To run your own freelance business, you can’t afford to be your own worst enemy. There are times when it gets tough having your work scrutinized, waiting for responses from clients, prospecting for new business, and putting your foot down. But these things come with the territory when you freelance, so to get on with business, you need to get over a few things first.
The beauty of what freelancers do is generally in the eye of the beholder. Clients are subjective…their unique styles, likes, and dislikes will play a role in determining whether or not they like your work. There’s no room for Prima Donnas in freelancing. Accept that not everyone will love all of your work all of the time.
You’re not perfect. I’m not perfect. No freelancer is. Don’t beat yourself up over mistakes – but own them and do what it takes to make them right. Most important, recognize if there are areas of business where you make mistakes repeatedly. You might need to take more time when tackling them or outsource tasks when possible.
Want to get quality clients? Network, network, network – online and in person! I know a fair share of freelancers who very much dislike mixing and mingling in social settings. Avoiding networking activities puts you at a disadvantage. Face-to-face networking can give you a major edge as prospects hear your voice, see your smile, feel your personality up close and personal. You’ll need to embrace social media, too. Used consistently, it builds professional relationships and goodwill because it makes it easy to show support of and interest in prospects and clients.
Freelancing requires a willingness to wait. It takes time to build a portfolio of work, a solid base of clients, and a reputation as the “go to” pro in your field. Sometimes it can take years before a contact turns into a client. Beyond that, the day-to-day stuff requires patience, too. You’ll encounter prospects who don’t respond to your proposals, clients who don’t get back to you with feedback on your work, and occasional payments that won’t arrive by the due date you posted on your invoices. Instant gratification is rare in freelancing – you need to develop a tolerance for waiting.
That said…while practicing patience in most things, stay politely vigilant about following up on client payments that are overdue. Freelancers aren’t high-volume service providers who can afford to let payments go 30 days…60 days…90 days past due. I’ve found missed payments are not intentional and almost always an oversight. Generally, I wait 7 days past the due date and then send an email to inquire (always in a non-accusatory tone).
Traveling the freelancing career path requires the guts and gumption to put preconceived habits and inclinations aside. You won’t always find it comfortable to change your thoughts and practices. But after you start reaping the rewards from altering elements of your M.O., you’ll find it easier to get past the other things that might be holding your freelance business down.
What have you needed to get over to go forward in your freelance biz? What methods and ways of thinking have you found most difficult to set aside?
By Dawn Mentzer
I view my role as more than an independent contractor for hire — I become a part of your team. You’ll find that I dig into the details to understand what’s important to you — and your customers. I embrace collaboration, communicate openly, and craft content to help you achieve your marketing and business goals. Read More...
Great list! I still struggle with some of these, especially following up for payment and networking. I used to be a perfectionist too but I’m over it after having better visibility into my finances – I can’t afford to spend so much time on projects!
And I found this article to help me out with networking and am looking forward to get over that too:
http://www.inc.com/kimberly-weisul/how-to-work-a-room-the-only-strategy-you-need.html
Hi David! Thanks for your comment. I think we’re all working on one or more of those things to some degree all the time. I saw that article for the first time last week and thought it was brilliant, too. So simple, and so easy to do!
Hi Dawn~As you know, I had to get over my fear of networking. Yet, I do believe it’s important to find a networking group that fits your needs and personality.
You do a wonderful job of suppressing your fear of networking, Wendy! Unless you’ve told someone those environments make you uncomfortable, no one could guess that you’re out of your element. You really know how to put your best foot forward and engage people!
Great point about finding a group that’s a good fit. That can definitely help make it more enjoyable and fruitful.
You’re so kind. Thanks for the kudos!