Freelancing Advice And Info

17/04/2022

Freelancing allows you to be your own boss.

This means you make your own hours.

Wear what you want.

Does your current job have a dress code?

How does sitting in your pajamas all day sound?

How about just spending the day wearing your favorite pair of worn-out jeans and that T-shirt from that unforgettable 1980’s rock concert?

If you are an independent agent, like a freelancer, then you decide the dress code.

Making your own hours does not mean loafing around all day.

It means having the self-discipline to set aside an amount of hours that you work each day.

But, as the boss, you get to decide what those hours are.

That way you can pick up the kids from school, have lunch with the spouse, go to the gym during the day when it is not so crowded, and never have to make that horrible rush-hour commute.

Being a freelancer means that you get to set your own prices for what your time is worth.

No more waiting years for a raise that may never come.

As you become more proficient and widen your client base you can double and triple your earnings as you see fit.

Have you ever considered living somewhere else but your job and family obligations keep you stuck in the same place?

Freelancing gives you the freedom to take your family, if that applies to you, or just yourself and live wherever you want.

As long as you have a phone, a computer and a way to receive email, you can live at the South Pole or Hawaii and still have a lucrative freelancing career.

Remember, your home is your office.

Or anywhere with internet connection.

You can be sitting in a coffee shop and enjoying a scone with a mocha latte at the same time you are making millions of dollars.

When I was a child, my father always told me that nothing in life is free and if it sounds too good to be true then it probably is.

In the case of freelancing, the price is minimal.

All you need is a laptop, iPhone and broadband or wifi connection to be a freelancer.

Your only costs, however, will be your time, effort and ability to meet deadlines set by clients.

As far as the rule if it sounds too good to be true it probably is, here is something to consider.

You should not quit your day job immediately and hope to make $10,000 next month.

Instead, start slow and work your way to making the money you want.

If you are making the equivalent of your full-time job and you have too much freelance work to do, then decide to freelance full time and quit your day job.

If you work hard, this process can happen rather quickly, so do not be discouraged.

The jobs are real.

The money is real.

The only investment is the amount of time you are willing to invest.

The market for freelancers is growing in leaps and bounds.

The future markets are projected to continue to grow at the same rapid rate.

This means more fantastic freelance opportunities and greater potential income.

If you are keen on earning regular income from freelance jobs, I have great news for you.

Few years ago, I discovered this website called Fiverr which hired thousands of regular people like yourself to simple tasks like writing, web design, graphics etc.

If this is what you are looking for, you may check out my full review at https://freelancingadviceandinfo.com/reviews/fiverr-review

At the same time, you can check out the rest of my blog at www.FreelancingAdviceAndInfo.com

My name is Amy Grant Stewart.

I created this site and these videos to help people get hired and paid in freelancing jobs.

Thank you for watching my video!

02/04/2022

When it comes to meeting deadlines, one way to manage your timetable effectively is to divide the large jobs and farm them out to several writers.

Let’s say you have been awarded a writing job to write an e-book on childcare with 10 chapters for $2,000 over a 45-day period of time.

Bid out each chapter separately among 10 coders and allocate, say, $100 for each chapter over a 25-day period.

This way you don’t have to worry about the deadline because you have given yourself a 20-day buffer and you stand to earn $1,000 for your efforts.

If you are going to handle a project in this manner you must be able to rewrite the articles you receive in order to make sure the entire book flow seamlessly.

As in the same style and tone of voice is consistent throughout.

Cultivate A Strong Talent Pool

In many cases, this is the most important asset needed when subcontracting work to others.

Here are a few additional tips to help you out in this regard:

1. Know How To Hire A Good Writer

There are 4 factors you should consider before hiring any writer.

Their resume, samples, rating, and client testimonials.

The last 2 are critical because it is easy to prepare a bogus resume and samples, especially online.

If you examine those 4 factors and feel you have found the person you are looking for, hire them.

2. Know How To Keep Them Happy

A happy writer always delivers better work than an unhappy one, given the same skill level.

