Many years ago, I spent
lots of evenings writing advertising copy and putting together
newsletters and catalogs for small to mid-sized businesses. I made, on
average, about $500 a night. When I wasn't copywriting, I was taking
pictures and writing articles like how to shoot airshows or how to
photograph amusement parks.
Years later, my wife wanted to try her hand at freelancing. She was
good with graphic design and she could write marketing copy. In fact,
she had strong sales skills and copywriting is really salesmanship in
print. But, with all her talent, she still needed a few tips to help her
make the whole venture profitable.
If you want to be a successful freelancer, whether it is writing marketing materials, writing newsletters, creating resumes, web design, or graphic design, there are several principles you MUST fully understand before you will actually make a comfortable living.
First and foremost, your time is worth money. You have to learn, very quickly, how long it takes you to complete every project. You must have an hourly rate that is high enough to make the whole idea worth your time. Then, don't bid by an hourly rate, that is your performance target and useful, but never share that information with a client. Instead, bid on a job by a total amount of time padded by an extra amount to cover edits and possible delays so that you remain profitable.
For example, say your target is $40 per hour. You figure that a job will take five hours. So, your hourly target will fetch you $200 if you actually accomplish the task in five hours time. You bid for the job at $300 not your target rate/time estimate. That gives you a little room to keep you profitable in case your job takes a little longer than you expected, or there are more revisions than you thought it would take.
The next point to remember is that when you work from home, people tend to think that when you are home, you are available to run errands, talk on the phone, or have time for other distractions. You have to be firm and tell everyone that you are working. You are not available between the hours of whatever to whatever time you are actually engaged in business. You need to create a work-space and when you are in that space, you are not to be disturbed.
You must remove all distractions from the work-space you have created. Since you will likely be working on a computer, you have to remove all distractions from it, too. Don't open a web browser unless and until you need it. You are working, remember? Forums are a time-killer. Avoid them like the plague. Disable all instant messengers, all social media, and anything else that could pop-up while you are trying to get things done.
You Are A Business Owner
You work for yourself. You are a business owner. You rely on customer satisfaction to be successful, but, don't sell yourself short. You have to know what you are worth and don't allow yourself to be pressured into working for peanuts. You are a professional-- act like one. You must SELL VALUE. There will always be someone cheaper. And there will always be someone shopping for price.
Know What You Are Worth and Stick With It
You won't be a success if you don't stick to your target price and stand firm when it comes to handling the low-ball. Your competition is not the fiver college kid. Your competition is the serious freelancer who already knows the game.
By the way, you'll hear a lot of people say that a portfolio is not needed when everything is done online. Sorry Charlie, you are dead wrong.
Today, my wife is a successful copywriter with a loyal customer-base. She has won business with a leather portfolio with hard-copies of her work. She presents herself in a professional manner. She networks with the best of them and it has won her lots of business. And, yes, I am very proud of her.
You can do it, too.
Years later, my wife wanted to try her hand at freelancing. She was
good with graphic design and she could write marketing copy. In fact,
she had strong sales skills and copywriting is really salesmanship in
print. But, with all her talent, she still needed a few tips to help her
make the whole venture profitable.If you want to be a successful freelancer, whether it is writing marketing materials, writing newsletters, creating resumes, web design, or graphic design, there are several principles you MUST fully understand before you will actually make a comfortable living.
First and foremost, your time is worth money. You have to learn, very quickly, how long it takes you to complete every project. You must have an hourly rate that is high enough to make the whole idea worth your time. Then, don't bid by an hourly rate, that is your performance target and useful, but never share that information with a client. Instead, bid on a job by a total amount of time padded by an extra amount to cover edits and possible delays so that you remain profitable.
For example, say your target is $40 per hour. You figure that a job will take five hours. So, your hourly target will fetch you $200 if you actually accomplish the task in five hours time. You bid for the job at $300 not your target rate/time estimate. That gives you a little room to keep you profitable in case your job takes a little longer than you expected, or there are more revisions than you thought it would take.
The next point to remember is that when you work from home, people tend to think that when you are home, you are available to run errands, talk on the phone, or have time for other distractions. You have to be firm and tell everyone that you are working. You are not available between the hours of whatever to whatever time you are actually engaged in business. You need to create a work-space and when you are in that space, you are not to be disturbed.
You must remove all distractions from the work-space you have created. Since you will likely be working on a computer, you have to remove all distractions from it, too. Don't open a web browser unless and until you need it. You are working, remember? Forums are a time-killer. Avoid them like the plague. Disable all instant messengers, all social media, and anything else that could pop-up while you are trying to get things done.
You Are A Business Owner
You work for yourself. You are a business owner. You rely on customer satisfaction to be successful, but, don't sell yourself short. You have to know what you are worth and don't allow yourself to be pressured into working for peanuts. You are a professional-- act like one. You must SELL VALUE. There will always be someone cheaper. And there will always be someone shopping for price.
Know What You Are Worth and Stick With It
You won't be a success if you don't stick to your target price and stand firm when it comes to handling the low-ball. Your competition is not the fiver college kid. Your competition is the serious freelancer who already knows the game.
By the way, you'll hear a lot of people say that a portfolio is not needed when everything is done online. Sorry Charlie, you are dead wrong.
Today, my wife is a successful copywriter with a loyal customer-base. She has won business with a leather portfolio with hard-copies of her work. She presents herself in a professional manner. She networks with the best of them and it has won her lots of business. And, yes, I am very proud of her.
You can do it, too.
