How To Be A Great Freelancer
Being a freelancer isn’t always a simple walk in the park - it can be truly a difficult business and the whole process can be really difficult to get right. Being a successful freelancer doesn’t have to be an unreachable goal - you can be up there with the best of them…
You can be a successful freelancer, no matter what economic climate you might find yourself - read on to find out how to be one of the freelancing greats by following a few simple tricks.
Be A True Freelancer
Don’t spend your time being an inbetweener freelancer - it won’t work. Just because you don’t have a job and you do the odd job now and then doesn’t make you a freelancer. If you aren’t entirely focused on being a freelancer then you won’t be a successful one and you won’t be able to build a successful business.
If you want to be a successful freelancer then you need to make sure that you are separated clearly from these unreal freelancers and make a clear name for yourself. You won’t get any work if the company you are freelancing for doesn’t whole heartedly believe that you are going to be sticking around to finish off the job.
Be clear about your intentions to a potential client and make them realise that you are undertaking the job as part of a larger picture for your freelancing career, not to simply pay the bills right now while times are tough.
Have The Ability
You need to be able to be in a position to be able to fulfil the role properly. Although being positive and willing to do something is an attractive characteristic for any freelancer, you need to be able to back up this enthusiasm with real skill and ability.
To do this make sure that you only take on work that you can do well and in your spare time train up on the things you aren’t so strong with. By doing this you will slowly but surely gaining abilities in all the different aspects out there.
Keep Your Eyes Open
While working you should always be looking forward to your next job. This is the best way of making sure that you aren’t left hanging without any work and income. This is much easier when you successfully manage to include your own marketing in with the job you are working on.
To do this you must build a reputation as a trustworthy, desirable and capable freelancer that any company would profit by having you on their team for a time. Make sure that your portfolio and website are both current and up to date and that you are charging the right amount for the jobs that you do. If you undercharge you will find this will actually harm your business.
Freelancing?
Are you a freelancer? Are you struggling to work through the recession? Have you found our advice useful? Let us know…
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1 Comment
Yes this is actually really useful. Beginning freelancers shouldn’t overwhelm themselves by taking on too many projects at once. I have heard some stories from the freelancers I work with on VOIS.com about how some of them are just so overwhelmed with work because they have two to three projects going at a time.
Also, for beginners, I suggest trying to find someone to collaborate with or even,(At at time of recession) to trade services, like Marketers market for the designer, while the same designer build the marketer a site. This will not only help but you will be meeting some people in the tech community.