Author: Freelancing Buzz

How Freelancers Can Use Instagram To Grow Their Business Getty The freelance/gig economy is booming in numbers . That’s certainly a good thing as more and more employers start favoring the external pros over the in-house hires. At the same time, more people are recognizing the appeal of freelance work and start picking up side gigs at least part-time. But, this increased interest also translated to skyrocketing competition for work. Online freelance marketplaces, LinkedIn, Twitter, niche groups and in-person networking are well-known ways of attracting freelance work. But there’s also one big under-the-radar marketing opportunity for freelancers – Instagram. In the past few years, Instagram has witnessed exponential growth, compared to other networks, and hit the 1 billion user mark last year. What’s even more important is that updates posted on Instagram generate 58 times more user engagement per follower than Facebook and 120 times more than Twitter. The best part? Even if you run a “non-visual” hustle – code, write, offer consulting services or do admin work – there’s still room for you on Instagram. Below are three tips to help you optimize your Instagram account for client acquisition. 1. Turn your Instagram account into a professional page If you plan to secure freelance work through Instagram, your profile page should be “client-ready”. So let’s make sure you have the basics covered: Secure a professional @handle. Ideally, it should correspond to your business name or match other handles you use on social media. If that’s not available, consider using a variation of your personal name. Write your bio. Give an elevator pitch for your business in 150 characters. To save some space, use emojis instead of words. Your page visitors should immediately understand what you do and what kind of content you share. Add a link. Unlike Twitter and Facebook, Instagram allows sharing only one link on your profile and that’s it. So be intentional about which page on your website you link to – homepage, contact, portfolio, etc. 2. Start networking via hashtags Instagram is all about connecting with relevant people, not just shamelessly promoting yourself. So take the time to discover and connect both with other entrepreneurs and businesses that may be interested in your services. The connecting element on this platform are #hashtags. By browsing them, you can discover content that is relevant to you. To get a general sense of things, check out the obvious hashtags first such as #freelance or #solopreneur. Look what other tags people added under their content and move on to browse those. The goal of this exploration is to build a list of popular and less competitive, niche, hashtags that you’ll use to promote your content. Don’t be afraid to step away from your niche and follow/network with business owners who offer services complementary to yours. For example, if you are a #copywriter, you may want to connect with #webdesigners and work out a partnership deal. “Hashtags are essential for attracting more likes and relevant followers to your account,” […]

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Any freelancer with a steady stream of work will tell you they’d never go back to a staff job, if it weren’t for this one thing: Getting paid as a freelancer is often more challenging than the work itself. Unlike employees that benefit from bi-monthly direct deposits, freelancers often have to invoice for each project. In a perfect world, we’d receive payment upon invoicing or within the term stipulated in our contracts. But it’s not uncommon for freelance payments to mysteriously get lost in the shuffle for months (or in my case, years!), even after the establishment of the Freelance Isn’t Free Act protecting the rights of freelancers. Biding time to pay freelancers isn’t only disrespectful, but it can seriously hamper our ability to cover basic necessities. But just how bad is it? Bonsai , a freelancing payment software, conducted a study analyzing invoice trends sent over three years. They found that 29 percent of invoices are paid late. Unsurprisingly, but no less sickeningly, women are paid late more often than men, with marketing freelancers paid late more frequently than any other profession, according to the study. Since your time and your work are valuable, here’s how to make sure you get paid on time, and what to do when you’re not. Follow up How many iterations of “Hi, just wanted to quickly follow up on the status of my invoice” have you sent in the last year? It can feel redundant, but I promise you, it’s reminding your client of a pressing responsibility. Make sure they even received the invoice, and double check that you’ve sent it in the right format to the right address. If all checks out, give yourself a cut off of three weekly follow-ups before you move up the chain. After all, you want to retain some of your dignity, and devote your time to actual work. Go over their head Give your direct supervisor the benefit of the doubt when moving up the chain. That means under no circumstances should you badmouth them to their supervisor or finance department, since the late payment is often out of their control. Finance departments deal with thousands of invoices at a time, so provide as much information as you can in your initial email to mitigate too much back-and-forth — invoice number, date, project, and amount. If you don’t hear back, pick up the phone, transport yourself back to the ’90s, and leave a professional yet stern voicemail. People now use the phone so infrequently, they’ll realize you mean business. Charge interest Think about it: If you’re late to repay a bank loan, they’ll have no qualms about charging you interest. So why are freelancers afraid to charge interest? It’s simple. We’re afraid to burn bridges, to be too aggressive, to come on too strong. If the invoice is unreasonably late, charge a late fee. Here’s the catch, though: You can only do so if you’ve amended your initial contract to outline the terms of said […]

