Most days I face a challenging to-do list with more tasks on it than I could possibly accomplish. That’s why I make it my mission to work as quickly and efficiently as possible.

The alternative, working extra hours or missing a deadline, is just not acceptable.

Of course, a mountain of self-help books, blogs, videos, and other materials already exists to help us learn to manage our time more effectively. The trouble is, like most freelancers, I just don’t have enough time to go through all those resources.

In this post, I pulled together some of the quickest and easiest time save hacks that you should be able to use right away. If you’re looking for even more time saving tips, you can find some more here.

Timesavers to Use Right Now

How can I get more things done? Have you ever asked yourself that question? I think that most freelancers have.

Well, at least I know that I have. Here are a few of the answers that I discovered to help save time:

1. Use productivity tools. It just takes a few minutes to download a productivity tool, but once you’ve got it set up on your computer you can use it to help you stay focused indefinitely. A few good productivity tools include focus booster and StayFocused.
2. Pre-plan your day. Before I end work each day, I make a list of what I need to do the next day. The most important things are always at the top of the list. The least important things are at the bottom. When I start work the next day, I already have my day mapped out for me.
3. Voicemail. Unless you know for sure that you will receive an important call at a particular time, train yourself to let your phone calls go to voicemail. Better yet, turn off the ringtone. Designate two or three times a day to listen to your voicemail and to deal with any urgent business.
4. Don’t multi-task. Multi-tasking when you’re busy may seem to be good common sense, but it’s not. Experts have found that trying to do more than one thing at the same time is counter-productive. Multi-tasking slows you down. It also causes you to be more likely to make a mistake. Do one thing at a time.
5. Use your mobile devices. I used to hate to waiting in line or in a waiting room. What I hated most about such waits was the time wasted when I had so much to do. Fortunately, now you can turn your wait time into productive time by bringing along a mobile device.
6. Pick the right project. When you choose your work projects, try to stick mostly to projects within your own area of expertise. You’ll be able to use your existing knowledge as well as apply lessons learned from earlier projects. You’ll work more quickly and your client will be happier too.
7. Don’t check email. At least, don’t check it more than two or three times a day. Checking email more often merely interrupts your workflow. The same goes for anything else that you check frequently (web stats, Facebook account, Twitter, Google+, and so on).
8. Have a life. Really. Schedule some rest and relaxation time for yourself. When you’re done, you’ll come back to work refreshed and ready to go. I always find that I work more slowly when I’m tired (and that’s not a very good use of time). I’ve also come up with some of my very best ideas after taking a break.
9. Exercise while you work. Have you been wanting to go to the gym, but can’t seem to find enough time for to work out? Good news if you’re trying to stay fit. You may be able to combine work and exercise. This special desk featured on the Lifehacker blog might just do the trick. It’s got a built-in exercise bike and space to put your laptop. (I’ve never actually tried this, but the idea intrigues me.)

Your Turn

I’ve shared my easiest timesavers with you and linked to twenty more tips that will help you save time. Now it’s your turn.

How do you save time? Share your best tips in the comments.

Image by Alan Cleaver

If you’re freelancing, you must be able to effectively estimate the time each of your projects will take. If you can’t do this you won’t know how much to charge for your work or how to best schedule your time.

Estimating is one of the core freelancing skills, yet it is one that many freelancers struggle with. If you have trouble in this area, you’re not alone.

In this post, I’ll give you three easy tips to help you improve your estimating skills. I’ll also briefly share task-based estimating.

If you’ve ever underestimated the time it takes to complete a project, this post is for you.

Tip #1. Know the Scope of the Project

Before you can estimate how long a project will take you, you need to understand exactly what is involved with the project. You can’t estimate a project properly if all you know about the project is that the client wants you to “write some copy” or “design a website.”

If you’re not sure what the project entails, ask questions until you are sure you understand. It should be a red flag if a client is not willing to define the project for you.

Freelancers who accept projects through agencies, collaborations, or through some other arrangement where you don’t communicate directly with the end client should be especially cautious. Make sure that the person coordinating the project fully understands both your profession AND the client’s requirements. If they don’t, their poor communication could wind up costing you time and money.

Tip #2. Know the Level of Support Needed

Besides the actual work requested, some clients need additional support. If you fail to consider this support in your estimates, it may throw your estimate off.

Here are some common things that clients sometimes ask for:

1. Technical support requests–Web developers in particular and programmers are often asked to continue to support a project after they have completed the initial work. Try to find out what the client’s requirements will be to determine if you should charge a modest fee for this service.
2. Revisions–Whether it’s rewriting copy or code, many freelancers have faced the dilemma of endless revisions because the client keeps changing his or her mind. It’s best to try to define the number of revisions you are willing to make at the start of the project. Charge extra when the revisions get out of hand.
3. Meeting time–While many clients are satisfied communicating mostly through email, some clients require more. They may wish for regular phone meetings or video chats. Other clients may require you to write a weekly status report of your progress.

Whatever the client’s support needs are, remember that they are likely to take time. So, be sure to schedule for client support in your estimate.

Tip #3. Know Your Past Work Speed

Some freelancers work quickly. Others work more slowly. While speedy work doesn’t necessarily imply a better freelancer, it’s important that you know your typical work speed when you are estimating projects. In general, most freelancers underestimate the amount of time that a project actually takes.

