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

Choose one platform and create a profile with your photo, title, description and samples.
Write a short post announcing your service and share it on two social channels.
List five local businesses or people who might need your offer.
Decide your payment terms (for example 50% upfront) and write them down.

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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

Choose one platform and create a profile with your photo, title, description and samples.

Write a short post announcing your service and share it on two social channels.

List five local businesses or people who might need your offer.

Decide your payment terms (for example 50% upfront) and write them down.