How to Tackle Free Samples as a Freelancer
Free samples—a pain to even the most respected and established freelancers; no one is immune. So in today’s post, we’re talking about what you should do when a potential client asks for a free sample.
Clients often request free samples to assess your work before purchasing or committing to a contract. However, these requests are often manipulative tactics to gain free labor. While long-term collaboration might be tempting, potential doesn’t pay the bills. (Read that again.) Here are the three steps to navigating these “opportunities.”
1. Create a Portfolio for Sharing
Creating a comprehensive portfolio is the first step to showcasing your work as a freelancer. Many freelancers use a website as the home for their business info. You’ll find contact info, rates, services, and samples on any portfolio site.
I also recommend creating a PDF version of your portfolio. Some clients don’t trust links from people they don’t know, and rightfully so. A PDF is a great way to share the same info without asking them to visit a link (even if you know you’re trustworthy).
What to Include in Your Freelancing Portfolio
At this point, you might be asking, “What kind of work should I put in my portfolio?” And the answer is whatever you believe represents your best work.
Portfolios are “living documents.” That means it’s not something you create and never change; it’s a document you change as your skills and abilities grow.
If you’re a wedding photographer, your portfolio might include some of the most impressive ceremonies and receptions you’ve shot. If you’re a blog post writer, it might consist of 3-5 of the best blog posts you’ve ever written. The goal is to show what you’re capable of.
Pro-tip: emphasize your value.
I like doing this with case studies. They act as a complement to my portfolio samples. Case studies highlight the traffic, clicks, views, sales, and growth I’ve driven in past projects for real clients.
Whatever you decide to show off, case studies take your portfolio beyond showcasing your success and help you demonstrate how your work can lead to tangible benefits for them.
But even with a superb portfolio, you still might encounter potential clients who insist on a free sample. What then?
2. When They Say "Free Sample," You Say "Trial Offer"
Your goal is to change the narrative. Instead of offering a free sample, suggest a trial offer.
Here’s one example of where that made sense for my freelancing business: A client in the legal industry reached out about my social media services. Even though my portfolio had awesome samples and case studies with proven ROIs, none of the samples demonstrated their ideal style and tone.
So instead of offering a free sample, I suggested a trial offer.
A trial offer is a smaller commitment for both parties. These cost less money on their part, but they’re also less work on your part.
If you’re a blog post writer, it might mean writing a 400-word sample post instead of a 2,500 article. Or if you’re a video editor, it could mean you edit the first 10 minutes of a 45-minute video before taking on the whole project.
But even though trial offers are great, some people still request a free sample.
Let’s talk about how to navigate that next.
3. Know when to walk away
Recognizing when to disengage is just as important as knowing how to sell yourself. If, despite your best efforts with a portfolio and trial offer, the potential client still demands free work, walk away. And don’t be swayed by the promise of future work, no matter how much they promise. This is a separate red flag altogether.
If they’re unwilling to respect your professionalism and worth at this stage, it’s a sign they probably never will.
In this case, walking away isn’t a loss, it’s an act of self-respect. And it will likely save you time, heartache, and money. There’s a whole world of potential clients out there, and your time is better spent connecting with people who value and respect you.
