Freelancers say we want to grow our business, earn more income, and get better clients. And yet, most of the time, we ourselves keep our freelancing business small. Don’t believe me? Read on. Here are the different ways we sabotage our freelance businesses, or keep it from growing.
Category Archives: Management
Who Says Freelancers Can’t Have a Regular Income?
As a freelancer, you’re probably resigned to the fact that your income is unstable. Your freelancing projects — and income — ebb and flow, depending on your marketing efforts, business seasons, or just plain luck. But did you know you can have a regular, predictable income? Yes, even if you’re a freelancer. The way to…
Keeping My Files Secure
Many, many months ago, I wrote about how important it is for freelancers to keep our data safe… and that after much research, I decided to use Jungle Disk for automatic file backups and archiving. Fast forward to today. I have since added another main computer and my Jungle Disk storage costs have gone sky…
When A Prospect Can’t Afford You (Or So You Think)
Have you ever prepared a proposal for a prospect and, in your heart, you know he or she can’t afford your services? What do you do then? Do you put your proposal together haphazardly, knowing it won’t lead to a paying project anyway? Or do you jump at the first opportunity to give the prospect…
Forget New Year’s Resolutions! Make This Instead
As you may have deduced from my un-resolution post at Freelance Folder and this blog post title, I’m not big on New Year’s resolutions. They’re so… common, and I would hate to be like everybody else (maybe that’s one of the reasons I’m a freelancer?). Now if making resolutions works for you — if they…
Poll: Are You Feeling The Pressure?
Now that we’re at the homestretch of 2011, I’ve been feeling a lot of pressure. Emails, blog posts and even entire products are being created to help us “end the year big,” “sprint towards the finish line,” and “make it the best year ever.” I usually just ignore all this, but lately I couldn’t help…
Clients And Deadlines
I’ve just had a hectic morning. One where I didn’t even have time to change out of my pajamas. And it’s all thanks to a couple of clients who suddenly needed things done. Right. Now. I don’t usually have a problem with deadlines. And because I like to over-deliver, I always try to accommodate clients…
Home Office vs “Real” Office for Freelancers
One of the benefits of freelancing is, you get to work at home. Or in a coffee shop. Or in a boat. Virtually anywhere, as long as you have a computer and Internet connection, right? For some, an Internet connection may not even be necessary. But some freelancers choose to work in a real office….
Poll: How Do You Communicate with Clients?
We live in an age where communication is fast, easy and inexpensive. I remember the good old days when we shared our telephone line with a “party line.” These people were total strangers, but if you weren’t careful, they could listen in on your calls! And if you hogged the line, you’d have enemies. Talking…
Doing What It Takes To Succeed At Freelancing
Have you ever been in a situation where you know exactly what you need to do to achieve your freelancing goals — and yet you don’t do it? In many ways, while I’ve done crazy scary stuff as a freelancer, I’ve also avoided the Even Scarier Stuff. Probably the very things that will take my…