Putting The "Free" In "Freelancing"
freelance life
Although it’s indicative of an easy life for a lot of people, the freelancer lifestyle is not always what it seems. Now, being a freelancer is, for all intents and purposes, running a one-person business. You should treat yourself as a commodity. This is how you'll make progress, but we’ve all hit those snags where we're on the brink of giving up and getting a “proper” job. This is why you should never do that…
The Freedom...
It's not just the waking up whenever you want, there's a greater sense of control over your life. This is why so many people are turning towards freelancing. It’s not just Millennials leaning towards self-employment as a means of earning their crust. The appeal has spread to all walks of life, from those that are looking for a new way to earn money, to those that have been so dissatisfied with their 30-year career that they’re looking for something that they actually care about. The freedom that comes with running your own life is very liberating and is probably the most enticing thing about this line of work.
And besides, if you look at the standard term of “permanent employment,” the average amount of time is now between six months to a year; is this “permanent?” It doesn’t sound like it to me. It’s much better working in a position with a lot more emotional freedom rather than somewhere where you have to potentially clock in and out, and you may be out the door in six months anyway!
The Control...
When the stock market crashed in 2008, many people were so desperately unemployed, that they took to getting a business loan and started running their own small businesses. It turned out to be the best decision they ever made. It’s almost as if they woke up finally, and they kissed goodbye to their old lives.
Being plunged into that situation made them adopt a sink or swim mentality, and for a freelancer, this is what gives you the edge over many others. It’s a great quality. It keeps you on your toes and makes you realize what you're all about.
The Hard Times...
We’ve all been there, when we’re feeling overwhelmed and wonder why we’re even trying to make a living going from paycheck to paycheck (or invoice to invoice). But everyone has had their huge struggles, from Steve Jobs to Hillary Clinton, and every great mind you can think of. Look at this site of leadership quotes if you're ever lacking in inspiration, and realize that you're not alone. And although everyone might be pushing at you to join the rat race again, do you really want to hand over that sense of control to someone else? I didn't think so.
So if you ever think about throwing in the towel, I've got one question to ask: Even though you' could be struggling for money and you’ve got to take on more work than you're capable of, are you happier now than you ever have been?
Taking Yourself Seriously As a One-Person Business
running a small business
Something that freelance writers and other similar professionals know is that they need to think of themselves as a fully-fledged business in order to succeed. If you are a freelance writer, and you have not yet got to the point of thinking of yourself in this way, you might want to ask yourself what it is that’s stopping you.
No matter what, you need to ensure that you are doing everything you can to take yourself seriously. Fortunately, there are a number of ways to make sure that that is the case. Let’s have a look at how you can take yourself seriously as a one-person business.
Register
First of all, let’s take a look at the actual process of legally becoming a business. No matter where in the world you are located, you can guarantee that your local government body will want to know that you are a trading business.
As such, you need to ensure that you officially register yourself, otherwise you might find yourself in a whole heap of trouble further down the line. Registering these days can normally be done online, and is relatively straightforward, but be aware that you do need to have a business name. This can just be your name, or if you prefer you can choose something else, so long as it has not already been chosen.
This first step is vital, and will also go a long way towards helping you take yourself more seriously, so be sure to do it.
Stock Up On Supplies
It is often surprising to newcomers just how many supplies you actually need to be a freelance writer one-person business. Even if most of what you do is online, you will find that you need a lot of standard office supplies as well.
When it comes time to set yourself up as a business, make sure you go out of your way to get all the supplies you need - and be sure to buy in wholesale to save money. Places like the Postal Tube Shop are a good place to start, but you should also be sure to shop around. Buy in bulk so that you save as much money as possible, and gradually you will fill up your office with everything that you need.
Some things to start with are:
File folders
Notebooks
Pens
Pencils
Printer paper
Tape
Staples and a stapler
Set Aside Some Space
Most likely, you will be working from home - a situation which has many pros and cons. Most people find that they quite enjoy working from home, but you should prepare yourself, as it can also be a little lonely at times.
In order to take yourself as seriously as possible, ensure that you set aside a decent space in which to carry out your work. This will really make a huge difference when it comes to doing your work, as you will feel much more like an official business. It doesn’t have to be anything over the top, just a corner of a room will do - as long as you have your specific writing space in which to carry out your work.
5 Essential Steps To Move Your Ecommerce Enterprise Onto The High Street
Want to boost your sales, drive traffic to your site and engage in a more meaningful way with your customers? The answer is no longer confined to the web. The smart companies are spreading their wings and heading back down to earth. Market leaders in retail such as Amazon, Warby Parker and Bonobos are investing in bricks and mortar and reaping the benefits. There is no reason why service industries, such as my own beloved freelance writing sector, could not follow suit by introducing some physical products into the mix.
ecommerce tips
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The online virtual high street is crowded and hugely competitive, it is dominated by huge brands and it is so hard for newbies to get a foothold. Why not try to attract some local, loyal clients by opening up a brick-and-mortar business to support your online presence? Now all you have to do is buy or leases a premises. Here are some top tips for doing just that.
1. Choose the right type of property for you
Obviously this will depend on the type of business that you are in. Entrepreneurial schemes come in all shapes and have a lot of pitfalls to overcome. If you need to display and sell stock you will need to be realistic about how much storage you need. If you plan on knocking down a few walls you need to make sure that this is structurally possible.
2. Be clear about your budget
Time for a hefty dose of realism here! You will need to shelves so that you can display your wares, accept credit card payments and attract customers into the shop in the first place. Even if you are leasing or renting the shop, it is likely that you will have to pay for decoration and external signage. Make sure these are factored into your budget.
3. Secure the finance
In the absence of a very healthy savings account, you will need to secure a loan to get this scheme off the ground. To get a loan you will need a clear business plan so do your homework. Show the lender that you know what you are talking about and have the ability to turn this into a success. No-one wants to back a loser!
