Six Reasons Why Clients Don’t Buy

Think of any freelancing opportunity as juggling five balls at once.  You need to forge ties with the client, work though his/her issues, come up with a solution, draft a proposal and negotiate the project.  You can’t read minds and reading your client’s decision-making process often takes you to a mysterious journey into the unknown.  You may apply all the new rules of marketing yourself as an expert and yet, it amazes you how a client may back out in the last minute.  So, what kept them from taking another step?  It might surprise you that…

You’re Unbelievable

Well-drafted proposals from trustworthy freelancers can still get rejections because the clients don’t believe the person’s claims.  Whether credentials are overstated or understated, there’s just a failure to meet client’s expectations, that you are capable of doing the task.  Here’s where case studies, references and stories can help… and if you’ve got bad reviews, now is the time to work on cleaning it.

They Can’t Afford Your Services

Watch out for the words ‘budget’ and ‘too expensive’.. and how your clients use it when talking to you about new projects.  They may like what you have to offer, if only you can lower your rate.  By the time you’re told that there’s a budget issue, you’ll be facing an uphill battle on how to negotiate the value of the project.  You can always clarify your offer, just don’t be too pushy about it.

They Don’t Know What They Really Want

Most of the time, your potential client don’t know what skills they want and who they need to hire for the project.  They may have thought that they did; but, they still struggle with understanding just how things will be accomplished.  Here’s where you can guide them by listening to their needs and proposing a solution.

You Speak a Different Lingo

Or simply, your clients don’t understand the benefits of what you have to offer.  If you’re into content marketing and someone approached you for help, this person may not understand why there’s a need for you to include blogging in your list of proposed tasks.  It is your duty to educate your clients, minus the jargon speak that often comes with the technical aspect of the work.  Though you may think you can dazzle your clients with your knowledge, you may just lose their interest as well ( and they may end up scratching their heads after the meeting.. or look for help elsewhere ).

You’re Running in a Turtle Pace

There’s a reason why you should answer email queries within the 24-hour time frame; Your competitors may just beat you to a big, fat, juicy freelance project.  You simply took so long to respond.  Keeping someone waiting is a big No! in a world where freelancers are easily replaced.

They Simply Changed Minds

When your clients talked to you, they are willing to pay you to fix their problems and now, for some reasons, they just won’t.  Though this is something that’s out of your control, you can always be a mentalist by driving their decisions to your favor – by delivering results ( not just some half-ass solutions ).

Of course, building a mutual relationship based on trust must come both ways, and clients have the duty to brief you properly on the task ( and you can always ask to fill in the gaps ).  Expectations must be set clear and realistic, where cost is set in black and white.  Clients need to respect your expertise, experience and time… and they must pay you what they promised.. on time.

For freelancers who are still in the dark when it comes to getting inside your clients’ heads so you can earn their trust, just think of what Peter Senge has said, “People don’t resist change. They resist being changed!”  and if all else fails, learn from the experience and walk away.. to a better opportunity that’s waiting.

Something Interesting:

10 Reasons Clients Buy from Freelancers
Kill Fees & Deposits Protect You When Writing Clients Change Their Minds
12 Breeds of Clients and How to Work with Them

p.s.  we don’t want to sound like your mom.  Think of us as your friend who cheers you up so you can be at your best

Daily Dose of Inspiration:  What to Read…

1. If You’re Feeling Lazy

“Many great ideas go unexecuted, and many great executioners are without ideas. One without the other is worthless.” – Tim Blixseth

“The world is more malleable than you think and it’s waiting for you to hammer it into shape.” – Bono

“No great man ever complains of want of opportunities.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson

“We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, therefore, is not an act but a habit.” –  Aristotle

“Nothing great was ever achieved without enthusiasm.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson

“You’ve got to seize the opportunity if it is presented to you.” – Clive Davis

“Action may not always bring happiness, but there is no happiness without action.” – Benjamin Disraeli

“You’ve got to love what you do to really make things happen.” – Philip Green

“Success seems to be connected with action. Successful people keep moving. They make mistakes, but they don’t quit.” – Conrad Hilton

