Weekly links for April 22,2008

Freelance success

You may be tempted to quit freelancing and go back to your full time job. But you have to be persistent if you want to earn your money as a freelancer. Here’s what Jerret has to say about this.

Freelance success, like most things in life, has less to do with talent and more to do with attitude. If you’ve been a pessimist most of your life, take heart. You can learn how to change your attitude by following these 4 simple success rules.

[Via Freelancesprout]

Passive marketing

You don’t have to spend extensive amount of time to market your services. It’s better to use that time to work on your projects. Steven has a list of passive ways to promote your services.

There are a few ways that we can passively market ourselves and our services. If these methods are able to produce all of the business that we need, marketing and promotion will require a very minimal amount of time.

[Via Freelanceswitch]

How to keep mistakes from ruining your career

Whether you like it or not, you will make mistakes. We all are humans after all. What you need to know is how to deal with them. A good way is to try to fix the problem whether it is your fault or not.

If you want to stay in business, then it’s much better to be responsive than defensive. In fact, a defensive stance can totally ruin your freelancing business. The defensive posture is also unrealistic because we all do make mistakes, no matter how carefully we work.

[Via Freelancefolder]

Diversification is a winning strategy

The entrepreneurial promise of the web rarely lies in one big, undiscovered secret, which, when discovered, will re-invent your income and set you up for life. Instead, it’s located in the plethora of modest opportunities available — and your ability to combine them into a larger whole.

[Via Anywired]

Weekly links for April 15,2008

Do what you love, the money will follow

Most people consider their jobs a necessary evil. They need money and they can’t see another way to make it. But a better way, although not common is to think what you really enjoy doing. It feels good to wake up in the morning and be eager to start your work. And as strange as it may seem, by doing what you like, you will earn more money.

Take it from someone who’s been there. You’ll be amazed at how much better you feel when you start doing something you love. Your creativity will soar and, amazingly, so will your pocket book. It seems counterproductive but true—by not focusing on money, you’ll make more money.

[Via Freelancesprout]

Working anywhere

Probably the most glamorous aspect of the web freelance lifestyle — aside from working when you want, how you want — is the ability to work from anywhere in the world.

[Via Freelanceswitch]

Is freelancing unhealthy?

The freelance career can be overwhelming if you want to keep up with everything on the internet. There are lots of interesting blogs, e-zines, ebooks and forums. But you can’t read them all and at the same time meet your deadlines. So, you need to take a break and think. There are things you must do and things that are just nice to do. Focus on the things that really matter and your productivity will increase.

The internet moves 500 miles per hour and there’s no way you can keep up with it, so stop trying! Stop bidding on 50 projects a day, stop reading every blog post in your reader, stop ordering more eBooks than you can handle, stop subscribing to every eZine that appeals to you… YOU CAN’T HANDLE IT ALL!

[Via Profreelancing]

Don’t do everything by yourself

As an entrepreneur you need to do almost everything by yourself to start up the business. This is a must at the beginning, but after that it is better to focus on your strengths and outsource things that you are not very good at.

Whatever you do, don’t fall into the trap of believing you have to do everything. Learn to rely on others or turn down certain opportunities. A focused business is a good one, and it begins with realizing what you are not good at.

[Via Wakeuplater]

Weekly links for April 08,2008

Paid Blogger

Skeelie earns her income by writing for important blogs like FreelanceSwitch and ProBlogger. In this interview for wakeuplater, she talks about how she started to write for these blogs and how she generates her online income.

I think it’s also vital to subscribe to plenty of blogs outside your own niche. Translating ideas from other niches into your own can create something new and unique. It also helps prevent you from starting to sound like everybody else writing on the topics you cover.

[Via Wakeuplater]

The working day

To be efficient and effective as a web worker you’ll need to come to grips with a few important tools and change some rusted-on behaviours. In part 3 of the Becoming a Freelance Web Worker series I’ll describe exactly what you need to make it through your first working day (and every day after that) as a wired freelancer.

[Via Freelanceswitch]

Plan but act quickly

When you start a business, you should consider your personal goals and how it can help you accomplish them. Then you need a plan to help you start from the ground. Define the plan but be quick to act and adjust it whenever it is necessary.

When I founded my business back in October 2006, I had no idea that a year and a half later, my business plan would be to make money through writing. My plan was to write software and then maybe start making games after I had stabilized my software business.

[Via Jarkkolaine]

Creating a freelancing brand

You need to be sure that your potential clients know exactly why you stand out from the competition. Dave Navarro has a three-steps list which shows how to do this.

If you’re not wrapping your personal brand around everything you present to the world online, you’re going to lose customers to those who are. Here are three simple steps that can help you strengthen your brand in the next seven days.

[Via Freelancefolder]

Weekly links for April 01,2008

Managing clients’ emails

You need to answer your clients’ emails but you also have to work without interruptions. You can do both using your email’s auto responder.

One of the most common phrases we hear from anyone who emails us is, “Wow, I didn’t expect you to reply so quickly!” It puzzles me. Why wouldn’t I reply? My clients are my financial lifeblood. Why would I ignore them if they have a question or a need?

[Via FreelanceFolder]

Finding work

One of the biggest challenges as a freelancer is finding work. Even the most succesful ones face this problem from time to time. Skellie has a list with 23 ways freelancers can find work online.

Once you find your clients through the web, most of the hard work is done. You’ll be well on your way to becoming a web-only freelancer with the ability to work (and be paid) from anywhere in the world.

