4 Ways to Diversify Your ‘Workfolio’

Diversification means different things to different people. For some the association is with diversifying the workforce, for others it’s about diversifying their investments. For freelancers, diversification means having a varied client list. Ultimately, diversification leads to a more stable workflow and decreased risk.

This is easier said than done since professional experience is often pretty niche in terms of company size, skill set, and industry. Below are three things you can do to diversify your workfolio.

4 Ways to Diversify Your ‘Workfolio’

1. Identify Your Skills

Think of all of the past projects you’ve worked on. What are the skills you needed to complete them? More importantly, what did you enjoy doing the most? Make a list of all of the skills you have, and highlight the ones you like using the most. This skills inventory will serve as your north star as you start to package up your services to attract new clients.

There are so many skills you have that don’t get used on a regular basis in your 9-5 work. These are so valuable to your skills inventory, and may even be at the top of you list in terms of enjoyment.

2. Determine Your Ideal Client

Knowing who you’d most like to work with is crucial in figuring out what clients to market to. While your experience from past non-freelance jobs might have been in a particular industry, there is nothing stopping you from exploring adjacent industries, or polar opposite ones, to start your freelancing business.

After you identify your ideal client, it’s important to use references, testimonials, and your portfolio to win business with them. Your ideal client could even be in an industry you’ve never considered working in yet, so it’s best to keep an open mind and let opportunity be your guide.

3. Use Freelancing Platforms

There are a plethora of freelancing platforms out there to help you keep a healthy, diversified client list. My favorite is Upwork due to the nature of the projects I get, which are more strategic and long-term engagements with reputable companies. The other most popular platform is Fiverr, where you set particular project based ‘gigs’ that customers can purchase from you.

When using freelancing platforms, you are selling your service. It’s imperative that you present a polished offering that shows your expertise, experience and credibility. Experiment with which services you want to highlight and how you want to brand yourself. Keep note of how your profile affects how many views you get over a couple of weeks. Most importantly, make sure it’s written for your ideal clients.

4. Leverage Your Network

Your network is your superpower no matter where you are in your freelancing journey. If you have any agency experience, chances are that you already have a pretty diverse network. Try reaching out to past project partners to see if they can help you get in the door with any of your ideal clients. Connections are critical!

Most importantly, diversification doesn’t mean casting a wide net to see what you catch. It also doesn’t mean ignoring your stable clients in the pursuit of new ones. There is a strategy to achieving a diverse workfolio. Balance looks different to everyone, but for most it’s finding the balance of stable, long-term clients and fresh, new clients. As a freelancer, you’ll be constantly balancing the existing and incoming business, but if you stick to a strategy, you will be able to avoid a siloed client list.