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Freelance Misery: Getting Back On Your Feet After A Bad Year Post On: January 28, 2011


2010 was a better year in comparison to 2009 and 2008, but so many people have not fully recovered from the catastrophe of our once booming economy. As things have started picking up, the tips below will allow for a smooth transition to being relevant once again.

1) Assess The Situation

Before you resume anything at all take a step back and analyze where you're at in comparison to where you want to be, create a detailed game plan of how you plan to on reaching your desired scenario.


2) Get Familiar With Your Tools

As technology continues to rapidly advance, you'll notice the current tools of your specific trade slowly start to become obsolete. It's your responsibility as a Freelancer to stay current and up to date with all the tools needed to advance your career, especially if you are returning from a long hiatus.

3) Focus On Getting Something Quick

Upon return into your field your priority should be getting back to work as soon as possible, take anything in your respective niche that comes your way. You won't be comfortable with this initially but it's a good way to get back into the swing of things.

4) Resume Networking

Start your networking efforts as soon as you realize you are getting back in the game, mingling with professionals in you niche will only attract good things towards you i.e experience, potential gigs, and leads.

5) Set Your Goals

Set realistic goals as you start the journey to rejuvenate your career, everything you wish to accomplish within the year meticulously jot them down. Most importantly, do not forget to reward yourself when you cross off a goal from your list.
5 Tips For Setting Attainable Goals Post On: 1/3/2011


It's that time of the year when everyone is looking to reinvent themselves by setting goals and pledging resolutions, unfortunately by default human beings are predisposed to setting unachievable goals and resolutions. I'm by no means an expert in achieving goals, but try a few of the points below and you might just be checking a lot more of your list this time next year.


1) Be Specific

The first mistake people often make when setting a goal is making the goal too broad. Properly define your goal by making it specific to your needs. For example, setting a goal to make money is too broad; you have to include the specific amount and to make it realistic and even more attainable include a minimum amount you'll be comfortable with if the first figure isn't reachable.

2) Set Deadlines

A goal without a deadline will always remain a dream, you have to give yourself a time limit to achieve your individual goals or you will never get around to doing them.

3) Break Large Goals Into Smaller Steps

Large goals that seem overwhelming and daunting are always difficult to achieve. The best way to go about attempting to achieve a large goal is to break it down to realistic digestible steps, don't attempt to achieve the goal in it's entirety or you will quickly become discouraged.

4) Have Fun In The Process

When it comes to achieving goals some people often take it too seriously , although determination is a crucial part of achieving a goal it is always confused with over commitment. When you want to achieve a goal and you start to take it too seriously, it suddenly becomes a monkey on your back. Everything that relates to that goal you'll slowly start to detest, which usually leads to you to abandoning that goal. 

5) Reward Yourself

After successfully achieving a goal, you should get into the habit of rewarding yourself. Rewarding yourself serves as the further push you  need to achieve your goals, knowing there is something special waiting at the finish line is great way to motivate yourself.
Freelance 101: Where To Find Your First Job Post On: Dec 29, 2010


Freelance 101 is a series of blog post intended to educate first time freelancers as they attempt to earn a living online. If you have any topics you want to contribute or you'll like us to cover please send an email to admin[at]bagawriter.com.


Landing your first gig as a freelancer can be pretty challenging as you already have many things going against you, if you've been following the freelancer 101 segment you'll remember I suggested working for free in order to fill an empty portfolio. Having a filled portfolio signifies experience which you need to attempt getting jobs at the following locations.

Freelance Marketplace:

A freelance markeplace is like an eBay for the employment or recruiting world, and also like eBay the individuals with the best ratings and reasonable price will often get the job. The first job you successfully acquire on a freelance marketplace should be executed to perfection in order to start accumulating positive ratings. Make a habit of collecting positive ratings by always giving your best performance.

Online Classifieds:

Online classifieds have been getting a bad rap lately, the relative ease of use and access to email addresses have attracted spammers and other Internet scammers. Online classifieds can still be a viable source of leads if used cautiously, look out for jobs that are too good to be true and the ones that lack a clear project detail.

Staffing Agencies:

A Staffing Agencies is pretty useful for freelancers because they staff on a temporarily basis. Freelancers are not full time employees so taking advantage of the service a Staffing Agency has to offer will be a good idea. Submit your well put together resume and portfolio to a Staffing Agency of your choosing and go about your daily routine, eventually to your surprise you'll be called up for some temporary work.

