So, you’re freelance career finally has lift off. You’ve got a couple of clients under your belt…your portfolio is getting fatter….you’re feeling increasingly confident about your abilities and career choice. And best of all, you like what you do. But there’s one thing missing: the big bucks. How can you get the money to really flow? There’s no shortage of answers. For starters, here are five ways to start raking in more cash.
#1. Increase Your Rates
It’s obvious, isn’t it? Increase your rates and you’ll make more money. We know this and yet we freelancers are notoriously timid about raising our rates. We’re afraid any increase will drive away existing clients and turn off prospective ones. While these are valid concerns, if you put too much stock into them, you’re not going to last long as a freelancer. A freelance career is not sustainable unless you’re being paid what your time is truly worth.
To assess the true value of your time, do your research. Find out what the going rate is for work like yours as performed by freelancers of a comparable skill level. If your rates are lower than your peers, you can feel confident that there’s room… Read more »
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When we gave up a job to work from home as Freelancers we probably had visions of a productive home office, that would provide us with being paid for doing something we love to do, combined with the freedom of self employment to take care of our life responsibilities
For many of us however, the reality is we wake up in the morning full of intentions to complete a chapter of the book we are writing or to make a start on allocated assignments, only to find at the end of the day we have actually accomplished very little.
Sound all too familiar? Most of us have are probably nodding our head in agreement. We can probably all relate to taking a little longer over our morning rituals of reading emails or checking our social media accounts in the name of “work”. When we are ready to work we face writers block or have a feeling of overwhelming fatigue we find hard to shift.
If this is your experience, here are 4 simple, but very useful strategies to help Freelancers control their day and increase productivity with minimal effort and little change of routine.
- Have a daily schedule mapped out: Plan your day… Read more »
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Freelancing gives workers freedom, but pitfalls often arise that challenge profitability. Rather than earn a decent amount of money, many freelancers end up disappointed with little to show for a lot of work. Although frustration may tempt some to give up, they should instead look out for the following 5 ways that freelancers bleed money. Just a few adjustments can result in a much better bottom line.
The Coffee Tax
Many freelancers have trouble working from home all the time. So its natural to head to the local coffee shop where the Wi-Fi is free, but the coffee isn’t. Being out of the house is nice and seeing other people stimulates the mind almost as much as the coffee, but after a few drinks, a sizable portion of your income for the day has already been spent.
Try going places like the library or the airport where you can enjoy a change of pace without feeling the pressure to spend money.
Software Purchases
Freelancers take a big hit when they buy expensive software. Packages like Microsoft Office and Adobe Creative Suite are just two that seem essential, but cost a lot of money. Most of the time, software purchases are avoidable through the use… Read more »
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Planning an advertising campaign is often a very daunting task. The advertising world is a rough and energetic one, and there is always someone willing to take your money! The following tips will help you generate a campaign from scratch, and lead you away from some of the common pitfalls that freelancers can fall into. Remember, you can’t compete with the big boys when it comes to throwing cash around – focus on your target audience and pick media that will allow you to approach them in a cost-effective manner.
1. Determine your business objectives
If you are just starting out, you may want to concentrate on branding your services to be top-of-mind for customers. However, if you wish to generate revenue and new business, you may wish to push for a retail-oriented ad (ie, one that focuses on price and offerings). In either case, create some measureable objectives (See 6. Tracking) upon which to base the success or failure of your campaign.
2. Determine your budget
The size of this will determine which approach you can select. Got $1000 to spend? Focus on a guerrilla web campaign, or targeted print ads in corporate newsletters or publications. Got $100,000 to spend? Feel free… Read more »
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Stepping into the Shoes of a Freelancer Writer
Posted on 13. Jul, 2011 by freelanceshack in Interviews
Freelancer opportunities provide people from all over the world the chance to earn income for the skills they provide to independent or company employers. Freelancing really has become the next big thing. There are a wide variety of freelance skills that are in high demand. Be it search engine optimization, copywriting, creative article writing, website design and press release writing. A great Freelancer can offer services that not everyone can do, and from my personal experience, I believe that freelancers are a pretty bright bunch of people especially given that many freelancer jobs take specialized skills that aren’t usually taught in schools.
Marius has been a freelance writer based in the Philippines since 2009.
So what is a day in the life of a freelancer actually like?
I know quite a few freelancers and I also know about their different work ethics and their approach when they are working a job. For freelance writers like me, a usual routine includes daily submissions looking for article writing jobs. My employers will typically send me a series of topics or reference links for the articles they would like to have prepared for the day. Some employers may be looking for five, some 10 and… Read more »
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How to Move From a Full-Time Job to Freelancing: Part 1
Posted on 12. Jul, 2011 by Sam G in Essentials
If you’re thinking of flying the corporate coop and becoming your own boss, then today is your lucky day. If you dream of busting out of the cubicle wasteland and finding greener pastures as a freelancer, then you’re in good company.
Like most things in life, you must crawl before you can walk but never fear this guide will show you how it’s done.
The best way to start working as a freelancer is to begin part time. If you don’t have a job when you start, then you should look for a full-time job that is flexible and has a low demand for your work output — a job packing grocery store shelves is a good example. Having a low demand job means you won’t be exhausted at the end of the day and gives you a chance to gradually get the ball rolling.
