The Art of Asking for Referrals Revealed
If you’re doing business online, you know that peer recommendation and customer testimonials are top drivers of sales and as soon as you finished a freelance project, all you can think of is asking for a referral. Awkward moment. What seems to be a smart strategy has become a key to your career’s demise. Because no matter how you have learned otherwise, referrals, like trust, are not asked for; it is earned. The worst part is having to ask clients what rating you should get on freelancing job boards after a work is done. It is not only a major turn off, but it’s downright disrespectful. Should you do it?
If you haven’t heard of idea marketing, perhaps it’s time for freelancers to have a refresher… and no, we’re not here to tell you to sell your ideas, but to sell the idea of you being great at what you do. Just peruse any profile on freelancing sites or LinkedIn to see that everything almost looks the same. Same words, same jargon. In a world where the next dream job is like finding a needle in heaps of haystack, you can’t risk not getting found. When potential clients see hordes of freelancers’ portfolios in black and white, do you really need to step up and sell more than just the obvious? 
Don’t you hate it when your boss keeps telling you what to do.. down to the itsy, bitsy detail? Freelancers are more likely to get micromanaged as clients try to keep a close eye on your tasks and they might not be aware that this can result to an unhealthy relationship. Whether you’re being micromanaged by a boss from h*ll, or a superior who is under constant pressure to meet shifting deadlines, know that there are many reasons why they simply can’t ( or won’t ) delegate. But here’s the good news: You can manage these bad bosses and you can stop being unhappy at work. 
Perhaps, it’s not about you.. and no matter how hard you try to figure things out, it’s out of your control. I’ve often read many questions from new and seasoned freelancers on why their prospects bail out before even signing that 
Recently, I came across a post by Jessica Stillman on the subject of stealth freelancers. The number of independent workers is rising, no doubt, but there’s a fog surrounding the self-employed these days and statistics might not really tell the full story. What’s intriguing is that 66% of freelancers hold full-time jobs and most don’t want to reveal the truth that they’re freelancing. But, for the rest of us who are planning to make a career shift and jump into the world of freelancing, we’re left with two options: To freelance full-time or part-time. 
