Freelancefolder

5 Unique Benefits That Freelancers Offer to Their Clients

Posted November 27, 2011 in Getting Clients, Marketing

Small businesses (and let’s face it, most freelancers are small businesses) really have it tough when it comes to competing with agencies and other large businesses. For one thing, the larger companies tend to have a much larger marketing budget.

Freelancers, on the other hand, tend to have a very small marketing budget–if they have one at all. Instead, they rely on networking and word of mouth.

But, does a small business or a lone freelancer stand a chance when competing with a larger organization for a client?

I think they do. Bigger isn’t always better. In this post, I ‘ll list five unique benefits that freelancers can offer to their clients.

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How to Ace Your Next Freelancing Job Interview

Posted November 13, 2011 in Getting Clients, Getting Started, How-To

Most people don’t realize it, but freelancers frequently face interviews.

Unlike a traditional employee, who may go years without being interviewed once they have been hired, a freelancer may face an interview nearly every time a prospect considers them for a project. So, good interview skills are an important part of a freelancer’s arsenal.

In this post, I’ll provide some tips to help freelancers prepare for various types of interviews that they might face. I’ll also identify some good answers to tough interview questions that freelancers get asked.

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14 Q & A Sites Where Freelancers Can Shine

Posted November 9, 2011 in Getting Clients, Marketing

Freelancing is all about making positive connections and building relationships. The more relationships that you build, the greater your pool of potential customers.

That’s why, as a freelancer, I like to examine different means of connecting online. Today, I’ll examine question and answer (Q & A) sites and provide a mini review for fourteen popular Q & A sites.

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Money Here, Money There, Money Everywhere

Posted October 13, 2011 in Getting Clients, Marketing

For the first time, it’s almost as if there’s *too much* opportunity for freelancers.

There are lots of ways that you can make money locally, and there are even more ways to make money by connecting with people through the internet.

But while some freelancers are getting rich, others are struck by analysis paralysis, and don’t know where they should begin.

Let’s clear that up–starting by exploring where the opportunities for making money really are…

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10 Key Points Freelancers Must Know About LinkedIn

Posted October 3, 2011 in Getting Clients, Social Media

LinkedIn is known as the most professional social networking site. After all, the top executives of Fortune 500 companies are in LinkedIn.

You don’t use it to reconnect with and keep in touch with your grandma who lives halfway around the world. Instead, you probably know it as THE place to be in if you’re either looking for a job or looking for someone to hire.

But if you’re a freelancer, don’t disregard LinkedIn as a client-getting tool. Many companies and business owners who hire freelancers are also in LinkedIn. And that’s why you want to be there too.

LinkedIn exists so you can capture your existing network–that is, people you already know from school, previous work places, etc–and grow that network through groups, referrals and introductions. You know it’s often not what you know and can do that matters, it’s whom you know! That’s why having a wide network helps if you’re looking for clients and prospects.

There are a ten key things freelancers need to know when using LinkedIn. Keep these in mind and you’ll get results faster and with less effort. In this post I’ll share what you must know about LinkedIn.

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Three (Almost) Foolproof Sources of New Freelance Clients

Posted September 2, 2011 in Getting Clients

Life can be a bit of a roller coaster for freelancers. Whether you’re a copywriter, web designer, or anything else, getting regular contracts that can pay for your bread and butter is a priority.

When you’ve got them, things couldn’t be better, and your working life can run very smoothly. When you’re left with next to no work to do, on the other hand, you can be left questioning whether this lifestyle is for you.

Thankfully, there are a few ways that you can usually count on to give you a steady stream of freelance work, no matter what industry you’re in.

We’re all feeling the pinch, but that doesn’t mean that there isn’t work out there to be found. Let’s take a look at three sources that are (almost) guaranteed to get you a lucrative new contract.

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Freelance Strategies for the Karma Economy

Posted August 22, 2011 in Getting Clients, Managing Clients

Nice guys finish… first?

That’s the question that we all wonder when we hear about phenomena like the “Thank You Economy”–does this mean that the best way to rise to the top is to be a nice guy?

Sure, we’ve all heard anecdotes about very successful people like Leo Babauta and Brian Clark, who have earned reputations as super-nice people.

And there are also examples like Donald Trump and Dan Kennedy, who have earned reputations as being… well… let’s just say “less than nice”–but they’re still very successful.

So should you be nice, or not? Who’s the exception, and who’s the rule? And how can we trust anyone’s example anyway–it’s just anecdote, right?

What we really need is to understand the mechanism: we need to know how the way that you treat people relates to your success.

All right then–buckle up, because it’s going to be an interesting ride!

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How to Create a Client Pricing Package to Really Build Your Freelancing Business

Posted August 21, 2011 in Getting Clients, How-To

Are you looking for a slick and quick way to increase your volume of new projects?

If this is you, a client pricing package just might be the way to go.

Although we’ve discussed the pros and cons of a public price list for freelancers before, a client pricing package is slightly different from simply publishing your prices online because a pricing package bundles a high volume of work or a group of related projects together.

In this post, I’ll explain what a client pricing package is and explain when you might choose to use a client pricing package to benefit your freelancing business.

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Turn Those Tweets, Shares and Links into Paying Projects

Posted August 4, 2011 in Getting Clients, Social Media

If you’re spending a lot of time tweeting, sharing, and networking with others–why wouldn’t you want to make it work to your advantage?

If you’re spending a fair amount of time on the computer looking for work, put social media to work for you. After all, you probably already use social media anyway.

Many businesses use social media as a way to advertise their products and services. The goal here is for you to do the same thing. Use your social media accounts as a tool to help you locate a project or improve your standing with a current client.

In this post, I’ll tell you how to use social media to find paying projects.

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