Clever Financing Whilst You're Freelancing
freelance financing
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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.
Leaving Home: Taking Your Small Business to a Commercial Venue
how to become a better freelance writer
One of the great things about the modern world of business is that many entrepreneurs are able to start their companies from home. Operating from a residential address offers many benefits. Not least due to the reduced overheads and pressure for fast results. However, most successful startups will eventually reach a point where they’ve outgrown the home office. It’s time to leave home.
Transporting your venture from the home to a commercial property is a big step to take that brings several risks. Therefore, it’s imperative that you do so in the most appropriate fashion. Follow these five simple tricks to make sure that you do.
Make sure that you’re ready. Timing is everything in business, especially when it comes to expansions. If outsourcing can continue to satisfy your needs for a little longer, you may wish to consider this option. On the other hand, staying in the home through fear of failure can be equally damaging to the company’s future. Either way, analyzing your current situation and creating a thorough plan for the next stage of the journey are vital aspects.
Ensure the commercial venue is suitable. If you are having the premises constructed, using a company that has experience in commercial properties is key.
Consider the increased need for exposure. Showing your ambition in business is great, but it needs to be supported. Increasing the visibility of your website, as well as your physical premises should be top of the agenda. Even if you invest in a van – get it signwritten – it becomes a mobile billboard! Just make sure your commercial van insurance provider is aware – it has to be declared to them. Meanwhile, you may wish to run a promotional event or affiliate scheme to gain more interest. After all, without new clients, the expansion is a little redundant.
Think about the staffing requirements. A bigger operation will probably need to take on new staff, so a successful recruitment drive is key. However, even your existing members may need a little extra training. Safety courses from experts at DuPoint can help ensure that your company remains safe throughout the new chapter. Avoiding those accidents, and the subsequent fallout can only have a positive impact. Combine it with great security, and you should be just fine.
Don’t forget your existing clients. Your customers deserve to be informed about the necessary changes before and during the process. This is especially true if the move will disrupt business for a short time. Failure to communicate with them could harm those relationships.
Of course, every business migration will encounter unique challenges along the way too. Nevertheless, taking care of the above foundations should keep your progress on the right track. A bigger, brighter future awaits.
Note: This post contains affiliate links.
What Are The Best Ways To Invest Your Freelance Profits?
investing profits from a freelance business
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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
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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
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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
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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.
Three Tips for Becoming A Better Freelancer
As great as freelancing is, like any job, it also has its downsides. By its very nature, it can sometimes be rather lonely. As much as people complain about how difficult it is to go into to work and talk to their colleagues every day about the weather, freelancers don't have that opportunity. Whether you are a freelance writer or graphic designer or any number of other professions, you will likely be at your home office every day doing what work you have at the time. Your only chance to communicate with someone is likely to be in the form of emails with clients, people you will probably never meet.
Another difference between freelance work and more conventional forms of employment is that with freelance work, there's not a lot of job security. With a nine to five job, the employee will usually have a permanent contract and can therefore reasonably expect to be able to pay their bills for the foreseeable future. The fear of getting fired are there, but it's slight. Redundancy brings with it a severance package too.
Also, with freelance work, there is a constant need to find new clients. The whole process is one long job interview.
However, there are lots of upsides too. You are your own boss, and that can be good depending on how much you like taking orders from yourself (you have to be self-disciplined or else you will fail), and the commute is really easy too.
If you are finding you’re stuck in a cycle, here are a few tips for becoming a better freelancer:
how to become a better freelance writer
Get Out
It may seem obvious but the best way to improve how you do most things in life is to get out and talk to people who know more about it than you.
That may mean going to a conference. If you have never been to one before, you should know that you do usually get a name badge. Fun! You also get to meet a lot of confident, self-motivated, successful people and you can ask them all the questions you want. Here is some information on a few conferences that took place last year. It can give you some idea of where to get started.
becoming a better freelance writer
Get Organized
While you may have lots of different projects right now, you should always make sure that when it comes to the time to submit an invoice, all of your records are in order so you do not get any of it wrong. There's nothing worse than doing all the work only to find that you get paid the wrong amount. Setting up a filing system and organising all of your paperwork in a professional manner may not seem like a fun way to spend a morning (or an afternoon or an evening, for that matter), but it can really help when it comes time to getting what you deserve.
