Freelancer
Starting As A Freelancer? 7 Points You Should Keep In Mind
Sonntag, 15.November 2009People, that start freelancing on the internet, often go the wrong way. Ift that happen, your business can quickly go down the pan. The following points, are thing you should know before you start your freelance career.
1. Know how the market works: The first and most important thing is to know how to get clients and how to keep them. Market your service properly and you will soon see success. Freelancer who forget this step, often give up quickly.
2. Let the client pay your rate: Many freelancer take on very low paying jobs. Your should avoid this. Look out for clients that pay a decent rate, and not for those, that seek cheap freelancer. It spoils the market und you wont be able to make a living.
3.Don’t take on too many clients: Don’t take on more work than you can handle. You will miss your deadlines and burn out. But also, your should have more than a single income source.
4. Deadlines: Don’t ever miss your deadlines! As a professional in your field, you should deliver your work on time. Clients don’t like to wait for their work. Besides, they have deadlines too.
6. Clients: There are bad clients and good clients. The bad one is a price haggler, or the communication is bad, which makes working sometimes very diffucult. The good client provides exact details of the job and pays a fair price. So, you better find the good kind of client.
7. Other people’s opinion: Being self-employed is relative new to the today’s society. People may don’t understand why someone would quit his 9-5 job and work full time as a freelance. Don’t listen to them and do your job!
7 Habits Of A Successful Freelancer
Montag, 10.August 2009Not everyone can become a successful freelancer. It requires some special ingredients and people who know how to tackle this niche will end up minting huge sums of money. But in general, there are seven basic steps or perhaps we can call it ‘habits’ of a freelancer that is common and can`t be missed. These habits make them stand apart and end up in their success:
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Analyze the market: Successful freelancers first identify the market direction. They analyze and identify the latest trend that is now making the market ‘hot’. If at all their niche is fixed, analysis is done with respect to their niche. They find out whether there is an increase or decrease in demand of their products or services. A graphic designer would look out for the latest designs and the hottest color of the season. Similarly a software developer will see the latest programs. Another aspect of market analysis is whether there is a slowdown in economy. Any slowdown will result in more outsourcing and less in-house jobs. This translates into the fact that freelancers will have more contracts in their hands. Also in such times freelancers are paid better. They can choose from the plethora of jobs available, whether in the local market or internationally.
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They do break some ‘rules’: Rules at times need to be broken by successful freelances too. But when they do it, they know the repercussions and they also know which rule to break. Though they don`t do it often, some special cases do demand breakage of rules. For example, sometimes the freelancers, who are members of the freelancing websites which help them in getting clients, try to get payments in their paypal or such account. This benefits them in ways that they don’t have to pay commission to the website. But this is against the website’s rules which lose its revenue.
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Reinvestment of money into the business: Not all the money from freelancing goes to your pocket. To be successful, you need to re-invest some amount back into the business. Some costs like office supplies, professional dues and above all, costs required for expansion will have to be refurbished. In short to get more money – invest it!
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Inculcate interest in your work: The basic fundamental thing to look out for is to do the work that interests you or vice versa i.e. inculcate interest in the work that you do. You should never be forced to do a work; it will make it entirely monotonous. Also digressing will help.
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Constant up gradation of skills: Successful freelancers constantly keep swimming along the tide. They analyze as to where the demand lies and equip them in such a manner that they can supply their service in the optimum manner and the apt time. For e.g. if C++ programming is becoming obsolete, a successful freelancer would look at an alternative to satiate the requirements of the clients by learning and becoming proficient in newer languages.
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They give the best quality: Successful freelancers always work to the 100% of their efficiency. They always supply the customers or people with the best quality service and never fail any deadline. Substandard work will never be heard of from them and they will always be referred by people who prefer quality and word about them will spread naturally without any manual advertisement. Apart from the quality, they are also polite and courteous. They rectify there work if there are some mistakes and communicate well with the customers.
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They rely on diversification: Successful freelancers will never stick to one field; instead they will be a jack of all trades. Relying on a single client or a single buyer for a source of income is baseless and if there is a problem with that buyer, you are literally out of job.
8 ways to market your freelance business via offline media
Freitag, 24.Juli 2009As the owner of your online freelance business organization, the most challenging task is to market your services to a large target base of consumers, considering that you cannot allot an elaborate budget for your marketing needs. It is extremely imperative for you to optimize streamlined marketing strategies that help you reach your services effectively to a large consumer base. Your significant ways to market your business would help you achieve your business goals in a short span of time.
Below are eight marketing tips that you can incorporate to promote your online services via offline media of communication.
