The alternative to being a member of a company has been gaining weight and relevance little by little. It offers advantages that office work cannot match. Being successful as a freelancer depends a lot on how well we manage these advantages, and every freelancer appreciates a helping hand in this.
At Befree we are specialists in helping and advising freelance professionals. That’s why we want to write down in a post on our blog the best advice we can give you. Here is a summary of the virtues to have and the maxims to follow for being successful as a freelancer.
1- Differentiate yourself from the rest
We opened this blog post by saying that every day more and more people are turning to self-employment. This means that competition is increasing. Being successful as a freelancer requires taking it for granted that this is the case, and that over time it will become even more common.
Thus, it’s absolutely essential to stand out from the crowd. Don’t just be one more, be special and different. Get attention by highlighting what differentiates you from the rest, because what is special is always more attractive. For instance, if you are fluent in a language other than the typical English and French, emphasize it and turn it into an opportunity your clients can’t pass up. Or make it clear that you are available to work unusual hours, such as Sunday afternoons.
2- Pay attention to communication
Throughout your life you will have had to go to a thousand and one different establishments. In all of them you expected a similar treatment: a correct and careful one. The times you have received it, you have left satisfied. However, when professionalism was conspicuous by its absence, you immediately decided not to go back there unless it was strictly necessary.
To succeed as a freelancer you need to keep those moments in your head. When someone contacts you to hire you, the good deal is up to you. Of course, the other party also needs to show themselves properly, but this is you we’re talking about. Be careful and respectful, make a good impression and make them want to keep talking to you.
On the other hand, it’s also advisable to master the terminology and concepts used in your field of work. Anglicisms and foreign words such as CEO, networking or freelance itself are the order of the day, so being successful as a freelancer will also depend on mastering them and knowing how to use them at the right time.
3- Give your work the value it deserves
What will be one of the most complicated parts of your freelance career at the beginning will remain so in the future. You are the one who decides how much to charge for your work, so don’t fall short. At the same time, it’s also not advisable to follow the lessons of the movies where negotiations start with absurd amounts of money.
Look for the middle ground. Ask other freelance colleagues how much they earn or how they calculate the amounts they ask for. You need to get used to staying between minimum and maximum margins so that you don’t undervalue or overestimate your work.
A price that is too high will make your clients opt for cheaper options. And a price that is too low will detract from the credibility of your work. However, no one knows the effort and time required for your work better than you do, so you should always have the last word.
4- Get used to ‘no’
We keep referring to the boom of freelancers that has arrived in the world of work. The more people, the less chance. Sooner or later the day will come when a client ends up rejecting us after having opted for another freelancer. It’s all right, it’s part of the way. You have to accept it and move on.
Not all the factors about being successful as a freelancer depend on yourself. Someone with more knowledge or experience may come along and choose the position you want, or the client may simply choose another profile because they prefer it for personal reasons. You should not take it personally, but as an obstacle to overcome.
Persevering and not giving up is the key. No one said self-employment would be easy. Everything in life has its downsides and its negatives. Rejection will always be part of progress, the key is to keep insisting and do an excellent job, at some point the effort and time invested will pay off.
5- Your free time still exists
One of the biggest losses of freelancing is the relationship and camaraderie with your office mates. Working as a freelancer means spending a lot of time at home in front of your computer without those little moments of chatting and disconnecting with the computer buddy next door.
Therefore, it’s strictly necessary that you do not neglect your social life. Humans are social beings, redundant as it may seem. Our mind is mainly nourished by conversations and moments with our loved ones, and it is common knowledge that money -although it does make it easier- does not guarantee happiness.
Being successful as a freelancer does not only depend on your success at work. It also requires knowing how to maintain your network of friends and contacts while freelancing. If we had to choose one piece of advice in particular, Befree would emphasize this.
