Way Smarter Freelancing

Your Real-World, Hands-On, Field Guide

Way Smarter Freelancing is the first ebook from the editorial staff here at The Freelancery. (Me, mostly.)

It’s 178 pages of real-world help that will make you a lot savvier about freelancing, right away.

You get fresh, hands-on advice about the issues we all wrestle with: Money, pricing, finding work, finessing clients, getting paid. You get ideas, insights, and know-how you can use out there on the front lines every day.

The idea is to help you feel smarter and more confident about what you do all day — and have a good time doing it.

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You get some 50 articles from The Freelancery that form the core of what you need to know — whether you’re freelancing now, or just getting started. Virtually all the content is no longer on the site.

And it’s all in the unique spirit of The Freelancery; if you like the blog, you’ll like this. It’s not your typical ‘How to Freelance’ stuff.

It comes as a .pdf that’s readable on almost anything: laptop, tablet, or even smartphone (if you squint a bit). Read it on the beach or in bed. No wi-fi needed.

Anyway, Way Smarter Freelancing is available for $9.95. You can buy it below right now. Use Credit/Debit card, PayPal.

The good part is, on page 106, you’ll see an easy way recoup your investment on your very next assignment. As the piece explains, instead of charging a client, say $1100, bump it to $1125, which the client will perceive as a more rational price. You make back the $9.95, and then some. Fair, no?

$9.95 

Buy NowDelivered as .pdf

 

 

THE LIFE 

Your freelance tool box   7
Is freelancing risky?   9
Plan less, succeed sooner.  10
Your first day freelance   13
How much can you earn? Really.   14
The difference between freelancers and entrepreneurs   19
Brains? Or brass? No contest.   23
The MOO approach to freelancing   27
Andrea Mignolo: Will design for beer   30
Laura Silverman, Writer: Fashioning a freelance life   36


CLIENTS

The best clients to chase   43
Landing Big-Money Clients: Who they are, what they want.   46
What your client wants. Really.   55
What to do after they say “We’ll call you.”   58
How does it feel to work with you?    66
Slightly devious client handling  70

GETTING WORK

Ten True Fans   75
Seek, and get found.   77
No portfolio yet? Try this trick.   79
Attracting and seducing the choice client   81
How to answer the phone. And when.   83
Give away your best ideas. Win more work.   85
Playing hard to get   93
Where the money is: Making stuff they really like   98
Making what they like: Getting out of your own way   100

MONEY 

What your pricing says about you   105
Why we don’t charge a lot more   106
Pricing: Kill the zeros   106
How to talk money, painlessly   107
How to talk money: Terms   109
Shooting yourself in the wallet   110
Client asks: “Can you give me a ballpark on this?”   112
Client asks: Is this price negotiable?   115
Negotiating: Smaller numbers, bigger fees   115
Big client says: “I can get it much cheaper.”   118
To raise your game, raise your rates.   119
Should you post your fees? Publish your pricing? Hit yourself with a stick? 122
Proposals and bids: Put the price on page one. In bold.   126
When to say no: A budget mismatch   131
The scariest pricing idea ever. That works. 1  33


STAYING SANE 

They can’t do what you’re doing   140
There’s a game plan in that excuse   143
Beating Resistance. Getting Going.   146
When to fight back   151
Finding joy in skunk work   155
How to yank yourself out of a slump 1  61
The restorative power of jamming   167
Take the job? Or not?   172
The freelancer’s right to bail(tm)   173