Get a Website and Promote Your Business
I can’t stress the importance of having a business website or blog. If you’re a freelancer looking to expand your business, a personal website can open the door to new opportunities. Potential clients might stumble upon your work online and hire you for an upcoming project. Plus, you can include a link to your personal website with every job application or resume.
In the past year and a half, my personal websites generated three freelance contracts. I had more responses, but many companies wanted “something for nothing,” and I had to pass on the opportunities.
Nowadays, it doesn’t take much to create a personal site, and most freelancers advertise their businesses with a blog. You can setup a blog in minutes and add content immediately. With new blog software, advance HTML skills aren’t required, and you can easily add images, multiple pages, links, and much more.
Once you’ve created a blog, it’s time to promote the site.
There are many ways to promote a site. You can submit the URL to search engines, or choose a paid advertising strategy. Of course, there is always the free approach. Include relevant keyword phrases in the blog or website’s description. Update the website regularly, and learn how to network. Visit online forums, participate in discussions, and include a link to your personal blog.
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Attention Freelancers: Protect Your Personal Identity
Freelance businesses vary, and some projects require a signed independent contractor’s agreement and a completed W-9 for tax purposes. This being said, I made a huge mistake during my first year as a freelance writer. I have always wanted to be a writer, and after months of applying for different writing gigs, I was thrilled to receive my first paying job. Without hesitation, I quickly signed the writer’s agreement and faxed a W-9.
Now, I’ve always been conscious about protecting my personal identity. I have a paper shredder and religiously shred credit card offers, bank statements, and other documents that contained personal information. I even signed up with a credit monitoring service. If anyone opened a new account in my name or tried to swipe my identity, the monitoring service would send an immediate alert. I took all these measures to ensure my protection, and yet, I willingly gave my Social Security number to companies and individuals who I didn’t even know.
It wasn’t until a client misplaced a faxed W-9 that I started to question my judgment.
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Freelancer vs. Employee: Is There a Difference?
Freelancers deal with a variety of people.
You’ll have the appreciative client who sends timely payments and respects your personal life; and you’ll have those people who thrive on making your life complicated.
Some people don’t know the definition of freelance. In a nutshell, a freelancer is a self-employed person; offers services when required; does not work for a single employer. Thus, a freelancer can pick their jobs, and they can turn down jobs. I like this aspect of the business. If eye strain or carpal tunnel starts to kick my butt, I can take a few days off. Don’t get me wrong, I always complete assignments by the due date, and I never accept an assignment if I’m unable to finish it by the due date.
Truth be told, I’m just like every other freelancer or telecommute professional. I need clients, and without them, my business would crumble. Still, I’m not an employee. And while many companies post job ads for a FREELANCE writer, a few fail to realize this crucial fact. In turn, they treat their freelancers like an employee.
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