4. Location is what matters most
You know that you need to target your demographic with online marketing, right? Well, selling on the high street is no different. Draw up a profile of your ideal customer and then identify where they hang out. Do they favour a shopping mall, arcades or quirky streets? You need to be where they are loitering! Also think about deliveries, parking and noise and, of course, the competition!
5. Timing can make or break the deal
This is where you may need to be patient. Property markets fluctuate from season to season and from year to year. Buy at the wrong time and you could end up paying far more than you need to. Ideally, you should buy when demand is low and availability is high. That way you can secure a killer deal.
The Ins & Outs Of Launching A Virtual Content Creation Service
20 years ago, around the time I started my freelance writing business, virtual businesses didn’t exist. Today they make up one of the fastest growing industries in the world. For freelancers, bloggers and entrepreneurs, virtual businesses make starting out easier and more affordable. They can also offer a stepping stone to launching a prosperous and profitable business. That being said, while some people only use virtual businesses as a stepping stone to launch their brick-and-mortar entrepreneurial careers, others are happy to keep their business virtual for the foreseeable future. Virtual businesses are much cheaper to run as there are few overhead costs, they are often easier to keep organized, there’s no commuting, and then there’s the flexibility of it, of course.
For these reasons and many others, a lot of freelancers opt to launch their own virtual content creation services. Now, while virtual businesses are easier to run, that doesn’t mean that they are guaranteed to be successful, which is why if you are going to launch a virtual business, you need to know what it takes to make a success of it.
how to start a virtual business
Invest in Your Website
If you are going to run a virtual business, then one of the most important features will be your website. When you have no actual business building, your website becomes even more important, because it’s the main hub of your venture. That’s why investing in your website is so vital.
When it comes to the design of your website, it’s important to use a skilled and experienced web designer, so that you can ensure that your site looks professional and runs properly.
Sure, you could create your website yourself, but if you want your site to look and feel professional, using an expert is recommended. The most important thing is to make sure that your site is responsive and is easy to use and navigate on desktops, tablets and phones. If your website isn’t easy for visitors to use, they won’t return.
Realize the Importance of Branding
When it comes to the success of your business, branding is crucial. They key to making your business seem more professional and more established within the industry is to utilize cohesive branding.
The right branding will improve brand awareness which will help to boost your customer base and will give your success a boost. From creative logos to unique business cards, make sure your logo, font and color usage is the same on all your marketing. Also, before you design any of those marketing products, be sure that they convey the feeling you are trying to invoke in a customer. For example, hard lines and dark colors may be great for a company aimed at an older, more serious crowd, while it may not work so well if you are targeting fun-loving millennials.
A lot of businesses struggle to get their branding right, but if you take the time to research what good branding is made up of, then you will find utilizing it much easier to do.
Utilize Social Media
You may have the most amazing business that provides services that everyone wants, but if your marketing isn’t effective, then your chances of success are low. If no one knows about your business, you can't expect it to be successful, can you? That’s why it’s crucial to utilize social media to ensure that as many people as possible know about your freelance business and what you offer.
When it comes to launching, it’s important to know what the crucial parts of an online campaign are. If you're not sure about what these crucial parts are, it's probably best to outsource the task to a specialist.
Be Clear About the Services You Provide
As a business, a lot of freelancers make the mistake of not being clear about the services they want to provide or the rates that they wish to charge for them. However, coming up with a clear plan is important before you start taking clients.
Don't know how to come up with rates? I cover that topic and a lot more in my book The Fluff-Free Freelance Writing Master Course. These tips work no matter if you are a writer, designer or other type of virtual content creation business.
How Can I Make Money With My Writing Skill?
Working from home is the dream for many. No long commute or having to rush out of the door in the morning, no boss micromanaging you or bitchy colleagues to deal with. Instead, you can work from the comfort of your home office, working on your own terms.
There are a few different avenues you can take as a writer. Ideally, you will have your fingers in a number of pies, which will give you a more stable and reliable income. Here are a few ventures you could pursue.
Blogging
If you’re a keen writer, chances are you already run a blog. It’s a fantastic way to showcase your writing, continue improving, connect with other people with similar interests and also a chance to learn new skills, too.
When you run a blog, not only do you have to write the content, you also need to take beautiful photographs and learn to market yourself online. Social media promotion is a useful skill to have- especially if you want to run your own business later down the line.
But while you might be blogging for fun, have you put much thought into monetizing your site? You could sign up with Google Adsense, which pays a small amount each time someone clicks on your ads or buys something from clicking through from your site.
You could look into affiliate marketing, too. You incorporate links to products in your posts and again get paid if anyone clicks on them or buys as a result.
The way you will earn most of your money as a blogger is through sponsorships, though. Companies will contact you and ask to either publish a post they’ve written or ask you to write a post including their link. You can be paid great money for this, although the problem is you have to wait for them to come to you.
Freelance
Freelancing sites allow you to ‘bid’ for jobs, and if you’re accepted by the seller you write the piece for an agreed fee. While each project will have a deadline, being able to pick and choose the pieces you want to write allows you to control your workflow. Once you have successfully completed a few projects, your rating will increase, making it more likely you will be accepted for future pieces.
Services like content writing, copywriting, proofreading and editing are always in high demand online, so it’s something that’s likely to do well if you go about it in the right way. I cover how to get clients and start making $100 to $200 an hour in my Freelance Writing Starter Pack.
Ebooks
Having a book published is the dream for many writers. However securing a book deal is difficult and something that even the best wordsmiths and storytellers aren’t always able to achieve. However, you can self-publish relatively easily, and produce an ebook to sell on Amazon. You get a little bit of money every time someone downloads it, which can add towards any other income you get from writing.
Transitioning From Freelancer To Entrepreneur
As a freelancer, you are no doubt be used to working for yourself, but as your workload starts to grow, you'll soon have to make the decision to form a company and hire employees to help you out. Transitioning from a freelancer to an entrepreneur might seem like a scary prospect to some people. However, it proves that you have a good head for business and your customers buy from you because you know what you’re doing. If you’re a freelancer and are at the point where you need to become incorporated, you might be wondering how best to transition to this new phase of your business. Despite what you might be thinking, the process isn’t as difficult or scary as you may have first thought. In today’s blog post, I will give you a rough guide to turning into a business leader from a sole trader. Here is what you need to know.
building a freelance business
Setting Up a New Legal Entity
When you work as a freelancer, you and your business are virtually the same thing. When you transition over to an incorporated company, though, you become separate entities. It’s important that you set up things like bank checking accounts in the new business name and that you start paying your bills from it.
