Let me paint you a picture.

You’re a marketer. A good marketer. You know strategy, you understand brands, you can write, you can think, and you have a resume that proves it. But you’re sitting at your laptop, seriously considering posting in a Reddit thread hoping — praying — that a stranger on the internet is going to hire you based on a three-sentence comment and your LinkedIn URL.

I say this with love: that is not going to work.

I know because I used to watch people do it. And more recently, I watched it happen in real time, on LinkedIn, of all places, while I was in the middle of landing a client myself.

Let me tell you the story.

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What Happened on LinkedIn This Week (And Why It Changed How I Think About Client-Getting Forever)

I got a notification on LinkedIn. My client (I’ll call him Scott) had tagged me in a comment on someone else’s post. The post was from a hiring manager at a large company, looking for a part-time freelance contractor to handle social media. Local to me, which is rare. And Scott, without me asking, had dropped my name in the comments.

When I clicked over to see the thread, I noticed something immediately.

There were several other freelancers in that comment section. Some had been tagged like me. Others had just… found their way there. And without exception, every single one of them had responded with some version of:

“I’d love to work with you! Here’s my number — text me.”

“This sounds like a great opportunity! Shoot me an email.”

“DM me your details and we can chat!”

And I get it. When you see an opportunity, your instinct is to jump. Raise your hand. Make yourself visible. But here’s the problem [and I want you to really sit with this] every single one of those responses put the work on the hiring manager.

They basically said: I’m interested. Now come find me.

And if someone has to chase you just to get you on their radar, what does that say about what it’s going to be like to actually work with you?

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The Shock and Awe Principle (And Why It’s the Only Client Strategy You Actually Need)

A mentor of mine [one of those rare people who actually changed the way I think] taught me something he calls the Shock and Awe Principle.

The idea is simple: there are a lot of people going after the same opportunities you are. And in a crowded room, the ones who stand out aren’t the loudest or the most qualified on paper. They’re the ones who create a moment. A memorable moment. One that makes someone stop and think: wow, I wasn’t expecting that.

He told me about a student who wanted to be mentored by him. This student had found out [through a conversation, through paying attention] that my mentor had a deep love of Tesla’s and had always wanted to own one. So this student went to Walmart, bought a Hot Wheels Tesla, and mailed it to him with a handwritten letter asking to be his mentee.

Did it work? Of course it worked. Because nobody does that. Nobody pays that kind of attention. Nobody takes that kind of initiative.

You’ve probably also seen the story of the woman who applied to Nike, got rejected, and then mailed her resume printed on a cake to the hiring manager. She got the job. She went viral. Because she created a moment nobody forgot.

Now, I’m not telling you to bake anyone a cake. But the principle behind it? That’s what I want you to take everywhere.

How do you create less friction? How do you make this easy for the person on the other side? How do you give them a reason to remember you?

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What I Did Instead (And Why I’m Already Booked for a Call Next Week)

Back to the LinkedIn thread.

While everyone else was dropping their phone numbers and hoping for the best, I did three things.

First, I replied to the comment where Scott had tagged me and simply said: “Thanks so much for the intro, Scott.” Then I addressed the hiring manager directly: “I just sent you a connection request and a message, looking forward to connecting.”

That’s it. Public, professional, warm. No friction for him. No “go find me somewhere else.”

Second, I hit the “Connect” button on the hiring manager’s profile. And I didn’t just send a blank request, I added a note. Something like:

“Hi [name], I heard through my client Scott that you’re looking for part-time social media support. Exciting to see that your team is growing AND creating great content.  I’d love to hear more about your goals and see if there’s a fit. Looking forward to connecting.”

Personalized. Specific. Low-pressure. And it removed every single barrier between him and having a real conversation with me.

Third, I pulled together my services overview deck and made sure it was ready to send the moment he responded.

He accepted my connection request within two hours.

His reply? “This sounds great, London. Would love to chat next week. Here’s my email — feel free to send over more info.”

So I sent back: “Fantastic! I’ll send more info along with a booking link so you can grab whatever time works best for you. Looking forward to it.”

Done. Clean. Easy. On his terms.

Is the contract signed? Not yet. But I’m in the room. And I got there because I made it effortless for him to say yes to the next step, while everyone else was asking him to do the work.

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The Real Reason Reddit Isn’t Getting You Clients

Here’s the honest truth about Reddit (and cold DMs, and “shoot me an email” comment responses, and submitting your profile to job boards hoping someone will notice):

It’s the equivalent of uploading your resume online and hoping the algorithm spits it to the top.

No relationship. No context. No one on the inside vouching for you. Just your name in a pile with hundreds of others.

The freelancers who actually build sustainable client bases? They’re not doing it by scrolling r/forhire at midnight. They’re doing it by:

• Nurturing the relationships they already have (clients, colleagues, former managers, professors)
• Showing up in a way that makes referrals natural and easy
• Creating Shock and Awe moments that make people want to talk about them

Scott didn’t tag me because I posted in a Reddit thread. He tagged me because I had done good work for him, I had made his life easier, and when an opportunity came up that matched what I do, I was the first person he thought of.

That’s the client strategy. Right there.

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How to Apply This If You Don’t Have a Scott Yet

Maybe you’re reading this and thinking: okay, great story London, but I don’t have a client to refer me yet.

Fair. So let’s talk about how you build toward this.

Start with the network you already have. Former coworkers, managers, professors, mentors, people you’ve collaborated with. These people have seen your work. They know what you’re capable of. A simple, genuine message, “Hey, I’m taking on freelance marketing clients. If you ever hear of anyone who needs help with [your specific thing], I’d love if you kept me in mind” goes so much further than any cold outreach.

Get very clear on what you actually offer. Not “marketing help.” Not “I do social media and stuff.” The clearer you are on your specific value, the easier it is for people to refer you because they know exactly when to bring up your name.

Make it effortless for people to connect you. Have a deck ready. Have a booking link ready. Have a services overview that doesn’t require a phone call to understand. When an opportunity appears, you want to be able to move in two hours, not two weeks.

Show up consistently where your future clients are. Not everywhere. One or two places, done well. LinkedIn if you’re going B2B. Instagram if your clients are personal brands or small businesses. The goal is to be findable and credible when someone goes to vet you after a referral.

And if you’re still trying to figure out what you even offer, what your niche is, or whether you’re actually ready to make the leap from corporate to freelance? That’s exactly what the next step is for.

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Not Sure What Your Freelance Offer Should Even Be Yet?

Before you can create Shock and Awe, you have to know what you’re bringing to the table, clearly and confidently.

That’s why I created the Freelance Clarity Map: a free guide that helps corporate marketers like you figure out what your skills are actually worth, what kind of freelance work lights you up, and how to find your freelance sweet spot before you ever pitch a client.

Because the best client-getting strategy in the world doesn’t work if you don’t know what you’re selling.

→ Download the Freelance Clarity Map for free here

It’s free. It’s quick. And it’ll give you more clarity in 20 minutes than six months of Reddit threads.

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London Dela-Cruz is the founder of The Brand Edit — a fractional marketing partner for growth-stage businesses and a coach helping corporate marketers build profitable freelance careers. Follow along at @bythebrandedit or visit onbrandedit.com.