You keep them happy by dealing in a polite and professional manner, paying them on time and understanding them when they fall short.

Give them respect and they will give you their best.

3. Nurture Your Current Roster Of Clients

Here is the main reason why quality counts.

It is what make your customers return to you time and again.

Always put a premium on quality.

First-class work is sometimes hard to find, especially given a limited budget.

If you consistently deliver first-class work, you assure yourself and your coders of a prosperous business well into the future.

4. Asking For Referrals

There is a popular saying in sales which says that It is 8 times easier to get new business from your current clients than it is from cold calls.

In other words, make sure you ask your clients for referrals from people they know or work with who may need the service you provide.

Some writers hesitate when it comes to asking for referrals because they feel it is unprofessional.

They feel asking for referrals is like asking for a favor.

That is not really the case.

If you have faith in your ability to deliver good work, you are actually helping your client because of your willingness to provide quality work to their friends or business associates.

That will reflect well on them too as it will be a win-win situation for both parties.

But if you are still keen on earning regular income from freelance jobs, I have great news for you.

Few years ago, I discovered this website called Fiverr which hired thousands of regular people like yourself to simple tasks like writing, web design, graphics etc.

If this is what you are looking for, you may check out my full review at https://freelancingadviceandinfo.com/reviews/fiverr-review

At the same time, you can check out the rest of my blog here:
www.FreelancingAdviceAndInfo.com

My name is Amy Grant Stewart.

I created this site and these videos to help people get hired and paid in freelancing jobs.

Thank you for watching my video!

02/04/2022

Get Paid To programs - or GPTs as they are often called - are among various which can potentially help freelancers to earn from home.

If you have been looking for a work at home job, you may come across ads claiming you can make money by reading e-mails, answering surveys and trying free samples.

The good news is many freelancers make money doing those exact things.

However, the bad news is that this particular industry is filled with scammers.

But if you are still interested in getting involved with such programs, you need to do your due diligence by researching on them and what past customers said in their reviews.

It should be noted that very few people actually made full time income from GPT programs.

Like mystery shopping, GPT should be used as a supplemental income source at best.

For many freelancers, they are fun and easy ways to earn some extra money when they need it.

Those – who actually succeeded – will likely advise you not to rely on GPT entirely to pay your monthly bills.

But they can be a perfect solution to earn money for special occasions or holiday shopping.

Just what are GPT programs?

They fall into three basic categories:

1. Get Paid To Read E-Mails,

2. Get Paid To Fill Out Surveys And

3. Get Paid To Try Products

Each type has its own pros and cons.

Before starting any GPT program, you should take some steps to protect your personal information.

You will be required to give your personal information for many of these programs and the less you actually say about yourself the better.

To start you should register a separate e-mail address for your GPT purposes.

Many programs can result in a lot of spam mail, so you will want to keep your main e-mail address separate.

You can also register with NetZero to get a free voicemail inbox and private phone number.

This is helpful in keeping your home phone free of telemarketing calls.

Get paid to read e-mail programs will pay you a few cents for receiving e-mail and clicking on links.

Normally these e-mails offer special deals on products or encourage you to sign up for programs.

Sometimes, depending on the e-mail program, you will get more money or points if you try the offer.

You are not obligated to try the offers and will get paid a small amount just for clicking on the link inside of the e-mail.

There are many popular paid e-mail companies.

Do some research before you sign up for a program to make sure that people are actually getting paid.

Try not to sign up for too many programs at once or your GPT e-mail address will be swamped.

Getting paid to fill out surveys works in a similar way.

You will sign up for a survey program and then fill out some personal information.

You will be matched to surveys that are looking for the opinions of people in your income bracket, of your age or one of several different qualification factors.

Depending on the company, you will get paid per survey, or completing surveys will earn you points that can later be redeemed.

Just as with get paid to read e-mail programs, do research on survey companies before you sign up.

There are thousands out there but only a handful are worth the time and effort.

Finally, there are get paid to try products programs.

These programs pay significantly more than the other GPT programs.

However, you will be required to pay anywhere from $1 to $10 to try the products.

