Chapter 1 of 8 · 4 practices · 4 min · 3-question quiz
Position yourself and choose a niche
Clients hire someone who clearly solves their problem. Decide who you serve and what result you deliver before you decide where to look for work.
Start: Describe the business result you deliver, not the languages you know4 practices in this chapter
- 1Describe the business result you deliver, not the languages you knowA client with a slow checkout page is not shopping for "React developer". They are shopping for someone who can make checkout faster so fewer customers drop off. Describing yourself by technology…
- 2Pick a niche you can show evidence forA niche is a combination of a type of client and a type of problem: "Shopify stores that need custom checkout features", "early-stage SaaS teams that need a dashboard built from their API", "NGOs…
- 3Offer one small, clearly defined starter serviceNew clients are taking a risk on you. A small, fixed starter offer lowers that risk on both sides and makes it easy to say yes. Examples: Audit: "Performance audit of your web app with a written…
- 4Keep your proof in one place you controlPlatforms change their rules, fees and search ranking. Your reputation should not live only inside one of them. Keep a simple page you control, such as a personal site or a pinned document, with: Two…
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