With the importance role that networking plays for freelancers, the question then becomes where do we network? As far as events and organizations go, networking can be done in two ways. One approach is to register and attend events organized by industry associations for the industry to which the you belongs. For instance, if you are a copywriter, find and join international, regional and local copywriters associations. Given the dynamic and fluid nature of the freelancer’s job description, there are times when there might not be an industry association that completely represents what you do. When faced with that kind of scenario, you can look for associations that are closest to representing your area of work.

The second approach is to join the industry associations that your clients belong to. This is probably the more effective of the two since you get to interact with a large number of potential clients and there is a likelihood of getting positive responses from at least some participants as long as you present yourself effectively. Such workshops and conferences organized by these associations provide a highly accurate form of marketing where you are able to access a sizeable number of clients and compares well with other forms of advertising such as posters and brochures where a lot of energy might be expended in marketing yourself to people that might not really need your business service.

But just attending the events is not enough. How you carry yourself holds the key to whether your networking is effective or whether it backfires and, in one swoop, ruins your reputation in the industry. One tip is to arrive early (10-15 minutes for instance) for any meeting or event. This is not only a good show of professionalism but also allows adequate time to talk to the attendees before the sessions kick off. As you interact with other people in attendance, you must be careful not to fall into the trap of selling yourself too hard. Looking like you are only in the event to network, even though it might be true, might not set well with others. Carrying yourself with confidence as opposed to appearing desperate is one way to win the trust of a future business associate. Take time to listen to everyone you interact with before introducing what you do. Chances are that they are the ones that will ask what you do.

Due to the interpersonal interaction and the rapport that may result during networking sessions, you have opportunity to make a more lasting impression than many of the other forms of marketing such as brochures and posters. Once you manage to break the ice and gain a level of confidence with the potential client and the conversation starts to flow freely it will not be that hard to bring up what you do and how you can both benefit in a business relationship.

Even though many people might not necessarily admit it, lucrative business deals are sealed as much due to the technical ability of the parties involved as they are due to the social and ‘emotional’ connection between the parties. People will not hesitate to give business to someone that they think they can easily relate with. Networking is an efficient way of doing business when one looks at the speed with which it can move you into this kind of trust with your target clients.

If you think about it, most businesses are built through networking even though the entrepreneur might not actually realize that they are networking. It is passing the word round to family and close friends on what it is you are doing that many people are able to land their first significant contracts and build from there. The importance for freelancers is probably more significant than it is for many other types of businesses when you consider that the freelancer fulfils multiple roles that would often be handled by different people in an ordinary business.

… part 2 here …

The bad thing about freelancing is that unless you work, you don’t get paid. The hardest part is actually getting through the projects that you have. You’re probably familiar with the creative block, which is an inability to create anything at that particular moment in time. There are of course, other things that can get in the way of getting your work done such as sicknesses, other chores, etc. Luckily, there are ways to get over every imaginable obstacle out there.

Here’s 5 tips to help you increase your productivity and get your work done in a timely manner:

1. Create a schedule

Do this before you go to bed every night so that you will have a generalized idea of how your day is going to look. Keep in mind that nothing ever goes exactly as planned, so be prepared for a dozen unexpected things to occur. Create an outline of how your day might go, and make it a point to pave out a time frame at which you will get your work done. Doing this will help to mentally prepare you for the day ahead.

2. Rise Early

Make writing the first thing you do in the morning. If there are other chores, go ahead and get them out of the way as well. Some days it may be easy to get up and start writing, and then others, it may be easier to get up and do your other chores. Consider alternating to keep things interesting, or, if you would prefer, stick to one certain way of doing things everyday in order to create a routine.

3. Eat Breakfast and Exercise

This may sound like it has nothing to do with increasing productivity, but it is very important. A lot of people assume that sitting at a computer all day is a piece of cake – not exhausting in the least bit. Well, as you may already know, that’s a big fat load of crap! Writing can be very exhausting, especially mentally. You’re going to need energy, and the best way to get it is to make sure you eat breakfast and get some exercise. You don’t have to exercise early in the day if you do not want to. Some people work out when they first wake up, others do it on their lunch breaks, and then others workout a few hours before bed at night. You’re going to need that extra boost every day.