When you use these kinds of programs, you have to be careful to take complete records of what you will be receiving and when you need to cancel service or return the item.

Most of the time you will be registered for recurring billing for a monthly service, which can be cancelled within the initial 7 to 14 days.

You can call the companies and cancel the service, yet still be paid for signing up for the GPT program.

Remember that GPT programs are a great way to supplement income but are not something to be relied on solely for monthly bills.

But if you are still keen on earning regular income from freelance jobs, I have great news for you.

Few years ago, I discovered this website called Fiverr which hired thousands of regular people like yourself to simple tasks like writing, web design, graphics etc.

If this is what you are looking for, you may check out my full review at https://freelancingadviceandinfo.com/reviews/fiverr-review

At the same time, you can check out the rest of my blog here:
www.FreelancingAdviceAndInfo.com

My name is Amy Grant Stewart.

I created this site and these videos to help people get hired and paid in freelancing jobs.

Thank you for watching my video!

25/03/2022

Blogging is among the best ways to start a freelance business.

However, that does not mean that it is easy to make money from your blog.

Do not expect to see money rolling in immediately.

Truth being said, blogging is an activity that will take time to build up to a profit level.

It is good to start while you are working on other things to let it build to a profitability level.

With time and attention, your blog will have more readers, followers and grow into a business.

When you are blogging for profit, you need to pay close attention to how you present yourself in your blog.

There are literally hundreds of thousands of blogs out there, and there may be several hundred blogs that are related to your topic.

If your readers cannot understand your blog and have trouble reading it, they just move on to the others.

The following tips can make your blog more user-friendly and help you gain consistent readers.

1. Pay Close Attention To Your Blog Format

First, pay close attention to the format of your blog.

Readers want to understand how your blog works right from the start.

Most blogging platforms have similar formats, with links and tags on the left or right margin, and the most recent post on top.

Make sure to use the links wisely.

Only put links up for blogs or content that is truly related to your blog’s topic.

The point is to give your readers additional information on your topic.

2. Keep The List Short And Sweet.

There is no reason to overwhelm them with links to other sites.

3. Choosing Your Blog Background And Font Color

Also, take careful consideration when choosing your blog background and font color.

Although there are a lot of color choices that blogging programs offer, it will be best to stick with a light background and dark text.

Studies have shown that the human brain can process this type of format better than light text on a dark background.

Think about this before you commit to a black background and white text.

It might look striking, but readers might not want to stay there for long.

Also, use a solid background color instead of trying to use a pattern or design.

Proofread your entries before you post them to your blog.

There is nothing that reduces your authority in the eyes of your readers’ more than bad spelling and grammar.

The online world is a world of text, so take some time to learn commonly misspelled words and grammatical errors.

4. Posting On Your Blog Regularly

Keep your blog fresh and interesting by posting at least 2 or 3 times per week.

With so much information available on the Internet, your readers may go elsewhere if you aren’t supplying daily content.

If you are not sure what to write about, try posting a poll, a link to another blog, comment on a news story or post of list of helpful tips.

Not every post has to be long and complicated, but you do need to post something daily.

These tips will help keep your blog readable and interesting to your visitors.

The more visitors you get, the more your blog will grow in profitability and importance.

Just make sure to present yourself in a professional way and keep your readers coming back for more new content each day.

In no time, you have a profitable blog and then you can move on to create 2 or 3 more.

Here is my honest Fiverr review as in what it is, pros and cons.

For the past 8 years, Fiverr has been among the most popular freelancing and outsourcing sites.

You may check out the link here:
https://freelancingadviceandinfo.com/reviews/fiverr-review

At the same time, you can check out the rest of my blog here:
www.FreelancingAdviceAndInfo.com

15/03/2022

I started my freelance journey about 3 years ago.

I was looking for a side hustle and somehow landed on an online freelancing website.

I registered and, after 2 weeks of pitching, landed my first job.

I can’t remember the exact details.

But I remember the ecstatic feeling when I received my first payment -$5 from my online endeavor.

Since then, I have grown and commanded much higher fees.