Before you can do any of that, you need to register your new company. The process also involves getting a tax ID from the IRS so that you can file returns for your business. Once you’re up and running, you are now an employee of your new firm!
When you hire employees to work with you, it’s vital that their tax details are properly recorded and processed. That way, you can ensure they get paid correctly and any applicable tax gets paid by your business.
With that in mind, you should ensure you have an in-house payroll and accounting professional working for you. Providers such as Portfolio Payroll can help you out in that respect.
Moving to New Premises
Even if you plan to hire freelancers that work from home, it is still beneficial to have dedicated office space for your company. Doing so helps you portray a professional image to your clients, especially those that will only do business with other companies and not freelancers.
The cost of renting an office need not be expensive. In fact, you could even just rent a mailbox at a prestigious business address and hire meeting rooms there when you need them. Search online for virtual office providers like Regus to see just how affordable and flexible such a solution can be for your business.
Hiring the right talent
When you transition to a fully-fledged company, you will need to hire the right people to work for your brand. While it’s important to focus on skills and experience when short-listing potential candidates, you must also determine whether people will be a good fit for your company culture.
For example, you don’t want to hire people that are used to working in formal environments if every day is “Dress Down Day” at your workplace!
By considering the above points, you will find it easier to transition yourself from a freelancer into an entrepreneur running a company. Good luck!
Want to take your freelance business to the next level? Read my new book!
4 Pitfalls of Being An Entrepreneur...and How to Overcome Them
running your own business
There’s a lot to be said for entrepreneurship. A lot has been said, most of extolling the many admirable traits of those who dedicate their life to challenging themselves and pushing the world in any large or small way. Yet while there are many great reasons why going at it alone is worthwhile, there are a number of lesser talked about pitfalls than budding Richard Branson’s should be aware. Here are four of them and some guidance on how they can be overcome.
Source: Pexels.com
It’s Hard Work
We’re hoping it won’t come as any great shock to you that being an entrepreneur is very hard work. You need to create something that doesn’t exist and make other people believe in it. That’s not something that just anyone can do and those that can usually have to work extra hard to prove it.
How do you overcome hard work? Why, by not thinking of it as work at all. This is your passion project. It is your life. So get building!
You’re Responsible For Others
This is one that usually creeps up on entrepreneurs. One day they’re mapping their route to business success in their garage, the next they’re responsible for a team of workers, and all the quirks and trials and tribulations that go along with that.
Every entrepreneur needs to have some degree of people skills, but sometimes the problems you’re faced with will be beyond that. You should be looking to outsource your HR responsibilities early on. Find out more here and make sure the employee aspect of your business is taken care of. In the meanwhile, you will be able to get back to building your dream!
The Pressure Is On
Any job that’s worth a grain of salt has pressure connected to it, but what you’re doing is a different kettle of fish altogether. Whereas most leaders share their pressures with other people in the company, you’re essentially an island, floating along on a sea of pressure. It is the life you chose, and you have to accept that the side effects of entrepreneurship can’t all be positive. To combat this, make sure you don’t fall into the trap of believing your hype. Stay level to the ground, and remember that if you fail, then it’s not the end of the world. Move on to the next thing.
Finding Other Joys
Finally, when it comes to other aspects of their life, entrepreneurs tend to...well, not have other aspects of their life. Their lives are dominated by what they’re trying to achieve; personal relationships, hobbies and other joys can take a seat that’s quite far back in their mind. While you do need to show high levels of dedication to your company, it’s also important that you take the time to take a break every now and again. It’s important for your health, wellbeing and also your company, since you’ll return stronger than before.
Freelance Pressures Getting You Down? Here's How to Change That
There is no doubt about it; being a freelancer is stressful. You have no job security and you have to constantly be on your toes just to make enough money to stay afloat. However, there are good things about being a freelance worker too. For example, when you work for yourself, you can run your own schedule and make your own decisions. You don’t have to be subservient to someone else. That can only be positive, but if the pressures and stress of freelance life are getting you down, here’s how to beat them and get back on track.
Closely Regulate Your Work-Life Balance
Getting your work-life balance right is one of the most important things of all when it comes to working as a freelancer. It can often seem like you never have the time to do the things you want to do. It’s about time you starting paying more attention to your work-life balance. You will only cause yourself problems if you allow this balance to get out of kilter. No one wants to be working all the time at the expense of their personal life. You need to regulate your time and set work boundaries for yourself.
freelance life balance
Get Help from Others
Getting help from other people is not about meeting defeat or giving up. Instead, it’s all about making the most of your time and freeing yourself to focus on the things that matter most.
You can outsource some of the dull, repetitive and time-consuming tasks to external companies. If you have a vital IT system in place, you could use managed it services from itWORKS!. And if you don’t know how to manage your own money, you could hire an accountant. These things mean spending money, but if they free up your time, they could allow you to make more money too.
Stop Taking on More Work Than You Can Handle
If you are taking on more work than you can handle, you will end up under pressure and stressed out. That’s the last thing you need when you’re trying to run your freelance company in the right way.
It’s easy to do this because when you work for yourself, there is no one there to manage your workflow. Doing that is entirely up to you. You should work out how fast you work, and how much money you need to make, and then regulate your own workflow and work schedule from there.
invoices
Don’t Accept Underpayment of Missing Payments
Unfortunately, underpayment or missed payments are still very commonly experienced by freelancers. It’s shocking that people think that they can ask you to do work for them and then stall when the time comes to cough up the cash. Most freelancers have experienced this at least once. You should have a one strike policy in place, and warn clients of it beforehand. If payment is not received by an agreed upon deadline, refuse to work with them again. That’s the only way to get the message across to people who want to rip you off.
