How Freelancers Can Ethically Steal Business from Their Competition

Stealing is bad… and it’s a no-brainer either! The economy may just be slightly recovering and businesses are looking to cut down costs – BUT.. having a nice break doesn’t mean breaking down your freelancing rate.  Think of it this way:  Lower your value now at the first point of contact and your customer will always ask for your ‘discounted rate’ whenever s/he does business with you.  So, how can you win clients over from the other side of the fence, without devaluing your weight in gold?

Know Your Competition

It helps to identify just who your competitors are, so you can benchmark your services with theirs.  Who are their client base?  Plenty of freelancers have public profiles in many freelancing sites and professional networking sites like Linkedin.  It’ very easy for you to take a quick look that’s totally harmless.  You may even learn a few tricks on how they are selling themselves on the Web. That doesn’t mean you have every right to copy their profile, verbatim. It’s not only plagiarism; it’s tasteless..

Flaunt It!

What’s the use of ratings and testimonials if you are not showing it for the whole world to see?  If you’re new to freelancing, you can ask reviews from your previous employers who are connected with you in social networks.  Word-of-mouth is still a powerful tool these days and peer recommendations can come in handy if you’d like to attract your competitors’ clients.  Again, it’s not really a numbers game, but of relevancy and quality – it’s what people write about you that will win trust; not the number of stars or ratings you get.

Sell Something Better

Now that you’ve got an intel on who your competitors are, where they get their clients, and how they present themselves – you can simply sell on the benefits of your service… and sell something better than what your competitors are currently offering.  Yes, sneaky, but as long as you do it without stepping over anyone else’s shoes, you will just create that winning bid that meets the needs of your customers.. and did I even mention ‘going beyond their expectations’?

Create a Buzz

Freelancers are always in the business of marketing themselves these days on social media platforms.  It is not enough anymore to have a brochure website.  Are you current?  Are you recognizable?  Can you make it easy for potential customers to find you on the Web?  If you haven’t blogged, perhaps, now is the time to consider doing so.  Whether you wish to participate in online forums about your niche, answer questions that showcase your expertise in Q&A sites, join real-time twitter chats in your industry, keep a brand page in social networks like Facebook or Google+, upload a vlog on YouTube ( and the list goes on ) – it’s all about widening your reach.

Bank on Trust

If you are running a freelancing business with a physical location, you may have yourself accredited and listed in trusted review sites like Yelp and BBB (Better Business Bureau).  If there’s one truth I have learned from freelancing is that pushy sales tactics are the thing of the past.  Creating trust may simply mean genuine interest in your client’s business, so you can focus on listening to their needs and be confident enough to help them win.

Attracting new customers and convincing them to hire you is a tough job and this is why it’s important to keep your communication channels open.  Stealing your competitors’ clients may just mean learning from your competition and continuously improving yourself.  Set your goals right then and snag the right kind of clients ( and for heaven’s sake, don’t just go about stealing for fun ).

What About You?

What gives you a competitive edge in freelancing these days?  Share your thoughts!

The Battle Between Your Present and Future Self

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Freelancing Predictions for 2012:  A Brighter Outlook

The freelance market may have been stagnant in 2011, but online hiring has hit a record high last year – up by over 100% from 2010.  As the demand for talent and flexibility to run an office increases, more businesses will hop in the rising trend of hiring remote workers or independent professionals.  It’s what you can call a freelancing wave – and it can also mean rise in newer technologies or tools to make online collaboration seamless.  Freelancers, brace yourself to another year that will be defined by:

Global Mindset

Work is not anymore defined by a physical office and freelancers must be able to adapt to different cultural settings in order to stay on top this year.  There will be a paradigm shift in how people view work – far from the traditional set-up many have been used to for many years.

Innovation Meets Excellence

You probably have encountered this word the nth time, but in order to stay on top of the freelancing game, you have to know that it takes openness to innovation and creativity which will set you apart from those who are merely doing what was asked of them – where you have the chance to exceed work expectations by focusing on quality, not on quantity.

Social Partnerships

Social networking is on the rise and we’ve seen how quick changes are last year, when Google+ entered the social media scene.  Because more collaboration tools are on the making, we are more likely to see combined forces among freelancers, as well as building relationships beyond the tip of the iceberg – where freelancers will break the ice between their brand-customer relationship.

Virtual Teams

By being open to working across multiple online platforms with various persons across the globe, we’ll definitely see more virtual teams formed.  Contrary to popular belief, we’ll see them work more productively as they collaborate to succeed on their projects.  This will also include a much deeper engagement level and sense of responsibility among the team.

