{"id":12094,"date":"2010-03-25T20:23:12","date_gmt":"2010-03-25T14:53:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/?p=12094"},"modified":"2026-10-12T12:30:11","modified_gmt":"2026-10-12T07:00:11","slug":"first-social-media-consulting-gig","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2010\/03\/first-social-media-consulting-gig\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Get Your First Social Media Consulting Client (2026)"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Think you can help businesses grow on social media and want to get paid for it? Landing your <strong>first social media consulting<\/strong> client is the hardest step. Guest author Patrick Curl, a social media consultant, shared how he won his first gigs in 2010: by proving he could market himself first. That principle is even more important in 2026, when every business has been pitched by self-styled &#8220;gurus&#8221; and wants proof, not promises.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-39218\" src=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-content\/uploads\/4436645801_3cb562c5c1_d.jpg\" alt=\"Social media guru cartoon\" width=\"500\" height=\"484\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-content\/uploads\/4436645801_3cb562c5c1_d.jpg 500w, https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-content\/uploads\/4436645801_3cb562c5c1_d-150x145.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-content\/uploads\/4436645801_3cb562c5c1_d-300x290.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><strong>Quick answer:<\/strong> To land your first social media consulting client, build proof first (grow your own accounts or a friend&#8217;s business page and document the results), pick a niche, create a simple package with clear deliverables and pricing, offer a free audit to local businesses, network in person and on LinkedIn, ask for testimonials, and keep learning as platforms change.<\/p>\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_89 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-custom ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<label for=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6addeb5c83eb9\" class=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-label\"><span class=\"ez-toc-cssicon\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #1a202c;color:#1a202c\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #1a202c;color:#1a202c\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/label><input type=\"checkbox\"  id=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6addeb5c83eb9\" checked aria-label=\"Toggle\" \/><nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2010\/03\/first-social-media-consulting-gig\/#Are_you_ready_to_be_a_social_media_consultant\" >Are you ready to be a social media consultant?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2010\/03\/first-social-media-consulting-gig\/#8_steps_to_your_first_social_media_consulting_gig\" >8 steps to your first social media consulting gig<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2010\/03\/first-social-media-consulting-gig\/#1_Build_your_own_brand_first\" >1. Build your own brand first<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2010\/03\/first-social-media-consulting-gig\/#2_Create_a_case_study\" >2. Create a case study<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2010\/03\/first-social-media-consulting-gig\/#3_Choose_a_niche\" >3. Choose a niche<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2010\/03\/first-social-media-consulting-gig\/#4_Package_your_services\" >4. Package your services<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2010\/03\/first-social-media-consulting-gig\/#5_Offer_free_audits\" >5. Offer free audits<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2010\/03\/first-social-media-consulting-gig\/#6_Network_everywhere\" >6. Network everywhere<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-9\" href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2010\/03\/first-social-media-consulting-gig\/#7_Dont_turn_down_small_jobs_at_first\" >7. Don&#8217;t turn down small jobs at first<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-10\" href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2010\/03\/first-social-media-consulting-gig\/#8_Keep_learning\" >8. Keep learning<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-11\" href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2010\/03\/first-social-media-consulting-gig\/#Be_passionate_not_a_%E2%80%9Cguru%E2%80%9D\" >Be passionate, not a &#8220;guru&#8221;<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-12\" href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2010\/03\/first-social-media-consulting-gig\/#FAQ\" >FAQ<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-13\" href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2010\/03\/first-social-media-consulting-gig\/#Do_I_need_a_degree_to_be_a_social_media_consultant\" >Do I need a degree to be a social media consultant?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-14\" href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2010\/03\/first-social-media-consulting-gig\/#How_much_should_I_charge_as_a_beginner\" >How much should I charge as a beginner?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-15\" href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2010\/03\/first-social-media-consulting-gig\/#Where_do_social_media_consultants_find_clients\" >Where do social media consultants find clients?<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Are_you_ready_to_be_a_social_media_consultant\"><\/span>Are you ready to be a social media consultant?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Patrick&#8217;s test: can you reliably grow a targeted audience and turn it into business results? Businesses don&#8217;t just want followers; they want leads, sales and bookings. Before pitching, make sure you can:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Create content that gets real engagement on at least one or two platforms.<\/li>\n<li>Explain how social media supports business goals, not just likes.