Many freelancers have a big opportunity for increasing the clients they sign on by optimizing their deal closing process. Today we’ll share a few tips to help you with that. Closing More Deals Often times, you’ll encounter two types of potential clients. There’s one who knows exactly what they need, and you’ll be able to…
“I’m not enjoying freelancing. It was supposed to be this amazing blend of great money and freedom, but I find myself stressed, bored, or overworked. I’m either chasing down invoices, hustling after new work, or discouraged at yet another wordpress install.” – most freelancers at some point There are many highs of freelancing: big paychecks,…
I’ve had a few people over the last few months ask me about my thoughts around subcontracting for agencies or consultancies (what I’ll call “firms” throughout the rest of this post.) A lot of us freelancers, especially those who haven’t systemized getting new clients, often see working through firms as a lifeline. These firms have…
I hate, hate, hate wasting time. And at the top of my kill list of things that waste my time are meetings. I’m not against the act of meeting — there are plenty of times where meetings are the best way to communicate (like, collaborating over wireframes or brainstorming a new feature.) What really bothers…
I’d like to tell you about a project that I regret to this day. This project cost me tens of thousands of dollars, hurt my reputation, and even made me want to throw in the towel and give up on consulting. Deep breath. OK, so back when I was running my consultancy — I think…
Have you ever had a client who said or thought something that seemed so asinine, so completely out of left field that you were left questioning how the hell they ever managed to start a business of their own? I have. And let me tell you about one in particular… I had a client who loved to…
This is a guest post by Allan Branch of LessAccounting.com My story is common among freelancers. I’m a designer by trade. I went freelance in 2005 and started building static websites for customers. The easy part was the actual service I provided. The hard part was the admin side of things: billing, taxes, and contracts….
This post kicks off a mini-series on project management. A long time ago, I founded a PM app that had me talk with literally thousands of people like you who manage client projects, and we don’t just talk about my software — I make it a point to learn as much about my clients’ businesses as…
Deciding to become a freelancer is one of the best career decisions you can make. Where else are you able to potentially or triple your income virtually overnight, or work when and where you want — without worrying about an overbearing boss? But with great opportunity comes great responsibility, and sooner or later we all…
I’ve recently been to quite a few “product” conferences (LessConf, MicroConf, and BaconBizConf), and what I keep finding is that a LOT of freelancers are in attendance. It’s no secret that most freelancers want to one day build and sell a product or two of their own, but how? How do you figure out what to build and…