Start with your network
Your first client is usually someone who already knows you and has confidence in you. Tell former colleagues, clients, friends and contacts what you now offer. Be specific about who you help and how. Most first clients come through a personal introduction.
Be clear about what you do
"I do marketing" is easy to forget. "I help small Dutch webshops get more sales through better product pages" is easy to remember and easy to pass on. The more clearly you describe your work, the sooner people think of you when they need it.
Make your offer concrete
Clients look for someone who solves a specific problem. Describe what you do as a concrete offer with a clear result. It is far easier to say yes to "a website in three weeks for a fixed price" than to "web services".
Show proof, even early
Before your first client, you can already create proof. Examples are a portfolio piece or a case study from a previous job. You can also do a small free or discounted project to get a first reference. With this proof, you show new clients what you can do.
Contact potential clients personally
Make a short list of realistic potential clients and contact them personally. Give a concrete reason why you can help them. You get more results from a few well-prepared messages than from a hundred general ones.
Get your second client through the first
Do great work, then ask for a testimonial and a referral. A happy first client is your best source of the second and third. Once you have started, you often find new clients faster than you expect.
Do you prefer to hand this over? See payroll and administration for a Dutch BV. We do the payslips, the payroll tax, the bookkeeping and the annual accounts, in English.
Further reading
See also Using Discounts and Packages Wisely, Your First 30 Days as an Entrepreneur and Conducting a Sales Conversation.