If you’ve been a freelancer for a while, you can use your past projects as a guide to determine your work speed. For example, if your business is to design logos, look at the last few logo design projects to see how long they took and factor that information into your new estimate.

For years, I have kept a spreadsheet of all of my projects with recorded start times and finish times. I always know exactly how many hours I spent on the project. Not only does this keep me from undercharging for my work, but it also helps me estimate future projects.

One Approach to Estimating

There are many approaches to estimating project time, but I generally like to use a task-based approach. This means I break a project down into smaller tasks and estimate each task separately based on the information I get from the client and my past work. This method usually produces a more accurate time estimate.

Here’s what this approach might look like for a very small copywriting project:

1. Preparation for initial client meeting (1 hour)
2. Initial client meeting (1 hour)
3. Customized contract or written terms (1/2 hour)
4. Project research (2 hours)
5. Write draft (3 hours)
6. Revisions (1 hour)

Total time required 8 1/2 hours

The first thing you’ll notice is that I’ve included some phases of the project that many freelancers don’t include in an estimate. Many freelancers would estimate their time based only on task #5 and would call this a three-hour project. But, they would be wrong.

Those other steps really do take time and should be included in the project’s time estimate. (Note that in the example I only included 30 minutes for creating a contract with the client. This is because I have a standard agreement that I customize for each client.)

If a freelancer was quoting a flat fee for this project and based the fee on only three hours of work, they would wind up doing five and half hours of work for free. You can see how this mistake could really impact a freelancer’s bottom line over time.

Your Turn

How do you estimate your project time?

Share your tips in the comments.

Image by Brooks Elliot

If you’re properly prepared, though, you can handle most freelancing challenges that come your way while minimizing your stress.

In this post, I’ll outline some of the common challenges that freelancers face. I’ll also discuss how to handle those challenges that are most unique to freelancing.

Types of Challenges

There are basically three common types of challenges that freelancers face:

1. Personal challenges–While they affect freelancers, these challenges aren’t unique to freelancers. Nearly everyone faces challenges related to their personal lives such as the birth of a new family, the death of a family member, serious illness, and so on.
2. Professional challenges–Professional challenges have to do specifically with the work that you do. For a freelancer this could be changing technology, changing your niche, starting (or ending) your freelancing career, or even losing a client.
3. Socioeconomic challenges–These challenges are also often not specific to freelancers. They have to with such broad issues as governmental change, marketplace conditions, and cultural changes. These challenges can even include dealing with natural disasters such as earthquakes, hurricanes, and other weather-related changes.

While there’s no denying that all types of challenges can affect a freelancer, the professional challenges that freelancers can face are somewhat unique. That’s why this post will focus mostly on those.

Dealing with Professional Challenges as a Freelancer

As a freelancer, you may have already faced one of the challenges listed below. (If you haven’t dealt with any of these yet, you soon will.)

Here is a list of unique freelancing challenges and a few words of advice on how to deal with each one:

1. Starting freelancing–Starting out as a freelancer can be quite a challenge. Most freelancers have preconceived notions (often idealized) about what freelancing is like, and usually the reality turns out to be quite different. So, what’s the best way for a prospective freelancer to tackle the challenge? Read everything you can about freelancing before you start, paying particular attention to materials written by actual freelancers. Make a list of recurring problems in what you read because if something is being written about over and over again, chances are that it is happening to most freelancers. Brainstorm and come up with possible fixes for the items on your list.
2. Ending freelancing–It’s not often written about, but ending a freelancing career can be just as stressful as starting one. If you’ve decided to stop freelancing (for whatever reason), realize that you’ll need to make some adjustments. If you’ll be assuming a traditional job, remember that there will be certain restrictions on your activities. As a freelancer, you enjoyed an immense amount of freedom that may not be yours as an employee. Just some of the challenges that you may face include adherence to a dress code, set working hours, a commute, and dealing with office politics. To prepare yourself, try easing into your new schedule. Even before your job starts, begin getting up at what will become your regular time and dressing up. You may want to practice driving the route to work.
3. The feast or famine cycle–A popular topic among freelancers is the feast or famine cycle. This is a reference to the fact that one week you may be very busy with project work and the next you may have practically nothing to do. Nearly every freelancer has experienced this challenge at one time or another. If the famine part of the cycle persists, the freelancer may even find themselves facing financial difficulties. Prepare for this challenge by keeping in touch with prospective clients (even when you are busy), saving money for your slow periods, and negotiating better deadlines when you are overbooked.
4. Losing a long-term client–Long-term clients often become friends, but even without that relationship there’s a certain amount of comfort in knowing that you have work to keep you busy for the foreseeable future. So, when a long-term client leaves you may be tempted to torture yourself by wondering what went wrong. While a little bit of introspection can be healthy, make sure that you don’t wallow in it. Sometimes clients just leave through no fault of yours. To prepare yourself for the loss of a long-term client, avoid relying too heavily (emotionally or financially) on a single client. Continue to communicate with prospective clients even if you feel that your long-term client is giving you enough work. Finally, if they move on, be ready to move on as well.
5. Changing a niche–Freelancers often change niches. Sometimes they discover an area where they excel or that interests them more than their original direction. Sometimes they become bored with they are doing and decide to make a change. Whatever the reason, this challenge can be almost as stressful as starting a new freelancing business. Do minimize the stress, do your homework. Learn everything that you can about your new niche before you make the change. Make sure that there’s a market for what you plan on doing. Decide whether you will continue to offer your current specialty to existing clients only, or whether you will refer them to another freelance professional.
6. Client criticism–If you’ve ever had to deal with the public, you know that people can be mean and clients can be worse. Many freelancers are wrapped up in what they do, so if a client offers criticism it can seem personal (even if it isn’t). This is especially true if the client uses a harsh tone of voice or otherwise seems angry. This is a difficult challenge for freelancers to face. To prepare yourself for it, establish a policy of not responding immediately if you are angry. It’s better to let the client wait while your emotions die down than to fire off an angry email or make an angry phone call. If a client phone conversation unexpectedly takes a turn for the worse, try to stay calm until you can get off the phone. Try saying something like, “let me research that and get back to you.” This has the dual purpose of allowing your emotions to settle while you investigate the client’s complaint.
7. Technology changes–Freelancers must stay current to stay marketable. This means constantly learning and updating your skills. While some freelancers enjoy learning new things, others may find it a stressful addition to an already busy schedule. In addition, getting training can cost money and freelancers are often on a tight budget. To overcome this challenge, learn to expect it. Set aside a portion of your budget and part of your time for training every month. Make a list of skills that you need or would like to learn. Update it often. (What you’re doing is developing your own professional training plan.)