Referrals:

Getting referred is a great way to get started, word of mouth can singlehandedly build a solid reputation and a small business. The key to successfully executing a word of mouth campaign is picking a niche and doing it extremely well at it.

Local Community: 

Getting jobs locally is a freelancers best kept secret, while other freelancer struggle to get jobs online; a quick thinking and innovative freelancer will look both online and the local community. Small businesses and communities in the local area where a freelancer resides can be lucrative market to tap into.
5 Habits Every Freelancer Should Leave Behind In 2010 Post On: December 28, 2010

As the new year rapidly approaches us, it seems everyone is focusing intently on things they want to start doing. Not many people take to account the things they should stop doing in order to better themselves or their careers. For Freelancers progression is crucial, and the sooner you cut ties with your bad habits; the sooner you'll start to progress.

1) Fear Of Change

"If it ain't broke don't fix it" is a saying you often here people say, timid people might I add. The purposes of fixing that which is not broken is to make it better, as a Freelancer you need to become adventurous and experimental. You should be willing to try different ways to advance your career and if all fails simply revert to the method that worked previously, but always be ready to try something new again.

2) Lack Of Focus

Many Freelancers work from home and although this might look like a blessing to many outsiders, it's actually a freelancers greatest peril. The shear distraction a Freelancer has to battle with on a daily basis is enough to drive one back into the general work force. Only discipline mixed with a bit of determination can keep you focused.

3) Lack Of Protection

You'll often find freelancers working without set rules and a well written contracts. Trust is a good thing, but you can't base the back bone of your business off instant messages and artificially constructed e-mails. All your clients should sign carefully constructed contracts that protect you, no matter how nice they seem.

4) Lack Of Structure

As I mentioned before working from home is a liability too many freelancers encounter, the illusion that you can mix home and work life together is costing Freelancers money. There must be structure if one decides to work from home, set a time from when work starts to when work ends, when you can venture out of your little home office, or when you can leave the house. Everything must be structured in a professional manner.

5) Over Working

Over working is an all too familiar characteristic of a Freelancer, with an eye on the prize and a mind focused on the big picture; Freelancers are notorious for over working themselves to a state of mental exhaustion. Over working is actually counter productive as it will eventually lead to break down thus setting a Freelancer back. It's important that Freelancers  take short vacations often to refresh and replenish the mind.
5 Freelance Tips For Productivity During The Holidays Post On: December 7, 2010

Tis the season to be jolly, but being joyful is difficult when you're unorganized and have a cash flow problem. The holidays are fun times filled with friends, family, and memories, it is easy to get lost in the excitement. The secret to truly having a happy holiday is balancing work and play, your ability to work will give you the means to buy gifts for loved ones and attend holiday parties; which in turn will make you happy. So how do you maintain work in season immersed in distractions?

1) Create A Holiday Schedule

Create a schedule different from your regular schedule, the holiday schedule should highlight the days you'll be at an event, and actual holidays. Your work schedule should align with your holiday schedule, compare both side by side and make sure events from both schedules don't clash.

2) Decrease Workload

During the holiday season it's a given that the average person will be attending more events than usual. With that knowledge, it will be wise to purposely decrease your work in order not to over work or embarrass yourself by handing in projects late.

3) Prioritize

We are at that time of the year where time seems to be sparse, the best solution to actually get things done is to tackle everything with an order of importance mentality. The important things should be done first and everything else should be in a decreasing order of importance all the way to the end of the list.

4) Delegate

It's important for you to focus on what you do best during highly distractive times. Focus on your writing, photography, web design, or whatever it is you do and appoint someone to sort out the other things. If you don't have an assistant you can hire a virtual assistant on a short term basis, you can also delegate to friends and family members if you choose to.