Revisit Old Clients
Old clients are a goldmine. Every six months or so, check in with them and ask if they need any new work done. You would be surprised at how many orders you'll get, just from checking in. Sending e-holiday cards are another way to remind clients that you exist and send more work your way.
Need more in-depth help with starting your freelancing career? Take my master course on how to become a well-paid freelance writer.
Note: This post contains affiliate links.
Take Your Blog From A Hobby To A Job
making a business from a blog
For a lot of people, blogging seemed to be the logical step. It was a way to get involved in something they love while maintaining their hopes of earning a little bit of extra cash from it, perhaps one day even earning a living. But how do you go about making money from your blog?
Well, luckily for you, there are a few options out there, some of which may be used on their own and some that may work together to maximise your revenue. Just remember that, whatever route you decide to go down, it should be compatible - and appropriate - with your intentions, and what your blog is about.
Go With Affiliate Advertisements
This remains one of the most popular routes for bloggers to go down because there are thousands and thousands of affiliate programs offered by every type of retailer imaginable. The reason for this is, there are millions of different products and services on sale and some of them may be suited to your blog, making you perfectly placed to act as an online seller.
Of course, the only way you actually make money from this is if someone comes to your website, clicks on the affiliate advertisement and then buys the product, upon which you will receive a pre-agreed fee. But given there is no hassle to you, it is an easy way to make money.
Make Some Merchandising
A lot of blogs these days need to have a recognisable logo or image that sells what they are about. It is that very thing that people will associate with your blog. It will instil a certain feeling or association. Well, your logo may lend itself perfectly to being printed onto merchandise. So why not start out with a few tester items, like mugs and t-shirts and bumper stickers, that kind of thing?
If they become popular, in which case why not apply for some short term business loans and capitalise on this revenue stream? Your blog could very quickly become an online store, somewhere that sells much more than just branded mugs. Somewhere that sells items people can’t find on the high street; it could sell anything from quirky art to homemade bits and bobs.
Start Selling Space
Selling advertising space on a blog has long been the standard bearer in reliable income, and a great way to earn a healthy profit. All it takes is the right conditions and proof that you have a healthy amount of visitors coming to your site, and you could see advertisers offer you a substantial amount of cash for a small banner at the top of your page.
Of course, the more reliable traffic you have coming to your blog the more money you will be able to command, so make sure your blog posts are popular. A great place to start is with Google AdSense, as this will start getting some money flowing in. Then you can move on to other networks like Izea that are looking for successful blogs like yours to produce content or share links for cash.
Need step-by-step help with starting your freelancing career? Take my master course on how to become a well-paid freelance writer.
Note: This post contains affiliate links.
The Seeds Of Success In Ecommerce
ecommerce
If you’re of an entrepreneurial spirit and you like the idea of working from your own home office, there are plenty of ways to do it. Ecommerce is fast becoming one of the most successful modern selling platforms. But it’s not as simple as selling products online. You need the right selling tactic to go along with the products.
Keep Constant Focus on the User
Convenience is priority number one when it comes to any ecommerce business. Your focus always has to be on creating a user experience that’s as painless as possible. Take your time thinking of features that will make that the case. In navigation, for instance, breadcrumbs can make the shopping cart process a lot easier to bear. People don’t like not knowing how many clicks they are away from getting what they want.
Work Closely with Social
Don’t hand your social media responsibilities to outsourced parties or your colleagues. If you’re the one looking at the data on the site and seeing where customer interest is, then you need to be the one with your finger on the social pulse. You can also be there to offer support and personally answer criticism, showing your community that you’re a business that genuinely cares about the customer experience. Putting people who can’t speak for the company out there is going to slow your ability to control any situation in social media. Plus, mistakes and mishandlings are much more likely to happen with someone else at the helm.
make money online
Have a Reliable Site
Convenience doesn’t much if the site isn’t working. Don’t rush the launch. If you don’t have a full grasp on what you’re building, then consider enlisting a Magento agency to create a site that’s easier to manage.
Make sure you’ve done plenty of testing before you launch, too. You should take a closer look at how responsive it is and what might be missing between different platforms.