I also ask for all or half of the payment upfront from new clients to be sure I get at least some of what I'm owed.
How to Make Writing your Career
So, you’re looking for a career that allows you to make the most of your way with words. There are lots of options out there. Some of them might seem unrealistic or unattainable to you, but it's important not to rule things out when you’re choosing the career that’s going to be best for you. It’s much more important to just focus on what you’re good at and what you’re capable of achieving.You don’t have to settle for second best or take on a job that you don’t find fulfilling. Below, you’ll find plenty of information on some of the best writing career paths out there. Read about them all and don’t rule anything out until you’ve given them careful consideration...and even tried it out.
Pursue Your Creative Writing Dreams
Many people assume that their dreams of being a creative writer are not realistic. However, this negative kind of attitude can drag you down and become a self-fulfilling prophecy. These days, it’s easier than ever before to get your writing out there and have it read by real people. That’s all thanks to the boom in self-publishing. You can use Kindle and other similar platforms to publish ebooks that people can buy. So, if you think you have the skills and talent to write creatively, there is nothing stopping you from giving it a try for yourself.
Proofread Work to Check for Mistakes
Ever been accused of being a grammar Nazi? Then this job is for you!
There is so much written work that gets produced each day. A lot of it needs to be checked for errors before it is sent out into the world for publication. Proofreaders are the people who take care of this kind of work. It’s a job that’s perfectly suited to the kind of people who love spelling and grammar. Although there are now computer programs that can help with this, nothing quite beats the talents of a proofreader. It’s a career path to consider if you know what you’re doing. Many proofreaders work as freelancers, but there are fixed jobs out there too.
how to become a writer
Edit Other People’s Words
Editing is similar to proofreading, but it’s not quite the same. They do a bit more than proofreaders do. Editors come up with ways in which a written text can be improved. They might suggest changing sentence around and fixing the structure or come up with ideas. Many editors are also content gatekeepers. They research what the readers want and assign projects to writers based on their findings.
Become a Technical or Contract Writer
Technical writers tend to produce writing that is complex and specific to a certain industry or type of business. For example, this type of writing might be required in the world of science or medicine. It usually demands an understanding of technical terms and other such things. Many people who enjoy writing, but have a background in a technical vocation opt for a career as a technical writer.
Contract writers, writers who literally write contracts, need to have a legal background and an understanding of contract law, of course. These types of writers are always in demand, so don’t rule out these career options.
Try Your Hand at Copywriting
Copywriting can be a lot of fun if you want a career in writing that pays well, while also being able to be a little creative. You will be producing copy for companies that both markets products and informs customers. It’s safe to say you can’t just write adverts in a hard-sell kind of way because that’s not what copywriting is all about. Instead, you need to be interesting, engaging and authentic. That’s what the vast majority of businesses are looking for when they hire a copywriter, so it’s what you’re going to have to provide. Read about copywriting online to learn more about it.
Some types of writing copywriters do are:
Ad articles for magazines
Marketing emails
Copy for commerce websites
Brochure text
Consider a Career in Journalism
Journalism is writing for news outlets. It often requires an unbiased opinion on topics and good investigating skills.
It is a difficult career to break into, though. You should consider a career in journalism if you believe that you have the tenacity and investigative spirit to make an impact and get noticed. You have to be talented and willing to make yourself stand out if you want to become a professional journalist these days. You will also need the right training and industry accredited qualifications. A BS in journalism is usually required for any job in this industry. You can start small, at a small town newspaper and make your way up, though.
Warning...Make Sure Your Business is Disaster-Proof
protect your business
There is no doubt that setting up a business is an extremely challenging prospect for anyone. That's why it's so important that you keep it protected from any potential disasters that may occur. The last thing that you want to happen is that you invest a great deal of time and money into developing your business, only for it to suddenly go up in smoke.
When it comes to protecting your company from disaster, there are a few things that you can do to make sure you are in the best position possible.
Put a Disaster Plan in Place
The first thing that you need to do is to put a disaster plan in place so you are fully prepared for every eventuality. It may be that you are unable to continue working from your current location. It may be that your website goes wrong and you lose access to your important files.
Whatever is the case, you should think about how you will respond to each situation and create a plan of action. This way, you won’t be floundering around trying to solve the issue with no idea exactly what you are doing.
For example, I have a sick day plan. Since I'm the only one at my business, no one is here to take over when I'm sick. So, I plan my schedule carefully to make room for a floating day off. Usually this means that I have to stay one day ahead on all of my assignments.
Make Sure Your Business is Well Protected
You will want to make sure that your business is protected from all eventualities by having the right type of insurance in place, too. As well as your standard business insurance, it is worth ensuring you are fully covered for other situations which may arise, such as flood or earthquake, it your current policy doesn't cover them.
You should also make sure you know of a good lawyer who is well versed in copyright, commercial law and asset protection, amongst other areas. You never know what situations could occur down the line so it's good to have a phone number handy.
Backup All Your Files
back up your files
Nowadays, there are a lot of the potential disasters that threaten your computer. Hackers, spills, accidental droppage and more can ruin your company if you don't have your files backed up.
Many people are now opting for cloud-based storage, and this could well be the type of system that offers you the most protection and ensures you keep access to your important files. These usually charge a monthly fee.
A free option is to open a Gmail account and email everything to yourself. It's a pain, but it works.
There are also external hard drives you can purchase once and use for the duration of your business. Just be sure to update the hard drive with new files at least once a week.
Build Up a Strong Support Network
In business, the relationships you form can make or break your company. If you have people to turn to when times get tough who can offer support, you will be in a much better position to deal with any situations that may occur.
Similarly, if you have clients who have become close to you and are personally invested in your company, they are much more likely to stick by your side as your business recovers.