Your Turn

Did I miss any common freelancing challenges? If I did, be sure to share them in the comments.

Have you faced any of these freelancing challenges? If so, how did you solve them?

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Most freelancers do, but the challenges of working from home can sometimes make life/work balance seem unattainable. You may feel like you are constantly being pulled towards both family and work commitments–a bit like being in the middle of a tug-of-war.

One answer that can help you achieve better balance between your work and personal life is boundaries. In this post, I’ll explain how boundaries help freelancers. I’ll also list some of the areas where you should consider establishing boundaries in your own freelancing business.

Why Boundaries Help

All of us have many personal and professional responsibilities. While sometimes the two can be handled simultaneously, often they cannot.

For most freelancers, boundaries can help maintain a semblance of order in their lives. When you set up a boundary, you are creating a separation between your work and personal life. Or, you are limiting the scope of your professional life so that it doesn’t affect your personal life. While some freelancers may not wish for such a division, most find it helpful.

Setting boundaries also helps protect freelancers from burnout. Without boundaries and with an office in your home, it can be just too tempting to work all of the time. But, overwork is a sure path to stress and ultimate burnout.

7 Areas Where Boundaries Can Help

Where should you set your boundaries? Every freelancer will have a different answer. Some may wish for a quiet environment, while others can happily work in the midst of a commotion. You will have to decide which boundaries will help you the most.

Here are some common boundaries that many freelancers set. You may find that one or more of these also works for you:

1. Space boundaries. Many freelancers benefit from having a specific space dedicated to work in their home. This can be an actual home office with a door (think: spare bedroom) or an unused corner of a much larger room. Designating a particular space for work tells others in your home that the space is off-limits for other uses. Be sure to enforce your boundaries. If another family member wants to use your space, tell them that it is not available.
2. Privacy boundaries. Often freelancers seek to keep personal information (such as their home phone number or the names of family members) separate from professional information. This can be accomplished with a dedicated business line. This keeps clients (and others) from calling you on your home phone at all hours of the night and day. Many freelancers also dedicate one social media platform (often Facebook) to sharing with friends and family only.
3. Limiting interruptions. Interruptions can really throw a freelancer off. That’s why many freelancers develop a boundary that helps limit those interruptions. For physical interruptions, an office with a door helps. For telephone interruptions, requiring an appointment for calls (and otherwise using voice mail) can keep interruptions to a minimum. Some freelancers designate certain hours during the day as the “office hours” and only answer calls during those times.
4. Managing expectations. It’s important to have happy clients. Surprisingly, one of the best ways get happy clients is by not promising too much initially and then exceeding expectations. If you fail to set a boundary of reasonable expectations with your client and promise too much, your clients will expect you to live up to your promises. Worse yet, they will have unreasonable expectations in future dealings with you as well.
5. Limiting distractions. Distractions are everywhere. If they’re not managed carefully, distractions can really cut into a freelancer’s time. Who hasn’t lost track of time while surfing the Web? Fortunately, there are now many online tools to help you eliminate distractions. A good schedule can also help. If you plan how you are going to spend your day, you are less likely to fritter time away.
6. Protecting your daily schedule. Limiting distractions and interruptions is just one way of protecting your time, but it is important to have boundaries in place to make sure that you get the most out of your day. Unfortunately, freelancers who work from home are often perceived as being “available.” Friends and family members come out of the woodwork to ask for favors. Make it clear that you work too. Refuse time-consuming tasks by stating unapologetically, “I’m sorry, I have to work.”
7. Protecting personal time. As a freelancer, I’ve been tempted to work right through weekends and holidays, haven’t you? However, it’s important to take time off if you’re in freelancing for the long haul. That means you have to set aside personal time. When a client asks you to work on a day that you already have scheduled as a day off, try negotiating with that client. Usually they will understand.