Offer a Better Look at the Products
People like getting informed on what they’re buying. If you’re not able to offer the huge kind of range that sites like Amazon can, then you have to offer more in terms of depth and detail instead. For instance, creating a blog or even a vlog alongside the site to give product demonstrations can be a great idea. It shows not only how products work, but that you’re committed to testing and curating products that really have some quality to speak of.
how to sell stuff online
Keep Evolving
Ecommerce itself is an ever-evolving sector. You have to be ever-evolving as well. Not only should you look at site data to see which products are doing best and where most of your marketing budget should go, you should be looking at the trends of the business. New navigation styles and features appearing on other sites should give you ideas of how to overhaul your own.
Ecommerce has to be more than just a convenient place to buy products. It has to be an experience that keeps bringing customers back. Focus as much on the fun aspects of the business, such as content and social media, as the essentials like the site and navigation.
Four Essential Pieces Of Tech For Your Home Office
what you need for your home office
Working as a freelancer can be psychologically odd. When you have a nine to five job, you get up in the morning, get washed and dressed and commute to work. When you arrive at the office, you are subconsciously aware that you should now be working. Your brain will start perceiving things differently, concentrating and responding in different ways. If you're good at your job, this change will be advantageous and will allow you to prosper.
With freelancers, they get up, get washed and dressed (don’t let anyone tell you otherwise) and then go into the room where they work. They are still at home, the place where they relax, so getting into the mindset for work is sometimes more of a conscious process. This can be difficult sometimes. One way of dealing is separating your home into zones where you work and zones where you relax. Do not watch a movie in your office, for example, and do not do any work in the living room.
Another difference from people who go to work and have a boss is that freelancers have the most freedom when it comes to deciding what their work environment should be. No one is going to come by and tell them to take down whatever pictures they want to put up. It is their home after all.
One of the disadvantages of this, though, is that the freelancer has to procure all of their own office supplies. There is not a cupboard at the end of the hall that has everything that you could ever need. If you want it, you have to get it yourself. If you are thinking about working from home, here are four pieces of tech that you will need.
1. A Shredder
Just as freelancers don’t have abundant office supplies, they also do not have an entire legal team to help them out if they make a mistake. When working alone, you have to look out for yourself. To ensure your own financial and personal security, you should get a shredder. Check out papershredderpros.com. Shredders may not be that sexy but they could save you a lot of money in legal fees.
2. Office Chair
If you are going to be sitting at your desk all day, you need to pick out an office chair that is right for you. Your back only needs to be damaged once for it to be a problem for the rest of your life. The benefits of good furniture speak for themselves. I personally have a Serta Executive office chair because it is fully adjustable.
3. Hard Drive
Freelancers also do not have their own IT departments. It is, therefore, apropos to get a backup hard drive. There is nothing more frustrating than working all day only to have it all wiped out.
4. Video Conferencing Gear
The wonders of the internet never seem to cease. Near instantaneous video conferencing is now taken for granted in modern business. So as not to be left behind, check out https://www.logitech.com/en-gb/. You want to make sure that you can be seen and heard perfectly.
freelancing
Note: This post contains affiliate links.
How To Be A Freelancer (Without Losing Your Mind!)
A lot of people feel trapped by the everyday humdrum of nine to five work. They feel as though they have no freedom over what they do, their time no longer belongs to them, and that they're not really getting anything out of the work that they're doing. For people in this kind of position, there's one type of work that's more tempting than just about any other: freelancing. Working freelance often seems like the solution and, for the most part, it is! However, it's important to know that it's not all rainbows and butterflies. Freelance work is still working.
If you're sure that the freelance life is something that you want to pursue, here are a few tips for how to be a freelancer without going completely insane.
Give Yourself Set Hours
setting hours for your freelance business
One of the most tempting things about working freelance is that you get to be in charge of your own hours. This can be incredibly tempting because it brings to mind the idea of getting to lie in bed until noon and then start working whenever you feel like it.
This is certainly possible, but it's important to remember that you've got to make that time up somewhere, and it's usually at night. Unless you're happy becoming completely nocturnal, it's a good idea to set yourself reasonable hours and stick to them to avoid collapsing from exhaustion.
Have a Dedicated Workspace
freelance writer office
You might be tempted to spend every day working in bed while still wearing your PJs. DO NOT DO THIS! This is one of the most common mistakes that many freelancers make in the early days. By doing this, you're going to end up doing two things.