4 Steps to Make Sure Your Blog Is Read
If you’ve spent time constructing, researching, and writing a blog post that you think is worthy of people’s attention, it can be a bit dispiriting when you review the stats of how many people engaged with it only to discover hardly anyone visited your site in the first place. Don’t take it to heart - it has nothing (OK, a little) to do with the quality of your writing or how interesting your subject was. By making a few simple changes to how you handle your blog, you can get the readers you crave.
blogging tips to drive traffic
Source: Pexels.com
A Blog is About More Than the Writing
Ernest Hemingway would have had a difficult time getting visitors to his blog. He was pretty self-interested, and seldom played up to the crowds. If you want to have your blog read, don’t be like Ernest. After you’ve finished the writing part, it’s time to dress is up so that it’s a webpage that people will visit. This means including things like photographs and gifs, breaking up the text so that it’s easy to read, and including a few links within the piece so that it’s given an SEO boost for Google. Also, don’t underestimate how much people are drawn to a catchy title.
Into the Inbox
You’ve written a blog...and now it’s time to send it out there. People will find your content of their own accord, but many more will “find” if they’re given a gentle nudge in their inbox. If you’ve already got a list of subscribers, make sure it’s going out to them.
If you’re a new blog trying to get traffic and don’t have a list yet, some people buy bulk email lists. I don't advocate this, but some people do, so I guess it might be something to consider, as long as the emails were collected ethically. Many of these list contain fake or unused email addresses, so be careful.
Spreading the Word
Aside from sending posts directly to the email addresses you have in your database, you should also endeavour to get the word out to as many people as possible by posting your blog around the web. If you have an engaging blog post about a topic that is hot at the moment, people will be interested. Get it on your Facebook page, your business Facebook page, and submit it to companies with high follower count. Who knows, it might even go viral! And once you have people to your site, you should be prompting them to join your mailing list. It can be a slow process, but it’s a good way of doing it.
Make it Good
Finally, it goes without saying that your content should be good. Instead of posting several adequate posts a day, post one or two high quality blogs instead. If your blog has many spelling or grammatical errors then it doesn’t matter how many people visit your site; you’re running the risk of them leaving pretty quickly and not coming back. Take your time to make your blog posts as good as they can be - you’re showcasing your talents, after all!
Clever Financing Whilst You're Freelancing
freelance financing
Picture Source
Being a successful freelancer is about far more than finding clients or even offering a consistent service while operating on a solo basis or as part of a small team. Being a successful freelancer depends on the money involved with your solo business, at the end of the day. Given that you’re the glue which holds everything together and keeps the money pouring in or pouring out, it’s up to you to maintain control of all financial elements involved with your freelance business and ensure that you remain in the green.
Rather than solely focusing on profits and making more money to cover your necessities, you should be putting a huge focus on reducing costs.
As a writer, you’ll run into costs with your blog such as a decent laptop, the camera you use to take photos and any design software you might use to improve the aesthetic of your website. Here are some ways to reduce the non-essential costs of your business so that there’s more money left over for the essentials.
Outsourcing
Yes, you want to save money. However, the quote that you’ve got to ‘spend money to make money’ holds true as running a business is a time-consuming affair. When you’re the solo employer and employee of such a business, you’ll reach a point at when you’re taking on far too much work. While you might think that being a freelancer is great, as you can get everything done by yourself and save money, this won’t hold true if you let opportunities with higher-paying clients pass you by or make mistakes which cost you money to fix.
This is where outsourcing work comes into play. You can’t do everything, and it might end up costing you. Outsourcing menial tasks so that you can take on more highly paid work will save you money in the long run, but you’ve got to outsource tasks in the right places; sites such as Fiverr are home to individuals who work well and cheaply, for example.
Green Living
One way you could save money for your business is to save money around your home, since your freelance office is probably based in your personal study or a spare room.
Much like business owners who implement eco-friendly measures to cut down costs in big office buildings, you can do the same around your home. For example, you could look into an solution of irrigation flow and data logger to keep the sprinklers and your utility bills controlled. You could invest in solar panels, energy efficient appliances and insulation for your office and home as a whole.
If you cut down the costs of running the headquarters for your empire, you’ll find that you’re feeling far less strained and stretched with the money you do make while freelancing.
Continuous Budgeting
Budgeting is important in both personal and business life. Money makes the world go around, no matter how much or how little it drives you and your goals. The simple truth is that, even if your freelance business is a passion project, it can’t keep going and you can’t keep going if there isn’t enough money involved. Being the sole employer and employee, you should find this easier than owners of huge companies might.
Think of this in the same manner as your personal financing. Your expenditures shouldn’t ever exceed your income. If your income grows or changes over time as your business expands, then you can continuously reshape your budget to meet the improved capacities of your freelance company. You can spend money when you have more to spend, but you shouldn’t be living beyond your means; you need to pay for your personal utilities, rent and shopping as well as for your business’ upkeep.
This should all be factored into your business’ budgeting plan; once necessities have been covered, you can then look into the amount of money left over for “improvements” which could be made to the business or the resources you use within your freelancing business. Continuous budgeting is the key.
What Are The Best Ways To Invest Your Freelance Profits?
investing profits from a freelance business
credit
It can be tricky to reach a point as a freelancer where you are actually bringing in more money than you need to survive. But once you get there, a whole world of opportunity opens up for you. And where you put your money can make a huge difference to your lifestyle now and long into the future. Let’s take a look at some of the investments savvy freelancers make - and why you should consider them, too.
Invest in Hired Help
Here’s the biggest problem with freelancing - you have to do everything yourself. There’s marketing, accounting, website maintenance, invoicing, cold calling, prospect meetings and a lot more besides - and that’s even before you actually get down to work and earn some money.
Many freelancers suffer from this issue, and it can significantly impact their earnings. Let’s say you are a writer that can pull in $300 a day when you are working. But you have to spend 2.5 days a week on admin tasks - which is effectively losing you the ability to earn an extra $750 a week. If you can find someone to do that work for you for a fraction of the price - and a lot more efficiently - you will find your earning potential could skyrocket.
Invest in Business Growth
As you get older, the freelance lifestyle might lose its appeal - you might want to take more of a strategic position, for example. If so, you should be looking at investing your profits into growing your business.
