Hey Kubilay,

I just wrote the chapter on this for my upcoming book, Mastering Freelance so let me give you the quick version while I still have it fresh in my mind ;)

• Use your network - If you can get your network to vet for you (through word-of-mouth, LinkedIn, a testimonial on your site or through introductions) this is the most beneficial thing you can get.
• Join networks where your potential clients hang and provide value - Try to offer free advice and position yourself as someone they can find valuable. That way they’ll reach out to you and you’ve positioned yourself far better.
• Pay extra attention to recurring clients - The easiest way of not having to get new clients all the time is to keep the ones you’ve already got. Your best clients are the ones you currently have.
• Play the long game - Things don’t always take off straight away so don’t be too hard on yourself if things don’t happen straight away. It's a cliché but hey, it really is a marathon.
• Sometimes you have to swallow your pride - When you provide true value to clients you’ll be rewarded. Sometimes you’ll just have to start a bit lower down the food chain to be able to show them your true value.

Hope that helps - happy to see what others think are important!