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(pixabay) Choosing to become a freelance writer and turning your writing talents into a profitable career are two very different stories. You can possess excellent grammar and spelling skills, but if you can’t build a profitable business around your talents, your freelance writing dreams are likely to be nothing more than a mirage. Understanding how to turn your writing yearnings into a revenue-focused business is essential for long-term success as a freelance writer. If this is the year you transition from being a wannabe writer to a writing business owner, remember the following five critical business development truths every freelance writer ought to know. Evaluate the ROI of Your Writing Clients Walking away from low-ROI , high-demand freelance writing clients is OK. Not every writing relationship offers a significant return-on-investment for your writing business. Learn early on in your writing career how to evaluate the ROI of your clients. Are they helping you grow your portfolio with a byline in a respected publication? Are they paying you enough to meet your revenue-per-hour goals? Do they request multiple revisions on each project, thereby driving down your revenue-per-hour rate? The sooner you learn how to evaluate the ROI of your writing clients, the sooner you’ll build a revenue-positive writing business you can be proud of. Combine a Niche Specialty with a Format Specialty Chances are good you have already heard the advice to choose a niche to specialize in. However, did you know that choosing a writing format can also help increase revenues for your freelance writing business? Not only should you specialize in an industry, but you should also consider concentrating on one or two types of content. Offer white papers and case studies for the digital marketing sector. Create blog posts for SaaS (Software-as-a-Service) startups . Also, build a reputation as a sales letter copywriter for the affiliate marketing sector. Once you learn the power of combining a business niche with a content format, you’ll kick yourself for not discovering this exceptional career-development hack sooner. Network Strategically Your network has a significant influence on lead generation opportunities for your writing business. Find niche-specific forums via a tool like BoardReader.com and offer helpful insights your target clients can use. Build a knowledge-based reputation within your industry, and you’ll soon have to start turning away clients for your freelance writing business. Consistent Education Upgrades Equals Business Development Mastery Continuing your education as a freelance writer is essential if you want to enjoy a long and profitable career as an on-demand wordsmith. Immerse yourself in new industries. Learn new writing formats. Study business sectors experiencing rapid growth. Pay attention to which startup sectors are attracting investment capital. Continually increasing your knowledge base makes good business sense. Not only will you be able to attract more clients to your writing business, but you’ll also build a reputation as an expert who can be depended upon to craft compelling content. Developing a deep knowledge base also helps you to transition your writing business and […]

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Rawpixel.com/Shutterstock One of the most visible aspects of the changing job landscape is the rise of the gig economy . Whether it’s by choice or necessity, more and more of us are working as freelancers — sometimes juggling multiple jobs at the same time. According to a 2016 report by the McKinsey Global Institute , approximately 162 million workers — or around or 20 to 30 percent of the working-age population — in the United States and Western Europe work as independent contractors. Regardless of whether or not we’re freelancers, time management is something we all have to master in order to thrive . But it’s an especially important part of being an independent contractor. We asked the freelancers in the Thrive Community for their best time-management tips . They had some great strategies. Here are some of our favorites: Find your rhythm “Do your most important work at your optimal time of the day or night based on your circadian rhythm — if possible.” —David B. Grinberg, strategic communications consultant, Washington, D.C. Get good at scheduling “I am an independent HR consultant and time can slip away so easily! I use Toggl to track my time and I get creative with my calendar. I book out slots when I’m most productive to work on time and energy intensive projects, I keep that time free of meetings so I can be my most productive. I then schedule in segments throughout my day when I’m ‘free’ and schedule meetings in the afternoon. When I create boundaries around my own time, I can better manage the expectations of others!” —Tash Pieterse, HR consultant and life & mindset coach, Auckland, New Zealand Schedule walking meetings “I go for walking meetings. As a CEO, this is a great time management strategy for me and my team members. We will walk around our office building five to six times and bring along our meeting notes to quickly cover as we walk and talk. Walking meetings help keep meetings short and organized and increase productivity since they get steps in and creative juices flowing. By the time we get back from our six laps, we’re refreshed and ready to sit down and get to work. Usually, we work on the items we discussed during that walking meeting!” —Deborah Sweeney, CEO, Calabasas, CA Make lists “I have now been maintaining two weekly task lists: one for official work and the other for personal. Being a mom to a 6-year-old, these task lists do help a lot by keeping me on track as to where I am in both my lives. I keep this list right on my desk so I am reminded of tasks to finish and when to make a new one. Thanks to my corporate experience, maintaining a log like this sorts me completely. Go on, pen it down! It helps.” —Aakriti Agarwal, coach, facilitator & image consultant, Hyderabad, India Maximize your energy “As a freelancer, the best time strategies I use are: 1) […]

