Freelancefolder

A Simple Way To Stop Clients From Rejecting Your Proposals

Posted October 21, 2008 in Business, Marketing 31 Rockin' Comments »

Just lost a potential client because they can’t afford you?

You’re not alone — we’ve all been there. But in these troubled times, letting a potential client slip through your fingers isn’t something you want to risk again, let alone experience.

Fortunately, there are steps you can take to keep a window-shopping prospect looking at your services and (more importantly) get them to sign on the dotted line.

Read more to find out how.

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You Know You’re A Web Designer If…

Posted October 20, 2008 in freelancenews Add Comment »

You Know You’re A Web Designer If…
Here are a few situations I found my self in that got me thinking how influenced am I from the whole web design business. Important to mention that all of the below situations really happened to me – no kidding.

What’s Your Strength: Creativity or Discipline?

Posted October 20, 2008 in Lifestyle, Open Thread, Productivity 14 Rockin' Comments »

Creativity and discipline are two topics that have individually received a huge amount of attention online, offline, and just about everywhere in between. And they probably deserve that attention, too.

As freelancers, much of our prosperity can be drawn directly back to one of these two things — how creative is your work, and how much of it can you get done. Or, in your own business, how many great ideas do you have, and how fast can you implement them.

The tough part is that very few people naturally have an abundance of both creativity and discipline. The scales are normally tipped in one direction or the other, and it’s our job both enhance the stronger side and shore up the weaker one.

So, in this thread I’d like to discuss this idea further. Which half are you stronger in — creativity or discipline? In what ways have you helped to balance things out? How have you played to your stronger side? How have you improved your weaker side?

As always, we’ll continue discussion in the comments… [Click Here to Read More...]

When a Client Can’t Afford You: Why It’s Still Better to Bid High

Posted October 17, 2008 in Business, Marketing 36 Rockin' Comments »

A start-up just contacted you — needing brand identity work, web design, marketing materials, whatever. As an experienced professional, you know your services aren’t cheap, and you may be too expensive for a start-up with a shoestring budget.

You want to know what the project’s budget is, but they can’t tell you. Start-ups and small companies often don’t have a set budget for projects like these. They are looking to you to provide a price quote, so they know what they can expect to pay.

Still, your gut is telling you this client can’t afford you. What do you do?
[Click Here to Read More...]

5 Ways to Promote Your Business for Free Online

Posted October 17, 2008 in freelancenews Add Comment »

5 Ways to Promote Your Business for Free Online
While this list doesn’t include every free promotional opportunity out there, it does give you 5 great places to start marketing your business for free online.

8 Ways Freelancers Can Survive In A Troubled Economy

Posted October 16, 2008 in Business 19 Rockin' Comments »

Everywhere you look these days, the news is about the economy. Mostly, it’s bad news.

There’s no question that these are rough economic times. How will these times affect freelancers?

I’ve seen some bloggers and some news reports that predict an increase in business for freelancers as businesses slow down their hiring of permanent employees. I’ve seen other reports that predict slow times for all, including freelancers.

Personally, I have no idea what effect the economy will have on your business. I suspect that the effects that you feel will depend on many factors including: your field/products, how long you’ve been in business, your experience, your skill, and possibly even your physical location.

Whatever the case, there are some steps that you can take to protect your freelance business right now.

Here are eight of them:
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5 Creativity Killers And How To Get Your Creative Juices Flowing Again

Posted October 15, 2008 in How-To, Inspiration, Productivity 90 Rockin' Comments »

How do you get your creative juices flowing?

I get that question a lot from fellow freelancers, and unfortunately there’s no perfect answer because we’re all different and we all have a different working style.

But for those of you who have asked, here are my top 5 creativity killers and how I manage to stay focused, productive and creative.

#1 — Multi-Tasking And Distractions

I know some people have mastered the art of multi-tasking and working on tons of things at once. I tried and it’s not for me. There is no way I can focus on a project while trying to reply to emails, talk on the phone and chat on Skype. In order to get my creative juices flowing I absolutely need to focus all my attention and energy on one thing: work on that project. [Click Here to Read More...]

How To Stop Scrambling For Clients And Get A Steady Stream Of Paying Gigs

Posted October 14, 2008 in Business, How-To, Marketing 14 Rockin' Comments »

Freelancing can be your ticket to freedom — but it can also be a terrifying ride if you have a hard time getting a steady stream of clients.

There’s good news, though — it doesn’t have to be that way.  By taking a look at the “big picture” for your freelancing venture, you can position yourself to have more business than you can handle even in today’s tough economy.  So let’s put “scrambling for  clients” behind you and dive into a few strategies that put you back in control of your freelancing future.
[Click Here to Read More...]

Letting It Soak: A Success Strategy for Projects Needing Creativity

Posted October 14, 2008 in freelancenews Add Comment »

Letting It Soak: A Success Strategy for Projects Needing Creativity
When a new creative project starts people typically take two approaches. They will either get working on it right away if they have the time or push it off till right before the deadline. Neither strategy will allow you to be at your creative best. Instead I recommend you start early and let it “soak”.