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5 tips for fantastic and worthwhile freelancing
By Alex on July 22nd 2008 - 0 comments
I would like to thank Alex and Justin (the Freelance Twins) for letting me guest post on this great blog. I'm Muhammad Siyab and I blog over at PuttingBlogsFirst.
So, you're a freelancer, eh? Or are you planning to start your freelancing career? Here are five tips to help you along the way:
Never Under Estimate Your Client
This is all too common. You get a client who's not 'technology-aware' at all. We all deal with such clients in our lives. They tell you to build them a website which 'does this' and 'does that' and 'has this' and 'has that'.
Now, how do you go about dealing with such clients? Now, the first thing that would probably come to your mind would be to just simply show off your sub-standard Photoshop skills; draw up a design, add code to it, and voila! There's a website ready for your client. DON'T do it. Not only will this damage your reputation, you'll also have lost a potential returning client, and word-of-mouth marketing. Clients are not stupid people. Ok some are ;), but not every client is stupid. They know their shortcomings (that's why they hired you!), and will not let their money go to waste. Somehow or the other, they will make sure they get their money's worth. So, don't attempt to fool them.
What you should do is to tell your client about what websites are. Explain to them the mechanics, in as simple terms as possible. Don't go overboard with the information. Explain only the relevant items.
Be patient; your client might not understand what you're saying the first time. Let them browse the internet, and get a hold of what websites are. Doing this will not only let the client suggest improvements to their website (now that they know what they are), but it will also establish respect and trust in you, all a freelancer works for(and money too).
Sit down with your client, and ask them about their business. That's what they're an expert at, and you're NOT. Ask them what they want you to include in the website and what to exclude. Also, suggest improvements to the website along the way, the client will probably take your advice, as you're the expert at what you do.
Also, alert them about what can be done and what cannot. Expect that the client will ask you to do almost impossible things, and make them understand what is possible and what is not. They will understand.
Note that this is not limited to only website creation. Your client could be 'programming-unaware' and ask you to build him a database. And so on. You just have to keep in mind that it's about the client, not YOU. Why are you being paid? ;)
Never Under Estimate Yourself
Following on from the point above, sometimes a client will ask you to do stuff that seems impossible. Instead of rejecting outright and limiting your abilities, think about it. Think about ways you could tackle that impossible suggestion, and ways to solve it. Go out of your way to learn new techniques and languages. Not only will this provide a challenge and help you improve as an expert, but it will also send a message across that you're a professional who means business. 'Impossible' is not a word you know. :D
Also, try to tackle a problem in a way other than the conventional, accepted one. Maybe you can find a more cost and time-effective solution? Don't always trust prevailing wisdom. It can be wrong sometimes. But there are time when you should not dare stepping out of the conventional techniques, especially with usability and validation issues. Such issues have been debated for and against for a long time and standards have been established. You'll be better off with following those guidelines. Be careful in this territory.
Be Reasonable: With Your Client and With Your Self
Everyone knows this. Deliver on time. Don't charge too much. Don't charge too little ;) But, you should also be reasonable with your self. Don't thomp too much work on yourself. Don't work 100 hour weeks to complete client projects. You'll drop dead before you finish, trust me ;).
Anyways, create a flexible timetable for your self. Include regular breaks for some outdoor time, family... just get off the project for a while. Freshen up your self. Recharge your batteries. And then, fresh and fully recharged, hit the work again. But, in your effort to make your timetable flexible and relaxed, don't slacken, or procrastinate. Your client is depending on you; don't break their trust!
Don't Do it For The Money; Do It For the Fun
Freelancing, like any other job, must be something you must enjoy. There's no point in freelancing, if you could vomit on hearing the damn word ;).
Also, don't get greedy. Don't accept to do a job you don't know anything about, but the money is great. Getting paid lower for something you're an expert at is a 100 times better than getting paid higher for something you suck at. Not only that, you're bound to mess up a project (obviously) if you don't know what to do. This will result in a disappointed and cursing client, who'll recommend NOT to use your services!
On the other hand, you're obviously going to excel at doing something you know a lot about. The client will go back with a smile on their face, and will certainly recommend your services. What's better than that! But, if you find an high paid offer to do something which you really do know about, jump at it!
Don't Wait For Them to Come To You; GO To Them!
Nothing will happen if you just sit around, waiting for the astray client to head your way. You have to go to them instead. Advertise your self. Spend some money on advertising. Set up a blog/website of your own and establish your portfolio. For help on starting up your own blog, check out the blogging manual I specially created for beginner bloggers.
Also, register at freelancing sites like RentACoder. Check out job boards found on many websites. Bookmark FreelanceSwitch.
Spread the word and ask your clients to spread the word. You could also try creating an affiliate program, paying affiliates commissions for each client referred by them.
Bonus Tip: KNOW What You're Doing!
This is a bonus tip I thought of when almost finishing this guest post. A very obvious one, at that. Don't step into something you don't know anything about. If you've started learning HTML, don't freelance until you're very fluent in HTML. Take the time and make the effort to perfect (or make very good) yourself in a particular area before you start to freelance. Jumping right in without the proper credentials will only do bad to your reputation and career, and nothing good for it. Also, if you know something about a particular topic, go ahead and perfect your self in it. Trust me, it'll only do good to your skills and reputation.
You have the floor now. Do you freelance? What tips would YOU give to freelancers?
Hi! I'm Muhammad Siyab, and I blog at www.PuttingBlogsFirst.com (Laser Targeted Advice for Kickass Blogging). If you're new to blogging, check out the starter's guide to blogging too!
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