Firstly, you won't be able to separate your home life from your work life, which means that you're going to end up feeling a constant pressure to work. And secondly, you're going to end up hurting your spine pretty badly. Working bed or on the couch puts a lot of strain on your back.
It's a much better idea to find the best office chair that will offer you the maximum amount of both comfort and support. Plus, having a dedicated space to work at will help you avoid the dozens of distractions that are probably all over your home.
Always be Ready for Something New
new opportunities
One thing about freelancing is that you can't always be sure where you're next paycheck is coming from. It's a good idea to have a large selection of clients you can work for so that if one falls through you're not left totally in the lurch. Because of this, you're going to want to be ready for anything. One day you might be working within the lifestyle industry, the next you might have to know about the engines of large-scale naval ships. Do your best to stay in your niche, but be prepared to write about everything and anything!
Need step-by-step help with starting your freelancing career? Take my master course on how to become a well-paid freelance writer.
Note: This post contains affiliate links.
How to Make Some Extra Cash Away from the Office
Making a bit of extra money outside of work is easier than it ever by the rise of the technological advances. As technology has grown, the capabilities to work pretty much anywhere have grown too.For instance, there are a whole host of ways to make a bit of extra money via the internet. You can create your own online marketplace and sell everything you no longer need any our life; you can take on the world of the online stock market; you can begin a blog; or you could upload videos to Youtube and make a cool £11 million net worth from doing so like Youtube personality KSI. Okay, maybe it would be a bit hard to make that much, but you can always use the Internet legally to make a bit of extra cash on the side.
But why limit yourself to making just a bit of extra cash outside of work? You could take the venture of making your own money a step further by starting your own-home based business. There are whole host of ideas that you can turn into a reality, some of which can be found here:https://ponbee.com/home-business-ideas/.
If you have become sick of the long commute to work every morning, or are just sick of being an employee, then eradicate the problem. Running a business from home means you don’t even necessarily have to get out bed, and it certainly means you won’t be an employee of anybody any longer. And there are services and platforms out there designed specifically to enhance home-based businesses and make them seem more bona-fide than they actually are. Virtual office systems, such as that provided at yourvirtualofficelondon.co.uk, allows for the stigma of working under a residential address to not be one that your business has to worry about despite that fact that it does actually work under one. Your mail would be sent to an office that would be deemed as being far more professional, and then forwarded to you; thus meaning that both you and your client are happy.
Whatever type of work you do from home, however, it is imperative that you remain as healthy as possible — a task that is sometimes surprisingly hard to do. What with all the not-so-healthy food in the cupboards in your kitchen and the fact that working from home can sometimes drive to delve into them because of boredom, and because of the fact that you don’t have to do whole of moving about, remains healthy whilst working from home is one of the biggest challenges involved with the venture. You can counter it by stocking your cupboards with healthy alternatives that will provide you with just as much energy and stimulation as junk food does, trading your teas and coffee for green teas, and spending a few hours a day stood up instead of sitting down when working. In regards to the latter: one the bright side, at least you won’t be getting any funny looks for doing so, like you may do in the office!
Stand up at your desk
Whatever way you decide to make some extra money, or even forge a career, you should always make sure that you are dedicated enough to see the venture through, especially if you quit your job to do so.
When A House Move Becomes A Career Move
There are plenty of good reasons for moving . Your family may have outgrown your current accommodations. Maybe you want to be closer to relatives. Perhaps you have to move to a new city to start an exciting new job. Before you sign on the dotted line for your next property, have a think about the long term future. Are you perhaps ready to start pursuing your own freelance business opportunities?Even if you’re moving as part of a career advancement with an employer, you should consider where you hope to be in five years or even ten years time. Most people that start their own business have to start very small. They can’t afford to give up the day job for quite a while as they begin to build a reputation and client list. No matter how humble the beginnings, you can still make it, though. All you need is a space at home that is dedicated to your business.
becoming a freelance writer as a career
Moving house is the perfect opportunity to make sure you have that nook, room, or garage that can become the center of operations for your startup. It can be better value for money than renovating too. Freelancers, especially freelance writers, need somewhere quiet with minimal interruption. A space that promotes your creativity will have a window with natural light and air. There will be walls where you can hang motivational posters, calendars, noticeboards, and ideas. Search for properties that have that extra space for you.
