Freelancers A to Z #008. How to Market Yourself as a Freelancer and Why Testimonials Matter?
Freelancers A to Z is a series of roundup posts with captivating curated blog posts, podcasts and articles.
My purpose is to give you as a freelancer a place where you can find support and help with productivity, motivation and time management issues. Here you will find simple yet powerful hacks to improve your productivity and boost your freelance business instantly.
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Music playing in the background, some cold coffee on the table next to your laptop as you start your work for the day sounds like the lifestyle you’d enjoy and want. That too while sitting in your home. Not only do you have the ease of doing as you please, but you can also take out time to have fun and mingle with your friends. The typical 9 to 5 job takes away your privilege to have fun, or so it is commonly believed.
Working as a freelancer is a break away from the typical time and is more feasible as you have the ease of working in your free slots.
However, working as a freelancer and becoming successful can only work if you are frequently contacted by clients or people looking for workers.
Attracting clients, managing their needs and expectations is very tiring but if you present top-notch work, you would be sure to make your client happy. What is the point of working as a freelancer if you cannot market yourself?
Marketing yourself as a reliable and trustworthy employee is the basis of every job but as a freelancer, it speaks volumes. This is because you and your client work from behind the laptop and have minimum physical interaction.
Here are top freelancing tips that would help you to up your game as a freelancer.
1
How to Market Yourself as a Freelancer?
Marketing yourself as a freelancer and attracting clients is the most important task.
There is a chance that there are numerous people who are working in the same domain as you do which means more competition. But to gain clients and their loyalty, you should do something that would make you stand out. The link provides you with numerous tips and tricks which enlist the different ways you can market yourself and gain a clientele that is huge in number.
Exciting, isn't it?
First and foremost, it is important to connect with social media. In today's digital age, social media is the biggest platform through which people connect. Using this to your advantage, you can use social media to display your expertise for the whole world to view.
Building a website for your freelancing career is also a very practical way to gain more clients as they would have a convenient way to contact you. Wordpress can prove to be a very reliable source of building a website.
Marketing yourself means to not only start blogging but also to share your clients with businesses that you are affiliated with. The former of the two is further explained by the website as an imperative step.
Nowadays, SEO is in full demand and if you can master it, you can become a very requested employee. Marketing yourself may seem like you are bragging but it is the best way to ensure that you are established, well-known, and that people come to you when it comes to working.
2
Why Is Multitasking Bad?
As a freelancer, you think you can do numerous things at the same time.
That is a very harmful misconception, you see. Multitasking may seem easy but it is a task that drains your brain and you end up completely dried up.
Multitasking can be very disadvantageous if you does not take into consideration the amount of workload dangling upon your head. You would stumble upon the reason as to why it is important to NOT multitask and what the disadvantages are.
Yes, you do save time but as per the article, your brain cannot locate information easily if you are multitasking. The huge pile of work does linger on at the back of your mind and also the heaps of unattended work make you lose your focus.
Where multitasking gets the work done, it may not be your best work. Point after point the repercussions of multitasking are listed. One of which is that multitasking means that you aren’t focused on any of your tasks.
There is so much going on that we forget we have other pending work as well. There are numerous reasons as to why multitasking is risky and the last of the lot is that multitasking means not being able to retain a lot of tasks by memory and losing focus. That would displease your client and you would end up with a bad review.
3
How to Manage Client Expectations?
Managing clients’ expectations is a very important skill to master. There are different ways you can manage your client’s needs and reach the top.
For one, it is important to select a reliable channel of communication. You can find in the link above it is important for you to ask your client what channel they are comfortable with and can easily access. A recommended channel of communication is Slack, which has helped numerous people to connect and form a very close relationship with their client.
You should also, as stated in the article, set down the project terms to make sure that you and the client are on the same page. If there is a clash in the future, you can easily refer back to what was agreed.
Using heavily coated words can confuse the client which is why using jargons that are mutually understood by both parties is the best way to communicate with your client. Other than becoming an external partner, it is important to jot down the expectations. Once the expectations are set, do your best to meet them.
At the right time, the website also makes a point of exceeding expectations, giving your client the message that you take your work seriously. You can manage your client’s expectation with more finesse if you are honest with them about your work and its quality, as well as helping them out whenever you can.
The importance, as suggested by the article, of these two aspects is that it ups your game, and clients will come to you whenever they need help.
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4
How Testimonials Can Boost Your Freelance Business?
Testimonials can boost your business immensely as it is a direct verdict from the previous clients you have worked with.
A valid point introduced is that having testimonials engraved into your freelancing business can lift the nature of your work and profile to a whole new level. Testimonials not only increase the number of potential clients but also is a way for you to channel your expertise in the best way.
Moreover, there is no denying that testimonials represent the logic and do not hone your business based on emotions. Asking for testimonials may seem like a daunting task but do not fret. The website enlists ways through which you can attain positive remarks from your client.
You can create a template for your testimonials or use past emails as a referent that could boost your brand image.
Moreover, social media testimonials and creating an easy to use customer feedback from, as suggested in the website, can also be of great assistance. Using your testimonials most preferably and advantageously is another task and it is worth knowing that one can add them to their social media or your freelancing website.
5
Overcome Blocks in Your Creative Work with these Tips
Having a creative block is one of the most frustrating things to ever exist, especially if it comes in a time where you have pending work.
Recovering from a creative block is imperative as it hinders your ability to submit quality work.
To stay away from something as daunting as a creative block, the article jots down different tips, one of which is to find your niche. Once you have established your niche you would be indulging in tasks that make you happy.
It is also important to charge more and take breaks between projects that require more time. It is important to know how you should offer free of charge advice and also to sell yourself based on benefit. Your client cares about how much you would help raise their sales and that can be done if you display your best skill.
6
All work and no play…
The last thing I would like to share with you is music. It has a special place in my life. For that reason I listen to music when I work. Hoverer, as some of you already know, it’s also because I want to cut off the noise caused by my neighbors.
This week a special work playlist full of Ennio Morricone’s music. This Italian composer who passed away this month, scored around 500 movies and created some of the most iconic musical moments in film history
Last but not least: in the next issue your playlist can appear in this place. So leave in comments your favourite music that you love to listen when you work.
One last thing
In the comments below let me know what do you think about this issue of Freelancers A to Z. Tell me what do you like, what is not so good, what do you want more of. I need to know everything.
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The next issue will be available in two weeks.
Take care and have a nice time
Mariusz from the Time Continuum App