“Action will destroy your procrastination.” – Og Mandino

2.  If You’re Stuck in a Rut ( creative rut, that is )

“There’s no good idea that can’t be improved on.” – Michael Eisner

“The only limit to your impact is your imagination and commitment.” – Anthony Robbins

“You don’t need to have a 100-person company to develop that idea.” – Larry Page

“A major stimulant to creative thinking is focused questions. There is something about a well-worded question that often penetrates to the heart of the matter and triggers new ideas and insights.” – Brian Tracy

“In the realm of ideas everything depends on enthusiasm.. in the real world all rests on perseverance.” – Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

“The only way of finding the limits of the possible is by going beyond them into the impossible.” –  Arthur C. Clarke

“Seek the lofty by reading, hearing and seeing great work at some moment every day.” – Thornton Wilder

“When inspiration does not come to me, I go halfway to meet it.” – Sigmund Freud

“Well, when you’re trying to create things that are new, you have to be prepared to be on the edge of risk.” – Michael Eisner

“Clean out a corner of your mind and creativity will instantly fill it.” – Dee Hock

3.  If You Feel Like Quitting

“If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again. Then quit. There’s no use being a damn fool about it.” –  W.C. Fields

“Nothing can stop the man with the right mental attitude from achieving his goal; nothing on earth can help the man with the wrong mental attitude.” – Thomas Jefferson

“What we think determines what happens to us, so if we want to change our lives, we need to stretch our minds.” – Wayne Dyer

“I’ve always worked very, very hard, and the harder I worked, the luckier I got.” – Alan Bond

“Long shots do come in and hard work, dedication and perseverance will overcome almost any prejudice and open almost any door.” – John H. Johnson

“Think not of yourself as the architect of your career but as the sculptor. Expect to have to do a lot of hard hammering and chiseling and scraping and polishing.” – BC Forbes

“You have to put in many, many, many tiny efforts that nobody sees or appreciates before you achieve anything worthwhile.” – Brian Tracy

“The way to get started is to quit talking and begin doing.” – Walt Disney

“Success seems to be connected with action. Successful people keep moving. They make mistakes, but they don’t quit.” – Conrad Hilton

“Persistence is what makes the impossible possible, the possible likely, and the likely definite.” –  Robert Half

4.  If You Need to Find Your Strength and Passion

“They can because they think they can.” – Virgil

“…by stretching yourself beyond your perceived level of confidence you accelerate your development of competence.” – Tony Buzan

“It is unwise to be too sure of one’s own wisdom. It is healthy to be reminded that the strongest might weaken and the wisest might err.” – Mahatma Gandhi

“It doesn’t matter who you are, where you come from. The ability to triumph begins with you. Always.” – Oprah Winfrey

“We are the creative force of our life, and through our own decisions rather than our conditions, if we carefully learn to do certain things, we can accomplish those goals.” – Stephen Covey

“Wallowing in the past may be good literature. As wisdom, it’s hopeless.” – Aldous Huxley

“Everybody has talent, it’s just a matter of moving around until you’ve discovered what it is.” – George Lucas

“I was just pursuing what I enjoyed doing. I mean, I was pursuing my passion.” – Pierre Omidyar

“If you want more, you have to require more from yourself.” – Dr Phil

“What is it that you like doing? If you don’t like it, get out of it, because you’ll be lousy at it. You don’t have to stay with a job for the rest of your life, because if you don’t like it you’ll never be successful in it.” – Lee Iacocca

5.  If You’re Feeling Stressed

“It makes no sense to worry about things you have no control over because there’s nothing you can do about them, and why worry about things you do control? The activity of worrying keeps you immobilized.” – Wayne Dyer

“We create stress for ourselves because you feel like you have to do it. You have to. I don’t feel that anymore.” – Oprah Winfrey

“If we agree that the bottom line of life is happiness, not success, then it makes perfect sense to say that it is the journey that counts, not reaching the destination.” – Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi

“Action may not always bring happiness, but there is no happiness without action.” – Benjamin Disraeli

“Doing what you love is the cornerstone of having abundance in your life.” – Wayne Dyer

“It’s all about quality of life and finding a happy balance between work and friends and family.” –  Philip Green

“Even a happy life cannot be without a measure of darkness, and the word happy would lose its meaning if it were not balanced by sadness.” – Carl Jung

“To me every hour of the day and night is an unspeakably perfect miracle.” – Walter Chrysler

“Positive things happen to positive people.” – Sarah Beeny

“Cheerfulness is what greases the axles of the world.  Don’t go through life creaking.” – H.W. Byles

As J.K. Rowling said, “Anything’s possible if you’ve got enough nerve…” so when the sea of freelancing gets rough, take a pause and find your inspiration.

