Freelancers A to Z #011. How to Become a Freelancer Your Clients Will Love to Work with?
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.
Are you ready?
Opening its arms to numerous individuals out there, freelancing is becoming the ‘the next big thing’. The flexibility and comfort of being in your own working space, doing what you love, and getting paid for it make it all worthwhile.
Freelancing has welcomed people from all over the globe to help them hone their skills and use them for their benefit. Different websites now give us the opportunity to do something different than your typical nine-to-five job.
As the world embarks on a journey towards digitalization, freelancing has become a way for individuals to interact with people, build a rapport, and diminish every possible difference that might exist.
From starting a freelancing business to executing it to making it a success, all requires utmost precision and effort.
Freelancing, though may seem the best option if you want to work from home, it can be tricky to get right.
Here are some tips and tricks that can help in making you a freelancer clients would love to work with.
1
Power Tips on How to Improve Your Business Language
As a freelancer, you come across several clients who are different from the other. Each client is to be dealt with differently as well.
Keeping in mind the language you use in front of your client is crucial. As suggested in this article, it is important to recognize your clients as your clients to make sure you give the best work. Make sure that your sentence does not start with “I need..”.
The website makes a valid point where this starting line may give the impression of bossiness and ultimately the client won’t feel like they are being heard. At all. Whereas saying ‘no’ can prove to be a rather daunting task, you should know how and when to say no.
You should be able to state if you’re available or not. If you make a commitment and fail to abide by it, your professional demeanor will self-implode, harming your reputation as a freelancer.
The website makes a fair list of the language that you should use and words that should be avoided. Saying “I can’t”, for example, may taint your work ethic. Completely subjecting yourself to your clients isn’t the way to go either.
Choose a middle way and phrase your words carefully.
2
How to Ask Your Clients for Feedback?
Having client feedback stamped onto your profile or website can further enhance your reputation as a freelancer.
Not only will you get more clients but your outlook as a reliable freelancer would be permanent. But how you should ask for client feedback? This detailed blog lists different ways you can ask for feedback.
The foundation of your growth, as a freelancer, is feedback.
The article lists ways to do so, one of which is to create a certain workflow plan through which you can stay in touch with your client.
Where keeping the communication going is important, the client needs to be informed beforehand of this feedback, making a standard feedback template would be easier for clients who a) are shy or b) do not like giving long narrated answers.
Working as a freelancer, your success also depends on the number of stars or ratings you get.
To make sure that you get your desired outcome you should do your work with precision (obviously!) but also make sure you get those feedbacks.
3
How to Know If You’re Productive?
Whereas your clients' feedback is important, you should also be able to assess your own productivity. Evaluating your own performance is a very important aspect once you jump into the freelancing business.
Your weaknesses, when the creative spark is at the top and when it is at its lowest, should be kept in mind. The question as to why should you evaluate your performance is answered in the article where they simply state, to get better.
With freelancing becoming the new thing, there is a lot more competition and to make sure that you rise above it, you need to evaluate your performance and make yourself better.
Whereas client feedback, as per the article, gives you insight as to how your work is, there are other ways to evaluate your performance.
Be brutally honest with yourself and self-analyze your work.
The blog points out that self-reflection can enable you to get to the bottom of any hindrance that you may face while working.
Jot down what went well and what went the other way. Talking to someone and using metrics to further assess your performance is another way that the blog believes to be effective.
Understand your weak points and make them stronger, it is the only way you’ll come out at the top.
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4
Why You Should Start Using Project Management Apps Immediately?
You may be working on multiple tasks at the same time. Or you may have problems communicating the exact time you’d submit the task. Or you may have issues assessing your cash flow.
It is important to have project management software integrated into your freelance business to make sure that your work is submitted on time.
This article here, after meticulous speculation, lists down possible applications that can keep you on track, help you communicate with your client and colleagues, and make sure that your work is submitted on time.
The top application on this site is Wtike followed by Airtable, Asana, Freedcamp, and Trello.
These apps help you to remain organized in this fast-paced world, assist you to do your work on time (no need to ask for deadline extensions!), and to communicate with your fellows.
Having such applications that keep a check on you, loaded into your laptop or smartphone is helpful if you tend to slack off.
5
Boost Your Confidence Using these 6 Bulletproof Strategies
Getting rejected by a client or being yelled at can waver your confidence in the freelancing world. But we need to be able to recover from it and work ahead.
How can you boost your confidence to the max, you ask? This blog provides some tips to help you along the way.
First and foremost, testimonials (or client feedback. Yes, it is very important, hence the repetition.) Testimonials can get your more clients but what else can keep the confidence intact? The blog suggests that you revisit the project you were proud of and had fun doing.
Take your time and remember the energy you placed while working on a project that you felt was worthwhile.
Social media is not a fun place to be when you are feeling low, taking a social media break, the article suggests, can make you realize that you have your achievements to look forward to.
The website presents different ideas through which you can gain your confidence back.
When you feel that your faith in yourself is at its endpoint, talk to someone you can trust to help you get that confidence back.
Setting realistic goals, as per the blog article, would help you to better tackle one thing at a time. Even if it is just preparing breakfast, once you achieve that goal, you are good to go.
Confidence is key in everything and it is when you are confident that you present your best work.
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. However, as some of you already know, it’s also because I want to cut off the noise caused by my neighbors.
This week I’d like to invite you to the world of modern classical music. The Blue Notebooks by Max Richter is a beautiful album. I like to return to it every now and then. Hope you’ll enjoy it.
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