Freelancefolder

What’s the Single Best Thing You’ve Ever Done for Your Freelancing Biz?

Posted August 17, 2010 in Freelance Stories, Inspiration

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Every so often, a freelancer will make a decision that takes their freelancing to the next level.

It could be something that helped them find clients, charge more, get more work done, or become better in their field.

For this post, I asked some of my freelancing friends to identify the best thing they’d ever done for their freelancing business.

I was surprised at the wide variety of answers I received. Most of them, as you’ll see below, had to do with the finding and keeping–or not–of clients. A few others mentioned specific strategies to improve their productivity and effectiveness.

Below are the answers I collected. I’ve categorized them by topic to make them more useful. I hope these answers inspire you to take specific action, or to consider doing something in an area of your freelancing you may never have thought of before.

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Who Pays?!? Accounting for Phone Calls and Other Time Suckers

Posted August 16, 2010 in Managing Clients, Productivity

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One of the most deceptive hidden expenses a freelancer can do battle with is the time spent communicating with clients, potential clients, and others in the day-to-day routine.

Communication is obviously a necessity, but without a strategy for managing the emails, phone calls and other time-suckers, they can quickly drain your profits and even potentially drive your business into the ground. Unlike those who get paid hourly for communicating, freelancers typically sacrifice the time spent because paying work is delayed when the phone rings or an urgent email announces its presence in the inbox. So how can communication be managed to the point that it is not only no longer detrimental, but actually beneficial to your income as a freelancer?

I honestly cannot say that I have discovered some magic secret to solve this problem. I have had past experiences where clients have made the ridiculous assumption that hiring a freelancer automatically entitles them to 24/7 availability and immediate response times. I have also–thankfully–worked with clients who appreciate my priorities of family and life outside of work and have bent over backwards to accommodate my schedule. Of course, most situations fall somewhere in between these extremes and therefore are much more difficult to identify and manage in a productive and mutually beneficial way. Here are some steps I can suggest based on my own experiences.

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Open Thread: What Are Your Favorite Books About Freelancing?

Posted August 15, 2010 in Open Thread, Tools/Resources

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Recently, Amber shared a list of 35 Books All Freelance Web Developers Should Read. Her list is a great resource for web developers.

In fact, I love to read. I always have a book that I’m in the middle of reading, or am about to read. Often, the books I read are about freelancing, but sometimes I just pick a book for fun.

However, Amber’s post got me wondering what books about freelancing our blog readers enjoy. If you had to name one or two freelancing books that have helped you the most, what would they be?

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Thank-you to our August Advertisers

Posted August 14, 2010 in News

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It’s August. Where I live, it’s the hottest month of the year. I hope that wherever you live you are staying cool and out of the heat.

At Freelance Folder we have the good fortune to have some high-quality companies supporting the blog. 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 August advertisers:

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