4. Take Breaks

No one says that you have to work for a solid block of five hours straight, or even two hours straight for that matter. When you find yourself feeling distracted, mentally exhausted, or even a bit tense and irritated with what you’re doing, get up and move around. Go do something totally different for about 30 minutes. Take your mind completely off your writing and just relax. Take the dog for a walk, do the laundry, wash the dishes – whatever you do, just keep it simple. When you return to your computer, you’ll be ready to write!

5. Know When to Quit

Do not assume that you have all day to do your work because it won’t get done. Set a time limit for yourself. For example, you might say, “In the morning, I am going to wake up at 5:00 AM, work for 1 ½ hours, and then get some chores done for two hours. After that, I am going to sit down for 3 more 90-minute rounds of working, and then I am going to be finished. I plan on being completely finished by 4:00 PM.” When it’s time to stop – stop. You can’t let your work drag out all day, if you do that, you’ll be miserable.

When starting out in freelancing, often you’ll hear all sorts of advice. Advice like “price yourself cheaply to start with to get some customers”, or “don’t go full time straight off the bat”, etc. That’s all well and good. But this one piece of adviceshould be at the back of your mind no matter what else you hear.

“Market yourself for the long term”

Good solid work comes from good, solid relationships and good solid reputations. There’s no quick way to build those ingredients, but there are ways to make it quicker. Here are some ways to keep an eye on the long term.

Look for work in the right places

Building long term relationships requires you to position yourself as an irreplaceable resource for businesses.

Now there are exceptions, but generally you don’t find these clients on job boards. Why? Because those clients are happy to use job boards! They can find a replacement very quickly, and most likely, as soon as your rates rise or your timeframe shifts, they will.

Instead, some places you could look for work would be local businesses, agencies, freelancers with complimentary skill sets.

Local businesses need someone to take care of their website for them. Most often, they don’t have the knowledge or time required to maintain an effective web presence. For these types of businesses you can situate yourself as the “go to guy/gal” for all their website stuff. Take care of their domain name, web hosting, updates, keep up to date on their marketing goals, be available for questions etc.

Working for agencies and other freelancers is great for freelancers that like defined projects, because almost always, if you do a good job, you’ll get more work in the future. In these situations, you’re basically outsourcing your marketing.

Your service doesn’t stop when the job is done

If you’re working with small business owners, your service should never stop. If you aren’t doing hosting yourself, at least work in with a hosting partner that shares some profits with you. Always look for opportunities where you can offer new services.

Build recurring revenue streams

Some people don’t recommend hosting yourself. I recommend you do, but that you charge for it. My hosting is typically more expensive than other hosts, but my clients pay more because they trust me, and because I become their sole contact for all web issues, which makes it easier for them.

Same goes for domain registration.

If you do one website a month, and charge $300 hosting for a year, the next year, you’re starting off at $3600 revenue instead of 0.

When you’re selling, think of the long term

Don’t always be blinded by immediate reward. Some times its better to take a pay cut in order to get a job that has great potential down the road. (And anyone that says they’ll send you heaps of people for work, usually won’t).

An example of this is if you’re designing a website for a section of a larger organisation. I’ve got foots in the door in tourism, health, and a religious group. All of which refer a lot more work to me through my repute, rather than by direct word of mouth.

Summary

Always keep an eye on the long term. If you’ve done it right, you’ll find the leads materialising from nowhere.

So what is a USP?

Well, it stands for “unique selling proposition”.

In non marketing speak, it is a definition of what makes you special and sets you apart from other freelancers. It’s about creating a unique reason for customers to use your services and not your competition.

It makes you more unique, valuable and visible in the market.

For example, Federal Express (FedEx) dominated the package shipping market with “When it absolutely, positively has to be there overnight.” The deployment of this USP allowed Federal Express to emerge as the dominant leader in the industry, taking market share rapidly, and also increasing its sales and profits.

Obviously, you need to be able to back this up too, you can’t just sat it.

Do Freelancers Need A USP?

Absolutely. Your USP will be one of the tools you use to makes you stand out. It will help people understand why it’s worth spending more with you than some guy they find on any old freelance job site.

In theory, if it’s a truly unique reason, then you’re the only one who can possibly deliver what the client wants. That’s when you can start commanding the prices you want.

When you create your USP, don’t get too precious. This will be a work in progress and you can refine it as you grow and develop as a freelancer.

Don’t forget, that your USP is a sentence or phrase that explains what makes you special. So when you develop your USP, you need to put yourself in your prospects’ position.

Think about your freelance services from the point of view of someone about to hire you. What’s important to them and what would be a compelling reason for them to choose you over your competition?