Your Turn

How do you set boundaries in your freelancing business? Share some of the specific boundaries you’ve set and explain why you set them in the comments.

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So, it stands to reason that negotiating skills are also important. In this post, I identify five common negotiating mistakes that freelancers often make. Read the post to make certain that you’re not guilty of making any of these errors yourself.

Mistake #1: Being Dazzled by a Large Dollar Figure

A large dollar figure can seem enticing. If you’re offered one for a project it’s easy to forget to take into consideration the amount of effort that the project will actually take. This is especially true if it’s your first really big project.

But a large dollar figure is no bargain at all if the amount of work required is out of proportion to the amount of money being offered. Always take the time to make an estimate of the number of hours you think a project will take you before accepting the project. If you don’t, you may wind up sorry later on.

Mistake #2: Accepting Rush Work

Many freelancers accept or even encourage rush work (work with an extremely short deadline). One reason is that rush work often comes with a bonus.

However, over the years I’ve come to the opinion that accepting rush work is usually a mistake for most freelancers. Here’s why:

• Once you accept a rush work project, the client is likely to expect you to always be available for rush work.
• You are much more likely to make a serious mistake when hurrying to complete a rush assignment.
• Taking on too many rush assignments can lead to freelancing burnout (and we all know where that leads).

The fact is, many deadlines can be negotiated. This is often true even of so-called rush deadlines.

Mistake #3: Assuming the Client Wants to Pay Less

Freelancers often assume that the client is most concerned about lowering costs, when in fact they may not be. Consequently, some freelancers lower their prices at the first sign of any resistance from the client/prospect.

This is not a good policy. If you’be been doing this, stop it right now. Instead, take the time to find out what the client really cares about. Then, you can go about discovering a way to provide what is really most important to the client.

Mistake #4: Not Being Specific Enough

It’s not good to be vague, especially if you are a freelancer. Being vague can lead to misunderstandings.

Make sure that all of your client agreements contain specific language, even down to specifying exact due dates and identifying differences between the client’s time zone and the freelancer’s time zone. Here are just some of the details freelancers frequently forget to include:

• Number of revisions included in the price–While it’s a matter of professional courtesy to provide some revisions (especially if they are minor), consider setting a reasonable limit on the number of revisions included in the cost of the project. You don’t want to get stuck doing the same task over and over.
• Cost of updating or supporting service provided–This point is similar to the one above and applies specifically to web developers. A limited amount of customer support is reasonable and expected, but providing support does take time. So, after a while, it’s reasonable to begin to charge for support.
• Payment details (PayPal vs. Direct Deposit vs. snail mail vs. …)–Never take on a project without knowing how (and when) the client intends to pay you. Even if you have specific payment preferences (as many freelancers do), you can’t assume that your client will adhere to them unless you spell them out.
• Penalties for late payment–Nearly all businesses add a fee for late payments and there’s usually no reason why you shouldn’t also. You may want to check with your attorney to get the language right, but don’t be shy about adding a late fee to your client agreements.
• Details of delivery–When will the client consider the project to be complete? Make sure you know the answer to this important question since it can make a real difference in when you get paid.

Mistake #5: Not Negotiating at All

This last mistake is perhaps the biggest one of all. Many freelancers fail to negotiate at all. Instead, they let the client totally dictate the terms of the agreement without any negotiation.

This is a mistake because the client doesn’t always know what’s best. They may not understand the amount of work involved or even what they really need. Remember, the client contacted you because of your expertise in your field, so don’t be afraid to use that expertise and make a few recommendations.

Your Turn

Did I miss any negotiating mistakes? Add them into the comments.

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I have a small confession to make. I’m not new to freelancing, but I’m a repeat victim of the Shiny New Object Syndrome. Simply put, I love to try new things–whether they be ecourses, new social media tools, books, and so on.

You’ve probably guessed this about me already by reading some of my posts (especially those posts about trends).

The trouble with trying new things is that, if they aren’t managed properly, they can take clutter up your workspace and take all your available time.

In this post, I’ll discuss this problem and share a few simple tips that help me manage all that stuff.

You’re Not Alone

First of all, know that you’re not alone.

Collecting, purchasing, or otherwise obtaining too many resources is quite common among freelancers. I mentioned this problem to another freelancer recently and she replied that the topic came up recently when she was meeting with a group of freelancers. Apparently, nearly everyone in the group had purchased ebooks, training materials, or other resources that they were planning to use “some day.”

Of course, just because the problem is common, that doesn’t mean it’s any less overwhelming.

Control the Clutter Up Front

This is probably the most important tip for managing your stuff. You don’t get it in the first place, you can’t accumulate too much of it.

The simplest way to control the stuff that we freelancers tend to accumulate is to reduce what you get or try. If you have less stuff to worry about, the less cluttered your schedule (and workspace) will be.