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TheTrendSpotter is Australia’s leading online fashion and lifestyle destination which attracts over 2 million monthly readers. We are looking for a skilled freelance fashion writer to join the editorial team. You will work closely with the editors who will provide monthly briefs. The role will be autonomous and you will be required to work remotely. There will be weekly Skype calls provided during the training process. The successful applicant will have an understanding of fashion, excellent writing skills, and will be able to grasp the tone and style of writing quickly. RESPONSIBILITIES Write exceptional fashion, style, grooming, hair, lifestyle, beauty, wedding articles that resonate with The Trend Spotter audience In-depth research on article topics Create photo collages to accompany articles REQUIREMENTS Degree in journalism (preferred) Available to submit three articles per week Can work autonomously Excellent writing skills High attention to detail Understanding of WordPress Basic Photoshop skills for creating collages

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LinkedIn is working on a new addition to profiles which lets users display a list of services they offer. The feature is currently in testing and was discovered by none other than Jane Manchun Wong:

LinkedIn is testing “Services” field in profile, which will pair well with

“Find a Service Provider”: https://t.co/u1S7XESx4j pic.twitter.com/cCkE4Ud8C5 — Jane Manchun Wong (@wongmjane) April 25, 2019 As she notes in her tweet, a services section in profiles would pair well with the ‘Find a Service Provider’ feature she discovered last month. LinkedIn is testing(?) “Find a Service Provider” in post composer pic.twitter.com/oI0DkOVEbE — Jane Manchun Wong (@wongmjane) March 19, 2019

This feature would be especially useful for freelancers and other independent service providers.

As a professional network, LinkedIn could do more to accommodate freelancers. With a services section, freelancers could turn their profile page into a business page of sorts. Employees of other companies could also use a ‘services’ section in their profile to highlight the tasks they perform at their job. It’s possible if this feature rolls out publicly, a services section could also be used to help recruiters find talent. This feature isn’t out yet, but given Wong’s track record I imagine it won’t be long before we see a ‘services’ section in LinkedIn profile.

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There are five steps you can take when working with freelancers to get your project moving in the right direction. A solid framework can help you see the results you want for your project and your team.

When you aren’t used to working with freelancers, you can feel a bit like you’re walking blindfolded to get the final deliverable. How can you trust the work of a freelancer you’ve never met?

When you aren’t used to working with freelancers, you can feel a bit like you’re walking blindfolded to get the final deliverable. How can you trust the work of a freelancer you’ve never met?

Many teams start new partnerships with a paid test project —a small project that might be similar to the work to be done or even the first phase of your larger project. This can be a great opportunity to flex your collaboration skills and go beyond a freelancer’s proposal to see what they’re capable of.

After due diligence and careful consideration, at some point you have to have faith in your decision, remember that trust is a two-way street, and start moving forward. A plan that’s structured to help you get the results you want. This may include:

Ensuring a clear understanding of the project from the beginning Confirming mutual expectations
Polishing up your communication skills
Being quick to spot and act on potential problems

Let’s get started!

1. Give talent access to the information they need. A common challenge when you work with remote talent isn’t understanding what information they’ll need to do the work—it’s figuring out how to get it to them. How can you share internal information and data in a way that won’t leave your company exposed to unnecessary risk?

First, consider the level of risk involved. Data can generally be organized into five categories:

Sensitive
Confidential
Private
Proprietary
Public

For instance, the information required for a graphic design project may already be available, which means there’s little-to-no risk if it gets out to the public. However, a sales or customer service-related project may depend on internal customer data that’s much more sensitive and high risk. Sending it by email may not be an option.

Second, confirm your collaboration strategy. What’s the best way for the freelancer to contact you with questions or clarifications? Will they need access to your company’s virtual private network? If they need access to an internal system, how can you set them up with their own unique user ID? Talk to your IT team about collaboration tools and protocols that will meet your company’s security requirements.

2. Agree on your expectations Before your project begins, schedule a kickoff meeting to review details and set clear expectations. The goal: to confirm the requirements, timeline, and deliverables. You’ve likely already shared these details in your original job post , interview, and other correspondence. So use the opportunity to see if you’re on the same page by letting the freelancer take the lead.

