Today at OneCoWork, Thalassa van Beek, led a captivating Roundtable Talk on how to Kickstart Your Freelance Business. Thalassa, a successful freelancer herself, had a great deal of insight to share with everyone that attended. Some of the main topics discussed at this Roundtable Talk included where to find clients, how to increase your personal brand and pricing strategies.
Ready to kickstart your freelance business? Here's your how-to-guide, based on Thalassa's expertise.
WHERE TO FIND CLIENTS?
Clients. The backbone to any freelancer. So, how do we get them? Well, it's as simple as just letting your personal network of friends and family know what you are doing. Tell everyone what it is you have to offer, even if it seems like they do not need your service. It is likely they may know someone that does. You can capitalize on this by finding activities around your niches, or the clients you are seeking. Rather than finding events where your competition will be, try to find events that potential clients may be attending. Face to face events are a great way to find loyal clients and create meaningful relationships. Even in our digital era, eye contact and a proper introduction are still highly valued!
HOW CAN I GROW MY PERSONAL BRAND?
Your personal brand is a powerful asset that can flip the script and make clients chase you. However, how do you go about this? It's called profile funneling and it is almost exactly what it sounds like. As a freelancer, you should aim to have all of your online content link back to a single page such as your Facebook page, LinkedIn, or any other platform you use. By doing so, you are creating an online funnel that will lead potential clients and general traffic to your business. With that, you must keep everything aligned and consistent. Pick the platform most relevant to your business and make sure it is focused, clear, and concise! One simple way to help funnel clients to your profile is by leaving links on everything you do. It can be very helpful to write guest blogs on your client's websites or to contribute to the articles of others. Just don’t forget to leave your link at the bottom!
WHAT IF YOU OFFER MORE THAN ONE SERVICE?
If you offer more than one service, Thalassa suggests to either pick one or keep the two services as separate as possible. Being a specialist or an expert holds much more value when clients are seeking a specific service. After all, who doesn’t want the very best?
WHAT ARE SOME PRICING STRATEGIES?
Pricing can be tricky especially when you are just beginning your freelance career. As you can imagine in a room full of freelancers, ideas on how to price were flying back and forth! Should you charge per project, or by the hour? Should you look to your competitors, your clients, or does it depend on the market?
To find the answer to these questions you should first take into consideration what type of business, or service you are offering. This can alter how you should price yourself. Generally, charging per project has shown more success. Charging per project gives you the ability to save time, while simultaneously giving your client the valued product they want and deserve. In a situation where you are not sure how long a project may take, it is suggested to charge by the hour.
Another strategy discussed, was the ability to adjust your prices based on the type of client. If a client's project holds greater value to your personal career, you may want to charge less.
Lastly, it is imperative to know how to value yourself. Being able to determine the value of your work, or what you have to offer is a crucial and instinctive tool. If you are struggling to determine this, ask someone in the same industry. Your competition can also be your ally.
Want to learn more? Check out Thalassa's Facebook, or visit www.freelancekickstarter.com
OneCoWork would like to thank everyone for attending an insightful and thought-provoking Roundtable Talk. If you are interested in next week's Roundtable Talk, please contact our Community Managers at [email protected] to reserve your spot.
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