One way to stop from accumulating too much stuff is to ask yourself a few simple questions before you try something new. Here are some questions that I use:

• How important is this likely to be? Is it just something that I’m mildly interested in, or is it likely to have a positive impact on my work? For me, an example of this was my decision the Google+ social media platform. I felt it was important to get involved since it will likely be a major player on the social media scene.
• How will learning this new material/platform impact my time? If you don’t have time to use the new information or if learning about it will eat into your project time, it may not be worth getting.
• What do reviewers say? If you’re going to buy some training materials or a book, it’s especially important to learn what others think. You don’t want to waste your hard-earned money.
• If there’s a cost, can I afford it? Some great resources are just priced too high to be practical for the average freelancer.

Of course, even if you limit the new stuff you acquire you still have to deal with the stuff you already have. That’s why it’s important to manage the clutter you already have.

Manage the Clutter You Already Have

Is your office like mine? Do you have piles of books, waiting to be read, everywhere?

Are you constantly bookmarking online materials so that you can get to them later?

Here are some tips:

• Create a place for everything. Books should be put on the shelf, not lying about your office. Create files on your computer for ebooks and videos that you download. Bookmark blog posts.
• Decide what’s most valuable. Of all of that stuff you haven’t gotten to you, what is most likely to impact you the most (in a positive way)? Make note of that and plan to use that material first.
• Reward yourself with learning. If you’ve let resources pile up and if you love learning as much as I do, why not use those resources as rewards? Did you finish the big project? Good, now let yourself kick back with an ebook or video for a while.

Don’t Stop Exploring

Just because Shiny New Objects can clog up your schedule, there’s no reason to totally stop exploring and learning new things. In fact, I’ve committed to being a life-long learner and I hope that you have too.

Properly managed, trying and learning new things can enhance your business and enrich your life.

What Do You Do With All Your Stuff?

This advice in this post may sound easy, but it can be quite challenging to implement. If you’ve developed the habit of accumulating more material than you can use, it can be tough to break that habit. Hang in there, though. You can do it.

Do you tend to gather more resources than you can practically use? What do you do with your collection?

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As a freelancer business owner, you probably DO want bigger bottom line–you just may not know how to get one. In case you don’t know, in a nutshell your bottom line is the money left over after you meet your expenses. (Who wouldn’t want more of that?)

In this post I share five easy tips to help you increase your freelancing bottom line. Feel free to share your own tips for improving the freelancing bottom line in the comments.

Tip #1: Lower Costs

This is the classic way to improve your bottom line and probably the most obvious. If you want to keep more of the money generated by you freelancing business, lower your expenses. Here are just a few freelancing expenses that you may be able to reduce:

• Phone systems–Phone prices have been dropping and phone services often run specials. Shop around and you may find that you can find a better deal. Don’t overlook VOIP phone options, which are often quite reasonable.
• Subscriptions–Most freelancers subscribe to one or more professional publications and they may also subscribe to professional online services as well. These costs can really add up. Ask yourself which subscriptions you really use and which services you don’t use. Drop anything you aren’t using to cut your costs.
• Hosting service–This is another service that is very competitive and therefore it is often possible to find a good deal. Before switching services, however, make sure that you are comparing apples to apples. Read over the service agreement of your current provider and any new provider you are considering carefully.
• Software tools–Before you shell out big bucks for an expensive software program, check to see whether there is a free or open source version available. Some of the better open source packages rival their more expensive counterparts.

You can probably think of additional expenses that are specific to your own situation.

One caution: sometimes a lower cost for something also means lower quality. When reducing your freelancing expenses be careful not to cut anything that might compromise the freelancing service and/or products that you provide to your clients.

Tip #2: Increase Efficiency

Another great way to improve the bottom line is to work more efficiently.

Almost all of us get distracted from time to time and distractions can lead to wasted time, which can really cut into your bottom line. Fortunately, distractions can be overcome. Here are a few tips:

• Schedule your time. Stick to your schedule. Set an alarm if you need to.
• Limit your access to time-wasting sites. One freelancer that I’ve heard of uses a separate PC for the “fun” stuff and another for work.
• Use one of the many apps like focus booster (free) or Concentrate to stay on task. (Those are just two of the many tools available.)

Another efficiency killer is disorganization. Make sure that you are organized, both online and off.

Take a look around your office. Is your physical space neat and pulled together or is it chaos? If your office is a mess, take the time to straighten it up.

Also, make sure that you have an online system for keeping track of important information such as emails, passwords, and client project files. You need to be able to find your information quickly.

Tip #3: Focus on Quality

Quality sells. If you want a healthy bottom line as a freelancer, it’s a good idea to make high quality one of your selling points.

Quality helps your bottom line because freelancers who deliver high quality products or services are able to charge more. Clients are willing to pay more for freelance work when they know that they won’t have to worry about rework or missed deadlines.

Freelancers who focus on quality also tend to have more satisfied customers since they can spend more time with their clients than those who market their services based on price or speed. Satisfied customers lead to more testimonials and referrals–which in turn leads to more business.

Tip #4: Branch Out

Are you maxed out with as much work as you can possibly handle?

You might think that having a full schedule means that your freelancing bottom line profits have hit a ceiling, but it really doesn’t have to be that way. When stores and restaurants want to expand their businesses they branch out, and you can too.

Rather than trying to do everything yourself or regularly turning projects down, consider outsourcing some of your smaller and simpler projects. Find one or two freelancers in your field who you can trust to do a good job and offer them the opportunity to subcontract with you on some of your overflow.