5) Have Fun

After all it is the holidays, with your decreased work schedule and prioritized life you should have time to enjoy yourself. Carefully mapping out a plan to handle the holiday distractions will allow you to appreciate the holiday season even more.
Honing Your Craft: 5 Tips For Getting Better At What You Do Post On: December 2, 2010

As the increasingly  popular saying goes, "It's all about progression". To have a truly sustainable brand in your niche, your growth should be a minor obsession of yours. Those that remain stagnant are vulnerable to loss of clients and mediocre results, below are five tips to get you started on the advancement of your preselected niche:

1) Believe It

If you can dream it, you can live it. Picture yourself basking in the position you see yourself in the future be it creatively or financially, the first step to actually achieving a goal is seeing the goal. Once you see and believe you can actually achieve your goal, you'll subconsciously put yourself in a position to secure the manifestation of your goal.

2) Keep Learning

To be truly great at a skill or craft, one must dedicate themselves as a student of that craft for the rest of their life. You have to develop an insatiable appetite for the skill you wish to constantly grow at, and be willing to accept the fact that the grave will be your final diploma.

3) Teach Others

I'm a better freelancer now than I was two years ago, I've seen a steady increase in not just my finances but also my relationships simply by teaching others and updating this very blog. This can also be the case for you, if you teach other freelancers in your niche certain things and push them in the right direction; it makes you a better freelancer.

4) Practice Daily

Are there such things as God given talents? Many freelancers have too much confidence in their abilities and deliberately ignore the need to polish their talents. Just like the pro-athletes that entertain us nightly practice daily, freelancers need to practice as well. To make things worse, technology interferes with our industry too often. When this occurs useful skill sets that a freelancer might have acquired will get lost in the shadow of the dying technology. Practicing and polishing your skills with regard for the current technology will ensure longevity, so ignore it at your own peril.

5) Open Up To Criticism

If you think you know it all and can do good all by yourself, you're highly mistaken.  Be prepared, you will eventually encounter someone who is not only better than you; but also has the guts to point out your shortcomings. Consider yourself lucky when you meet someone like that, listen to what they have to say rather than talking. Apply their lessons to the best of your ability. 
Freelance 101: Making Your Portfolio Shine Post On: November 29, 2010


Freelance 101 is a series of blog post intended to educate first time freelancers as they attempt to earn a living online. If you have any topics you want to contribute or you'll like us to cover please send an email to admin[at]bagawriter.com.

A freelancers portfolio can be the difference between networking or not working, a portfolio that's well put together and boasts an array of admirable work will always trump mediocrity regardless of experience or any other variable. So before you set out looking for work, get your portfolio affairs in order.

1) Work For Free

If you're just starting off the best way to furnish your portfolio is by working for free. Seek out clients in your niche and offer to complete their projects for free, remember these projects will serve as the launchpad to a remarkable portfolio so don't perform poorly due to the lack of compensation.

2) Update Your Portfolio

As you keep growing and getting more business, it's important that your portfolio grows with you. Frequently update your portfolio with newly completed projects, and take a biased approach in the selection process. Pick and choose specific projects to highlight in your portfolio, the ones you feel will truly capture the attention of your potential clients.

3) Infuse Your Portfolio With Your Personality

A bland portfolio yields bland returns, let your creativity do the talking. All freelancers are creative by nature that's one of the reasons you're  a freelancer, inject a bit of personality into your portfolio so your potential clients can get a peek of who you are.

4) Include References

Don't forget to include references in your portfolio, this is a step many freelancers overlook as many of us have seriously underestimated the power of a good referral. Use your preferred clients as references and encourage your potential clients to contact them.

5) Market Your Portfolio

Now that you have a solid portfolio, it's utterly useless if know one sees it. Use forums and social media to market your portfolio to prospective clients. Make full use of your profile details in your preferred freelance marketplace, upload your portfolio on there or add a link to it.

Having  a solid portfolio is only half the battle in the endless war of being a successful freelancer, there are many more distinctions that come into play; and we'll continue to shed light on them here on the Freelance 101 segment of our blog.
5 Secrets Successful Freelancers Won't Tell You Post On: November 26, 2010

There is a general success  blueprint almost all freelancers adhere to, although these conventional methods do lead to success; it's always very modest. So how can you escape mediocrity as a freelancer and not work yourself to an early grave in the process? The list below are examples of unconventional methods freelancers are practicing to become successful and remain successful without sacrificing their personal lives.

1) They Rarely Work From Home

Freelancers rarely work from home these days, despite the discipline  many of them possess the temptations at home are increasingly  becoming difficult to resist. Depending on the client, temporary offices can be provided for the duration of the project. More freelancers are now resorting to getting their own private little offices and are now making a habit of separating work life from home life.