Outsourcing

Businesses, large or small, will outsource work to experts who can fill in their needs.  From rural sourcing to offshore outsourcing, this can only mean good news for freelancers who want to find new prospects and capitalize on plenty of freelance portals on the Web.  Cost will always be the number one driver for companies to consider outsourcing, but there are also other factors involved, like the speed of service and the ‘hire it when you need it’ mentality.

These are predictions based on freelancing news and events from last year.  No, we are not playing it like Nostradamus – just the sort of predictive analytics anyone can use and it’s not a rocket science either.  If there’s only one thing we can agree on, it’s that 2012 is a promising year for freelancers and career shifters out there.  Perhaps, we can look back to this post sometime near 2013 and say, “Hey, we’ve told you so!”  Are you excited to work in this age of hyper-specialization?

What’s In Your Mind?

What do you think will freelancing look like this year?  Share your own predictions on the comment below.

The Future of Work 2.0

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How Freelancers Can Determine Their Real Worth

Is it about credibility these days? Or, are you simply clueless in the art of negotiation when it comes to your freelance contract?  Last time, we blogged about Why Freelancers Work Hard But Earn a Little, and if this somehow rings an alarm to your freelance career, then, it’s high time to consider:

Counting Numbers

If you’re freelancing full-time, it’s too easy to get lost in your projects that you let time pass, without counting the years of experience you have in your field.  Use this number as your selling point so you can negotiate your pay.  Think of it as how much a client is willing to pay for your experience, which will benefit their business in return.

Salary Sleuthing

There are plenty of websites out there like payscale.com or salary.com which gives you a glimpse on how much you should be charging for your skills.  Use this to your competitive advantage the next time you deal with a potential client, or when you ask for a raise.

Disruptive Innovation

Perhaps, this is the first time you have encountered this word.  Did you know that businesses pay top dollars or premium to disruptive innovation?  In terms of freelancing, this means focusing on your distinct or specialized skills rather than the generic ones out there. Simply, don’t be a jack of all trades.  When you offer something that’s rare in the skills market, you have just shifted the scale into your favor, where low supply for high demand means naming your own price.

Benchmarking

Frenemies, as I call it, can help you balance just how much rate you should be charging.  Take a look at your competitor’s rate and service offerings.  It may be sneaky, but some freelancers would disguise as a potential client inquiring for services from their competitors just to see how they can do better.  In the end, it’s all about healthy competition and how you can compete with others offering the same services to yours.

Keeping Your Emotions in a Stash Box

Women are more inclined to get emotional than men and sadly, business and emotions don’t mix perfectly well.  Don’t let your feelings get in the way when you’re negotiating a freelance contract and make sure you spell out expectations from the start.  Don’t get too excited to work on a project without a proper contract.

Making a fair assessment of yourself may be tough as there’s always a room for overvaluing or undervaluing your skills.  Talking about money may feel dirty as we are raised to be prudent about it, but when it’s already affecting your daily living – you might as well take a step back and reconsider:  What exactly is your value proposition?  Muster up the courage and believe in the value of your freelancing skills.  Ask openly and ask directly. You hold the reins to your success and the next step is always up to you.

“Too many people overvalue what they are not and undervalue what they are.” -Malcom Forbes

Your Turn

Do you think that you are making a fair wage that is consistent with the rate in your niche?

Salary Negotiation Ideas

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How Freelancers Can Make the Most Out of the Holiday Season

You may have carved out your own philosophy of not working a lot this Holiday season, and we all have our reasons – no doubt.  What if you can turn this month into a season of making your ideas work for your freelancing business, without sacrificing quality time?  That would be supercalifragilistic… and here’s how:

Shop, Swap and Rise Early

Shopping for the Holidays is not an ordinary feat, and you can find yourself in long lines that will drain you of energy ( and sanity ).  The advantage of being a freelancer is you can set your own hours so try swapping your workday and shop during hours when crowds are thin.  Some shops do open early, or you may support Small Business Saturdays and buy items from your local store.  Of course, you can do it online so long as you set a time limit doing so.  In this way, you don’t feel too tired when it’s time for you to focus on work.

Client Appreciation Day

Relearn the art of appreciation this Holiday season and be inspired to come up with a token of appreciation for your clients.  You don’t have to buy something very expensive though.  Not all clients may feel like celebrating this time of the year, by choice or by tradition.  To avoid making an awkward move, you may simply call it an ‘end-of-the-year’ gift to show your gratitude.  Besides, it’s the thought that counts… and your creativity counts as well!  A simple ‘thank you’ can go a very long way, I’d say!

