How to Get Bigger Clients — Without Waiting for Referrals
If you want to get bigger clients, you need to be proactive
When I first started my creative business, referrals felt like magic.
A few projects here, a few there — friends, past coworkers, people who wanted to help me succeed. And honestly? Referrals are still my favourite way to get clients.
But here’s the problem: if you’re only waiting for referrals, you’re stuck on what I call the Referral Rollercoaster.
One month, you’re booked solid.
The next month, you’re staring at your calendar wondering where your next project is going to come from — and how you’re going to pay your bills if it doesn’t show up.
That’s fine when you’re just getting started. But if you want to get bigger clients — the kind who hire repeatedly, pay strategically, and value your insight — you need a clear outreach strategy.
In this post, I’m going to break down exactly how you can do that.
When I Had to Learn the Hard Way
I learned this lesson the hard way — on the other side of the world.
Back when I was a freelance photographer, my wife and I moved to Shanghai. We didn’t know a soul. We didn’t speak the language. My referral network? Useless overnight.
I had to figure out how to get work without waiting around. It forced me to learn the basics of business development — the uncomfortable but straightforward steps that bigger agencies do every day.
What surprised me the most? It wasn’t magic. I saw an artist rep hustling for me, pitching me, knocking on doors — following a process. That stuck with me.
When I built my next business, I decided: we’re not going to rely on luck.
Why Bigger Clients Won’t Just Find You
Here’s the thing:
Big clients, big brands, big projects — they don’t come knocking just because you have a slick website or a beautiful Instagram grid.
They’re not Googling “great local freelancers near me”. They’re busy. They’ve got decision-makers, gatekeepers, timelines. If you want their attention, you need to take the first step.
The Good News: It’s Simple — But Not Always Easy
I’ve trained dozens of creative freelancers and small studios on this. The process is simple at its core:
1) Get crystal clear on who you want to work with.
2) Know what you’ll say when you reach out.
3) Use a repeatable process so you don’t fizzle out when you get busy.
Let me break it down.
Step 1: Pick the Right Types of Clients to Get Bigger Projects
A lot of creatives overcomplicate this. They build a list of everyone they can think of — and then get overwhelmed. Or they pick one or two dream clients, pitch them once, hear nothing, and quit.
Your first goal is to build a Goldilocks List. Big enough to get real traction. Focused enough that you’re not reinventing your scripts every time.
Here’s how to know if you’re picking the right bigger clients:
✅ They’re similar enough that you can speak their language.
✅ They buy high-value work — projects that justify your effort.
✅ They have a track record of paying for what you offer (buyers buy).
When I made this mistake, it burned me. I once built a software service for real estate agents — but I hadn’t vetted whether they’d actually pay for marketing. Most agents don’t even close one property a year. Painful lesson.
So, qualify your bigger clients before you invest your time.
Step 2: Don’t Sell Your Services — Sell Time
Client Outreach That Gets Responses
The biggest mistake I see: you reach out to a dream client, and you jump straight to “hire me!”.
I call it jumping for the jugular.
Effective cold outreach is not about selling your services. It’s about starting a genuine conversation.
Early on, your only goal is to get a decision-maker to lean in and say, “Okay, you’ve got my attention — let’s talk.” That means you need to speak to a pain they care about now.
Use this simple format:
- Show you understand what’s happening in their world.
- Drop a proof point or result you’ve delivered.
- Make a clear ask for a short, no-pressure conversation.
Example:
“Hey, I just saw your extreme sports exhibit at Science World.
I illustrated Museum of Vancouver’s last campaign — we used line art to double ticket sales. I think that same approach could work for you.
Would you like me to show you how we did it?”
It’s not pushy. It’s relevant, credible, and it leads to a meeting.
Starting in this way positions you as an advisor, not just a vendor.
Step 3: Use a Repeatable Outreach Strategy That Scales
to email 100 people in one afternoon and burn out.
This is the outreach strategy I teach creatives who want to consistently get bigger clients — without burning out:
- Build a list of 60 ideal bigger clients.
- Break it into four groups of 15.
- Stagger the outreach so you’re consistently talking to a manageable number.
Each prospect gets about eight touchpoints — calls, voicemails, emails, and relevant articles that show you understand what’s changing in their industry.
This keeps you top of mind without feeling desperate or spammy.
When It Gets Uncomfortable — Keep Going
This isn’t easy work. But it’s simple.
If you run into resistance — a slammed phone, a “not interested,” or just silence — that’s normal.
Follow the process, review what’s not working, adjust, and keep going.
Win Without Waiting
You can’t wait around hoping your dream clients find you.
They won’t.
But if you:
✅ Pick the right clients,
✅ Start by selling time (not services),
✅ And stick with a simple, staggered outreach plan…
…you’ll win the work that other people are too afraid to go get.
I’ve seen it work for creative freelancers, small studios, and for myself — across industries and continents.
If you want to dive deeper, do this next:
- Build your list of 60 bigger clients.
- Draft one outreach script using the format above.
Block an hour a week to work that list — no matter how busy you are (this is critical).
Want the outreach strategy and more scripts you can use get bigger clients?
→ [Book a time to chat] — I’ll walk you through it.
Ami Sanyal has helped over 430 business owners connect with millions of prospects online. As a marketing consultant for client-based business owners, Ami specializes in helping experts attract ideal clients — predictably.
Formerly a freelance photographer, Ami has photographed celebrities like Jay-Z, Coldplay, and Olympic athletes. He’s the proud co-founder of Creative Pulse and has led its volunteer team since 2014.
As the founder of The Accelerator, Ami helps creative freelancers and studio principals attract high-paying clients consistently.
Click here to see if The Accelerator coaching program for creatives is right for you