I made a successful career as a freelancer.

Here are the key lessons from my experience that shaped my path.

1. Find Your Profitable Niche

It’s tempting to start off your freelancing career as a generalist.

You are eager to take on any type of work from any client and any industry.

That is understandable.

As a newbie, you want to maximize every opportunity to land a new client.

But this strategy is hardly sustainable.

The case against casting a wide net is that it may come up with the more undesirable and low-value catches out there.

Because the market is saturated with generalist freelancers, pricing always becomes a race to the bottom.

Just as a heart disease patient will prefer a cardiologist to a GP, clients will be more comfortable giving their money to a specialist.

That is why you should choose a niche right off the bat and deepen your expertise there.

Aside from getting better paid, narrowing down to a niche also makes marketing and completing projects easier.

You have a specific type of client you look for and tailor your prospecting in that direction. It will also enable you to create a brand.

Choose a marketable niche that interests you.

Even if you not quite the expert, narrowing your services to a niche you love will give you the extra motivation to get tasks done.

And you can always brush up your skills.

To get started with Freelancing, following a proven blueprint…

2. Build A Portfolio

A portfolio showcases samples of your best work to potential clients.

They need to know who you have worked with previously, your style and the quality of your work.

With your portfolio, you specify the services you offer, who they are for, and why you are the best person to hire.

Other essentials to include in your portfolio include:

– Your contact information
– Relevant education, skills, certification, and accomplishments
– Testimonials, feedback or social proof
– Your portfolio can also be hosted on several websites like Behance and Deviant Art.

But building your own portfolio website is more professional.

The best way to sell your services is by showing clients you can solve their most pressing problems.

3. Establish Your Credibility

A well-designed portfolio establishes credibility and tells prospective clients that you can deliver on your services.

But what if you are just starting out?

As a newbie, you may not have a well-developed body of work and testimonials to show off.

However, you must appear credible and competent to build sufficient trust if you are to make any money freelancing.

You can find ways to demonstrate your competencies by thinking creatively.

When I first started out as a freelance writer, I volunteered to write for a friend’s blog in return for positive feedback and a by-line.

Ask your LinkedIn in contacts to endorse you for talents relevant to your freelance pursuits.

You can also get certifications in your area of specialization and present them along with with your educational qualifications if they are contextually relevant.

Hubspot Academy and Google Digital Skills are some of the well known and recognized online resources that offer free certification.

And even before starting with those sites, I recommend you follow this proven blueprint for Freelance Writing success…

4. Identify Your Prospective Clients

When I first started out, I did have much discretionary freedom in selecting clients.

But with time, I learned to identify the sort of clients I work best with.

While this may mean turning down a lot of business, narrowing your client base will help you achieve more in less time.

As your reputation builds, satisfied clients will refer others to you. You’ll be seen as the best person to solve their problems.

Which means You can charge premium rates and be sure of getting hired and paid.

So how do you qualify prospects?

– Look for businesses that need your services and have the funds to pay your prices.
– Find the decision-makers within the business.

Can you get their contacts and connect with them on a personal level?

With these sorted out, you are ready to start pitching.

5. Learn To Pitch

Learn to pitch even if you have a network that supplies you with client referrals.

Excellent pitching skills will always ensure you have constant work and avoid the dreaded feast and famine cycle.

Make you pitches stand out from the mountain pile of proposals businesses are inundated with daily by:

– Adding a personal touch.
– Research the mail recipient and their business.
– Quote something they said that you agree with or compliment them on a recent achievement.
– Do not waste time talking about yourself and your accomplishment.
– Focus on the client and how you can help them
= Also, include testimonials and work samples from past clients to show that you are capable.
– Go a step further by suggesting a solution or adding value to them in some way.

6. Charge What You Are Worth

Pricing your services can be tricky and there is no hard science to it.

Finding out what other freelancers in your niches are charging can be a helpful guide.

But you must not solely rely on that.

Try to estimate the value you provide the customer and charge accordingly.

From experience, it’s better to charge based on projects rather than an hourly rate.

