Freelancefolder

25 Tips for Avoiding Communication Problems

Posted December 9, 2011 in How-To, Managing Clients

Miscommunication is a huge obstacle to building a successful relationship. And, since freelancer/client trust is based on relationship–miscommunication can be a huge problem for freelancers.

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.

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4 Essential Elements of Freelance Business Planning

Posted December 7, 2011 in Getting Started, How-To

Some freelancers strongly advocate the use of business plans for freelancers. Other freelancers will tell you that you don’t really need a business plan at all.

So, which advice is right? Do freelancers need a business plan or don’t they? In my opinion, both opinions are correct.

While not all freelancers need to have a formal business plan like the kinds that you would take to the bank or to investors, all freelancers do need to engage in some sort of business planning. That’s just part of running a business. (However, do keep in mind that if you do plan on going to bank for a business loan, selling your business, or going public with business–then a formal business plan will most likely be needed.)

In this post we’ll go over the four essential elements of business planning that freelancers can’t ignore (even if they choose not to use a formal business plan). My goal is to streamline the process and make it easy for most freelancers.

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How You Can Simplify Your Freelancing Business

Posted December 5, 2011 in How-To

Having a simple lifestyle is common to freelancers. For some, a simpler lifestyle is imposed upon them by the reduced and unpredictable nature of their freelance income.

But for others, downsizing is a choice.

A simple lifestyle, including a simple freelancing business, gives you more focus. Because simplifying tends to cut down on distractions, you may enjoy higher productivity. A simpler lifestyle also tends to be less stressful and more financially sustainable.

In short, simplifying your freelancing business and the rest of your life will give you more time and energy for what’s really important to you.

How can you simplify your freelancing business? Below, I go over several areas of your business that you can examine and simplify:

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All About Deadlines

Posted November 23, 2011 in How-To, Managing Clients

Probably nothing else in the freelancing experience creates as much stress as deadlines.

If a freelancer tells you they are up against a deadline, then you know that it’s time to back off and give them some space so that they can get your work done.

We all have deadlines, but we rarely talk about them. Yet, there’s quite a lot to talk about.

In this post, we’ll look at deadlines from various angles including types of deadlines, how to negotiate a better deadline, how meet your deadlines, and what to do if you miss a deadline. I hope you’ll also chip in with your own experiences and tips about deadlines.

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10 Ways to Overcome Cabin Fever

Posted November 15, 2011 in How-To, Lifestyle

As the nights grow longer and temperatures fall, let us remember that this is the time of year when many freelancers succumb to cabin fever.

Cabin fever isn’t a disease. It is more a malady of the spirit characterized by sadness, lack of energy, malaise, and irritability.

Many people are prone to cabin fever around the winter months, because we spend less time outdoors and get less sunlight.

However, freelancers may be even more susceptible to cabin fever than the average person. Unless you have three kids to send off to school like I do, you probably won’t have any reason to drag yourself out of bed while it’s still dark out.

We don’t get out as often as our employed friends, and when it’s freezing outside, we have even less reason to leave home.

Cabin fever is no fun for anybody. It zaps our lives of joy and happiness. It even affects our ability to produce quality work–something which is crucial to freelancers.

In this post, I’ve come up with 10 suggestions for how freelancers can avoid or overcome cabin fever.

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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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Multivariate Testing for Freelancers

Posted November 3, 2011 in How-To, Marketing

Many freelancers have created and are selling their own products through their websites. Whether you’re marketing a WordPress theme, an eBook, a training course, or something else–if you’ve made the transition from selling freelancing services to marketing some products along with your freelancing services, then it is worthwhile to learn some internet marketing techniques and tools.

In this post, I’ll discuss one of those marketing tools. That tool is multivariate testing.

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Capturing Your Creativity

Posted November 1, 2011 in How-To, Inspiration

We freelancers are a creative bunch. If you’re a freelance writer, you need to frequently come up with fresh ideas for copy. If you’re a designer, you must continually come up with fresh design ideas. Even freelancing fields that are supposedly “less” creative require freelancers to come up with new and innovative approaches to solving problems.

Freelancers are constantly on the hunt for new ideas. Is it any wonder that creative folks sometimes complain that they can’t think of any new ideas?

Where, exactly, do ideas come from? In this post, I’ll look at some common sources of creative inspiration that can help you capture your own creativity.

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It’s Never Too Early to Think About Taxes

Posted October 27, 2011 in Accounting/Bookkeeping, How-To

While April 15 seems like an eternity from now, it never hurts to be on top of your tax game.

For the freelance writer, he or she should be focusing in on their tax information throughout the year, not just panicking the week before taxes are due. Often, freelancers come running to their tax person weeks or days before the April filing deadline with loads of notes, receipts and more. That’s when the fun (not really) begins.

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