Business Cards:
Business cards are an effective way of communicating your services to people. It makes your business appeal legitimate. One of the most important pointers to mention in your card are your name, URL, address, e-mail and other such contact information on which you would like your potential customers to reach you. It is advisable to print your card on both the two sides and write as much as you can about your services. Through your business cards you can encourage people to visit your website, blog and direct people to sign up free for a seminar, newsletter or a special targeted report. Distribute these cards to new clients, family members, peers and colleagues.
Design a poster:
It is important to note that your poster is a thorough outlook on your services, work done in the past along with your qualifications. A poster is bound to have all that it takes to convince the reader to immediately call you to hire your services. Or, it should be impactful enough to encourage the reader to save your poster for future requirements. Therefore, it is most imperative that your poster be highlighted with your strengths, accomplishments and areas of expertise to woo your consumer. Now, to enhance the impact of your poster, make sure that the paper you use is of a fine quality and has a livid appeal with the right use of colors, fonts et al. Distribute these posters whenever you meet people in person so that they have an accessible copy of your company details.
Draft a professional introduction:
As they say, “the first impression is the last impression”, it is of utmost importance as to how you introduce your self and your company to a prospective client. Stale statements like, “I am freelance writer” leaves no impact on your listener as your client might be coming across myriad e-mails and calls where people use the same stale statement for their introduction. Therefore, to make yourself noticed, you ought to learn to use the right statements that generate maximum impact. Use the words that best describe you and your business. For example, instead of the above quoted statement, use, “I am a communication expert with specialization on content writing”. Or “I am service provider with expertise on web content development, editing and SEO writing”.
Advertise in the publications and newspapers:
Though the surge of online media of advertising has enabled ways for faster communication and publicity, one cannot discount the effects of publicizing your services via the traditional ways of media. Even today, a large segment of people prefer reading newspapers for gaining knowledge and remaining updated with the buzzing news, In fact, a few supplements of the mainstream newspapers are dedicated on advertising the services of start-ups and small scale businesses. The advantage of these newspapers is that they are read by the audience who are generally looking out to hire the services of a new agency. Therefore, advertising in dedicated supplements, publications and newspapers still remains one of the most viable methods to advertising your service.
Shoot an email blast:
First and foremost, prepare a comprehensive email that describes best about your services, highlights of your company and exemplifies ways on how you would prove to successful at partnering their business proposals. Then, prepare a list of targeted group of organizations / businesses that you think would be interested in availing your services. Mail those formatted letters to them giving a personalized feel to each one of them. Make follow-up calls to those who were directed the email to verbally explain them the highlights of your company and how would you strategize ways to help them achieve their targets.
Be a part of a group:
One of the most viable ways to promote your online business offline is by joining an offline group that specializes in the nature of your business. This will enable you expand your contacts and improvise your network. Check out for the nearest Chamber of Commerce in your city and register your details with them. However, it is not mandatory that you join only that group that is related to your business interests. You can build eminent contacts by joining that group that shares your hobby or interests. Follow up that group of members timely to seek potential consumers in them. You never know, your group member might promote your agency among his friends and peers.
Prepare a CD:
This is yet another effective way to promote your business among your prospective clients. You can burn a CD recording your introduction on your company, its services, accomplishments et al. Clearly leave a message on how your company would leverage strategies to help them aspire and meet new business goals. Distribute these CDs along with the posters and business cards. It is quite a probability that people listen to your CD while driving or while taking a break and call you back to know more details.
Organize tele-seminars:
This is yet another potent method to grow your business in the market. You can hold tele seminars on a topic of your expertise and invite companies and potential consumers to gain from your knowledge. During your speech you can tactfully i
Freelancing Guide For Beginners
Mittwoch, 15.Juli 2009Working as a freelancer is synonymous to working independently within the realms of your own house with your own set of working hours. As a freelancer, you are your own boss wherein you get to decide your own income and the quantity of work that you would like to undertake. There is no physical presence of a boss figure doting over your work after every hour. Freelancing is the best available option to make some extra money apart from your salary.
Here are some of the steps that would help you establish yourself as a potential freelancer:
Primarily, it is imperative to decide on what service would like to freelance. There is a wide range of options like copywriting, creative writing, sales, marketing, photography etc. You have to analyze your best skills and choose an appropriate stream. You may work using your own name or work under the name of your business enterprise. There is no need for registering a license to work as a freelancer.
Then decide ways to promote yourself to potential clients across the world. This is one of the most important steps as the market you are about to make your foray into is immensely competitive. You need to make sure that you make your presence felt among the crowd of many established freelancers. Build a credible portfolio that contains records of your best work. Mention names of few references on which your prospective employers can confirm back your skills. Leave your contact details and business address for enabling further communications with your client. Many freelancers build their own websites to maintain records of their previous work and timely update them with their latest assignments.