Retreat.. then Conquer

If you’re finding it hard to get things done, then, take a break.  Schedule a retreat that won’t last for more than three days, and this time, take the time off – as in, switch off from the online world.  You’ll be grateful that you did, trust me, and use this as a time to come up with fresh ideas to boost your freelancing brand for the coming year.  Are you ready to plan and play?

Change Your Outlook

It’s always empowering to tell yourself to focus on what you can do NOW, not tomorrow.  No matter how stressed you are, having a positive outlook is like running on jet fuel that charges your imagination to work on your tasks, no matter the number or the difficulty.  Keep positive thoughts to help you soar on high-octane fuel, making you succeed in accomplishing your projects on time.  Besides, you want to make your clients happy, so they will keep coming back for more.

Connect the Dots

I’m not talking about the game, but finding time to connect with qualified leads for your freelancing biz.  Try to connect with your existing or potential clients in a personal way, minus the need to spam them with generic emails that spell L-A-Z-Y.  This is a wonderful season to share with people your perspective, to meet up in real-time during social events, or to partner with other freelancers who complement your services.

Slowing down during the Holidays doesn’t have to mean sacrificing your productivity.  If you find yourself stuck this time of the year, use your extra time to organize your office and reassess your business goals for next year.  Tradition dictates to enjoy the merry season and you have every right to do so; Just do it mindfully.

Your Turn

Do you work on the Holidays?  If yes, how do you  break it to your loved ones? If no, how do you break it to your clients?  Feel free to share your thoughts.

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How Google Plus Brand Pages Can Potentially Benefit Freelancers

We all know that Google is the mother search engine of them all, and it currently owns 68% of market share on the searches.  In fact, when you try to ‘google’ terms, you’ll see that Google+ icon is an integral part of the results, where recommending content can be as simple as a click of a button.  If you’re into content marketing, this is great news, as people can now +1 quality content they encounter online… and get the chance to share it with their peers as well.  Just how can you benefit from creating a Google+ brand page then?

Sassier Portfolio

If you’re a creative freelancer, you’ll love the variations that Google+ allows you as you can set a photo strip of your best five portfolio pieces at the top of your page profile.  Tweak it, make a comic strip, or a creative banner for your brand.

Better Branding

There’s no doubt that G+ gives you more visibility which can be great for building your brand as a freelancer.  Doing business on the Web means that others should easily find your products and services online.  Google+ is a better system for people looking for talent, and freelancers looking for prospects, thanks to the ‘Circles’ that allows you to organize everyone into specific groups that matter to you most.

Traffic Driver

Most freelancers own their portfolio websites and blogs.  No, Google Plus can’t replace your home base, but it can help drive traffic there, as more people join this new social networking platform on the block.  All you have to do is add your sites to your brand page.

Professional Crowd

What’s great about Google+ is that it’s attracting a more professional crowd, which is great if you’re looking to make more business with one.  The clutter and noise is much reduced and users can control the content they want to see.  The Zen-like design is cleaner, which adds a touch of professionalism to it.

Goldmine of Data

If you’re a blogger, you’ll truly appreciate the conversations happening at Google Plus as it gives you ideas on which you can build your next blog on.  Other social networking sites like Twitter, Facebook and Linkedin can give you the same thing, but what’s different is that on G+, you can segment your targeted group of people (via Circles) and it’s much easier to check out what they’re sharing about.  You can even share updates with a circle of your choice, so you can gain feedback about it… or just mute all that noise.  Neat, I’d say!

The Google Plus Potential

If there’s one thing I’m raving about, it’s the Google+ Hangouts that adds spice to the boring collaboration sessions over a project.  But from a branding perspective, just imagine sharing content and getting recommendations (+1) about it; it’s like hitting two birds with a single shot.  There’s enough evidence that we’ll see integration with other Google products and services sooner, and this means that things may get easier for the rest of us who hate all the fuss about the social web.

Google Plus is a freelancer’s best friend, no doubt, if only you will learn that engaging with folks like you would do in real-time is the key to making it work!  Besides, what you want to aim for is building not only a presence, but a conversation about your freelancing brand… and make sure this conversation burns like Greek fire.

Your Turn

Will you create a Google Plus brand page?  Do you think it will benefit you as a freelancer? Share your thoughts in the comment below.