[Via FreelanceSwitch]

Problems not features

As a web designer, your clients give you suggestions about how their site should look. They may ask you to implement cool features they see on other sites. Instead of that, you should discover what they actually want and then consider adding that feature or using a different solution.

Clients have proposals. They come in all sizes and shapes, from formal RFPs to an idea hastily sketched on a back of a napkin. But there is one thing they all have in common: Requirements.

[Via blueflavor]

Software for start-ups

Software is at the very heart of any modern startup. The business ideas, new utilities for society and the next big thing all boil down to code. If the code is good, the startup has a chance. If the code is bad, no matter how brilliant the business people are the startup is not going to get far.

[Via AdaptiveBlue]

Weekly links for March 25,2008

Life is sales

Often I’ve found that by placing someone’s interest before your own, by truly helping them if it is in your power, you build a bridge of trust that lasts a lifetime. You achieve a sale the same way you make a friend. You earn their trust.

Work online

It’s becoming increasingly common for freelancers to have an online component to their work. You might find clients online, have an online portfolio or work for some clients completely through the web.

Build credibility

Your credibility is an important asset for your business, maybe the most important one. Chad has a list of tips on how to build credibility and establish professionalism as a freelancer.

Start freelancing

A good start is vital for any successful journey. This list gives you some insights on what you should do and what you shouldn’t do as a new freelancer.

Weekly links for March 18,2008

Don’t procrastinate

As a freelancer, you have the freedom of scheduling your work whenever you want. But this freedom may become your worst nightmare if you procrastinate. If you are madly interested in your work then you won’t feel the temptation to postpone it. But not all work is fun. Here are are some methods you may use to stay on time with your projects.

Personal goals

How can you find time to accomplish your personal goals when you lead a busy life? There is no easy answer. First of all, you need to know if you really want to accomplish that goal and what are your motivations. Otherwise you won’t find time for it. After that, you should start with one goal at a time and stay focused until you reach that goal.

Promoting writing services

A constant problem in the life of every freelance writer is the requirement to promote your writing services while allowing enough time to actually provide them. Time management is tricky enough when working from home, and it’s very easy to become swamped in marketing activities, thereby taking away valuable writing time from your busy schedule.

Personal finance

FrugalTrader explains how he and his wife managed to raise $285000 in five years starting from a $40000 debt. He says that the key is to set your goals, create a plan and stick to it.

Weekly links for March 11,2008

Balancing work and family
No one is productive for more than 80 hours a week. Balancing your work and social life, this includes your family, is a good way to keep it going. You must establish some rules regarding the interaction with your family, otherwise you will be overwhelmed by your work.

Paying estimated taxes
Independent contractors have to pay tax on their estimated annual income in four payments, spread out over each year. These payments are called estimated taxes and are used to cover income taxes and self-employment taxes (Social Security and Medicare taxes).

Being more productive
One of the most frustrating paradigms in the modern workplace is that “staying busy” is often substituted for “staying efficient.” You can stay busy for eight hours and get very little work done while others can stay efficient and get 2-3 times as much done in half the time.

Successful freelancer
Building a good relationship with your clients is the most efficient way to stay on top as a freelancer. The simplest way to find if you are a reliable partner is to ask yourself if you would hire yourself.

Weekly links for March 4,2008

Freelance consultant

You may think that consulting is only for former CEO’s but you should think again. If you have a skill set and can help organizations solve their problems, then you may consider doing this job as a freelance consultant.

Legal contract

When you agree to perform services for a client, you are entering into a legal contract — you promise to do the work, and the client promises to pay you for it. As an independent contractor, you can avoid trouble by putting client agreements in writing.

Too much freedom

As a freelancer, you have more flexibility and less constraints than an employee. Practically you can do everything you want. But having too much freedom may be a little overwhelming as you are tempted to have more fun than to work.

Freelancers are happier

Freelance Switch recently released the results of their freelancer survey, in which over 3700 freelancers took part. While there were a number of interesting findings, the statistic that really stood out to me was that 95% of freelance writers are happier now then they were before they started freelancing.

Weekly links for Feb 26, 2008

Learning from others’ mistakes

Sometimes it is nice to learn from another person’s goofs rather than your own! Chris Garrett made a top with his five biggest freelancing mistakes.

Bookkeeping and profit

The most important goal of a business is to be profitable. It can also be funny, interesting, enjoyable or anything else but if it’s not profitable it won’t last.

Shane’s company doubled its gross revenue after he used proper bookkeeping and reports to see which activities are growing their income and which are not.

What’s the ideal hourly rate?

If you’re just starting up, a big question is how much you should charge for your work. A standard formula for determining an hourly rate is to put together:

• your salary,
• the overhead costs and
• the profit you want to earn.

Then divide the total by how many hours you estimate you’ll be working. After that you should compare your rate with others in your marketplace and adjust it up or down.

Stay motivated

What keeps you motivated as a freelancer? Is it the need for money, the taste of freedom, great projects or something else? Find out what others are saying on this FreelanceSwitch discussion.

Weekly links for Feb 19, 2008

The Pro’s and Con’s of Freelancing

If you want to start a freelancing career then you may want to consider the advantages and disadvantages of working from home. For Cedric Hohnstadt, a freelance illustrator and character designer, the benefits far outweigh the drawbacks.

Taking Risks

In this interview, Christine O’Kelly answers some important questions about starting a freelance business. She recounts how she quit a job where she was very appreciated to work from home and spend more time with her family.

Picking a Legal Form of Business

You live in the US and you want to start a business but what legal form is best for you? Shane started with a sole proprietorship then he and his partner set up a general partnership and now they own a corporation. He considers liability and taxes to be the most important factors when making this decision.