One of the main attractions of becoming self-employed freelancer is no longer having to work for somebody else.
In some recent surveys conducted, freelance/ self employed people have more job satisfaction; they can choose where, when and how they work. More and more programmers are abandoning the safety of companies careers to become freelancers. The reasons can be really different: a need to pursue their vision, a desire for increase independence, the lack of a better future in a large firm.
You can get benefits as freelance seller or as freelance buyer.
The Sellers are the people who offer the services that buyers demand. The sellers range from content writers to designers to programmers.
The Buyers are the people who want any particular work to be done by somebody else. For example, if sombody wants to have a web site for her company. The buyer will specify how much she is willing to pay for the work and how much time is there for completion of the project.
The main benefits for freelance sellers are:
- Reduced travel time and costs . This is the most obvious benefit and, for many freelancers, a primary motivation. Most freelancers have used at least part of this time to get more work done, in contrast to the "relaxed lifestyle" image painted by the media.
- Improved work opportunities. Work opportunities are not confined to jobs within reasonable commuting distance.
- Better balance of work and family life
- A flexible approach to working hours
The main benefits for freelance buyers are cost savings, increased productivity, improved motivation, skills retention, organisation flexibility, flexible staffing,
Wednesday, January 24, 2007
What you need to be a freelancer?
What you need to be a freelancer?
First of all, you should do some self-evaluation before you leap into freelancing. Not only does it take a special temperament to run a successful business, but it also takes talent and expertise in your field.
Hard work, responsibility and high professional skills are necessary
First of all, you should do some self-evaluation before you leap into freelancing. Not only does it take a special temperament to run a successful business, but it also takes talent and expertise in your field.
Hard work, responsibility and high professional skills are necessary
Tips & Tricks for freelancers
- Concentrate on what you really do best.
- At the end of each project ask the client for three colleagues who might benefit from your services, and be sure to follow up!
- Some tips on creating a portfolio. When I first started I always like to act like I was a huge company on my portfolio site, and often referred to myself as we. Don’t do this unless you are a huge company! Your potential clients want to work with freelancers and not companies. Make it personally but not too personal. Try to impress them within 30 seconds. The most effective portfolio trick is to make everything on the homepage. Which includes: your portfolio gallery, contact info, about you, and a featured project (optionally).
- Get out there. There’s a tendency as a freelancer to stay in the office and just work, work, work. You need to get out in the community and be known.
- Phone, don’t email, especially if you’re contacting web agencies. They get hundreds of emails every week and even if you’re exactly what they’re looking for, unless you’re lucky they just won’t read your message. I tend to email them and then follow it up with a call.
- Set aside a work area, preferably in a seperate room which you can close the door on… In the corner of a lounge/dining room/bedroom etc is no good, because it’ll remind you of those stresses you have at work while you’re trying to relax (deadlines, annoying clients etc)
- Start a monthly newsletter to your existing and potential clients to tell them about all the great work you’ve been doing. At least once a month they will think of you, and there is a good chance you will have developed a solution for one client, and another client will realize they could use something just like that.
- Develop a network of other freelancers who have skills that compliment your own, as one person can’t do it all.
- dedication to the client is essential.
- It is true that a several long term clients who always look for you first when a new project comes will bring you important financial results too.
- At the end of each project ask the client for three colleagues who might benefit from your services, and be sure to follow up!
- Some tips on creating a portfolio. When I first started I always like to act like I was a huge company on my portfolio site, and often referred to myself as we. Don’t do this unless you are a huge company! Your potential clients want to work with freelancers and not companies. Make it personally but not too personal. Try to impress them within 30 seconds. The most effective portfolio trick is to make everything on the homepage. Which includes: your portfolio gallery, contact info, about you, and a featured project (optionally).
- Get out there. There’s a tendency as a freelancer to stay in the office and just work, work, work. You need to get out in the community and be known.
- Phone, don’t email, especially if you’re contacting web agencies. They get hundreds of emails every week and even if you’re exactly what they’re looking for, unless you’re lucky they just won’t read your message. I tend to email them and then follow it up with a call.
- Set aside a work area, preferably in a seperate room which you can close the door on… In the corner of a lounge/dining room/bedroom etc is no good, because it’ll remind you of those stresses you have at work while you’re trying to relax (deadlines, annoying clients etc)
- Start a monthly newsletter to your existing and potential clients to tell them about all the great work you’ve been doing. At least once a month they will think of you, and there is a good chance you will have developed a solution for one client, and another client will realize they could use something just like that.
- Develop a network of other freelancers who have skills that compliment your own, as one person can’t do it all.
- dedication to the client is essential.
- It is true that a several long term clients who always look for you first when a new project comes will bring you important financial results too.
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