Google+ for Business: What You Need to Know

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The Problem:  I Don’t Know If I’m Competing or Surviving…

You may have that freelancing passion that drives you to your competitive edge, and still… how will you know if you’re on a compete or survival mode?  Think about this:  When you’re surviving, you are on the defense and you’ll do everything that you can to stay on business.  When you’re thriving, you compete on a positive note while you experience financial freedom and personal growth in your chosen field.  It would be nice to be on the competing side.  With that said, here’s how you can differ:

Ten Signs that You’re Competing ( and Thriving ) as a Freelancer

1. You love your job
2. You practice what you preach and make sure you don’t quit
3. You get yourself in the best shape through continuous improvement and training
4. You know the importance of working on a team
5. You are happy and proud of your job title as a freelancer
6. You keep your friends close, your competition closer… as you observe and compete in a healthy, professional manner
7. You don’t compromise your freelance work rate, ever!
8. You follow your dreams and transform it into reality
9. You know that success don’t happen overnight, but you stay on the course of achieving your goals
10. Word spreads like wild fire about you because you perform extremely well in your chosen field

Ten Signs that You’re Surviving as a Freelancer

1. Freelancing is just a passing phase for you and the grass will always be greener elsewhere
2. You try to lower down your work rate because any project is better than having none
3. You try to be a Jack-of-all-Trades
4. You don’t know where your freelance career is going ( it doesn’t even feel like real work..)
5. You feel bored or burned out.. and there’s really no big difference between the two
6. You just take a bite at any project that lands on your plate, without thinking twice on how you can work on everything in the first place
7. Clients forget your name faster than the speed of type
8. You don’t feel that drive to challenge yourself personally and professionally in the workplace
9. You are chasing after the quantity of jobs, rather than the quality ( …and here’s when paranoia sets in )
10. You feel like ranting more about your freelance life, rather than raving about it

Of course, there’s more to add on this list and you may feel free to do so in the comment area below.  In the end, freelancing boils down to freedom of choice and when it is the future of how we will work in the years to come, you might as well be on the competing side.  Surviving isn’t an option if you want to thrive in this growing industry and this time, there’s no more room for excuses ( lame excuses, that is ).

Freelance Survival Skills

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How to Compete With Seasoned Freelancers and Big Agencies

Here’s the Good News: Everyone started small.  That may not be too much to hold on to, but surviving in this tough economy may just mean offering things that your Goliath competitors can’t.  Simply put, clients are looking to shop around for alternatives and that doesn’t mean you won’t find high-caliber jobs that pay right.  Here’s how you can turn the cards to your success:

Respond Immediately!

I’ve put this item with an exclamation point, not without a reason.  Seasoned freelancers and agencies got a lot on their plates and may have a hard time replying to queries in a timely manner.  Here’s how you can beat your competition by becoming the ‘early bird that catches the worm’, as the adage goes.

Offer Flexibility

A lot of clients are frustrated when they cannot get another hold of their favorite freelancer or firm,  and if ever someone works on their concern, it simply took a lot of time to work through the funnel.  When demand for faster services is on its ultimate high, you want to be the quick brown fox that jumped over the rest… and be the most efficient.

Size Doesn’t Matter

When you’re big, there’s the fallacy that you don’t want to work with something small because it isn’t worth the chase.  Never ever become another haughty freelancer and open your doors to small clients who may become big-time someday.  The key here is to find a small group of people who you know will not only desire, but will benefit from the services that you have to offer.

Become Exclusive

Your clients may not understand why you need to freelance for projects A-Z, and that you’re just trying to survive in a high risk industry.  Yet, a lot of them want to feel special, knowing that you’re only working for them right now.  When a big client approaches you, that’s where your chance of offering exclusivity kicks in and in the process, you get to demand the rate you deserve and focus more on getting things done, efficiently.

Compete on Likability

You may not believe that even when you’re working virtually, a pleasing personality goes a long way.  It may be tough when all you want is to work remotely, but if you try to build trust along the way and make any prospect feel special, you might just as well snag your own bag of loyal clients – for good!

Many would suggest that as a newbie freelancer, you have to compete on the grounds of  affordability and there’s no right or wrong answer to this.  If you do, I’d say proceed with caution and make sure that whatever you charge, it reflects what your skills are really worth.

Do you think that new freelancers should lower their rates in order to compete?  Share your thoughts in the comment below.

