This is a spooky phenomenon that I cannot explain. Don’t ask me what’s behind it, or how it works. But you can apparently invoke this to your advantage, almost at will. Let’s say your workload starts to slow down. Or you want to expand your stable of true fans. Or maybe you’re just itching for […]
Plan less, succeed sooner
There must be at least 3,298 articles around the web on “How to Launch Your Freelance Career” or “How to Start a Freelance Design/Copywriting/Photography Business.” Have you seen them? The advice is remarkably consistent and utterly sensible. Have six months of living expenses in the bank. Assess your skills and strengths. Survey the competition. Identify […]
The best clients to chase
If you’re going to actively look for clients (as opposed to lie in wait for them), who should you be pursuing? What kinds of clients are worth hunting? 1. Rich ones This may sound blindingly obvious, but it only pays to chase clients with money. And by money, I mean spendable cash that is in the checking account right […]
To raise your game, raise your rates
The conventional thinking goes like this: “Once I get more experience with ‘x’ and build up the portfolio, I’ll be able to charge more.” “As soon as a get a better feel for what clients like, I can get higher fees.” “When I sharpen my design philosophy a little, I can bump up my prices.” […]
How to finesse 156% more referrals
Yes, we want referrals. We want a plethora of referrals. A veritableparade of referrals. We want our phones to ring, two or three times a week, with calls like this: “Hi, I’m Ruth Martin. I got your name from Ted Baker who says you’re something of a genius with copy. We are revamping our website and I was […]
The freelancer’s right to bail (TM)
This will spare you untold agony. And it can shape your career for the better. Let me explain. We freelancers must occasionally endure a lot of crap that never besets our properly-employed bretheren. Such as the client who doesn’t send the damn check. Clients who can’t make up their minds. Clients who themselves can’t design […]
Laura Silverman, Writer: Fashioning a freelance life
When you’re sitting there in a cubicle, daydreaming about breaking out on your own, the wish list usually goes something like this: Chuck the job and flee all the noise and nonsense. Maybe to a serene place in ski country. Check. Work for big-name clients who want you. And on relatively classy projects. Yes. Take […]
Playing hard to get
I’m beginning to suspect that it’s smart, at least sometimes, to turn down and beg off assignments from time to time (even if you really want them.) It seems to be, paradoxically, good for business. And no, this is not about hauteur. This is not about being a diva or a prima donna. It’s about […]
Freelancers vs. entrepreneurs: II
Is entrepreneurship somehow a more worthy calling than freelancing? Many people think so. I disagree. True, in some circles, the ‘entrepreneur’ earns more status points. The enterpreneur is the capitalist hero. He is Andrew Carnegie, Michael Dell, and the guys who invented Google. The kids who sold YouTube for a few billion. The freelancer, in that view, is […]
Cash Cows: Care and feeding
As a rule, it is more profitable to have a handful of big and busy clients rather than dozens of smaller ones. You can be more productive and efficient doing repeat business with familiar clients. There is no learning curve and less administrative and marketing overhead. The more of these big clients in your portfolio, […]