Many freelance job websites help buyers to post their projects for outsourcing. Many prospective freelancers who are looking for part-time job opportunities visit these websites. As a freelancer, you are given independence of choosing your own desirable project, which you think precisely, matches your expertise. Prepare a list of such freelance job websites and register with them. You will be required to create your portfolio with site and enter your qualifications. Now, it is very important to build an impressive portfolio informing your employment details and best of your work samples. While registration with most of these sites is free, a few sites might charge a nominal amount. Some of the most popular freelance job websites to look for are craigslist.com, elance.com, guru.com, rentacoder.com.
Then, decide on the amount of money you would like to draw. The rule is simple. The amount of figure you want to fetch is directly proportional to the quantity of work you would be required to undertake. Make sure that you agree on the quantity of work that leaves you enough time for yourself as well. Follow all the deadlines to cast a good impression on your employer so that he may consider you again for his future endeavors.
Freelancing is a great way of giving you exposure to a variety of other projects posted by a client. It is a good beginning to gaining a valuable experience in servicing a client, albeit at the comfort of your home.
Tips To Strike The Right Cord Between Work And Recreation
Samstag, 4.Juli 2009Today, we are all a part of a mad race exploiting ourselves to the hilt to reach for the skies. We nurture a desire to accomplish everything that seems beyond our reach. In our attempts to satiate our desires, we work hard, sometimes beyond our capacity and tend to blur the equilibrium maintained between our personal and professional lives. In our efforts to reach the top of the ladder, we neglect our friends and family that are our perennial source of happiness and pleasure for us. A flourishing career is indeed an achievement, but,one cannot discount the importance of maintaining a balance between work and life to live a self-disciplined life. One needs to strike the correct chord between the two impertinent aspects to live a healthy, disciplined life. Here’s how you can strike a balance between your professional and personal lives.
Limit your working hours:
This is one of the most important steps that lead to a balanced life. Regardless of how career oriented you are, it is imperative to set your limits to enjoy other pleasures of life, else, you will end up completely ruining your life. You ought to learn to set time restrictions and respectfully say no to working for extra bucks.
Give utmost importance to your personal commitments:
We often end up neglecting promises or words given to your relatives. This will gradually lead to losing your importance in their lives. So, learn to value your personal commitments at par with your professional commitments. It would be a blunder if you missed an important meeting with your client! Give the same importance your daughter’s / son’s soccer match as well. Set alarms, set google reminders, just the way you do it to keep yourself updated on happenings on professional front.
Give your 100 percent:
Often people tend to be offer their physical presence to their families on a vacation with their mind and heart still at work. This is the biggest mistake one could commit! It is important to note that when you are on a vacation, do not let your work distract you. If not with your family, learn to compartmentalize your mind and involve in some recreational activities after putting some set hours of time in your work. Same holds true, vise-versa as well. When at work, do not let personal calls or recreational activities distract you.
Analyze your priorities:
Whenever you feel that the balance between work and life is blurring, take some time out to set your priorities straight. It is quite probable for a person to get sidetracked by things coming on your way just because they demand your time and presence. This is similar to wasting your time and energy for unimportant reasons. Learn to simplify your life by prioritizing both your recreational / personal activities as well as professional activities.
Striking the right chord between work and life is not an easy task that can happen overnight. The key to a healthy and self-disciplined life is to keep practicing to maintain a balance.
Advantages Of Working At Home
Donnerstag, 25.Juni 2009When you become a freelance writer, you have opened yourself to great advantages. No more do you have to go to the 9-5 rat race. You can get up, turn on your computer and you are at work – short commute! There are other great advantages to being a freelancer.
Set your own schedule
The greatest advantage to freelance home writer is you are able to set your own schedule. You can work a few hours a day or for the entire day – the choice is yours. You do not have a boss telling you “you’re late”, because you are the boss. If you want to get a few extra hours of sleep – the choice is yours. From experience, the more articles you can write in a day, the better the pay you will receive. You can even work a full time job while freelancing due to the advantage of setting your own hours.
Job satisfaction
You get the satisfaction of a job well done. When you see your finished product, you will feel immense satisfaction that you may not feel in a regular job after toiling so hard. When you did the work from home, you know it is of great quality, because you have performed it with minimal tension.
Your personal development
When you become a freelancer, you may work on something you may know nothing about. As you do this work, you have a chance to raise your own development and chances of being an expert on the subject. Your friends will be impressed when they find out how much you have learned from being a freelancer. Basically, your general knowledge improves and so does your awareness.
You are able to work from anywhere in the world and still be a freelancer. You might be in one location and your client could be half way around the world. You may never meet your client but through all the emails, you create between you and your client a bond on professional level is formed.
Spend less money
When you become a freelancer, you will do away with that long commute. In the long run this will save you on fuel which ultimately saves you money. You do not even have to get in your car to work. All you have to do is just slide right into your favorite office chair.