Of course, if you outsource projects, then you will need to take some precautions. Here are some things to be careful about:

• Reputation. Your reputation relies on the quality of your work. If you outsource work, that includes the quality of work of your subcontractors. You may want to check over their work (at least at first) to make sure that they have met project specifications.
• Cost. Since you want to work with qualified professional freelancers, you will need to pay them a fair rate for the project work that they do for you. You will also need to bill a little bit more to your client to cover the cost of the time that you will spend managing the project.
• Time. Outsourcing works best with projects that have a more flexible time schedule. You want to allow yourself enough time so that you can notify your freelancer and check their work when they are done. Of course, if a rush job cpmes up you may wish to charge extra or handle it yourself.

Tip #5: Diversify

My final tip for improving your bottom line is to diversify your freelancing business. Look for additional services or products that you can offer to your clients.

This can be done in one of two ways:

1. You can add services and products that are related to your field. For example, a writer who offers editing services.
2. You can add products and services that are complementary to your field. For example, a graphic designer who also provides web content.

If you choose to provide complementary services, you may wish to partner with or come to a reciprocal agreement with a freelancer in another field.

Your Turn

There are many ways to increase your bottom line as a freelancer. These are just a few of the easiest methods.

Can you think of any additional ways to increase your profit?

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You may be a freelancer yourself (because freelancers do hire other freelancers). You may be a small business owner, or you might be the representative of a large corporation.

If you’ve never hired a freelancer before, the process might be a little bit confusing. There’s a ton information out there–some of it conflicting. How can wade through it all and find the best freelancer?

This post will take you through what I believe is the best freelancer hiring process, step-by-step. At the end, I’m inviting our readers (actual freelancers) to add their own advice. The result should be an invaluable resource on hiring freelancers.

Why Cheap Isn’t Always Best

Your first impulse may be to rush out and get the cheapest freelancer you can manage to find, but I’m here to say–don’t give in to this impulse.

Have you ever bought something you thought was a bargain, only to have it break a few days after you got it home? Well, that’s often what happens when a client hires a “bargain” freelancer.

Sure, there are a few rare freelancer deals out there–but most bargain basement freelancers use a similar model. To get enough to earn a living at those low rates, many count on getting as many “clients” as possible and putting minimal effort into each “project.” The web is filled with horror stories about cheap freelancers who didn’t do a good job.

Be aware that if you’re looking for a huge bargain, you’re also taking a huge risk.

Networking–Your First Stop in the Hiring Process

Instead, the best way to start your hunt for the right freelancer is through networking. You can tap into your offline and online networks to find qualified freelancers. Simply ask those in your network if they know of or can recommend a freelancer with the specialty that you are looking for. You may be surprised at how many responses you get.

As a reminder, here is a list of people you can check with in your hunt for a good freelancer:

• Family members
• Friends
• Professional colleagues
• Acquaintances (neighbors and others you are on a speaking basis with)
• Social media contacts (Facebook friends, Twitter followers, etc.)
• Members of your club or organization

Pay particular attention to those who recommend a freelancer that they’ve actually hired themselves. This is a best case scenario, but you will want to ask these folks a few additional questions.

Other Ways to Find Freelancers

If none of your contacts knows of a qualified freelancer (this is becoming increasingly rare), you can still find one. Here are two more venues that you might want to check:

• LinkedIn. LinkedIn specializes as way for professionals to network with each other. The most professional freelancers will have set up a complete profile there. You can search on a freelancing specialty to bring up those who are qualified in a particular area.
• Professional organizations. Most freelancing specialties have a related professional organization. For design there is the AIGA. For technical writing there is the STC. For journalism there is the ASJA. You get the picture. Most societies have a local chapter and offer job banks where you can place an ad for a qualified freelancer.
• Freelancing websites. You can also look at the posts on freelancing websites like Freelance Folder. Many top freelancers share their expertise with the freelancing community.

Once you’ve identified some freelancers you’re interesting in hiring, it’s time to do a little homework.

Doing Your Homework

Once you have some referrals, you’re ready to contact the freelancers, right? Wrong!

First you need to do some homework. Examine the freelancer’s website and/or LinkedIn page. Read over their references. Look at their portfolio work. If they have a blog, read a few posts.

Here are some red flags to watch out for:

• No website
• A poorly designed website
• A blog that hasn’t been updated in over a year
• No contact information on the freelancer’s site
• A website or blog that is full of sloppy work or mistakes
• All the posts on the freelancer’s blog criticize former clients

Doing your homework may seem like a lot of extra work, but it can save you a lot of grief in the end.

Ready to Contact Some Freelancers, Now What?

By now you’ve probably narrowed your original list down to a few freelancers. You’re ready to contact these freelancers and ask for a quote on your work (also known as an RFP or request for proposal).

When putting your information together, be as thorough as you can. No freelancer likes surprises during the project.

Here is some information to include:

• The work you want done
• When you need the project to be completed
• A means of contacting you with questions
• Any special requirements
• The number of revisions you expect (especially if there will be more than one person approving the project)
• Your tentative budget for the project

The more information you provide, the better the freelancer will be able to meet your needs.

The Freelancing Agreement

Chances are that a few of the freelancers you asked for a proposal won’t be available to work on your project. So, you’re probably down to one or two choices at this point.