What inspires you today?

If you have inspirational blogs, inspirational quotes or motivational brand pages that you wish to share with fellow freelancers, please feel free to post in the comment section below.

Something Interesting:

40 Plus Ways to Unwind and Relax
Sometimes All You Need is A Little Inspiration to Keep Rolling
4 Ways to Hack Into Your Mind and Become Infinitely More Creative

Life is Like a Cup of Coffee

The Mindset of a Successful Freelancer Revealed

Getting there is tough and any seasoned freelancers can share a story about their struggles.  You may hear them talk about success in an intellectual context, in monetary gains, or numbers of completed projects.  Through countless convo with freelancers who have reached varying degrees of success, I’ve come to classify them as:

Go-Getters

Successful freelancers are fierce, no doubt.  They are decisive in ensuring that their business is sustainable through the years – whether it’s the business of making each customer happy, the business of continuous improvement of their craft, or the business of chasing their clients for overdue payments.  In short, they’re committed to keeping their freelancing biz going for years to come and they’re in for the long run.

Go-Givers

You might have encountered this term from this business book by Bob Burg and David Mann.  Successful freelancers know that karma is digital these days and they thrive to nurture not only their business, but also their clients and fellow freelancers.  That’s why building relationships and getting social comes naturally to them, like air.  They simply value trust above anything else and they are willing to help people – minus criticisms, grudges, rants.. and whatever you name it.

Neo-Psychics

Because s/he has experienced many ups and downs in the freelancing business, s/he is smart enough to know when his or her advice is wanted or not.  S/he knows the real value of a freelancer and will not compromise his or her worth for the sake of a one-time deal.  This sensitivity is a gift learned from careful planning and listening to what clients and prospects want.. and s/he is also smart to say ‘no’ and wastes no time in saying ‘yes’ to projects that will boost his/her brand.

True Survivors

If freelancing were the ‘Hunger Games’, those who are successful know how to look out for him/herself, rather than depend on third parties or agencies to help along the way.  S/he will not fear opportunities to source work or pick up bits of work from loyal clients over the years.  The word ‘Quit’ is totally non-existent in his/her vocabulary and if something goes wrong, s/he will always find ways to fix the issue before moving on.

Curious Explorers

What differs great freelancers from good ones is that they don’t pretend to know everything and instead, they learned the art of asking questions and decoding complex answers to make sure that they will deliver what they say they’ll do.  Misunderstandings can be a serious time burner and by clarifying what the clients want, they get work done faster than their counterparts.  These great ones know that mind reading will never be a skill.

Quick Thinkers

Those who succeed at freelancing are flexible enough to think and act quickly, especially when confronted with dire situations.  They are patient and persistent in making things work, in an organized manner.  S/he is self-motivated and open to adapting to different conditions, technologies and culture.  There are more than a thousand ways to accomplish a goal and they are relentless in pursuing the path to excellence ( with each work they do ).

And the true measure of success when it comes to freelancing is not really about how much you have earned at the end of the day, but how people talk about you and your work.  Having a good reputation is the trophy for all the hard work and we all know that good news becomes great with word-of-mouth.  There are many self-proclaimed freelancing gurus, no doubt.. but those who are truly successful don’t even have to talk about themselves; they just simply do what they do best.

How About You?

Have you reached your goals as a freelancer?  How do you define success?

The Happy Secret to Better Work

Something Interesting:

Four Small-Business Lessons from ‘The Hunger Games’
Should You Move for a Job
5 More Tips for a Successful Freelancing Business

Building a Stand-Out Brand 101

Let’s forget about popular notions here and go the unorthodox way – where you can be efficient at being ‘unpopular’.  In this era where you find new ways of marketing yourself as a freelancer, you need to come up with a different kind of recipe for success, namely:

A Memorable Personality

Instead of thinking about what you can offer, define clearly who you are as a freelance expert.  Yes, men are from mars and women are from venus.. and by this clear definition, John Gray managed to make a bestseller of his book.  So, if there are plenty of fish in the sea, what makes you recognizable?  Besides, people do business… with people.