This is because clients are more interested in the outcome or the results of the projects.

If it solves their problem and makes them happy, they will not care less about the number of hours you spent completing the project.

When you start getting better at your craft with experience, you will take far less time to complete a given gig.

Thus, you will short-change yourself with hourly billing.

Read the rest of article here:
https://freelancingadviceandinfo.com/how-to-become-a-freelance-writer-10-important-keys

I started my freelance journey about 3 years ago. I was looking for a side hustle and somehow landed on an online freelancing website.

15/03/2022

When I said goodbye to my secure, well-paid, unrewarding corporate job, I did not know that freelancing was even an option.

I was just looking for a new opportunity, maybe in a start-up.

Something fun, exciting, and original.

It turned out I really wanted to be a freelancer but took me a few weeks to put a name on it.

There were challenges along the way, a few setbacks, and a steep learning curve.

Now, I have completed 269 freelance writing jobs, on several different topics including fashion and blog writing. I love what I do.

With that said, here are 10 things I wish I known when I embarked on my freelancing journey:

1. Have An Emergency Fund And Lots Of Patience

I am not telling you here to postpone freelancing indefinitely, just to make sure you have some money set aside that you can use to pay your bills until you start making money freelancing.

The clients will come, you will make money, but you need to be patient and have a strategy in mind.

It can take a few days, weeks, or even months until you will be able to support yourself financially exclusively from freelancing jobs.

Until then, having an emergency fund with the money you need for the basics as in rent, food, transportation and services for a minimum of 2 months is a good idea.

Or start freelancing while still keeping your day job

2. Listen To Other People’s Experiences

But do not assume it will be the same for you

Most of your relatives, people you met, friends and even your family members do not believe in freelancing.

Though they tried, most failed and feel it was a complete waste of time, money, and energy before giving up.

Their best and practical advice – from their perspective – is to get a real job.

They will tell you the competition is fierce, the clients are not willing to pay good money for these services, and it is just not for you.

But whether you want to prove them wrong or right depends on your reaction, decision and choice to persevere even when going gets tough.

3. Set Up Your Working Hours

Making your own program can be a blessing, and it is the reason many freelancers would never go back to working from 9 am to 5 pm.

However, it can also be a trap.

You have all the hours in the day and night to work.

All the days in the week.

So much time on your hands.

This is a good time to set up some working hours.

You can design your own daily routine.

Maybe you want to start with a walk in the park or a workout session at the gym and then get to work.

Maybe start with work and then hit the gym.

But a routine is essential as this is the only way to ensure you get the work done.

Since we got to setting up working hours, you should also set up a working space.

It should give you a working vibe, so you feel motivated and energized when you get to it!

4. Build A Strong Portfolio

In the first weeks, you might have few, if any, clients. You will have poor cash flow. What you can do to stay motivated and make progress is to build a strong portfolio.

This might mean that you should take clients that pay little for a project.

But if it still interests you, you can use it to showcase your skills).

If you have no clients at all, just get in touch with some NGOs and do some work for free for them.

Anything that makes your talents shine, and you can use to attract clients later on.

Get some testimonials while you are at it.

Your future clients want to know how appreciated your work was.

5. Sign A Contract With Every Client

Yes, I know what you are thinking now.

This does not sound like lots of fun.

And hat if the client does not want to sign a contract?

Well, this is too bad for him as he will not get to work with you.

Contracts are made to protect both you and your client and to make things go smooth in case the working relationship deteriorates.

Take the time to name clearly all the deliverables, the deadlines, and the payment details.

This will save you from unpleasant conversations such as “I thought this was included in the initial cost” or “I didn’t know I had to pay every month.”

6. Ask For A Deposit Before You Start Working

While you’re doing the paperwork, make sure to ask for a deposit before you start working.

It can be as little as 15% or even 35% of the contract.

For new clients, I usually ask for 35%, just to make sure they do have the money.

You can use Escrow if it gives you more peace of mind.

It is important to know your work will be paid in full.

The deposit is good for your cash flow too.

It is also a way to know if your prospective client is serious.