At this point, I recommend choosing the freelancer that you’re most comfortable working with rather than the freelancer who quotes you the lowest price. Client/freelancer rapport is important and can provide a huge boost to the project.

A professional freelancer will probably ask you to sign an agreement formalizing the terms that they listed in their proposal. Naturally, you should check it over to make sure that it is accurate–but I strongly recommend signing this document. A good agreement will protect both you and the freelancer if something should go wrong later on.

Wrapping It Up

This may seem like a lot of work, but really it can all be done fairly quickly. An extra hour or two at the start of a project can really pay off.

The post would not be complete without me making one last recommendation. Once you’ve found a freelancer whose work you’re happy with, be sure to use them again (and again). Also, remember to refer your friends to them. Repeat business should be the reward for a job well done.

Your Turn

Freelancers, this is our chance to talk to clients before they hire us. What would you add to the process? Share your thoughts in the comments.

As freelancers we rely on social media to interact with clients, potential clients, and other freelancers.

Social media is a great tool for freelancers (and since social media is most often free it’s very budget-friendly). But if you’re not careful, social media can also take up a lot of your valuable project time.

Of course, strategies will vary for each individual freelancer. However, over the past few years I’ve put a lot of thought into social media strategy. The tips in this post should work for most freelancers.

Decide Which Social Media Tools to Use

There is a huge universe of social media platforms available. Deciding on which ones to participate in can be confusing. Here are a few questions to help you narrow your choices:

• Are my clients active in social media? If so, which platforms do they participate in?
• Is there a social media platform or tool that most of my freelancing colleagues use?
• Do any social media platforms address my freelancing specialty?

If you find that most of your colleagues and clients are active on a particular social media platform, that’s a good indication that you should have a presence there as well.

Here are six social media platforms where participation will benefit most freelancers:

1. Blogging–Not only does blogging help you to connect with others, it can also help establish you as an expert in your field.
2. FaceBook–This social media platform has a huge group of users and shouldn’t be overlooked by freelancers.
3. Forums–Since forums generally hone in on a specific topic, participation can be a great way to target your social media interactions.
4. Google+–A quickly growing social media tool, Google+ has the reputation of having a more technical user base.
5. LinkedIn–The corporate world has embraced LinkedIn as a way to make connections and for that reason you should too.
6. Twitter–There’s more to Twitter than meets the eye. This microblogging tool has influenced trends worldwide.

Ideally, you would be able to establish a freelancing presence on all of these platforms. However, at first you may want to focus on just one or two of these areas due to time constraints. Which brings us to the our next point–exactly how much time should you spend on social media?

Determine How Much Time to Spend

If you jump in without a plan, social media could easily consume all of your time. That wouldn’t be good for your freelancing business. That’s why I recommend designating certain times specifically for social media during your day. I’ve found morning, noon, and the close of business to be the most effective for me, but you may want to experiment and find your own best combination of times.

For most freelancers 15 minutes, three times a day (once you’ve set up your profiles) is enough to maintain a good online social media presence. Of course, if you just launched a new product or happen to be a social media consultant, you’ll spend much more time on social media.

There are third-party apps for most social media platforms that let you spread your participation over a 24-hour period. TweetDeck and HootSuite are just two popular examples of such apps. These tools are a good way to ensure that you reach users in time zones all over the world. However, it’s also a good idea to make sure that at least some of your social media networking is live.

If you find that social media is too distracting, there are also apps to help you limit the amount of social media time that you spend. LeechBlock and Nanny for Google Chrome are two examples of such apps.

Once you’ve budgeted some specific times, you may wonder who to connect with on social media and how to find them.

Connect with Others

Naturally, you’ll want to connect with the contacts you’ve already made as well as the people that you know in your day-to-life. Consider adding these folks to start out:

• Former boss(es)
• Current or former teachers
• Current and past clients
• Classmates
• Work colleagues (past or present)
• Friends
• Family members
• Neighbors
• Bloggers who write about your freelancing niche

Basically anyone in your extended network who could have a lead on a freelancing project and who is already active social should be invited to connect with you. In addition, many social media sites suggest followers (friends or fans) based on your current followers. Review these suggestions carefully–they could lead to valuable connections. You may also wish to add your social media contact information on your blog or website. Some freelancers even include it on their stationery and business card.

Now that you have built up a social media network, you may be wondering what you should share through social media.

What to Share

What you share on social media sites as a freelancer is different than what you would share if you were just using social media for personal use. As a freelance business owner, you may want to think twice about sharing certain topics or downloading family photos. Without careful planning on your part, it’s easy to share T.M.I. Be sure to check the privacy settings for whichever platform you’re using unless you want everyone to see everything.

One of the biggest mistakes that new freelancers make on social media is making it all about them. Have you been at a social gathering and met someone who talks incessantly about themselves? Naturally no one wants to be around that person and it’s the same on social media.

Instead, balance information about you with relevant information that your connections may find useful or entertaining. Of course, it’s okay to share about yourself from time to time–but such shares shouldn’t dominate your social media contributions.

