Freelancefolder

3 Reasons Your Rates Are Still Low (And How To Start Raising Them)

Posted October 7, 2008 in Business, How-To, Marketing 16 Rockin' Comments »

If your rates are lower than you want them to be, don’t blame the economy.  Don’t blame the state of your particular industry.  And for the love of the business, don’t blame the competition.

If your paychecks aren’t all you’ve been hoping for, you’ve got to take a good look in the mirror and think about how you’re running your business.

Here are 3 common rate-killing mistakes that could be keeping you scrounging rather than thriving.

Let’s dive in.
[Click here to read more →]

Open Thread: What’s Most Important to Your Freelance Success?

Posted October 6, 2008 in Open Thread 11 Rockin' Comments »

Most people who read this blog will agree that freelancing isn’t easy. Success doesn’t just come naturally, and there is a lot that ends up contributing to it.

But what is the most important factor? What really determines how successful you will be?

A lot of people say that sheer effort and hard work will contribute to a successful freelance business. On the other hand, some people say that you need knowledge and lots of intelligence. Some would say you need creativity.

Are any of those the answer? Is it motivation, will power, being interested in what you do? Some magical combination of these things?

What do you think is most important to your success?

25 Ways to be More Productive as a Designer

Posted October 5, 2008 in freelancenews Add Comment »

25 Ways to be More Productive as a Designer
Work often consume our lives, but if we can become more productive at work and adopt good habits, our personal lives, in theory should improve as well.

6 Copywriting Tips for the Non-Writer

Posted October 5, 2008 in freelancenews Add Comment »

6 Copywriting Tips for the Non-Writer
If you’re a creative professional (like a graphic designer, photographer, or illustrator) understanding the basics of good copywriting can put more money in your pocket! How?

5 Ways To Get New Customers And Grow Your Online Business

Posted October 4, 2008 in freelancenews 1 Rockin' Comment »

5 Ways To Get New Customers And Grow Your Online Business
It’s easy to sit back, slack off and watch the money roll in, especially if you are satisfied with how well you’re doing. But keep in mind that if you slack off too much, your competitors will soon catch up and eventually put you out of business.

Are You a Writer, Freelancer, or Entrepreneur?

Posted October 2, 2008 in Business, Lifestyle, Writing 13 Rockin' Comments »

One of the most challenging things about being a freelance writer is that there isn’t really a well-defined career path laid out for you.

In a regular career, there are specific rungs on your ladder that are pretty well identified. For example, when I worked in IT, I started out answering phones for a help desk. After a few months and after earning some certifications, I moved up to desktop support. From there, it was a step up to being a systems administrator. I ended my career as a network engineer, just a stone’s throw away from going into IT management.

As a freelancer, though, my career has been more of a zig-zag pattern. I started out doing web content articles, which I still do today. Along the way, I’ve added certain types of skills and tasks, such as copywriting, website content, ebooks, sales letters, and even the occasional print article. In many ways, I’m still doing the same things today that I was when I started out.

Still, if I look across the entire path of my writing career, I can see specific points where it was time to make a decision about how that career would go. You might recognize some of these points from your own career. [Click here to read more →]