How to get your first Next.js client as a freelancer

This guide covers where first clients usually come from, what to put in front of them, and how to get through the first two conversations.

Start with the problem, not the framework

Look at how people ask for help. Job posts and client messages tend to say things like "our site loads slowly", "we need a customer portal", or "our developer left and nobody understands the code". Almost none say "Next.js 15 with the app router".

So describe your work in their words. "I rebuild slow marketing sites so pages load fast and editors can update them without a developer" is something a founder understands. "Next.js developer, React, TypeScript, Tailwind" is a skills list.

You can still keep the stack on your profile. Put it second.

Where first clients usually come from

There is no single best channel. These are the ones that tend to work for developers without a track record, roughly in the order worth trying.

People who already know you

Former coworkers, people from your last job, classmates, anyone in a Slack or Discord community where you have helped before. A short, specific message beats a general announcement. "I'm taking on small Next.js projects. If you know anyone with a site that needs rebuilding, I'd be glad to talk" is fine. Naming a type of project works better than saying you are available.

Agencies and studios that are short on developers

Small design and marketing agencies often sell sites they cannot fully build. They need someone who can take a finished design and turn it into a working app. This is one of the more reliable routes for a first client, because the agency already has the buyer. We wrote about how it works in white-label programs for freelancers, and the next guide in this series covers subcontracting for agencies.

Job posts that are live right now

Look for posts where the person describes a concrete problem. A post from this week with a clear scope is a better lead than a general "looking for a developer" ad. Reply with one paragraph that restates the problem in your words, says how you would approach it, and asks one question. Do not paste a template. If you cannot tell from the post what they need, ask.

Marketplaces

Upwork and similar sites work, but the first months are hard because you compete on price with people who already have reviews. If you use one, pick small, clearly scoped jobs and treat the first few as paid references. If you would rather avoid it, see first automation clients without Upwork. The same ideas apply to web work.

What to show when you have no clients yet

You do not need a long portfolio. You need two or three things a buyer can open and judge in a minute.

• One real site or app you built, live on a URL, with a short note on what you did and what the constraints were.
• A rebuild of something public, clearly labeled as your own exercise. Pick a small local business site that is slow or hard to use, rebuild one page, and show before and after load times from a tool like Lighthouse. Say plainly that you did it unprompted and that you have no affiliation with the business.
• A short write-up of a problem you solved. What broke, what you tried, what worked. Two paragraphs are enough.

Do not invent clients or testimonials. If you have none, say you are taking on your first projects. Buyers read that as honest, and some prefer a developer who will give their project attention.

The first conversation

First calls with non-technical buyers are mostly about trust. Keep it simple.

1. Ask what prompted them to look for help now. The answer tells you the real deadline.
2. Ask what happens if nothing changes. This is how you find out how much the problem costs them.
3. Ask who else is involved in the decision and who will use the thing day to day.
4. Ask about budget as a range you can work inside, not as a trap. "Is this closer to a few days of work or a few weeks?" is easier to answer than "what is your budget?".

Then stop. Write a proposal afterward rather than improvising a number on the call. How to write a Shopify freelance proposal covers the structure, and most of it carries over to Next.js work.

Pick a small first project on purpose

A first project should be something you can finish in a week or two with a clear definition of done: a landing page rebuild, a migration of a few pages from a page builder, a form that writes to a database, an admin screen. Avoid anything with open-ended features or several stakeholders.

Write down what is included, what is not, and how many rounds of changes you will do. Ask for part of the fee up front if the project is more than a couple of days. This protects both sides.

Mistakes that cost first clients

• Quoting by the hour without a cap. Buyers cannot judge how long things take, so open hourly quotes feel risky.
• Over-explaining the stack. They do not care about server components.
• Going silent after the call. Send a summary of what you heard within a day.
• Taking a vague project because it is your first. Vague scope is how first projects turn into unpaid work.

Where Thomas Partners fits

Finding clients is the slow part. Thomas Partners brings client work to freelancers. You keep 90% of the profit after documented costs are repaid. Apply to join.