Another benefit of a fresh-start property is that you can organize the furniture in a way that better suits this part of your life. Everything is packed up, and you have a fresh canvas of space to unpack it into. This can be quite freeing as it helps you keep clutter at bay. Choose safe movers that you can trust to take care of all your belongings responsibly. If you need some storage space for a while, your moving company should be able to assist.
You might be starting a job with an employer, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be just as excited about your home office. Having a dedicated space for you to launch your own business could be just the push you need to get going. Of course, you may already have left your working life behind, and you’re ready to go it alone. Would a house move better your chances at success?
No matter what kind of business you’re in, you will need to meet with clients, visit research centers or libraries for fact checking, and find suppliers. Rural living is great for some people, especially creatives. The trouble is that it makes it difficult and costly to get to the city to meet the people that support your business. As your business grows, you may not have access to the talent pool you need. Moving your home closer to the center of things can help you progress if you have a home business.
A change of house can herald the start of a new era for you and your family. It may also afford you the space you need to make your freelance business or working career bloom. Would you move to make it?
Note: This post contains affiliate links.
Quick Tips for a New Freelancing Business
how to increase sales
Hopefully, everything is going well and your freelance business is booming? Still, even if this is the case, you will still want to increase sales. It’s human nature to want more from your company. However, you don’t want to waste time and energy because they are precious resources. What you need are tips that are as quick to implement as they are effective. The good news is that you’ve come to the right place.
Mobile Market
Get an app and go mobile. The days of the desktop computer and laptop are over. In 2017, it’s all about mobile technology. As you know, smartphones are taking over when it comes to shopping. Customers just don’t have the time or patience to use another medium, so m-commerce apps are sweeping up all in their path.
One thing you should understand about m-commerce is that it isn’t a fad. Mobile shopping is growing and it’s here to stay. Thankfully, an app will rectify the problem if you aren’t mobile-friendly. With an application, your customers get quick and easy access to the company. In most cases, this results in a boost in sales.
Focus On One Service
A mistake that a lot of freelance businesses make is trying to offer too much. Although it might seem like a good idea, it often inhibits sales. The reason is there's too much choice for the consumer. Instead of focussing on a single service, they get caught up looking at dozens. In the end, they become exhausted and give up completely. So, stick with your one idea, and don't be in too big a rush to expand. Remember – you can’t please everyone all of the time.
how to make more money with your business
Market The Content For Consumers
Excellent pieces of copy are invaluable when it comes to sales. The customer needs a short and thorough description if they are going to pull the trigger.
Far too many sites use content that has first person pronouns. Instead of ‘you,’ it’s full of ‘I’ and ‘we.’ You're not aiming your content at the customer base. They don't want to hear about you, they want to hear about how your service will benefit them.
Instil Urgency
Customers like to take their time. You, on the other hand, want them to be decisive as it increases the chance of a sale. The longer they take to make a decision, the less likely they are to commit. With this in mind, you need to make them think that you need to impose a time limit. The limit doesn’t have to have any bearing, but they don’t know that. When you put up warnings like ‘hurry, sales ends today,’ customers have to act fast. Another one is, 'I only have time in my schedule for one more client.'
Why? It gives you perceived value and they can’t afford to let the opportunity slip. A subtle ultimatum like this works wonders.
Need step-by-step help with starting your freelancing career? Take my master course on how to become a well-paid freelance writer.
Maintaining Health While Working From Home
Staying healthy while working at home
When people start working for themselves, they rarely think of the impact that it might have on other aspects of their lives. Of course, working from home will always limit the amount of exercise that you get. And, this will also impact your diet. Maintaining health when your lifestyle involves spending so much time indoors can be a challenge. You have to work extra hard. To help you out, this post will go through some easy ways to get and stay healthy.
Fitting in Exercise
When you work at home, it’s easy to spend nearly all of your time in a chair. Of course, this is great if you don’t like exercise, but, it’s not good for your body.
Not only does lack of exercise do a number on your body, it also hurts your brain. Exercise increases the blood flow to the brain and increases hormone production, which can make you smarter and happier.
I noticed a big difference when I started working out. My foggy brain diminished and my creativity increased.