2) They Have A Handful Of Client

Successful freelancers don't have scores of clients, they have a handful. They've mastered the skills to keep a small group of clients happy which in turn keep the clients loyal. The secret to their success in not the quantity of work they do and clients they have, it's the patronization of the same clients over and over again. Having a small client base will allow you to easily grasp the different preferences of your clients and your ability to  continually apply them appropriately is one of the ways to keep them coming back.

3) They Prefer Local Gigs

Local gigs or projects are what successful freelancers use to show off their personality and commitment to potential clients. They prefer this to telecommuting because it's a medium to truly provide exceptional service to their clients, which in turn keeps them loyal.


4) They Turn down a lot of work

For a very long period of time quantity has always been a business model for freelancers, the more work you do the more money you make. That method has slowly started becoming obsolete as freelancers have discovered a new formula. The more work you do doesn't necessary equate to the more money you make. Overworking yourself throws you off your game which affects the quality of your work, which further affects the quality of leads coming in. Quality is what keeps current customers loyal and puts you in view of other potential clients.

5) They Love To Party

Successful freelancers are always out, not just for their personal gratification but for the longterm success of their business. They know exactly how to plug their business at all the events they attend , their shear capacity to network at a rapid rate assures them the lack of clients is a problem that they'll never encounter.

What unique ways are you currently crushing it in your niche? As much as you wouldn't want to share this, remember that "grow and conquer" is no longer a viable technique in freelancing.
3 Hidden Fees You May Encounter At A Freelance MarketPlace Post On: November 24, 2010

Like me, many of you are probably fed up with unexpected fees that mysteriously pop up on a freelance marketplace. Listed below are the three main places a fee might be hiding; patiently waiting for you to activate it.


1) Depositing Money

Many freelance marketplaces have different methods of payment for the convenience of their clients/employers, but this so called convenience comes at a price. Several of these payment method require a fee when you deposit through them. To avoid fees like these use freelance marketplaces that have their own payment processor or paypal. A good way to tell if a site processes their own payment is by the visa and master-card logo at the footer of the site.

2) Withdrawing Money

Withdrawing money should be a basic and free feature all freelance marketplaces should possess. Fortunately most of them do, but the problem arises with the level of difficulty it takes to withdraw money. It seems like many freelance marketplaces are making it purposely difficult to withdraw money in order to force another unwelcomed fee. For example, charging a fee so freelancers can receive their withdrawal sooner is a behavior still practiced by some freelance marketplaces today.

3) Applying For Jobs/Project

Believe it or not there are marketplaces that will charge you a fee for access to their job boards, most of the time these fees are usually camouflaged in an elegantly packaged monthly subscription. If sites like these truly add no value to you or your career end your subscription and look for a free alternative.

HOW TO: Get Quality Leads From Facebook Post On: November 17, 2010


As we all know facebook can be a great way to generate genuine leads for your freelance business, but many freelancers are doing it the wrong way. Continually updating your personal facebook status about the service you provide is an example of the wrong way freelancers are going about it. The four tips below are proven methods in which you can truly leverage the power of facebook to get more leads to your business.

1) Facebook Ads

Facebook ads are relatively cheap, the ability to target specific niches is essentially what makes it useful. With facebook ads you'll also have the ability to pick your daily budget, this combined with capability of the facebook ad platform to use keywords to define your target usually delivers solid leads.

2) Join And Create Groups

The recent release of the new groups from facebook has small business owners buzzing, the new group system on facebook allows the creator of the group to add anyone without their permission into the group. Though there has been a bit of controversy about this method, if used properly i.e notifying  people before you add them; it can still be a very effective.

3) Create Pages

Facebook pages are the most popular form of facebook marketing, you can promote your pages on facebook or promote them on your website with the use of a widget. Unlike groups, you don't have the ability to add anyone. This improves the quality of your leads because the fans you have on your page are actually interested in your niche.

4) Search And Add 5 People Daily

This is a classic way of getting leads from facebook, simply search for keywords in your niche and send a request to the people that show up in the results. It's important to keep the number at five or below five in order not to violate any of facebooks terms and policies. Adding users can only be done from a personal page so be cautious with the information/statuses you put up if you plan to use your personal page to acquire leads.

  
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