subscribe by email
I’m a huge proponent of direct mail. It’s such an effective means of generating business for freelancers.
Why? Because it’s the most accurate and efficient self-promotion tool out there for pinpointing the exact companies you want to go after and win over.
Can you employ other marketing tactics aside from direct mail? Certainly you can. Let’s look at a few of the things you could do…
If you spend enough time in the freelancing business, you’ll develop a reputation that helps generate referrals for new clients and supply returning business from old clients.
But what if you’re just starting out? How do you get clients if you need work fast? I don’t recommend that you put yourself into a position like this. It’s better to take a step-by-step approach so you’re not in a sink or swim position.
But things happen, and you may find yourself needing to kick start your business or re-energize an existing freelance practice. So here are a few ideas to consider.
One thing I’ve struggled with for years is how to “squeeze” more time out of my day.
I tried everything from reading productivity books to studying other writers to see if I could glean their “secret” to productivity.
Nothing changed — until I read the book, How Toyota Became #1 by David Magee and learned about the company’s vaunted TPS, or Toyota Production System.
Just about every business success book I have ever read claims that you need to set high goals. “Make your goals ambitious,” one book advises. “Always be reaching for the stars!” says another.
As a freelance copywriter, for example, one of your goals might be to make a six-figure income, or land a prestigious F-500 corporate client, or double your creative output without sacrificing quality.
But wait a minute. Do you really need goals? Must you always be pushing hard towards a specific target, like an Olympian going for the Gold?
Click to continue reading »
For a freelance professional, business success and personal growth go hand in hand. You really can’t have one without the other.
If you aren’t in a continual mode of learning, then your life and business will stagnate — real fast. Clients will become harder to get. Work will become harder to do. Things won’t be fun anymore.
In this business, learners are winners. That’s true whether you’re a graphic designer, writer, photographer, consultant or any kind of creative entrepreneur.
How do I keep my brain well-fed? Here’s what I do:
READ.
This can be a tough one if you don’t like to read much, or if you can never find the time (which is what I was like for many years). But reading is an important learning tool that helps you challenge and reshape your thinking. Pick up some good business books. Ask colleagues what the “best reads” are.
TAKE A CLASS.
You should have some time throughout your year where you schedule in some hard “class time”. This can be a night class or a part-time class but it certainly doesn’t have to be limited to that. You can go to Click to continue reading »
If you’re an aspiring freelancer (or new to freelancing) and you’re down in the dumps right now, what I’m about to tell you will hopefully change the way you feel about the tough road ahead.
Here it is: When you’re starting out, what you lack in experience and track record you can make up by working hard on other controllable factors.
I don’t have an hourly rate for my freelance copywriting services. Nor do I have a daily rate.
I really don’t.
When I estimate for a job I base my calculations on the value of the work I am going to be doing. Yes, I factor in the amount of time it is likely to take. But I don’t count hours or days and multiply by a particular rate.
If there’s one thing every freelancer absolutely hates, it’s waiting to get paid for your work.
There’s nothing worse than going weeks on end without a check and watching your bank account balance nosedive as the bills and expenses keep rolling in.
Many just accept this as part of the freelancing game. I know I used to. But then I came up with a technique for getting clients to pay me earlier. Now I regularly receive checks on time and sometimes I even get paid in full before the project is complete.
Do you have some downtime over the summer? If so, you might want to spend some time focusing your business vision. Do you have downtime most of the time? If so, you really want to spend some time focusing your business vision.
Most freelancers I know do not have a business vision. Nor do they have a business plan. That’s unfortunate because your business vision defines the business life you want to live. The business plan includes the concrete objectives and marketing tasks that support your vision, but it all starts with your business vision.
Defining your business vision is not as onerous a task as you might imagine; it is more important a task than you might think. Without a business vision, how will you know where you want to go? How will you create a road map (business plan) to get you there?
The garbageman who picks up my trash every Thursday morning has an advantage over me. He knows exactly how much he’s going to make that day. All he has to do is show up and do the work. When he goes home at night, he knows he’s earned a paycheck.
Not me. As a freelancer, I know (firsthand, I admit) that it’s possible to fritter the whole day away and not make a dime.
I remember a few years ago, during dinner, my wife asking, “How was your day?” I answered, “Very busy. I worked on my website for a while. Updated my portfolio. Cleared up some bookkeeping and . . .”
Then it hit me. I didn’t make any money! Not one cent.