Competition in the Work Place

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How to Become an Expert Freelancer in Any Field

Think of freelancing as an audition to the latest reality show.  Do you have the X factor?  Truth is, in any profession: there are achievers, average performers, over-achievers and you know who.. The question here is how desirable is your expertise?  Last time, we’ve given you the juice on how to get hired as a social media guru, now we want you to play the role of a true expert by:

Starting Your Own Blog

Time and again, we’ve told you that social blogging is the way to go if you want to establish yourself as an expert.  By blogging, you give people the reason to believe that you really know a lot about your field.  What’s great today is that  everyone can be a publisher and there’s no more reason not to start a blog.  I know it can be pretty intimidating for those who haven’t written one before and here’s where you let your passion for your work do the talking.  If you can talk about your work with love, you can definitely write something compelling.

Challenging Yourself

When Wikipedia defines an ‘Expert‘ as someone who is widely recognized as a reliable source of technique or skill.. does it mean that you have to be talented to become one?  Yes, we’ve encountered IQ tests before to measure how well we might perform on a job, but studies have shown that talent alone is not enough; you have to deliberately practice your skills and polish it into a diamond of flawless execution.  But, it doesn’t mean experience is good enough – you have to continually challenge yourself to do better by clearly defining your goals and taking feedback as a motivation to work better.

Marketing Yourself

We’ve shared with you the new rules of marketing yourself as a freelancer and you really need to brainstorm a marketing plan for your freelance business… as well as create a separate strategy for yourself as an expert.  It may feel one and the same, but it’s not!  Prospects can always come to you from two channels: from your efforts of marketing your skills, and from social proof when you are getting the word out of your expertise through social media means.

Content Marketing

Levi Strauss have said that, “an expert knows all the answers.. if you ask the right questions.”  Creating compelling content makes people interested with what you have to say, making them want for more.  You may not be a successful writer, but you can always find inspiration from icons like Steve Jobs, or your favorite top blogs in your field.  We all struggle with grammar, spelling and style, but a proofread content is always better than a poorly written one.  In the end, quality content rules and it’s not the length of your post, but the message that will stir people’s minds and emotions that counts!

Taking Your Passion to the Next Level

When innovation transcends leadership these days, you have to take your passion to the next level and think of ways on how you can capitalize on your personal brand.  Soon, you will have a handful of clients who simply love what you’ve done for them.  Take advantage of testimonials and network offline – where you get to be found by organizations or corporations who are in need of an expert like you.  You may even be invited to do public speaking and you can start for free just to get your name out there.

You may not become the next YouTube star with your expertise, and there’s really no such thing as an instant expert.  Yet, by staying the course of something that you’re passionate about, you can simply keep that passion burning.. pushing you into the hall of fame where you long to be.

“Try, try, try, and keep on trying is the rule that must be followed to become an expert in anything.” -W. Clement Stone

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What Freelancers Can Ask Themselves When they Face Stress at Work

We can debate on the topic of what hinders freelancers to be at their best and I’ve been mulling things over myself.  I believe that burnout is a result of boredom, or what I love to call ‘bore-out’.  Wikipedia defines boredom as ‘an emotional state experienced when an individual is without any work or is not interested in their surroundings’.  This unpleasant feeling can then lead to burnout, much like the social media fatigue that a lot of folks have been complaining about lately.  Are you bored?  Here are questions you can ask yourself:

Do You Feel Like a Slave to Your Work?

Remember the excitement you felt when you take on your first freelancing project?  You may have quit your day job to be a full-time freelancer and as time goes on, you forgot the very cause you’ve risked for that you feel bored with the projects you’re working on.  If this is the case, finding back your mojo is as simple as accepting projects that you’re passionate about.

Are You Feeling a Mental Fog… Daily?

When boredom at work sets in, it invites a series of unfortunate events.  You cannot focus anymore on work at hand, even writing a 500-word article takes major effort on your part.  You can’t even comprehend what you wrote without reading it for the nth time and you’re wasting precious time, lots of it!  You can always take a break to recharge yourself from this brain drain.

Is Your Career Running on a Flat Line?

Where do you see yourself, like two years from now?  When boredom creeps in, it drains you of energy and enthusiasm you have for what you do best.  Maybe, you’re feeling like you’re programmed to do the same job forever and work doesn’t feel like fun anymore.  Perhaps, it’s high time to learn something new for a variety and charge what your skills are worth.  You definitely have to move up on the freelancing ladder as time goes by.  You can even run your own business in the future.  The possibilities are endless…

Is Your Work-Life Balance Becoming Unreasonable?

