Jean Hartley
Content writer
Freelancing gives not only more flexibility, but also more responsibility. It’s very easy to get stuck in the routine of mediocre projects and endless search for clients.
To get a good and high-paying job and avoid the mistakes that many beginner freelancers make, pay attention to these five tips.
1. Ensure a stable flow of customers
Many freelancers get stuck in a never-ending cycle of first getting work done and then immediately looking for a new one. However, no one pays for the search for the project. Instead, you can create a system that will provide regular orders.
Well-written content will help ensure a stable flow of customers.
- A graphic designer can upload their work to special sites, such as Dribble;
- Copywriters would like to write articles and create a podcast targeted at the desired audience.
You can also collaborate with other professionals. The main thing is to do it on a regular basis in order to consistently attract customers.
2. Find your distinguishing feature
When a client needs to place an order, he goes to the website and looks through the available offers. For him to pay attention exactly to you, you need to show what makes you different from others.
This can be a portfolio aimed at a narrow audience, or a podcast in which you talk about how to make a good advertisement. That way you can stand out from the competition, prove your value, and attract customers. People will come to you with specific goals, not just any freelancer.
3. Offer solutions to specific problems
Many freelancers offer a very wide range of services. However, it’s more effective to present your capabilities as a tool to solve specific problems. This way it will be easier for you to present yourself to the client, and it will be easier for him to make a choice.
For example, you can create a specific work plan consisting of several steps, your own package of services, or a strategy that applies to each customer.
Ask yourself what kind of problems you want to solve:
- If you are a copywriter or illustrator, you can offer solutions to two needs at once. You don’t have to be the best writer or artist; the important thing is to find a niche where you have less competition;
- You can also specialize in something specific and offer your experience and skills in that area. For example, create landing pages, write commercial texts, or develop an email marketing strategy;
- If you are an application designer, you may want to focus on developing a specific type of application.
When you choose your niche, it will be easier for you not only to standardize your work process and make it more efficient, but also to explain exactly what you do to clients and sell your services.
4. Delegate tasks
Many freelancers and business owners tend to do everything themselves. They determine the value of their time for others, but forget about its value to themselves and take on every task they can find.
To be more efficient, it’s a good idea to delegate what you do worst or take up a lot of your time. To do this, you can use a virtual assistant. It can attract more leads, use content more effectively and find people to collaborate with. That way you can focus on the important things that add real value.
5. Avoid hourly pay
Finally, the last common mistake among freelancers is calculating the value of a job by time rather than by the value it provides to the client. The fact is that as you develop your skills and increase your speed, it will take fewer hours to complete projects – which means you’ll get less, too.
Calculating the cost of a package of services is not easy, but this approach is more profitable. Your time is limited, and the main goal is to use it as efficiently as possible without losing the quality of your work and profit.
Value-based cost is also much easier to explain to customers. They usually don’t have a specific benchmark against which they can determine a reasonable rate and the number of hours a project will require. However, they understand exactly what benefits it will bring.
Jean S. Hartley is a professional writer at write my essay service. For 7 years now, she has been helping students learn to write correctly, and also assists in preparing for exams. Jean worked for an IT company and writes about it on her blog.
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