Freelancing is quite a famous term these days. With people working as freelancers in almost every sphere of work, there is hardly any job left that has not been handled by any freelancer. However, the main question here is that how someone can be the best in their field of work when there is a huge and fierce competition already? The answer is not very simple because dedication and efforts follow suit. Here are a few things you may look into, to be the best from amongst the rest:
1. Marketing and Attracting More Customers
Think about your skills and what makes you different. It could be as simple as using simple language to construct an article or your talent at making complex theories easy to grasp for students. Marketing is the most important deal here because that is how you put your talent out there for others to reach out to you. Don’t even think that what you have is not needed. It is necessary; somewhere someone does need your creativity and talent at making extraordinary things.
You can make accounts on various freelancing site to start with as that would be a good start to market yourself well. Often, the easy ways work out the best. For instance, you may start your blog. These blogs can be made without any extra cost. All it requires is your time and effort. Keep the blog regularly updated so that people get to know how knowledgeable you are in your sphere of freelance work.
Few websites you may consider to register yourself
https://www.upwork.com
https://www.fiverr.com
http://www.proz.com
Once that is done, you can move on to rejecting jobs. Not all, but the low-paying and irrelevant jobs. If you are a website developer, say no to content-writing for people’s websites. Seeing your knowledge on the topic, you may be approached for various similar works and jobs that pay low, but you have to say no to those jobs. Stick to your price and soon enough you will have started attracting high-paying clients. It may take time and a few referrals from one person to the other, but it will happen.
2. Time-Management and Partnerships
It is essential that you manage your time well. For, when you do so, there comes a high likelihood that you will be recruited again and again by your trusting clients; and when the news of a diligent freelancer travels from your client to their colleagues, you gain more clients. That is why managing your time is a credible way to be the best in your field of work.
How can you do so?
- Always ask for more time. Deadlines to deliver the work- no matter how big or small it is- does not always have to be a stressful job. Don't overburden yourself with too much workload either. Take only as much as you think you can handle and give your best work.
- Make commitments of lower achievements, but over-deliver. What I meant by this is when you are asking for work, do not promise to deliver your work within a stringent time constraint; and when you deliver your work, make sure that work is better than expectation. For this, you need more time. Don’t submit any assignment of poor quality so that you can meet the deadline.
- Although this point is more about getting a schedule, it also has to do with saving your time. If you compartmentalise your time, you will end up having more time than you thought you did. For freelancers, it is not uncommon to think 24 hours a day are not enough- but it is. You may have piles of work waiting to be finished, but you don’t have to do all of them at once.
- Before you move on to the next project, be done with the current one you are working on. Because doing multiple tasks at a time, jumbles our brain and confuses it. This way it gets difficult to do a single task to the best of your abilities.
- Pick the right kind of project. Too much work in too less time will get you stressed. Be sure only to opt for as much as you can do and do that to your best.
- If nothing seems to work, use digital tools to block out distractions like emails, phone calls, etc. You can also utilise certain time-management applications and devote yourself the time to finish every task. This way one can learn how to manage their time better.
3. Efficiency: Listen to your client and take time off
The best way to be the best is to listen to your clients. Take their advice, demands and even criticism seriously and positively. It will only help you be better. While positive feedback encourages you to be better, negative ones help you improve the quality of your services.
- Always meet the needs of your clients. No matter what you think is best, give your advice but listen to what your customers has to say about their requirements. After all, they will buy your service.
- Ask for feedback even from satisfied clients. Feedbacks will give you an insight into your weaknesses as well as your strengths. Through this, you can work on your flaws and be better in things you are already good at.
- Although feedbacks are helpful, not all the comments you get can be reliable. Work on the skills that you think will be beneficial to you and discard of the rest.
The most important thing to take care of, when you are freelancing is to make sure you get ample of rest and take time off every day. Just because you do not have a 9 to 5 job, you should not go on working round the clock. Taking breaks will ensure your sanity because from working throughout the day, one will get exhausted no matter how much one loves one’s job.
4. Customer-oriented service: making the clients the prime focus of the business
Always remember that your freelancing business (or any other business, for that matter) is running successfully because of your customers and clients. So, it is essential that you keep your clients’ say as a top priority.
- Employ staff or team members who believe in the same viewpoint. Those who think the same will act the same. Make sure all your teammates have the same authority to deal directly with clients and solve their issues and answer their queries.
- Establish a good relation with all your clients and team members. Make sure that you practice what you preach. Do not just paste a poster on your wall, make the thought happen. Listen to your clients; make sure they find it easy to communicate their ideas with you; always be available on and offline; and keep in touch.
Looking forward to hearing from you about your experience as a freelancer!
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