How to get your first freelance client from Nepal

Getting the first client is the hardest part. After that, referrals do most of the work. Here is the shortest path we know.

Start where the buyers already are

Upwork and Fiverr are crowded but they are also where people arrive ready to pay. The local route is faster: walk into three businesses near you whose social media is visibly neglected and offer to fix one post for free.

Write a proposal that is not about you

Most proposals open with a paragraph about the writer. Open with the client's problem instead, in their words, and show one specific thing you would change. Three sentences beats three paragraphs.

What to charge

• First two clients: charge low enough that saying yes is easy
• After that: raise your price every third client until someone says no
• Never work for exposure. Portfolio work is fine — unpaid work for a paying business is not

Getting paid from Nepal

Set up eSewa and a bank account that accepts international transfers before you need them. Ask for half up front on any job over Rs 10,000. Clients who refuse a deposit are the ones who do not pay at the end.