Create a viable, long-term business plan and make sure that you are focused on making things happen - whether that’s hiring a first employee, renting an office or seeking ways of expanding your business online. Bear in mind, however, is that investing in growth is just as risky a strategy as any other kind of investment - there are no guarantees. So, ensure you don’t burn any bridges along the way, and you can always fall back on your freelancing if things turn sour.
Invest in your future
It's worth planning ahead for the future, too, in a personal sense. Building up a healthy investment portfolio and savings plan for your later years is essential when you are a freelancer.
So, learn what to look out for with penny stocks, bonds, savings accounts and ensure you have a good retirement plan. The essence of sound investment is only 'gamble' with what you can afford, and mix up your portfolio to reduce your exposure to risk in any one particular area.
Invest in Your Education
Finally, if you want to take your freelance career to its maximum potential, always consider investing in your education. It's the only way you can keep improving, and when you are in the world of freelancers the only guarantee is that there will be people younger, fresher, and hungrier than you. Continuing your education is the only way to survive, whether that means taking a writing course or finding a reputable business coach to work with. If you want to make more money, taking my master course would be a good investment.
Use These 3 Simple Tricks To Impress Potential Freelance Clients
getting clients with your blog
As a freelancer, your biggest concern is finding clients. If you don’t have any clients, then you won’t make any money. The thing is, how do you go about impressing potential clients and getting them to believe in you? Well, you have to use these three simple tricks, that’s how!
Create A Portfolio Of Your Work
If any of you have acquired freelance work before, then you should know the one thing that every potential client wants to know before they hire you; how good is your work?
After all, why would someone hire you if they have no evidence that you’re capable of carrying out the task they have in mind. If you can’t provide any evidence of your work, then they’re far more likely to hire someone else that can.
As such, work on creating a portfolio of your work, selecting the best and longest examples you can find. If you’re a newbie and haven’t had any freelance jobs before, then don’t worry. What you can do is search around for voluntary work that will help you build up this portfolio. Or you can take my video course How to Create a Writing Portfolio When You Don’t Have Any Clips. In it I teach how to get clips (without writing for content mills) and how to create a professional portfolio.
You can also start writing a blog and show off their writing skills that will impress potential clients.
Hand Out Professional Business Cards
A lot of freelancers make the mistake of only turning to the internet to find clients. Of course, there are loads of great websites where you can find potential freelance jobs and start collecting a pool of clients.
However, you have to realize that there are also opportunities away from the internet too. A business person could walk into a coffee shop on their break and be thinking about some freelance work they need done. Then, they might spot a freelancer's business card on a notice board or stacked near the till and their problems are solved. Get professional plastic business cards created and hand them out to people or place them in shops to open up a world of possibilities.
Plus, a professional business card makes you seem like a serious freelancer. They’ll be thinking, "Okay, this guy/gal is a real pro. They have their own business cards!" Here's an example of mine:
Business cards for freelance writers
Business cards for freelance writers
Build A Professional Website
A website is pretty much a digital business card. People find your website, it tells them something about you and provides them with contact details, etc.
If you have a professional website dedicated to your freelance career, then you will wow potential clients. It makes you look like the real deal, like you’re really taking things seriously. Plus, it doubles up as the perfect place to showcase your portfolio. People can find your site and find links to all your previous work.
It doesn't take a lot of money to start your website. In fact, if you have a blog, just use that. Create static pages for your contact information, an About Me page and a page that has links to your clips.
These three simple ideas will make a dramatic difference in your freelance career. If you’re struggling to impress potential clients, and have seen a few leads slip away, give these ideas a try and watch them have an almost instant impact.
Note: This post contains affiliate links.
4 Threats To Your Writing Career (And How to Prevent Them)
Life as a freelance writer is, for the most part, a pretty stellar existence. You can have your own schedule, work wherever (and wearing whatever) you want, and never have to miss out on a fun experience just because you have to be in the office. However, a freelance writer (and freelance anything, come to think of it) is exposed to greater risks than traditional workers. Below, I've outlined four of the threats that could derail your writing career and offer some advice as to how you can overcome them/limit the damage they do.
Writing career tips
Source: Pexels.com
Illness
Employees rights at work have come on a long way over the past few decades, and they continue to improve all the time. As you’re self-employed, you don’t have access to the same kinds of rights as traditional employees. If you fall ill, there is no company behind you to give you sick pay.
While you can’t prevent yourself from having to stop work due to illness (though you can limit your chances!), you can ensure that it’s not an instant disaster by having a savings pot that’ll function as your wages when you’re ill. If possible, try and put away 10-15% of your earnings into your ‘sick pay’ account.
Technology Issues
You only need three things to be a freelance writer: talent, a computer and the internet. The talent will always be there, but the other two? Not always, and particularly the computer.
If your computer breaks you could end up losing all your important documents. And if you’ve been working on a big project, this could spell disaster. By using services like spectrumwise.com, you can keep your IT systems fully operational and have your your essential data back in your hands should you face you any problems. Remember - you can’t always rely on technology to take care of itself!
Trouble With the Law
You might one day find yourself facing a lawsuit because you’ve used copyrighted material. You could also face some legal troubles if you have a misunderstanding with your client.
While some issues you can’t account for, you can limit your chances of trouble (which could potentially cripple your business) by triple checking that you’re not using any material that might be under copyright and drawing up a contract (a simple contract/email evidence will do) with your client.
The Robots are Coming
Now, I don’t want to alarm you, but it’s only a matter of time before robots begin infiltrating the freelance writing workforce. In fact, some industry experts think that by some time in 2018 nearly 20% of web content could be “written” by robots.
While it remains to be seen whether that amount of work will be written with non-human hands, you can prepare for the worst by beginning to specialise in a niche area of writing now. People will always need high quality, individual content written by people with real expertise!
Note: This post contains affiliate links.
