Freelancefolder

Should Freelancers Outsource?

Posted November 8, 2011 in Lifestyle, Productivity

Tweet

Freelancers are used to being the outsourcees, but should freelancers themselves also outsource?

My answer is a resounding “Yes!”

Nobody can possibly do everything well. No matter how talented or hard-working you are, some skills are simply out of your reach. A person who knows what they’re doing would do a  much better job and in a shorter time. You already outsource plenty of things–hair cuts, dental care, car maintenance… Why not the  tasks necessary to manage your freelance business?

Self-employed individuals who try to cut down costs by doing everything themselves may actually be spending more. You have to spend time learning to do something well.

And then it takes you longer to get it done than if you hired someone else. Plus, you may make mistakes that could cost you big dollars.

That’s precious time and effort you’re better off spending by marketing your services and making the clients you have happy.

In this post, I’m going to talk about the top three excuses freelancers have for not outsourcing–and explain how to overcome them.

[Click Here to Read More...]

10 of the Most Surprising Things About Freelancing

Posted November 7, 2011 in Getting Started

Tweet

It was over ten years ago, well before I became a freelancer, but I still remember.

“I don’t believe anyone could earn decent money through the Internet.” My friend confidently stated and…I agreed with her.

Can you believe it? I agreed with her, yet today here I am today doing exactly what both of us thought could never be done. There are many things that I didn’t know about freelancing until I became a freelancer myself.

I guess the first surprise is how very possible it is to earn money as a freelancer. There are many other things that I never would have dreamed of before I started freelancing myself. I’m sure that I’m not the only one who has ever faced freelancing surprises…

In this post, I’ll share ten other freelancing “surprises” that most non-freelancers probably don’t ever think about.

[Click Here to Read More...]

Finding the Time to Write

Posted November 6, 2011 in Productivity, Writing

Tweet

A few years ago I started my career as a full-time writer. The direction of my new job was not a surprise, since I have never wanted to do anything else for as long as I can remember. However, the way I started to freelance as well was something that just fell into my lap and was far from what I had originally expected to turn to.

While the opportunity is an amazing one, and I would never choose to do anything else, it isn’t always easy. In fact, keeping to a strict schedule so I can get to all of my work on deadline can be downright nightmarish at times–mainly, because it isn’t always so simple to keep yourself accountable and on track without a task master flicking the whip behind you.

In this post, I’ll share some of the techniques I use to find the time to write.

[Click Here to Read More...]

Are You Guilty of T.M.I.?

Posted November 4, 2011 in Marketing, Social Media

Tweet

Freelancers go to great lengths to build strong relationships with clients, so it should come as no surprise that they are sometimes guilty of sharing too much information (T.M.I.) online.

While it’s important to be authentic and genuine online, it’s also possible to overshare. There are some things that clients, colleagues, and potential clients didn’t really need to know about you.

Yet, oversharing happens all the time. I’ve seen it on nearly all of the major networks, and I’m sure you have too. In fact, some social networks have recently encouraged oversharing by suggesting that you use their network to document nearly every aspect your life.

While oversharing might be okay if you limit your fans/friends/followers/circles to a small group of individuals who are well-known to you, it flies against good sense if you are using social media to interact with clients and prospective clients for your freelancing business.

In this post, I’ll identify some bits of personal information that are better left unshared. I’ll also invite you to discuss online reputation and social media.

[Click Here to Read More...]

Multivariate Testing for Freelancers

Posted November 3, 2011 in How-To, Marketing

Tweet

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.

[Click Here to Read More...]

Which Business Structure Maximizes Your Freelance Tax Benefits?

Posted November 2, 2011 in Accounting/Bookkeeping, Getting Started

Tweet

When forming any business, it’s important to consider the legal formation of the business early on. In freelancing businesses in particular, there are specific tax ramifications to the legal business structure that you select. This is particularly true in the U.S., and may be true elsewhere as well.

There are three main types of legal forms of business to consider when starting a freelancing business. These types include sole proprietorships, partnerships, and corporations. In this post, I’ll discuss two of these three types of business in detail.

[Click Here to Read More...]

Capturing Your Creativity

Posted November 1, 2011 in How-To, Inspiration

Tweet

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.

[Click Here to Read More...]

What to Expect When You Finally Do Become a Freelancer

Posted October 31, 2011 in Lifestyle

Tweet

Before you become a full-time freelancer, you tend to have a romanticized view of freelancing.

You imagine waking up at any time of the day, working blissfully in your pajamas, pumping iron at the gym in the middle of the day, and spending many happy hours with your family.

Sorry to burst your bubble, but freelancing isn’t exactly like that. Freelancing will change your life drastically, for better or worse. If you’re not prepared for these changes, you may find yourself regretting your decision to freelance.

Let me look into my crystal ball and show you what changes will happen in all the areas of your life.

[Click Here to Read More...]

Open Thread: Have You Been Hired by Another Freelancer?

Posted October 30, 2011 in Managing Clients, Open Thread

Tweet

Freelancers get to work for all different types of clients. There are good clients, bad clients, large clients, and small clients–to name just a few.

You name a type of business, and a freelancer has probably worked with them at some point. However, in this post I’d like to shift the focus a bit.

What I’ve been wondering is this:

[Click Here to Read More...]