Module 2 · Freelancing for Beginners
Find Clients and Get Paid
Set up profiles on freelance platforms, find local and social media clients, and get paid safely in naira and foreign currency.
About 25 minutes
Two ways to find clients
1. Freelance platforms connect you with clients worldwide:
| Platform | How it works |
|---|---|
| Fiverr | You list fixed-price "gigs"; clients come to you |
| Upwork | You send proposals to jobs clients post |
| Contra, Freelancer.com | Similar marketplaces, some with lower fees |
Platforms take a fee (often around 10–20%), and competition is high. Your first review is the hardest to get.
2. Direct clients, often easier at first:
- Your network: tell friends, family, church, mosque and school groups exactly what you offer.
- Local businesses: shops, restaurants and salons that need flyers, social posts or spreadsheets.
- Social media: post your samples on Instagram, X, LinkedIn and your WhatsApp status with a clear call to action.
A profile that wins work
On any platform:
- Photo: clear and friendly, just your face.
- Title: your offer, not "freelancer". "Social media flyer designer for small businesses."
- Description: who you help, what they get and how fast, in short paragraphs.
- Samples: your three best pieces.
- Price: start competitive, and raise it after good reviews.
Get paid safely
- On platforms, keep all payments on the platform. It protects both of you. Clients who ask to move to direct payment before the first job are a risk, and it can get your account banned.
- For direct clients, ask for 50% upfront and 50% on delivery, or 100% upfront for small jobs.
- For foreign payments, use the platform's withdrawal options or services such as Payoneer, then withdraw to your Nigerian bank account. Compare fees and exchange rates.
- Keep a simple record in Google Sheets: client, job, amount, date paid.
Try it
Practice
You complete a ₦50,000 job on a platform that takes a 20% fee. How much do you receive, in naira?
Practice
A new client asks to move off the platform and pay you directly before the first job "to avoid fees". Is this safe: yes or no?
Task
10 minWrite your platform profile's title on the first line, then a description of 50 to 120 words: who you help, what they get, how fast, and a call to action.
Your work is checked for
- A title on the first line (2 to 12 words)
- The title names your service, not just "Freelancer"
- Says who you help
- Says how fast you deliver
- Ends with a call to action (message, order, get in touch…)
- Description of 50 to 120 words
Then create your profile on one platform with your photo, title, description and samples, and decide your payment terms for direct clients (for example 50% upfront).
Earn your badge
Take the module check
Questions on this module. Pass and you earn the Client Finder badge, free.
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