Five Tips To Keep Your Freelance Business Going
freelance writing business
The freelance life isn’t as easy as people who work in offices would have you believe. Sure, the commute is excellent - from your bed to your desk via the shower and the kitchen if you have time for coffee - but it can be a difficult life. You don’t get benefits or vacation days, and you might feel too guilty to ever totally switch off. Luckily, there are a few things you can do to make the freelance life a little easier on yourself, long term. I know I've preached on several of these before, but they need repeating.
Create A Good Workspace
First of all, create a beautiful workspace in your home. If you have space, a home office. Surround yourself with everything you need from files to books, along with a tidy desk and plenty of natural light and fresh air.
If you don’t have space for that, the number one thing that you need to stay comfortable is an ergonomic desk chair. A sore back thanks to your job is no joke.
freelancers office
Image source
Fight That Procrastination
It can sometimes be hard to motivate yourself if you’re your own boss. Breathing down your own neck just doesn’t have the same effect as your scary boss doing that for you in an office! If you’re having problems with procrastination, start rewarding yourself for every task you complete - whether that’s with a short walk, a cup of tea or a square of chocolate is up to you.
The most important thing is that you figure out how you’re motivated and that you play along with that.
freelance writer
Image source
Get Out Of The House
Depending on what your job is, it may be hard to get out of the house. If you work in a certain industry, it can be easy to attend conferences, for example the Safety 2017 Professional Development Conference & Exposition where you can attend talks and network with other professionals.
Talking to other people in your field instead of staring at your four walls at home all day can help to inspire you and give you more ideas. It’s also a good idea to make sure that you get outside and take a walk every day - it’s good for your mental and physical health to get some fresh air.
office design
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Stay Financially Savvy
If you’re working freelance, you’re probably managing your own money, which can be tricky if you’ve never paid taxes before as they’ve previously all come out of your payslip automatically.
Make sure that you put away a good amount of money every month so you can pay taxes and aren’t caught short at the end of the financial year. If you aren’t great with finances, hire an accountant.
freelance writing tips
Image source
Keep Promoting Yourself
Finally, don’t be embarrassed to keep promoting yourself - give out your business card at networking events and keep using social media sites like Twitter and Facebook to promote your business. Making sure that people know about you is a big battle so you’ll need to bear in mind that you may need to spend almost as much time promoting yourself as you do on your actual work!
Need help getting clients and making what you're worth? Take my class.
Note: This post contains affiliate links.
Will Posting Links in Forums Get You Traffic?
forum linking
One of the age-old tips for publicizing a blog is forum linking. You've probably even seen me give that advice on this blog. For those of you that don't know what forum linking's all about, here is what bloggers usually say on the subject:
Go to forums that are about your blog's topic and answer questions that you find there. If one of your blog posts can answer someone's question, link to it in your reply. This not only brings you traffic, it also makes you an expert on the topic.
I haven't done this type of marketing in a long while, so I decided to test it to make sure I'm giving my readers relevant information. Here's what I found out.
Background
sharing links on forums
For my test, I decided to choose forums and groups where I have been a member for a long time. I know the rules of the forums and have posted blog links there before with no problems. I also know what other people on those forums have gotten away with. So, all-in-all, I felt I knew what kind of posts would get deleted and which ones wouldn't.
Forum Linking Test #1
For my first test, I wanted to dip my toe into forum linking, but didn't want to go all-in. So, I went over to the Digital Point forum and posted a link to someone else's blog and casually mentioned that I was featured in the post. I also gave some helpful advice to go along with the link.
People replied to the post. Things were great. After a month with no negative feedback, I thought that the post was in the clear...until I received this alert:
posting links on forums
Well, crap.
forum posting marketing
Forum Linking Test #2
helping on forums
Before I got that alert, I decided to link to my own post. I created a new thread on Digital Point, Warrior Forum and in two copywriting groups on Facebook. Go big or go home, am I right?
The forum post was about how I often write blog posts recommending articles by other people. I encouraged other copywriters to link to their latest articles in the comments of my post so that they could get more views. (Yes, I am giving you permission to put links to your stuff in the comments. Go crazy.)
I thought it was pretty harmless since inviting people to link in the comments doesn't get me anything other than page views. I wasn't selling anything on that page. If anything, links to off-topic sites might get me an SEO penalty from Google. (The jury is still out about whether links in comments hurts or helps you, so I figured what the heck.)
Well, no body took me up on the offer except for two people. My post did get a lot of views for a couple of days, though. In fact, on the second day my page views for the whole site doubled. So I guess you could say the experiment was a success.
[bctt tweet="In fact, on the second day my page views for the whole site doubled. "]
The question is, was I hand slapped for being "spammy"?
Yes. Yes, I was.
Getting hand slapped by forum mods.
A Warrior Forum mod sent me this little note:
Hello,
Greetings from the WarriorForum Team.
This is inform you that we have removed a thread you created in the Copywriting section of the forum.
Self-promotional advertisements are absolutely prohibited in this section. Please refrain from doing so to avoid disciplinary action.
You may help out people without the need of linking your own blog or copy pasting the content from your blog to the forum.
Please let us know if you have any further questions.
Take a look at the part I bolded. What he's saying is any link to your blog is prohibited. By the way, I didn't copy and paste anything, so I'm not sure what he's talking about there. Hmm...
spammy posts
Digital Point also deleted my post, but didn't send me a note or alert that it was deleted. I know they don't have a policy against linking (that I know of), so I have no idea why both of my posts were considered spammy. Both Warrior Forum and Digital Point have tons and tons of spam and a lot of the spam is by the owners of the forum themselves. Go figure.
The Facebook groups didn't seem to care that I posted a link to my blog. In fact, the only two people to post links on my post were from one of the Facebook groups.
I've found that many Facebook groups have promotion days where you are allowed to link to your products or blog. Be sure to check the group rules or ask the admins.
Summary
I guess the lesson here is, yes, forum linking does get you page views, but you need to be very careful where you do it. Check the forum rules to be sure linking is okay. If not, put a link in your signature to your site, if the forum allows it.
Also, just because others get away with posting links to their own site, don't assume you will get away with it. The whole process makes me super uncomfortable and made me realize why I don't do it anymore.