What does your service do for them? How will you solve their problems or improve an outcome?

Customers are not interested in features. However, they are very motivated by benefits.

Freelancing is obviously a competitive market, and you can’t be all things to all people. So maybe it’s worth trying to find a niche. An area in the market that you can take ownership of because of the unique benefits you offer. For example, there are designers that only create websites for churches.

So, to summarise. A good Freelance USP should be:

>> One sentence.
>> One that everyone can understand.
>> Contain benefits that are unique to you.

Then when you have it, use it on all your communications.

Also, add yours below to inspire other readers.

That’s where this book comes in. Freelance expert, Mason Hipp, from Freelance Folder has been a busy man towards the end of 2009 and has brought us a new book just in time for the new year “How to Start a Freelance Design Business”

This quick-start guide shows you exactly how to become a successful freelance designer — operating your own profitable and flexible business where you’re in charge of your income, your hours, and your lifestyle.

Here are a few things you’ll learn by reading this guide:

http://freelancefolder.com/start-a-freelance-design-business/
• What it really takes to become a freelance designer
• How to create a brand and legally establish your freelance design business
• The not-so-secret facts about marketing and getting your first clients
• How to set your rates, negotiate with clients, and avoid undercharging
• How to properly manage your projects and administrative tasks
• And lots more…

If you want to know more about the guide, check it out here:

When I first started out freelancing I seemed to be working every hour God sent. That didn’t change for a long time while I was establishing my name in the marketplace in order to get new clients.

By the time that work started coming to me, I could then charge more and start to have more time off.
The weird thing is though, I didn’t know what to do with the time off. My head was completely in the work.
Freelancing should give you the freedom to pursue other things. So here’s a few things to keep in mind if you’ve got a few extra moments.

Family

To me, family is the most important. You may just be single at the moment so family isn’t at the forefront of your mind, but if you’re a parent like me, you must (in my opinion) focus on using your spare time to build your family strong. They may have to put up with you doing some stupid hours so give them your best when you can.

Just Embrace Time

When your sitting there and you realise you’ve just finished a project early. Whatever you do with that extra time,

accept it as a part of freelancing. Having extra time is a gift and probably one of the reasons that you got into freelancing. Don’t forget that you were crazy enough to make that bold move in to the world of freelance so you can enjoy the fruits of your decision.

Oh, and also, spare a thought for the 9-5ers that don’t have a chance to go for a mid-day bike ride.

Use Time Wisely

Saying all that, don’t go and squander your time just because you can. It’s awesome to have hobbies and interests, but you may also want to think about planning ahead for how you can grow your freelance business.

When you’re relaxed you can often come up with some exciting marketing ideas. If you aren’t in the mood for that, just go do what excites you the most.

Play It Forward

Have you seen the film? You really should. It’s about a boy who comes up with a utopian idea as a project for school. He suggests the concept that every person who benefits from someone else’s good deed should “pay it forward,” instead of paying it back, and in turn offer favors to three other people. The results of which are huge.

So, if you’ve got some extra time, why not give back to others? Just a thought.

Chillax

It’s a word my daughter came up with. It’s somewhere between chilling and relaxing. It doesn’t mean becoming a couch potato, but it does mean taking some downtime for your body and mind to rest. Those batteries can need a good recharging if they’ve been running flat for a while.

Just last week he finalised his new move to a brand new job, meaning he gets to move from Australia to New York. The job offer originated from a twitter direct message. You can read more here.

Anyway, all that to say that using Twitter is a good thing for freelance designers, and here’s a few to connect with:

Jacob Cass
http://twitter.com/justcreative

Antonio Carusone
http://twitter.com/Aisleone

Arron Lock
http://twitter.com/arronlock

Brian Hoff
http://twitter.com/behoff

Ilker Yoldas
http://twitter.com/ilkeryoldas202

Graham Smith
http://twitter.com/imjustcreative

Jason Walz
http://twitter.com/jasonwalz

Jeff Fisher
http://twitter.com/LogoMotives

David Airey
http://twitter.com/davidairey

Christopher Jones
http://twitter.com/ cbryanjones

Sean Hodge
http://twitter.com/seanHodge

M a r i u s z C i e [ l a
http://twitter.com/dotmariusz

Mike Lane
http://twitter.com/mlane

Vonnie Maddox
http://twitter.com/VM_DesigNut

If you know any more, please comment below and i’ll add them to the list.