A Unique Selling Point

Wouldn’t it be great if you’re the only person who can do the job?  Now, think about what makes you the better choice, the best value for money and sell your services with these things in mind.  Your unique selling point is that one tagline that will create a positive impression about your business.  Instead of saying, ” I offer copywriting services..” try spicing it up and say ” I deliver quality writing jobs on time, all the time! ”

Consistency

From your logo, tagline, website design, web content… what is that super glue holding your brand in place?  Building a strong brand can even mean going minimal.  The key here is having a consistent look, a consistent tone and a consistent level of quality in your work.  Unless people got tired of your brand, there’s really no need to change it.

Meaningful Voice

If picture can paint a thousand words, imagine what a video can do.  It’s all about giving a clear picture of who you are that will matter, that special factor which makes you shine.  Think about the words people will use to define you and your business.  What do you want people to think when they hear your name?  What benefits will people associate your name with?  Getting it right each and every time may be tough, but if you spend the effort to create a voice for your brand that your audience will want to share, you may just let them do the talking ( and promoting ) for your brand.

Honesty

It’s totally fine to check out your competition, but totally passe to become another ‘Me-too’ freelancer.  Find the courage and humility in building your brand’s identity and when you do, deliver more than just what you can promise.  Your honesty shall win the trust of your clients, helping you forge meaningful relationships and gather useful testimonials as well.  Constantly refine your brand so it remains strong enough to engage and stand out from the crowd.

Carving out a niche in your market is a tough step, but the rewards are worth it.  Are you ready to take a major leap in presenting your ‘unpopular’ side that will set you apart from the rest?  Can you make that strong emotional connection that will win you a client’s loyalty?

Your Turn

Have you ever tried new ways of branding yourself as a freelancer?

Four Principles of Career Distinction

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Which is More Important: Content or Context?

We invite all writers, bloggers, online marketers and folks who create online content to join in the debate!  Yes, that includes freelancers too who are engaged in content marketing and new rules of spreading the word about their brands as well.  Which do you think matters more?  Please share your thoughts in the comment section below and take note, there’s no right or wrong answer here.

Context in a Nutshell

Context, in marketing, would mean the ‘relevancy’ of the data you’re sharing which has the power to grab attention.  Context is the very essence of your message, creating a backdrop for offering a powerful story that draws engagement with your target audience.  Many may say that content and context are one and the same, but it is not exactly.  Content can be just a bunch of texts, statistical data, images and the value of it is determined through the context in which it is presented.  Confused?  Think of it this way, without context, your content is simply boring.  Context is what makes your content compelling, interesting and dynamic.

The Power of the Story Lies in Context.. Not Content

The sole reason for sharing content online is for people to find us and hopefully, establish that trust factor that will make them do business with us.  Then, there are those who share content for the sake of visibility, popularity or personal contentment.  Whatever the reason is, people checking the Web these days are always looking for something different and it’s not a new concept either.  The next frontier of successful online marketers will take advantage of branded storytelling, by weaving a story that resonates with a person’s emotion, intellect and experiences.  Take for example the case of Coca Cola’s Content 2020.  Though the idea is all about content marketing through the power of an engaging story, what made it fresh is the context in which it was delivered.  Agree?

Context-Rich Marketing: That Feel Good Factor

So, content marketing is the narrative type of marketing and context breathes life into it, making it sound more human.  If you’re offering a product to buyers online, you know that sharing important information to help them solve a problem is crucial.  Context adds voice to your content as you converse, inform, and entertain.  No doubt that context is the super glue that holds your message altogether.  Did you know that 90% of marketers are already doing content marketing, but not all have realized how to harness its full potential ( from eConsultancy’s blog )? The answer is obvious, don’t you think?  Perhaps, it’s time to reassess the value of your content and share something more relevant.

