (think Richard Branson)

Job Boards

Always visit online job boards

Check out Craigslist for your city

Also check offline job boards

Get your ads about your services on boards in your local area or community

Cold Calling

Research and find out how your services and products can help a business and then cold call the business with your pitch

Use a e-mail campaign

Send promo postcards to potential clients

Send free items such as calendars, note pads , posters to potential clients

Help leads find you

Use SEO (Search Engine optimization) to get Google (and other search engine) traffic

Start a blog to connect to your potential leads

Have a follow up conversation with all potential leads

Get yourself listed in Make sure you’re listed in the Yellow Pages and White Pages business section

Get Help from local business

Contact potential businesses that can refer clients to you. Offer them a commission for referrals.

Build relationships with larger agencies that can refer their run-off work

Create a business relationship with freelancers that will refer your service in return for you referring your clients to them

Develop a local business directory and know other business owners

Cross promote with other businesses

Contact local stores and place your brochures and cards

Industry Specific Ideas For Freelancers

These ideas are tailored to specific industries

Writers, Bloggers, Journalists

Contact ad, design and web design agencies and cross promote

Submit articles to article directories

Create a blog and list your articles

Creative mailer with great ad headlines and free photos available online (use iStockPhoto)

Get your articles promoted in Digg, StumbleUpon and other social media sites

Pitch your article ideas to editors of both online and offline magazines

Write a book and publish it with lulu.com

Designers

Create a gallery of your work

Submit your designs to design compilation books and magazines

Get your portfolio on a site like Coroflot

Sbmit your designs to design galleries like CSSMania.com

Submit a great portfolio to design portals like DesignIsKinky.com

Start a design portal or blog

Programmers & Developers

Show clients samples

Pitch your self as a developer to web designing and Internet marketing agencies

Create a small web app like ta-da list or jobpile and get recognition

Help people with their technical problems on forums and use a signature that talks about your freelance coding services

Participant in programming contests like RailsDay

Contribute to open source efforts and earn recognition

Illustrators/Animators

Create an interesting comic strip blog - e.g. gapingvoid.com

Make characters and create merchandise based on them - figurines, badges, tshirts etc

participate in competitions to take your illustrations to popular places like snowboards, posters

Create an awesome animation that wins you name

Do stock illustrations for a site like istockphoto

Contact gift card publishers with your illustrations

Offer to create cartoon strips for big blogs (k10k)

Do illustration work for magazines (computerarts.co.uk)

Create a promo Reel of animations or illustrations and promote it

Photographers

Create a portfolio in freelancing sites

Create a portfolio in photography websites

Photograph an event or series and pitch it to a newspaper or magazine

Get work into a gallery and run an exhibition

Get an Agent

Submit photographs to stock agencies

Whenever you do something new show it to your old contacts

Contribute to industry magazines and get free publicity and portfolio

Start an online photojournal