If you are freelancing, then you have to always be informed on how to upgrade your knowledge, skills and use them better. You have to invest (unpaid time) to constantly develop your personality and head into the right direction.
Here are some tips on what you need to do to be a better freelancer.
Planning
There is no way of succeeding in freelancing business without being good at planning. When you start, you need to be aware that freelancing can’t become your full-time job, so it’s important to plan the transition from your daily job to freelancing. Don’t be too hasty!
At while not having a boss breathing down your neck, you will still have deadlines that you have to fulfill, so there won’t be much time to enjoy complete freedom.
The best way to do it is by planning your complete working week and stick to the plan 100%. Everything else is going to be testing your nerves and often result in lower-quality work. And that’s the worst thing you can do! So just open up the calendar, schedule your working hours and possible overtime and stick to it!
Using ‘Free’ Time
It can happen very often that even as a freelancer you are working 8 hours a day or more. So when you hit a ‘slow week’ make sure that you are not just wasting your time. Instead, invest working hours into your own projects.
Update your resume, website or social media. Connect more with people in your niche and be more personal. It’s also work!
Creating contacts is important in every business, but updating with old customers is also great way for you to get some new projects from them.
Building Personal Brand
Building your personal brand is often as important as the work you do as a freelancer. People buy what they know and more importantly what they trust. As a freelancer, you don’t have a recognizable brand to stand behind when you try and sell yourself.
The best approach is to get yourself setup with an online presence. If you’re easy to find, then people will start to trust you. Here’s a few things you can do right away:
• Build a website: A website is a must as a freelancer. If you’re going to build one though, make sure you spend the time to make it look professional.
• Social media: Depending on your line of work you might want to consider setting up some social handles. For example, if you’re an writing expert, Twitter can be good. If you are into fitness – Instagram.
• Personal logo: You don’t need to get fancy with this, but it’s always a good idea to come up with your own logo. Make it super simple and relatable. Also remember to attach it to all your documents including your invoices!
More about personal branding:
10 Ways to Successfully Change Your Personal Brand
Getting Reviews
While you do get paid to do a job, how are you going to get the next one? Make sure that your happy customers are leaving a positive review online, where it can be easily found and spotted.
Also, don’t forget to have a strategy to respond to negative reviews alike.
It’s important for people to see that you are hard-working and the more clients you have it will be easier to get new clients. That will make it possible (sometimes in the future) to completely leave your daily job and focus fully on freelancing.
CHECK OUT:
4 Things Every Freelancer Needs to Do
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