By now, I hope I’ve made a clear point between content and context when it comes to marketing your message online.  Do we really deliver much relevance to what our customers, readers, or site visitors really want and need?  I guess, we should stop presenting a buffet of irrelevant stuff for the picking and feed our target audience with what they truly desire.  In this golden age of digital marketing, content does matter but context is clearly the winner.  Can we debunk now the popular adage that ‘Content is King?’

What Say You?

The Power of Story

Something Interesting:

If Content is King, Then Context is Queen
How to Build Your Business With Content
The Growth of Content Marketing: Infographic

Seven Surefire Ways to Work Smarter and Achieving Success Faster

In the old days, people are told that success can be gained through hard work.  True.. but, that’s only one side of the coin.  What if you can achieve your goals faster through working smarter?  Can you maximize your strength and minimize waste?  The key to innovation in becoming the most productive freelancer around lies in:

Tempering Enthusiasm with Wisdom

It’s normal for any freelancer to get too excited when a new project comes along and before you even think of plunging into something headfirst, think carefully and assess every detail and schedule needed to accomplish the work timely and accurately.

Putting First Things First

You may have read this already in the much acclaimed book by Stephen Covey called the “7 Habits of Highly Effective People.”  In its simplest context, it means making a priority and sticking to it as well.  Have a to-do list and jot down your top 10 goals for the day, the week, the month.. or even the whole year.  This helps bring focus when things get complicated.

Knowing Your Limits

Sometimes, you have to learn the art of saying NO!  You may be a super freelancer in your niche, but chasing truckload of goals will eventually lead to burnout, which is the last thing you need when you want to accomplish your dream.  Rather, focus on one goal at a time and know just how far you can go to make ends meet.  Multi-tasking may be trending these days, but if you want to put your best foot forward, you better take baby steps.  Besides, your brain can only handle so much before it crashes.

Dealing Fair and Square

Communication is the key to a successful project and be sure that your client understood your turnaround time.  No matter how irresistible, don’t get bullied into the ‘big rush’ syndrome.  Make sure your clients get the idea that you are not only working for their project and if the scope goes beyond what you agreed upon in the first place, renegotiate.  It makes sense to get fewer projects for more bucks than suffer.  Don’t be afraid to let go of bad jobs either.

Getting More Things Done in Less Time

Time management may be the oldest myth you need to debunk.  You can’t manage time; but you can manage yourself.  It all starts with an honest analysis on how much time you spend over productive activities vs. time burner stuff.  Is there a way for you to get more done in less time?  If you work in a team, it’s high time to delegate tasks to the right people so you can free up your time.  Always try to look for new ways to getting shortcuts, without sacrificing work quality.

Brain Boosters

Did you know that in Ancient Greece, bards used to recite 10,000 line poems, by heart?  I’m not saying that you should, but having a mental list of your tasks can help you focus on it.  You may also try other brain boosters like reading exercises to help you read faster, which can be helpful if you’re doing lots of research time online.  If that didn’t help, try thinking out loud by giving yourself verbal self-instructions.  Studies show that spoken language has a better way of sticking to our minds than plain text.  So long as no one hears you talking to yourself, you won’t have to worry about those funny looks.

Loving Yourself

Rediscover the power of sleep and try to get more of it in your life.  Ideally, you should be getting  eight hours of sleep each night but if you can’t, try to make up for it with power snoozes.  In order to be most productive, you need to have full concentration which you can achieve if your body and mind are fully rested.  But, this is just the start.  As they say, work hard, party harder.. and getting motivation can mean taking a time off to relax, play and bask in the glory of your so-called life.

Most importantly, start your day with positivity in your heart for nothing is impossible when you go each day to work with a happy mind, heart, body and soul.  And happiness… will start that domino effect with the end goal getting one step closer.

Your Turn

How do you work smarter, not harder?  Any tips for your fellow freelancers?  Share your thoughts!

Work Smart 2: Stop Wasting Time

Something Interesting:

Are You Freelancing the SMART Way?
Be a Smarter Freelancer

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

Something Interesting:

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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.

Top 5 Ecommerce Tips for a Profitable Holiday Season

Something Interesting:

12 Days of Indie Merchant Gifts: Day 1
An Ideal Holiday Gift List for Freelance Writers
The Freelancer’s Holiday and Year-end Dilemmas Revisited