Freelancefolder

The Pros and Cons of a Freelancing Partnership

Posted February 1, 2012 in Business

Freelancers usually operate solo, but sometimes it’s a good idea for us to enter into partnerships.

As a one-person team, there are only so many clients you can serve, and so many skills you can deliver. A partnership can be a good way to expand your freelancing business.

However, as in all things, freelancing partnerships have their advantages and disadvantages. If you’re considering partnering with another freelancer, read this post to see if you really know what you’re getting into.

The Pros

Provide more comprehensive services

Sometimes it makes sense to partner with another freelancer, so you can give clients a complete package of services. For example, as a copywriter, a logical partnership for me would be with a web designer. That way, I can provide a total website package to my clients.

• Accept more projects

Another advantage of partnering with other freelancers is the ability to take on a larger volume of work. This works whether you partner with a freelancer whose skills complement your own (as in my previous example of copywriter + designer), and it also works if you partner with a freelancer with similar skills.

In my case, I could partner with blog writers, email marketers, and other types of copywriters. We can divvy up tasks and accept more clients than I could ever do by myself.

• More effective prospecting

When you partner with another freelancer, you’re effectively tapping into your partner’s network and promotional efforts. It’s like having another person doing the prospecting for you, and vice versa. This synergy is more powerful than simply adding up what each of you could accomplish individually.

• Tap another freelancer’s expertise, experience, wisdom

A partnership benefits from the knowledge and wisdom of each party. You’ll have a wider pool or expertise and experience to tap into. Decisions are made from two different perspectives, which may lead to better management and results.

• Be part of a team

Partnering can relieve much of the loneliness of freelancing. You and your partner will have each other to provide support and encouragement. You’ll have someone to share successes and failures with. This can make freelancing more satisfying and less stressful.

The Cons

Now let’s look at the other side of the coin. While freelancing partnerships have their advantages, they can be difficult as well.

• Finding the right people to partner with

The biggest challenge in a freelancing partnership is making sure you’ve picked the right partner. Aside from ensuring you complement each other’s skills, you also need to consider your working styles, ethics, communication skills, and other aspects. Because you’ll be working closely together, even the smallest annoyances can snowball into big issues later on.

• Losing control

When you work with a partner, you have to be willing to sacrifice a little control. You need to trust that your partner will deliver their end of the deal. This can be very difficult to do, especially when your own reputation is on the line.

• Increased logistical requirements

Partnerships require effective communication to work. This could include collaboration software, clear work processes, a means to track projects.

• Longer, more complicated decision-making

With two or more people involved, decision-making will take more time. More points of view and opinions will have to be considered. Disagreements will arise. Compromises will have to be made.

• Flexibility required

Here’s the bottom line: You and your partner have to get along. This means both of you need to be flexible, communicate well, and trust each other. This is also why partnering with the right person is of utmost importance. Not only must you work together, but you have to get along well, too.

Partnerships: Yes or No?

When the right people come together, set clear expectations and have effective work processes, freelancing partnerships can work.

What do you think? Would you ever partner with another freelancer to expand the reach and scope of your work? What would push or pull you from such an arrangement?

Have you ever partnered with another freelancer before? What was that like? What lessons did you learn from the experience?

Share your thoughts in the comments below.

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How to Find and Apply Vision to Your Freelancing Business

Posted January 18, 2012 in Business

Fortune 500 companies, non-profits and other “serious” businesses have them. Should your freelancing business have one too?

A vision, that is.

A vision is simply a statement (several paragraphs, actually) of where you’d like your business to be in the next x number of years.

Apparently, a vision is really good for any business, including yours.

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8 Metrics Every Freelancer Should Measure at the End of the Year

Posted December 30, 2011 in Business, Productivity

It’s the end of the year, and you know what that means…end of year reporting! Now’s the time of the year to dig out the Excel sheets, budgets, expense reports and bank statements and start reconciling. A pain, yes…but incredibly valuable.

Freelancers and independent workers often skip this critical exercise. Moving from the end of one year to the next is approached with a somewhat oozing type of existence, only slightly punctuated by a couple weeks of either reduced or insane workloads (industry dependent, for sure).

One of the best things you can do for your business – whether you’re a solo shop or a multi-national concern, is to stop at the end of the year and take a look at how things went. For freelancers and independents, you should be looking at the following metrics:
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A Special Thank-You to Our September Advertisers

Posted September 17, 2011 in Business

School has started. The leaves are starting to change colors and temperatures are starting to cool down.

Fall is a great time to explore the offerings from the excellent companies supporting the Freelance Folder blog. It’s the support of these advertisers that allows us to provide you with great information year-round. We definitely recommend checking them out.

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Thank-you to Our May Advertisers

Posted May 14, 2011 in Business

The last few weeks have been stormy, at least where I live. We’ve had thunderstorms, flood warnings, hail, and even a tornado watch or two.

Well, I hope that you are dry and that your freelancing career is going more smoothly than my local weather. :)

We’d like to encourage you to explore the offerings from the high-quality companies supporting the Freelance Folder blog. It’s the support of these advertisers that allows us to provide you with great information year-round. We would definitely recommend checking them out.

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Thank-You to Our April Advertisers

Posted April 16, 2011 in Business

Spring is really here, at least in my part of the world. Flowers are in bloom and the snow is finally gone! Spring is a great time to get a fresh start with some powerful new programs that really work–programs like those offered by our advertisers.

Each day our writers and guest authors strive to bring you the best information for freelancers–something that the high-quality companies supporting the Freelance Folder blog allows us to do. It’s the support of these advertisers that allows us to provide you with great information year-round. We would definitely recommend checking them out.

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Thank-You to Our January Advertisers

Posted January 15, 2011 in Business

It’s a new year and for many freelancers, this signifies a fresh new start for their freelancing business. It’s a time to get things in order and get geared up.

A great way to start the new year is to explore some of the products and services offered by the high-quality companies supporting the Freelance Folder blog. It’s the support of these companies that allows us to provide you with great information year-round. Our advertisers provide excellent services and products that are vital to freelancing success. Trust us, these companies know and understand freelancing. We would definitely recommend checking them out.

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Thank-You to Our November Advertisers

Posted November 13, 2010 in Business

It’s starting to feel a bit like winter around here. Of course, that’s probably because it’s already November. Where has 2010 gone, anyway?

The end of the year is a great time to take stock of your freelancing business and make sure that you have all of the tools that you need…tools like those offered by the high-quality companies supporting the Freelance Folder blog. In fact, it’s the support of these companies that allows us to provide you with great information about freelancing that you need. Our advertisers provide excellent services and products that are vital to freelancing success. Trust us, these companies know and understand freelancing. We would definitely recommend checking them out.

Here’s the complete list of our wonderful November advertisers:

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Freelancing Competition–Friends or Foes?

Posted June 27, 2010 in Business, Inspiration

Let’s face it. If you’re a freelancer, then you’ve got competition.

Competition means that there is someone else who is also targeting your ideal clients and prospects. They may be applying for the same projects. They may even be getting more of those projects than you are getting.

It’s very easy for a freelancer to get distracted by what their competition is doing.

In this post, we’ll discuss the three possible attitudes you can have towards your competition. We’ll also explain why it’s important not to get too sidetracked by focusing on your competitors.

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