Let’s be honest here, being a freelancer is financially risky, especially in the beginning, so it’s important to have some financial security. By entering the arena as a casual freelancer you will have enough time to figure out if you will be successful in your chosen field.
Don’t ditch the day job
Where ever you are, being a… Read more »
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It’s that time of the year when we say, Out with the old and in with the new. We’ve entered the new financial year and as promised Freelance Shack has been updated with a fresh new design.
The old clip art logo has been ditched for our new mascot, freelance monkey, we’ve cut back on the useless clutter and gone for a stronger type face for articles, hopefully making them easier to read. The goal was to stick to the default feel without annoying exisiting readers who like Freelance Shack just the way it was.
I hope you enjoy the new look and would love to hear your feedback.
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If someone asked you what your brand said about you and your freelance business, could you tell them? Do you understand what branding means? Do you realize that you have a brand, even if you don’t have a logo or a tagline for your business?
Your brand is the perception people have about you and your business based on the information they receive about you. It is a promise of the benefits a business will receive by engaging your services. It is communicated through visual aids such as a logo, brochure, website or stationary items, and also the way you present yourself, write proposals and emails.
In what can be a very competitive field, having a clearly defined brand is an ideal way for freelancers to set themselves apart from the competition, stand out from the crowd and justify higher rates of pay. The best thing is that it doesn’t have to cost your life savings to do!
Find your unique selling point
What is it that makes you the only person for a client’s job? Why are you better, faster, more professional and the best value for money? Having a unique selling point is an ideal way to distinguish yourself from other… Read more »
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Managing Cash Flow In Your Freelance Business
Posted on 28. Jun, 2011 by Sam G in Essentials, Workspace
Unpredictable. That one word underlines pretty much everything to do with your freelance life, especially when it comes to managing cash flow. The uncertainty surrounding your income – the size of it, the frequency of it, the search for it – is an ongoing issue but with planning and foresight, that uncertainty can be reduced and you can even introduce a touch of predictability to proceedings!
Look ahead
Do a financial forecast on a regular basis. Look at where your income is expected to come from over the days or weeks ahead, and when it might be paid. At the same time, chart your expected outgoings. That unpredictable word comes in to play here and there might be outgoings you can’t plan for. Look at past financial records and detect patterns that will help you prepare each new forecast and plan ahead.
The cheque is in the mail
Clients like paying bills as much as you do. Be prepared by having enough cash reserves to cover the bills while you wait for the average or tardy client to pay you. Allocate a portion of everything you earn to this ‘rainy day’ account instead of splurging – once you have built up enough in… Read more »
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Simple Tips to Generate Leads for Your Business
Posted on 25. Jun, 2011 by freelanceshack in Marketing
Lead generation is essential to any business, having a steady flow of potential customers can make all the difference to the outcome of your goals, whether it be finding higher paying clients or selling your ideas. You might provide an amazing service or package but if nobody is ever offered then how are they to know about it? This where lead generation or offering yourself is clearly important.
To generate a steady flow of quality leads, you need to know some of the most effective techniques. Hiring the services of call center agencies to generate leads for your business is quite common, but if you prefer to do it in-house, here are some techniques that can help generate leads for your business and increase your reach to customers and clients.
Business referrals
Referrals from businesses that operate in the same or similar domain is a smart way to generate leads. This technique involves making sales between businesses, often referred to as Busines 2 Business (B2B). Depending on the industry which you work in, business referrals will differ so think about the relationships and workflows involved in daily operation.
A good place to start is your local business directory as it will have a… Read more »
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You may or may not know that writer John Price has moved on from Freelance Shack to bigger and better things. John is working on some really exciting projects and unfortunately that doesn’t leave much time to crank up the blog with new content.
I’ve taken over Writing and Editing for Freelance Shack, which is an awesome blog with some really great insight on the world of freelancing. I’ve been doing some general housekeeping work over the last few days to make sure the transition goes smoothly. So far everything is looking good. I’d love to hear any suggestions you might have and I’ll post some info about myself so you can get to know me.
Freelancer at heart
My background is in graphic design and web development. I’ve been building wonderful things on the web for over 10 years. I mainly did web apps, user experience design, PSD slicing and various freelance work until 2007 and since settled into a permanent job with a large IT solution company doing what I love.
Although I don’t do much freelancing now, I’ve been on the front line and know all about building client relationships,… Read more »
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Top 7 Apps for Freelance Writers
Posted on 17. Jun, 2011 by freelanceshack in Essentials, Freebies, Lists, Marketing
If you currently work as a freelance writer then you probably know all too well how difficult it can be to keep track of all of your ideas and assignments. However, thanks to recent developments in technology there are numerous ways you can help make your professional life as a freelance writer go a lot smoother.
Whether you’re looking around for app that can help you manage your assignments, or if you’re looking for an app that can inspire you to perform better as a freelance writer, here are seven different apps that are popular amongst writers and authors:
1. Evernote (Free)
Evernote is a “must-have” app for any serious freelancer, as it will help you keep track of your various thoughts, notes, ideas, assignments and even finances. The app also allows you to save pictures and make voice recordings, and it was recently listed as one of the “Top 10 Must-Have Apps” by The New York Times.
2. TextGuru ($4.99)
This app was specifically designed for writers and students, and some of the many popular benefits of using this app include sharing files via WiFi and viewing documents as a PDF, MS Office or JPEG file. There is also a dictionary,… Read more »