Facebook groups is a whole other story. I take full advantage of promotion days and have ended up getting a lot of traffic from them.
Do you link in forums? How has it worked out for you?
You're Thinking Too Much About Keywords
how many keywords should I use
Throughout the 18 years that I have created content for businesses, I have heard the same requests from clients over and over:
Put these three keywords in the text at least five times.
Or
These keywords MUST be used twice in the opening paragraph, once in the middle and once at the end of the article.
Or
This list of 30 keywords must appear at least once in the article.
If you've been guilty of saying this to a content creator or have committed these travesties to your own content you need to hang your head in shame. Once upon a time, keyword usage and placement was important. It isn't anymore. In fact, you don't really need to worry about keywords very much at all.
Don't keyword stuff!
Sure, you should find out what keywords your customers are looking for and then create some content for those keywords, but there is no set amount of times you need to mention the keyword. You certainly SHOULD NOT force a bunch of keywords into the same blog post, webpage or article. Search engines are penalizing big time for keyword stuffing and content that doesn't make any sense.
The biggest reason why you don't need to stuff keywords is because search engines are now smart enough to know what your post is about. Even if you don't use a specific keyword, Google will still know what your post is about and will still rank it. How your post ranks is much more about the site it is being posted to, how many social media shares it gets and backlinks.
Here's what you should do with every post:
Put the keyword in the title.
Put the keyword in the article at least once, but make sure the sentence still makes sense.
Pick a relevant photo for your content and put the keyword in your photo's file name and description.
Include the keyword in the content's meta description.
That's it. You're done. No need to do anything else with the keyword. Most of this will come about naturally, so you probably don't need to think about it too much.
Now, make sure your content is interesting and helpful to your readers because no amount of keyword play is going to help you if you overlook quality content.
dropping the mic
Essential Outsourced Services That Every Growing Blog Needs
blogging help
When growing your blog into a fully-fledged business, the last thing on your mind is probably hiring employees. Blogging, after all, is mainly focused on the content itself, i.e. your posts. However, there are many other components that are required in order for you to grow your blog into a business. Whether you’re a new blogger that has gained a lot of attention in a short period of time or a slow-growing blog with plans to take the next step, here are a couple of outsourced services that you will need in order to continue growing your blog.
Accounting
It doesn’t sound like an essential component, but you’ll be surprised at how many different sources of income you’ll be receiving once your blog grows. There will be sales for your products (if you have written an eBook or something similar). You might get donations. There is ad revenue to think about and you may even have an affiliate program with a company like Amazon.
There are so many difference sources of income that it might be difficult for a single person to manage all of those streams and calculate the proper amount of tax to pay.
Not only can it be confusing, it also eats into your time. As a growing blog, you want to dedicate more of your time to providing content instead of dealing with other matters. Companies such as Howlader & Co are a great place to look for accountants that can help you manage tax payments. Although it might be expensive, think of the time it saves and you’ll quickly realise it is worth your money.
Web Designer
Are you still using templates? Then it’s time to hire a designer and get rid of that boring and overused layout. Don’t forget your blog is still a website and that you need to attract readers in order to build an audience. Your content itself might be fantastic, but not everyone will come back to your website if it’s hard to navigate or if it requires a lot of clicking just to find the content they want.
Get a web designer on your side and design something that amazes your readers, is personalised for your content, and makes you stand out from the rest of the template-using crowd.
how to be a blogger
Lawyer
Yes, even you, a blogger, will need a lawyer at some point. Once you grow popular, you’re going to get a lot of questions and comments about your content and you may even be sued for something like improper image usage.
Of course, these could be for legitimate reasons or for reasons to spite you. For instance, you might be using an image that was uploaded as royalty free by accident, landing you an expensive image copyright lawsuit that could completely destroy your brand.
With a lawyer, you have nothing to fear because they will be able to protect your rights and advise you on your next move. Lawyers can also help you crack down on other blogs who are blatantly copying your content or stealing your work.
Freelancing Doesn’t Mean Going It Alone: Three Areas Where You Need Help
When starting out, a lot of freelancers make the mistake of trying to handle too many of the little tasks by themselves. Some of these jobs require very specialised skillsets and others are simply too large to tackle on your own. Attempting to do them yourself wastes time and can become expensive. So, for some jobs, it’s best to go to a professional. To help you out, this post will go through some of the easy ways to get help in three areas. Now, all you have to do is get to work!
freelancing
Business Consultant
A lot of freelancers start their new career without much direction. People assume that their knowledge of their trade is strong enough to carry them through with customers. Without any business experience, though, it can be very hard to make sure that you’re doing the right things. But, you’re never truly alone and there are people that can help you.
Business consultants can give you the advice you need to start up straight away. They understand invoicing and contracts, proper quoting, business analysis, and much more. Along with these skills, a business consultant will also be able to help you to build a strong business plan. With all of these resources, you'll find it much easier to start conducting your business.
IT Support
Most people don’t have a huge range of computer skills. When it comes to using computers in day to day life, you might be just fine. But, when it comes to solving problems with hardware and software, a lot of people simply panic.
This sort of field can take years to get into. People study for a long time to be able to work in IT support. And, it makes sense. This area is very complex, so, it’s best if you leave it to a professional. A company like Xceptional Networks has the tools and resources to help you to manage all of your IT; without having to break the bank. These sorts of services are perfect for freelancers because they only charge you for what you use and, you probably won’t use them very much, anyway.
how to freelance
Freelance Web Developers
When it comes to building a website, loads of people have been drawn to handy-dandy DIY website builder tools, in recent years. But, this will almost always result in a site that lacks the design and functionality the freelancer wanted when they set out. It's much better to simply go to a professional. Other freelance workers are your best bet here. There are loads of freelance web developers around. Getting a website custom made will often cost as much as a year's worth of hosting, so not so bad.
Hopefully, this will inspire you to start getting the help you need as a freelancer. A lot of people try to go it alone and struggle. As time goes on, you’ll notice the difference that this truly makes.
Need step-by-step help starting your freelancing career? Take my master course on how to become a well-paid freelance writer.