Why
Freelancers Struggle with Success Sometimes, we find ourselves in an unsuccessful rut. Instead
of looking for alternatives, we continue along as we always have been. We hope
that a different, more successful outcome will magically cross out path. Albert
Einstein defined insanity as doing the same thing over and over again,
expecting different results.One of the greatest advantages of freelancing is
the freedom we have – freedom to choose where, when and who we work for; the
freedom to say yes or no to a project; and the freedom to abandon a strategy
that isn’t producing results.
Take Mr. Einstein’s advice to heart.
If your current strategy isn’t working, try a different one. Here are four
dichotomies to consider.
Dichotomy
#1: Being Super Selective of Your Clients or Accepting Any Job that Comes Your
Way Freedom is definitely a hallmark of freelancing.
Unfortunately, so is uncertainty. As a freelancer, you should expect a fair
amount of downtime – at least in the beginning. Constantly staring into the
unknown is hard to deal with. You probably feel like you should be busy all the
time.This urge leads to a difficult decision. Should you be selective of the
jobs you accept, only working for the best clients? Or, should you accept any
job that comes your way?
Being
Selective
Some freelancers feel it is best to
be selective about who they work for. They only accept the best clients with
the best projects and the best budgets. These freelancers focus on long-term
success, not short-term survival.
Every freelance job comes with an
opportunity cost – what do you miss out on by accepting this client? If there
is a chance of missing a great client while working for a sub-par client, a
selective freelancer will pass.
If you go this route, you’ll have to
break a very difficult habit – saying yes to everything that comes your way.
However, you’ll eventually learn how to separate the good jobs from the bad –
the ones that will or won’t advance your career. You’ll also learn to use your
down time more efficiently. Instead of spending that time stressing about why
you don’t have any clients to work for, you can go out and knock on doors – try
to find the big clients you long to have.
This strategy will set you up for
long-term success with valuable clients. You might, however, have lengthy
periods between paying jobs. If you give this method a shot and it doesn’t work
out, try the alternative.
SayingYes
This strategy will no doubt bring
you an endless supply of paying clients. You may not be earning much money, but
you’ll be earning something. And the more contacts you make, the bigger your
portfolio will be and the more potential clients you’ll meet. You’ll probably
always have one or two projects in the works. However, you’ll probably find
yourself, on occasion, doing a lot of work for very little pay. You also run the risk of missing out
on really great clients because you are too overwhelmed with trivial,
meaningless tasks. You’ll miss the big fish while reeling in the little fish.
#2:
Playing By-the-Book or Playing it Cool
Freelancers tend to have a very
personal, face-to-face relationship with their clients. This is due primarily
to the fact that the freelancer is the only point of contact. This will make
you feel more like a friend and less like an employee. This unique relationship
will force you to proceed in one of two ways: enforce all the rules or provide
some favors.
Enforcing
the Rules
Handing out unbilled favors – no
matter how inexpensive or trivial – could set a bad precedent. Most
importantly, these freebies will belittle the fact you claim your time is
valuable.
Freelancers tend to shy away from
this strategy because the invoicing is more hassle than it’s worth – the time
it takes to draw up the invoice is more than the amount you bill the client.
However, proponents of this strategy think it’s worth the effort.
If you choose to go this route,
consider addressing the terms for add-on and ongoing work in your initial
contract. Then, you don’t need to have uncomfortable conversations about fees
every time the issue arises.
If you don’t feel comfortable being
the stickler for rules, considering bending them a bit.
Provide
Some Favors
Some freelancers think it is
valuable – in the long run – to dole out the occasional favor to the client.
Building a long-lasting relationship is more valuable than strict adherence to
the contract.
Think long and hard before going
this route though. The very first time you do a task for free, you have set a
precedent. From that point on, the client will forever be able to say, “But
last time you did it for free.”
#3:
Being a Specialist or a Jack-of-All-Trades
As a freelancer, you will constantly
be asked to complete additional projects for a client. Often times, these tasks
are not within your core competencies.
Turning down a client who asks for
work outside your field of expertise is dangerous. First, you are saying no to
an extra paycheck. Second, you are encouraging the client to do business with
the competition.
However, some freelancers suggest
you do just that. Why?
Knowing
Your Strengths
The client may not see a difference
between logo design and print design or web development and web design. You,
however, know these tasks are vastly different. And each similar, yet unique,
task requires an entirely different skill set. Proponents of this method think
trying to be adept at too many things will reduce your effectiveness. You’ll
spend too much time trying to master the learning curve. Plus, you are in
danger of producing sub-par work and letting down the client.
Most people who only work in their specialty
choose to pass on work that does not fall within their primary sphere of
competence. If you find this limited skill set serves up more closed doors than
open ones, try the Jack-of-all-Trades strategy.
Doing
it All Often times, a client will ask for additional help – maybe
putting together a logo or designing a landing page. In these instances, it is
nice to have additional skills to offer. This is especially true if you are
going through a rough patch financially; completing additional tasks will bring
in additional money.
Therefore, some freelancers find it
beneficial to venture outside their scope of knowledge. If you choose to go this
route, look for prime learning opportunities. For example, you could sign up
for some courses at Learnable.
At the very least, subscribe to the most popular blogs on the topic of each
skill set you hope to master.
#4:
Actively Looking for Work or Relying on Referrals
All freelancers – regardless of
specialty – have a difficult time finding ideal clients. And all freelancers
ask the same question: what is the best way to get the good paying clients who
are a pleasure to work with?
Being
Proactive
Once you’re established, referrals
can be enough for you to keep you afloat. In the beginning, though, you’ll need
to do the heavy lifting and go in search of clients.
For the most part, you are just
going to have to get out there and hunt. Hit every freelance job board you can
find. You don’t need to focus on development job boards only. It sometimes
helps to think outside the box. For example, I was on a job board that
specialized in connecting overseas freelancers with clients. As it turns out, I
was able to land a gig with an internationally known client who wanted to open
a hair restoration clinic in Tampa, Florida. By helping this client start from
scratch in a new, international venue, I was able to take my freelancing career
to the next level.
Establishing
a Network
Online job boards can definitely
produce desirable results. But often times, freelancers rely more on networking
and referrals than anything else. They find more success with a personal
approach.
Proponents of this strategy spend
more time shaking hands than anything else. They boast about the amazing
opportunities they’ve unearthed simply by walking into a business and saying
hi.Many business owners prefer face to face interactions – and a freelancer who
is proficient at networking will really excel here. It won’t take long for you
to find someone interested in working with you.
These freelancers also rely heavily
on referrals. They spend the bulk of their career forming valuable
relationships with clients – by implementing many of the less aggressive
methods listed above – and reap the rewards in terms of recommendations.This
approach is much more personal. Only go this route if you are comfortable with
rejection. Also, it tends to take longer to find paying clients and get the
money rolling in.
Going
Forward
By definition, a dichotomy is
splitting the whole into exactly two non-overlapping parts. It is mutually
exclusive, meaning nothing can belong simultaneously to both parts. Don’t try
to implement both sides of the dichotomy at the same time. Pick one and give it
a whirl. Then, give the strategy time to develop before jumping ship and trying
the alternative.
Freelancing is a unique and
rewarding career path. There are opportunities for great earning potential and
substantial personal growth. However, these perks of employment won’t come
easy. Keep trying new things until you find the strategy that works for you.
This Article is credited to Jarrod
Wright of SITEPOINT
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