Also, if someone interacts directly with you and their profile matches that of the folks you’re trying to connect with, be sure to acknowledge them. If they ask a question, answer it. If they share something you’ve shared, thank them. If they message you, reply. The higher the quality of your interactions, the better the relationships that you will develop–and some of those may lead to business relationships.

Your Turn

What social media strategy works for you? Share your answer in the comments.

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Nearly every freelancer eventually faces a communication problem with a client. Even those of us who specialize in clear communication sometimes have problems.

In this post, I’ll describe some steps that every freelancer can take to avoid miscommunication.

How to Avoid Communication Problems

Here are twenty-five ways that freelancers can dramatically reduce client communication problems:

1. Be proactive–Research and learn everything you can about your client and your client’s business before you meet with them. Find out what some of the common problems are your client’s industry.
2. Manage your expectations–Every client and every project is unique. While we can learn from past clients and projects, it’s important to understand that this client and this project may be different from what you’ve experienced in the past.
3. Listen carefully–Pay close attention to what your client says. Take notes if you need to, especially during a long meeting or a confusing discussion.
4. Pay attention to non-verbal signals like tone of voice or body language–Often words are not the only way that your client is communicating with you. Pay attention to their posture and facial expressions. If you are meeting by phone, listen carefully to your client’s voice for clues as to what they may be thinking.
5. Ask questions–If you are unsure about something, ask. It is better to ask a question now than proceed based on an incorrect assumption.
6. Repeat your understanding back to the client–It’s often a good idea to put what the client said into your own words and repeat it back to them. This can insure that you really understand what they mean.
7. Don’t forget about cultural differences–Different cultures communicate differently and may have different ways of conducting business. If your client is from a culture that is different from your own, make sure that you learn about the cultural differences before you meet.
8. Park your preconceptions at the door–It’s easy to jump to conclusions about a project or a person. Even if you suspect that this will be an easy project or this will be difficult person to work with, try to put those feelings aside until they can be confirmed. Preconceived notions can keep you from understanding what is really going on.
9. Be open to new ideas–You’re probably an expert in your field. If you weren’t, you wouldn’t be as successful in your field as you are. But even experts can sometimes learn from their clients. Make sure that you are willing to learn new things.
10. Avoid emotional words–Being a freelancer is a lot like being a diplomat. Some words are just too emotionally charged to have any place in a business conversation. Avoid those words.
11. Be understanding, not critical–As a professional, sooner or later you’ll probably be called in to fix somebody else’s mistake. Whether it be something the client did wrong or the mistake of a previous freelancer, don’t immediately start criticizing it. After all, anyone could make a mistake.
12. Don’t communicate when you’re upset–If you’re angry or hurt, then now is not a good time to talk with a client or send an email. Many freelancers have fired off an angry email, only to regret it later.
13. Check for typos and grammatical errors–Grammar and typos can cause your client to misunderstand you. If you do believe me consider that there’s a huge difference in agreeing to do a job for $10.00 and agreeing to do it for $1000. A misplaced period CAN make a difference.
14. Pay attention to your tone (especially online)–There’s something peculiar to online writing. You can type one thing and your client can perceive something that you did not intend. That’s why it’s important to check all emails to make sure your tone is appropriate. The best way to do this is to get someone else to read them before you send them.
15. Get it in writing–While this is true for all freelancing projects, getting something in writing is especially important for long projects. When a project drags out it’s just too easy for you or your client to forget the details of your agreement.
16. Better yet, get a contract–A great means of avoiding misunderstanding with a client is to get a signed contract that outlines the details. A signed contract also gives you some legal advantages if you have serious problems later on.
17. Get a partial payment upfront–A client who pays upfront is usually more committed to a project’s success than one who hasn’t invested anything yet. A client who doesn’t make an upfront payment may try to cancel before the project is finished, while the client who made the advance payment will want to recoup his or her initial investment.
18. Keep good records–Some miscommunication is due to sloppy recordkeeping. Don’t let this happen to you. Make sure that you document everything including: client meetings, original project scope, scope changes, and any other factors that affect the project.
19. Stay in touch–This is especially important if you are working on a long deadline. Don’t let too much time pass without touching base with your client. Often, just a short status to let them know that the project is on track is enough to keep them from worrying.
20. Be reachable by email or phone–You can’t be communicated with if you can’t be reached. Make sure that your client has a working email address and/or phone number that they can use to reach you.
21. Don’t make it personal–If your client criticizes your project or complains, remember that it’s not about you. Don’t take negative comments personally. Rather, try to find out if the situation can be resolved.
22. Share problems you are having–Too many freelancers wait until the last minute to let a client know that they are struggling or having problems. However, clients don’t like last-minute notification of problems (especially if it means the project will be delayed).
23. Ask for feedback–Your communication with the client is not over when the project ends. Instead, ask the client for feedback on your work and on the process. You may able to learn something from this project to help you with your next project.
24. Keep your materials (such as your website and marketing literature) up to date–Out-of-date marketing materials can also create miscommunication. If you’ve changed anything about how you do business, such as the rate you charge or the type of work that you do, make sure that your materials reflect those changes.
25. If necessary, find a mediator–In the most extreme situations, when a large sum of money is involved, you may need to turn to a professional mediator or arbitrar to resolve your differences.

What About You?

How do you avoid client communication problems?

Share your answers in the comments.

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