Late payments are very common nowadays and can have a negative effect on your routines.

Read the rest of article here:
https://freelancingadviceandinfo.com/10-things-i-wish-i-knew-when-freelancin

When I said goodbye to my secure, well-paid, unrewarding corporate job, I did not know that freelancing was even an option.

15/03/2022

Sam, a 28-year old systems analyst for a software company, always had a soft spot for pop culture, specifically cartoons from the 80s and 90s.

He watched a ton of these growing up; so much so that he can do dead-on impressions of his favorite characters.

His co-workers and friends got a kick out of Sam’s take on Optimus Prime from Transformers, which he could bust out at the drop of a hat.

Little did Sam know at the time that his other talent would help him land a lucrative freelance gig.

Read the rest of article here:
https://freelancingadviceandinfo.com/is-freelancing-the-future-of-safe-employment

15/03/2022

This article is forwarded by my friend Joseph Wolff:

My own journey started and stopped a few years ago when I succumbed to defeatism.

It was not until a year ago that I told myself I had what it takes to succeed as a freelancer.

Since then, I’ve earned almost $25,000 and am well on my way to turning a side pot income into the main course.

How have I played the game?

Here are my 10 tips.

1. Develop A Minimum Viable Portfolio
A big fear of mine when I started freelancing was that I didn’t have a beefy portfolio.

Actually, I had no portfolio.

I’m a writer and was previously teaching high school English language arts.

So unless clients wanted examples of argumentative essays that I gave my students, I was out of luck.

Turns out they did not want those essays.

However, I learned pretty fast that you can secure work without a portfolio that’s busting at the seams.

What is really important is creating viable work for a client to review.

That is, an example of something that relates to the client’s project.

Does it have to be a job I previously done?

Absolutely not!

Take an objective look at the client’s project and create a basic example of something that plays in the same ballpark.

Boom. M.V.P.

2. Ignore The Internet Critics
What I learned from extensive research about freelancing is that, all of the internet cynics on Reddit and other forums who tell you –

that freelancing is impossible and “You’ll never make a full-time income from it” and “Be ready to work an 8-5 until you die” are the people who gave up.

Honestly, they are also me circa 2-3 years ago.

They gave a piecemeal approach for way too short of a time, threw in the towel, and rooted themselves online to discourage others.

Because hey, if they can’t succeed, why should anyone else?

Don’t listen to them.

3. Decide What Projects Work For You
Search for projects that you enjoy doing and/or are good at.

This can apply to the type of project or content.

For me, I managed to be a bit of a generalist when it comes to topic.

However, I have learned through trial and error.

Turns out I am really bad at writing greeting cards that I enjoy short-form and long-form article/blog writing.

So, I do actively seek these projects out. Why spend a bunch of time doing something that makes you miserable?

4. Avoid Pro Bono Work
Some freelancers will disagree with me on this, but I never do work for free.

If you are charging a client an hourly rate, think of it like a normal full-time job.

What if your boss came to you and said “Hey Joe, I’m going to need you to work 3 hours past your shift today, but we can’t pay you. Thanks.”

There is the argument that doing pro bono work creates a better freelancer-client relationship.

If that is the case, then I don’t want to be part of that union.

Any client who wants pro bono work is not a client I want to work with.

Pro bono work says to me “I don’t value your skills and services.”

Now, have I ever thrown in a freebie here or there with good clients?

Sure. In long-lasting relationships, I am more than willing to occasionally throw in something extra.

Because I know the client, enjoy the projects and he has paid me a fair amount for working on said projects.

5. Start Modest And Grow Exponentially
You may find yourself taking small or low paying jobs in the beginning.

That’s okay.

Just be prepared to grow, and if the going is good, don’t be afraid to grow fast.

If you are throwing project after project under your belt, there is no reason not to raise your rates.

The more seasoned you become, the more confident you should be in negotiating all-star rates for your all-star services.

Read the rest of article here:
https://freelancingadviceandinfo.com/top-10-tips-for-freelancers

My own journey started and stopped a few years ago when I succumbed to defeatism.