Work comfortably
You do not need to dress professionally for work. You can even come to work in your pajamas. Remember you are your own boss and you set the dress code. If you want to work in sweats and a t-shirt who will know? It is important though, since you will be sitting for hours a day, to wear loose fitting clothing that will give as you move.
As you can see, being a freelancer and working from home has many advantages. With all these great advantages, are you not lured you give up that awful 9-5 rat race?
Strategize your professional communication to cast the first impression!
Montag, 22.Juni 2009In the corporate realm, your first impression is the last impression and there are no second chances! When you are targeting at winning over your client, your talking has to be much more than just mere words. Right from your body language to your facial expressions to even the color of your hair – every impression counts. Whether the series of your communication begins with simple email or a telephonic conversation, make sure your ice-breaking first statements are the most impressive! When you carry a conversation, adopt an approach based on a thorough understanding of your client and his goals, so that he sees a potential partner in you for his varied business endeavors.
Here are a few tips on how to leave an impressionable impact on your potential client through your professional communication strategies.
1. Cast your best impression on a new client by cracking a winning first statement. Your first statement can be the door to success and ensure the opening of new horizons of business opportunities. Your opening line should be between 15-40 seconds to create interest in your client for your company. The key to a successful opening statement is to show your immense knowledge on your clients’ products rather than just boasting your own products. Make sure that the opening statement is not replete with in-appropriate jargons and mispronounced names. Keep the statement short and focused.
2. It is important to prepare your first ever communication before you fix up a meeting with him. Conduct comprehensive research work on the profile of the client you are addressing and his company. Read the company’s progress status through surveys and channel strategies to help the company aspire for new business goals. Knowledge on the company’s history would position you better to analyze the prospects of your client’s needs. Address these aspirations and goals in your first interaction so as to convince him of your capabilities.
3. It is good to keep a list of questions you want to subject to your client handy, however, reserve them for the end of the interview when you see him quite impressed with your answers. Let the client get over with his 30 minutes of speech on his expectations from you and your prospective role in his company and then you can shoot with your questions one by one.
4. Before going for the interview or another round of discussions it is always better to structure few of your statements before you get started with the client. Structuring of sentences on one hand instills confidence for facing the client and second, it helps you to pen professionally correct statements. As per the rule, your statements should not end as open-ended questions. For example, “We had set up a meeting, didn’t we?” Your statements should be informative, plain with a conversational tone, rather than a questioning tone.
5. Avoid verbal ticks like, “you know, ummm, like” etc. These are unnecessary pauses that cast your bad impression on your interviewer. This also gives a sign of your lack of confidence and nervousness. Ignore butterflies in your stomach and present a more calm and confident self of yours. Instead of using verbal ticks, take a pause of 1-2 seconds to think and gather knowledge before responding your client. The key lies in starting on with the information which you know the most. This will give you a push to carry even hour’s interviews.
6. Your body also speaks of a language which is as important as your verbal language. The posture of your body, eye contact, hand-shakes, style of walk all reflects signals of your personality. A good eye contact shows that you are interested in what is being said by your client. A pleasant smiling face expresses your pleasure at meeting him. Therefore, in the interview with your client, every body action reflects signals of your mind-frame and thus your interest. So, plan your move and rehearse for the interview before fixing up the appointment with your potential clients. Make every move count as an impression to interest your client and show your core capabilities at handling his projects.
7. Your interview with your client isn’t really the appropriate place to test your funny bone. Many people, out of nervousness or as an attempt to meet a common ground indulge themselves into cracking jokes to create a light environment. This on the other hand is your interviewer’s job to soothe a tense environment for you. Instead of you cracking the jokes, you must concentrate on giving them short and targeted answers to their questions. Remember, your interview is your test to check your professional skills and not your socializing skills.
8. Never badmouth your previous boss while sitting for the current interview. Even though your previous recruiter was next to a Hitler, badmouthing him is a serious professional offence. You ought to talk about your attributes and achievements in your previous company than badmouthing them.
9. Talk about your failures as your accomplishments. This can be achieved by stressing how your failures have been major landmarks in your life and how much you’ve learned from them. Presenting your mistakes as achievements project you as a growing person eager to learn from your mistakes.
10. Talk about your goals and aspirations you’d like to meet while working with this company. Where would you like to see yourself five years down the line in this company? Talk about what kind of changes would you like to bring for this company. It is imperative to address these goals to your interviewer lest he takes you for an un-ambitious and lazy person. He ought to see a potential employee in you, so, give him what he expects from you. However, make sure that you do not portray your goals in an exaggerated manner as that might cast your fake impression on the interviewer. The key lies in conversing focused, short and targeted sentences and avoiding fluffing of sorts.
Do you agree with this ten points?