<\/li>\n<li>Read analytics and report results clearly.<\/li>\n<li>Run basic paid campaigns on Meta or LinkedIn.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"8_steps_to_your_first_social_media_consulting_gig\"><\/span>8 steps to your first social media consulting gig<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"1_Build_your_own_brand_first\"><\/span>1. Build your own brand first<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Patrick won early clients by showing his search results, blog and active profiles. If you can&#8217;t market yourself, clients won&#8217;t believe you can market them. Grow your LinkedIn, Instagram or YouTube presence in your niche.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"2_Create_a_case_study\"><\/span>2. Create a case study<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Help a friend, family business or local charity for free or cheaply for two to three months. Track the before-and-after numbers and turn them into a short case study.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"3_Choose_a_niche\"><\/span>3. Choose a niche<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>&#8220;Social media for dentists&#8221; or &#8220;Instagram for restaurants&#8221; is easier to sell than general social media services.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"4_Package_your_services\"><\/span>4. Package your services<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Offer clear options, such as a one-off audit and strategy, monthly content management or ad campaign setup, with defined deliverables and prices.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"5_Offer_free_audits\"><\/span>5. Offer free audits<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Review a business&#8217;s profiles and send three specific, actionable improvements. It shows expertise and often leads to paid work.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"6_Network_everywhere\"><\/span>6. Network everywhere<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Local business groups, chambers of commerce, LinkedIn, freelance platforms and other agencies (who often outsource overflow work) are all sources of clients.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"7_Dont_turn_down_small_jobs_at_first\"><\/span>7. Don&#8217;t turn down small jobs at first<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Early projects build your portfolio and testimonials. Raise your prices as your results grow.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"8_Keep_learning\"><\/span>8. Keep learning<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Platforms change constantly. Follow official platform blogs, take free courses such as Meta Blueprint and test new features on your own accounts first.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Be_passionate_not_a_%E2%80%9Cguru%E2%80%9D\"><\/span>Be passionate, not a &#8220;guru&#8221;<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Patrick&#8217;s final advice still stands: if you find social media boring or see it as a quick fad, it&#8217;s the wrong business. Clients can tell genuine enthusiasm from hype, as the cartoon above suggests.<\/p>\n<p>Sharpen your skills with the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2010\/04\/maximize-social-media-results\/\">CRAVE principle for social media results<\/a> and our <a href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2010\/07\/facebook-marketing\/\">Facebook marketing guide<\/a>.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"FAQ\"><\/span>FAQ<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Do_I_need_a_degree_to_be_a_social_media_consultant\"><\/span>Do I need a degree to be a social media consultant?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>No. Results, a portfolio and testimonials matter more, though marketing courses and certifications can help.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_much_should_I_charge_as_a_beginner\"><\/span>How much should I charge as a beginner?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Research local rates and start with modest fixed packages, then raise prices as you build case studies.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Where_do_social_media_consultants_find_clients\"><\/span>Where do social media consultants find clients?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Local networking, LinkedIn, referrals, freelance platforms and partnerships with web designers or agencies.<\/p>\n<p><em>Originally written by guest author Patrick Curl, a social media consultant, freelance writer and blogger. Cartoon &#8220;Social Media Guru&#8221; by Scott Hampson via Flickr. Updated for 2026 by QuickOnlineTips.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Think you can help businesses grow on social media and want to get paid for it? Landing your first social&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":39218,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_kad_post_transparent":"","_kad_post_title":"","_kad_post_layout":"","_kad_post_sidebar_id":"","_kad_post_content_style":"","_kad_post_vertical_padding":"","_kad_post_feature":"","_kad_post_feature_position":"","_kad_post_header":false,"_kad_post_footer":false,"_kad_post_classname":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[6,111],"tags":[44,49],"class_list":["post-12094","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-blogging","category-social-media","tag-guest-posts","tag-tutorials"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12094","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=12094"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12094\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":64355,"href":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12094\/revisions\/64355"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/39218"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=12094"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=12094"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=12094"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}