One of the best things to do is find exercises you can do from home. Things like skipping are great. There are also plenty of free workout videos online. I like the Fitness Marshall. He's hilarious and gives you a fun workout.
I like going to the to the gym most of the time, though. It gets me out of the house and interacting with real people. Getting out of the house is great for your creativity, so you're getting a double boost.
Getting Social
Humans are very social creatures. We require company from other people to make sure that we are happy. Your mental health will take a big hit if you don’t see anyone for a long time. So, even if you don't head to the gym, it’s worth taking the time to see friends once you start working from home. If you ignore this, it will be harder to reach out to people in the future. And, you might lose some of the social skills that you’ve gained throughout life. Being social is a big part of being healthy.
Eating Right
Your diet plays an even bigger part in your health than your exercise. Without the right food, your body won’t be able to perform at its peak. And, yes, more foggy brain. If it gets bad you may actually get ill if you deprive your body of the right nutrients. Companies like Healthy You have the resources to help you to eat healthily without having to do any work. You simply accept food deliveries and chow down; perfect for when work is at it’s hardest.
If you don't have the money for a food service, I like keeping a bottle of water and a can of mixed nuts on my desk. When I'm too busy to get up and eat a proper meal, I eat a serving of nuts. They give you a boost of protein and "good fats" that are great for your heart. Keeping meal replacement bars on your desk is also a great idea. I often skip meals and then go crazy at dinner. So having these on my desk ensures that I not only eat, but eat healthy. It's kind-of like having a healthy you vending machine handy.
Hopefully, this will give you the inspiration you need to get out there and get healthy. Working from home can make it easy to fall into bad shape. But, the earlier you start working against it, the faster you'll see results. Start today never look back.
Rookie Blogging Mistakes, And How To Fix Them
Professional blogging is a massive industry, and keeps on growing all the time. Whether it’s a burning desire to make money from your passion or the promise of being able to work from your bedroom, there are all manner of reasons why people decide to get into blogging. If you’re a newbie blogger, there’s a fair chance you’re making some common rookie mistakes. Don’t worry, help is at hand! Here are some of the most common mistakes, and how to fix them.
Using the Wrong Platform
how to make your blog better
A lot of newbie bloggers start on Google’s platform, Blogger. Since it’s fairly easy to use and absolutely free, this often seems like a no-brainer. While it’s certainly possible to create a successful blog using this basic platform, it can be a little stifling when it comes to making small but necessary tweaks to your content, UX design and so on.
I made this mistake and then switched over to WordPress. Ask anyone who’s been in the business for a few years, and they’ll tell you that WordPress is the platform to go with. This popular platform is good enough for a lot of Fortune 500 companies, so it’s safe to say it’s good enough for your fledgling blog! It gives you complete flexibility. Of course, different bloggers will work better with different platforms, so do your research before jumping in.
Not Having an Opt-In and Lead Magnet
One of the most embarrassing rookie mistakes you can make is going for months on end without making any effort to collect emails, or grow conversions through some other kind of opt-in model. There’s another rookie mistake closely tied in with this: not dangling anything in front of your visitors to incentivise them.
If you’ve taken the initiative to set up an opt-in form on your blog, then great! Now, put yourself in your target audience’s shoes, and ask yourself how compelling the proposition is. Don’t just have a form that’s headed by the title “join my newsletter!”. No one wants to have another newsletter cluttering their inbox!
Instead, focus on giving something of value to your readership in return, like a free eBook or exclusive news about something related to your blog. Doing this right will send your conversion rate through the roof!
Doing it Just for the Money
making money from a blog
I’m not saying that you should abandon your dreams of being a full-time blogger. I hope that everyone can get paid for something they enjoy eventually. However, with professional bloggers becoming more and more numerous, it’s important to make sure you’re not getting caught up in the gold rush and pursuing this project purely for the money you want to make.
Sure, you can make a full-time living from blogging, but if you’re doing it just for the money, it’s a sure-fire way to be disappointed. First of all, it usually takes months if not years of earning peanuts before you can afford to quit your day job. Secondly, if you’re forcing yourself to come up with fresh content just to get paid, the quality of what you’re publishing will inevitably begin to suffer.
Note: This post contains affiliate links.