win clients

Many freelancers operate as just another anonymous resource in the crowded market. Their services lack an identifying mark that stands for something. It is therefore not surprising that, at times, it can be very difficult to prevail in a highly competitive freelance environment. In that sense, building a distinctive image and lasting reputation for your freelancing business can be very beneficial.

Many people make the mistake of thinking that having business cards, a logo, a website, a social media presence, or a slogan for their business means that they have a brand. But they are wrong. Those things, in and of themselves, are not a brand, but they can help build a brand. They serve as a reminder of what your freelancing business stands for. In a nutshell, a brand is what your clients think of when they think of you and your work. Simply being known as a good designer or good programmer is no longer enough. You should rather be known as a designer who provides elegant yet simple work or a programmer who is known for his/her exceptional ability to solve tough problems. Developing a strong brand takes time and effort. Besides exceptional work, building a brand usually requires significant and consistent marketing and PR.

Having a strong freelancing brand can mean the difference when pitching for a project or job. What do you think?

Google+ provides some interesting tools for freelancers, including Google+ Brand Pages. Another aspect of Google+ that freelancers should consider is the Hangouts feature.

Google+ Hangouts is a very interesting social media tool – especially for freelancers. It is one of the unique Google+ features that helps to distinguish Google+ from other social media tools.

If you’re a freelancer, you should think about the various ways that Google+ Hangouts can benefit you as a freelancer. Google+ Hangouts offers a great opportunity for freelancers to connect on a more personal level with individuals they would ordinarily not be able to interact with on a face-to-face basis. Google+ Hangouts are easy to use, versatile, and free of charge.

Here are some ways that freelancers can use Google+ Hangouts:

• Hosting a conference call
• Brainstorming
• Training
• Holding a status meeting
• Networking
• Building a community
• Discussing potential projects with prospective clients (instead of sales calls)
• Collaborating on a group project
• Holding “office hours” for clients

Google+ Hangout sessions can also be recorded, so a team meeting can be shared with absent members at a later date. Also, this means that a training session could potentially be used over and over. In fact, there are countless possibilities for using hangouts. Can you think of Google+ Hangout uses for your own freelancing business? Currently, the only downside is that Google+ Hangouts is limited to ten people (including the person who initiated the hangout). So, if you have a need to connect with more people, you’ll need to use another method of communication.

Simon Sinek: How great leaders inspire action | Video on TED.com.

According to Simon Sinek’s “Golden Circle Rule”, people don’t buy what you do, but they buy why you do it. Even if it is no secret that many successful brands gain an irrational edge by appealing to our emotions, in his TED talk, Simek presents a innovative model which explains why some organizations and leaders are able to inspire action while others are not. Some of his examples include Apple Inc., Dr. Martin Luther King, and the Wright brothers. Enjoy.

From a marketing perspective it makes sense to reduce the risk for prospective customers. It definitely lowers the barriers that prevent people from doing business with you. You give them a compelling reason to buy today without looking bad tomorrow. However, is it feasible for freelancers? This short post on freelance folder provides some arguments for and against making strong guarantees.

As a freelancer, you are most likely doing some form of social media marketing to reel in a job, project or engagement. Tell me if I’m wrong. But which social sites are best for which marketing outcomes? This useful chart by CMO.com & 97th Floor shows which social networks are best for various organizational, CRM and marketing objectives. So, in case you’re not sure if Flickr is good for SEO or whether Tumblr drives traffic, it might just be what you’ve been looking for. The infographic gives a great overview of each channels suitability in terms of customer satisfaction, brand exposure, traffic, and SEO. I think it comes in really handy as quick point of reference. What do you think?

image courtesy CMO & 97th Floor

We all know that there are all kinds of reasons why a freelancer is an asset to the working environment. But still sometimes we forget the main points just because they seem so natural to us.
Here is a list of the top 5 we should always remind ourselves of and then communicate those to our next customers.

• Speed
A freelancer doesn’t have fixed working hours. Therefore urgent projects can be done in shorter period of time if needed. In addition to that most freelancers only take a limited amount of customers’ orders hence having sufficient time for every single one.

• Skills
For whatever project you’ll be able to find a freelancer with proper skills. Extended time for on the job training can be omitted.

• Expenses
Compared to agencies freelancers mostly have fewer expenses because they don’t employ staff or have separate offices. Furthermore most freelancers charge hours worked which leads to customers not paying for waiting periods or downtime.

• Experience
Most freelancers have experience in working with different customers, companies and in various projects. They have met lots of professionals and seen all kinds of ways for handling projects. This is why following customers can prosper from their know-how.

• Direct communication
Having only one contact person is a big advantage. There’s no need for explaining context and details over and over again.

If there are any points you would definitely put on your top 5 list, feel free to share!

the ability to win a pitch is critical for the success of any freelancer. its no easy task. usually, competition is intense and small missteps can jeopardise the entire contract. here are some helpful tips on how to improve your “pitching” skill.

step 1: foot in the door

step 2: the icebreaker

step 3: due diligence

step 4: bidding

step 5: the close

“reading resumes ranks right up there with interpreting the fine print on the back of your credit card statement. you know it’s important but it’s oh, so painful. after 30 years of reading resumes, i know i’m going to find just one or two nuggets of useful information in any resume. i don’t care about the rest. i know a resume is so over-edited that it’s just a faint representation of the person it’s about. that’s why so few resumes yield interviews…” read the article here.

this wall street journal article discusses how linkedin and other social media sites are utilized in the hiring process. according to dan schawbel, personal branding expert and author of “me 2.0: build a powerful brand to achieve career success”, many people are still discovering how to navigate online for job searching and networking. many are unsure of what is appropriate and what is not. however, experts such as schawbel recommend not to be intimidated by uncertainty, but to act wisely and carefully. meanwhile, it is commonplace for companies to embed social networking sites into their hiring process as a recruitment tool for new talent and as screening sites for potential employees. these sites are primarily utilized to ensure a candidates integrity, behavior and to pre-select. schawbel explains that in the future, a person’s “online brand” will be included into the majority of hiring decisions because the information is so easily accessible and provides a first impression of a job candidate. although not all companies have integrated such sources of information into their hiring process, the number is growing steadily. for example, careerbuilder.com reports that 45% of companies were using social-networking sites to screen potential employees, up from 22% in 2008. according to a linkedin spokesperson, not only technology companies use online resources, but firms across all industries…

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