How to Get More Work from Previous Clients (Without Feeling Salesy)

One of the best ways to get more work isn’t by pitching, it’s by giving.

When we wrap up a project, we often move on, waiting for the next client to come knocking.

But what if we took a different approach?

What if we looked back at our previous work, found ways to improve it, and offered value without being asked?

Not for a sale. Not for a hidden agenda. Just to help.

When I started Boosted, I didn’t have a large following or incredible network. Instead, I had a small book of business from my freelancing days.

The following tips helped me close $13k in new projects my first month from reaching out and strengthening relationships through genuine giving without being asked (or being paid).

The Power of Giving Without Expectation

Clients are busy. They don’t always notice small problems, or realize how those problems might be affecting their business. But as designers, we see things they don’t.

Maybe their site’s typography could use a subtle tweak for better readability.
Maybe their dashboard could be more intuitive.
Maybe their brand visuals could use a slight refresh.

These are simple improvements we can make, and offer freely.

That’s exactly how Boosted landed its first project.

I noticed a previous freelance client had added new sections to their website (ones I didn’t design), but they felt cluttered and used the wrong fonts and colors. So, I spent a few minutes mocking up a cleaner version in Figma and sent it over, no pitch, no sales angle, no expectations.

Here’s exactly what I wrote:

"Hey [client], how’s everything going? I noticed a couple of new sections on your homepage since we last worked together. The colors and fonts seemed a bit off, so I went ahead and re-designed them to align with your brand. Hope it helps!"

That same week, they booked a call. What started as a small, no-strings-attached favor turned into a $5K project redesigning even more sections of their site.

How This Turns into New Work

When you help without expectation, you do two things:

1. You strengthen the relationship. Clients see you as someone who genuinely cares about their success, not just a paycheck.

2. You stay top of mind. When they do need a designer, who do you think they’ll reach out to? The one who disappeared after the last invoice, or the one who just made their life easier, no charge?

In the earlier example, a few minutes of genuine effort led to real work, not because I asked for it, but because I earned it.

By giving without expectation, you build trust, stay top of mind, and naturally attract more opportunities.

Try it. Find a past project, spot a small improvement, and offer it freely. You never know where it might lead.

Action Step: Find One Way to Help Today

Look at a past project. Spot a small improvement. Reach out to the client and say:

"Hey [Client Name], I was thinking about [past project] and noticed [small improvement]. I went ahead and made this tweak for you, no charge, just wanted to make sure it’s working as well as it can for you."

That’s it. No pitch. No upsell. Just value.

This mindset shift is how you build lasting relationships, and get hired again and again.

Now not all clients will reach out and give you $5k projects. Many will thank you, more might ignore you. But, the more do this, the more report you build which for me, has resulted in the best ROI.

It’s hard to say how exactly, but when you look to put out value in the world, the world has a way to return it to you ten fold. It make take a little time, but it’ll come.

Try it. And let me know what happens.

Stay creative,

Lo Partsch