hanmireddy: 25 Ways To Become An Effective Freelancer; freelance writing web sites

25 Ways To Become An Effective Freelancer

“Producing the intended or expected result”

“A person who sells services to employers without a long-term commitment to any of them”

So an effective freelancer would be “A person who sells services to employers without a long-term commitment to any of them producing the intended or expected results.”

Of course, there are no long term commitments as you are not obligated to work for anybody for any amount of time unless you choose to. One reason you chose to go the ‘for hire‘ route is to become your own boss (among other reasons). But although there are no long term commitments, establishing a long term relationship should be close to the top of the list of priorities.

An effective freelancer not only produces intended or expected results but goes beyond that to provide clients with exceptional service. Here we’ll highlight some of the things that can help you become an effective freelancer:

Try to look at the service or product you offer through the client’s eyes - why hire you or order from you?
Be reliable and build credibility
Always meet, and if possible, beat deadlines
Do not over-promise or set unrealistic goals or expectations
When you have problems with a project, use it to your advantage and come up with a solution
Give undivided attention to each and every client, make them feel unique and special
Build a more personal relationship with the client (not too personal though)
Don’t leave your client in the dark - it takes a minute to send an e-mail
Ask questions to be able to better understand the project and meet expectations
Get feedback from your clients so you can better your services and products
Have an easy to navigate and simple website to offer your services so it’s easy even for the non-technically inclined to get to you
Acknowledge your clients and show recognition
Be quick replying to emails and show utmost respect
If you have a meeting with a client, be it on the phone, on IM or in person, arrive early. Early is on time, on time is late.
If possible gather as much information about your client as possible so it shows you are well prepared
Be a problem solver - No need to focus on problems, focus on finding solutions
Offer different packages and deals (example: 3 packages, bronze, silver and gold)
Let your work speak for you - Have you won a design award? Got your site featured on high profile sites? Got interviewed?
Give your customers what every human being wants : friendship, respect, recognition, concern, reliability and always keep your promises
Give your freelance business a personality so clients will see you and/or your company as being unique and friendly
It doesn’t matter how much your service or product is worth to you, make it worth for the client
Remember to send short emails to your previous clients every once in a while so as to stay in touch
When the client asks for little things that needs to be done, get them done. Keep in mind it’s the little things that matters the most
Don’t get intimidated if you get a high profile client, this person/company is offering you a job because he thinks you are worth his time and money - That’s a very good sign!
The most important thing we need to realize is that every client can become our biggest referral, without setting up an affiliate system. If we follow the tips above, chances are our clients will refer us to others. There is no better way to boost our freelancing business other than converting clients into evangelists.
Bonus Tip: One of the secrets of becoming an effective freelancer is to suggest and exchange ideas with other freelancers and like-minded people.

If you found this post helpful please take a moment to share your own tips and tricks and share your thoughts on how we can become an effective freelancer. How can we get repeat business from a client? How can we personalize our services according to the client’s needs? Anything you can think of that can help us become an effective freelancer, share with us. The comments section is yours now.
=============================================