Clutter is the fastest way to bore yourself out as you only see a big picture of mess waiting to greet you each day.  If you feel that you need to define work from play and you simply feel lost in the chaos of it all, try to define what a reasonable working hour is and get a separate work space.  This also means saying no to unreasonable deadlines.  So the next time boredom sets in, it’s easy to step away from the scene… where you can dedicate more time for yourself ( and take care of yourself in the process ).

Do You Feel… Alienated?

What’s great about working in the office is that you get to enjoy team building activities and huddle sessions for brainstorming.  If the only second opinion you get these days is typing a search on Google, you can always join a support network where you can connect with like minds for inspiration.  Social networking and coworking can help a lot here, so there’s no more excuse of saying that remote working by yourself is extremely boring; just reach out!

The next time you feel bored of freelancing, just immerse yourself in this 2011 Freelance Industry Report from the International Freelancers Academy, where you’ll read interesting facts that will change how you see the new face of work today.  Besides, freelancing is here to stay and it’s growing so fast that we will soon enter a freelancing revolution in a flatter world.

Have you suffered freelancing bore-out or burnout?  How did you cope?  Share your thoughts in the comment below.

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10 Ways on Thinking Creatively-on-the-Go

Call it divine inspiration, creative spark or the fire of imagination.  You’ve got fuel and all you need is a match to keep the fire of creativity alive.  How can you get the spark started?

Open Your Mind to Play

These are the tough times and the economic downturn may turn into nasty maggots gnawing at our very sanity, but by freeing up your imagination and becoming receptive to your intuition, you gain a new perspective on learning things you never imagine you could do.  Rediscover the power of daydreams… and let your childlike curiosity do the talking.

Feed Your Brain

How can you think clearly when your brain is hungry for creativity-boosting foods?  Chow down on whole grains, almonds, walnuts, sunflower seeds, eggs, spinach, broccoli, red cabbage and indulge in your dark chocolate fantasy.  Moderation is the key!

Explore Your Five Senses

Sitting for hours in front of your PC can drain you of creativity.  Get out of your head for a while and take a break.  Try new experiences that will elevate your sense of sight, smell, touch, sound and taste.  It doesn’t have to be an expensive trip.  A walk in the park while you plug into your favorite playlist can be a sensual retreat.

Take a Vow of Silence… for a Day

Online or offline, the world we live in today is filled with noise and sometimes, the best way to recharge your mojo is to be silent…so you can connect with your inner self.

Let Your Thoughts Flow Freely

Ever heard of the phrase ‘free write’?  Sometimes, the best way to ignite your creativity is to simply let your stream-of-consciousness flow in a piece of paper – without the need to check for writing styles.  Just write anything and everything that flows out of your mind.

Collect Ideas in a Mental Collage

If you’re faced with a problem and it’s getting tougher to come up with a creative solution, you can simply surf the Web and compile ideas from others about the topic.  It’s like collecting them and pinning them on your mental bulletin board until you come up with the perfect idea that’s uniquely yours.

Get Rid of the Box

Sometimes, the very problem with thinking outside the box is that the very object itself is the hindrance to your success.  Instead of trying to find order in the chaos of your thoughts, why not immerse yourself in the absurd?  Or, you may try the Cubist approach where you reduce the subject at hand into its most basic element, viewing it in multiple perspective in the simplest way you can?

Seek for Signs

You may not believe that serendipity exists so here’s a nice item for you to try: When you’re stuck in a creative slump, try looking for metaphors – by turning to the first word, image or sound… and taking your inspiration from there.  You may even keep a dream journal and start deciphering the meaning of your dreams.

Go Janusian

You may not have heard of Janusian thinking and it is a technique on coming up with two unlikely ideas and merging them to create something unique.  Take your inspiration from Janus, the two-faced Roman goddess whose name inspired the month of January.  If your freelancing career is on a downhill lately, try a new idea and ask yourself something outrageous, like, “Will aliens hire my services if they needed it badly on their planet?”

Simply ASK!

The simplest solution of them all is the art of asking questions to help you get back on track. Do you Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, or Google+?  Rub mouse-clicks with thought leaders in your industry and ask questions that can lead to great ideas… or try many online idea generators out there.

In the end, the greatest motivator of them all is to live, love and laugh the fullest so find time to do so.  When you are happy, you simply feel that drive to be your most creative.

“Creativity comes from looking for the unexpected and stepping outside your own experience.”  -Masaru Ibuka

Adora Svitak: What Adults Can Learn from Kids

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