Some of the finer points will still be up for discussion, but by Day One a freelancer should be able to explain the broad strokes, such as:

How they’ll approach the work The timeline and key dates you’ve shared […]

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PARIS, FRANCE – APRIL 25, 2019: Jean-Yves Art, Senior Director of Strategic Partnerships at Microsoft, speaks to the Sustainable Brands conference. In December 2018 Microsoft announced it was introducing a 365 Freelance Toolkit for companies to “launch and scale” their freelance workforces. Their rationale was that the gig economy was driving customers toward including freelance talent in their projects. According to the global online marketplace Upwork’s Future Workforce Report , almost 50% of recruiting managers had hired freelancers and 90% of them would consider doing so. Moreover, the great majority of freelancers weren’t open to regular employment – they liked working the way they did . The announcement went on to appreciate companies’ needs “to adapt to new business models to get work done with external talent,” while adding that “the path to transforming existing policies and processes,” aimed at regular employees, is largely undefined. Microsoft and its customers had both been relying on collaboration software designed for their own people with internal clearance to join the conversation. It was time for both parties to catch up with the marketplace. The 365 Freelance Toolkit would provide the way. The Toolkit is described to build on customers’ existing use of Microsoft 365 software by adapting that software for freelancer participation. Specifically, this involves employing current software and providing tools and best practices to help customers scale up their use of freelance programs. The Toolkit also draws on Microsoft’s internal experience in the use of freelancers in four key areas: internal communication, team-wide collaboration, data analytics and workflow automation. First, customers need a space for full-time employees to learn about engaging with freelancers and to share information and best practices with one another. Microsoft provides this through a customized version of their existing SharePoint software. YOU MAY ALSO LIKE This will allow freelancers full access to and participation in relevant team member communications “while ensuring freelancers will not have wholesale access to the enterprise environment.” This will be provided through the Microsoft Teams software system. These will allow administrators to establish, track and respond to key performance indicators, and to integrate employees and freelancers in the analytics provided. This business intelligence would be provided by the Power BI monitoring system. This covers provision, compliance, and monitoring of software, largely automating and thereby enabling g a “frictionless process” for employees to work with freelancers. This will use Microsoft Flow to streamline program activities. Other notable features of the information available so far are guidelines on b est practices based on Microsoft’s own experience, and the announcement that their launch partner for the Toolkit is the global freelance marketplace Upwork. Microsoft’s internal team spoke enthusiastically about the changes the Toolkit can bring. Liane Scult , Microsoft’s first-ever senior freelance program manager, who created the solution that drove Microsoft’s internal freelance program from zero to more than 2,000 assignments, comments: “At first, the freelance program was just a blank sheet of paper. That became a big bet with a clear call to action: build […]

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LinkedIn is reportedly working on a new “Services” section, in which users will be able to provide the details of services they can offer, which would in turn help them in connecting with employers or companies looking for someone with those services. This option could be quite beneficial for freelancers. Renowned Code Hacker, Jane Manchun Wong discovered the new option. She also posted a screenshot to support her claims and provide users a look at the new field which asks the users to add the services they offer. This would also allow users who visit a particular profile, an idea about what to expect in terms of services offered, user’s capabilities etc. Moreover, the profiles will also be shown if someone searches for freelancers in the relevant field. The option could work in close association with Wong, another one of LinkedIn’s new post options created for making the process of discovering service providers, easier. It shouldn’t come as a shock that LinkedIn has been working quite hard for the past few months to maximize user data, grow its recruitment tool and enable users to easily find the right connections. So, these features would just make the platform more convenient to use. Additionally, the freelance market is evolving at a rapid pace so it was high time LinkedIn would turn its attention to it. Over the last 5 years, there has been an increase of around 4 million American freelancers, bringing the total to over 50 million . Not only in USA, many people around the world have started preferring remote work, due to digital advancements. The number of freelancers and opportunities for them are bound to increase as time goes by. Thus, these features will definitely sit well with LinkedIn users, once they are rolled out. As of now, there is no specific release date but it shouldn’t take too much time. Read next: The Life of a Digital Nomad: Moving, Mingling, and Paying Bills (infographic)

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If you are just now getting started freelancing, you probably won’t have to do too many Google searches before landing at the Upwork homepage. Here’s what you need to know about this freelancing platform.

Is Upwork Legit?

Upwork is one of the most popular and longest-running freelancer websites. It originated as Elance in 1999, but the original company was purchased. It has been using its current name since 2015.

So, if your main question is whether or not Upwork is legit, its longevity in the marketplace should tell you that yes, it is considered a genuine choice for freelancers.

How Do You Get Started on Upwork?

Now that you know Upwork is a legitimate choice to begin your freelancing career, you may want to create a login and profile. The process is relatively straightforward. You will answer a series of job and skill-related questions. You will give details about past employment and education.

While the application process is not complicated, there’s plenty of online chatter about Upwork rejecting their profiles. It may be that Upwork has an abundance of freelancers in a given field and is trying to limit the amount of competition for its current freelancers.

Upwork has 12 different categories of work. They are Web, Mobile & Software Development, IT and Networking, Data Science & Analytics, Engineering & Architecture, Design & Creative, Writing, Translation, Legal, Admin Support, Customer Service, Sales & Marketing, and Accounting & Consulting.

There are many subcategories under each of these primary listings. For example, writers can label themselves as Academic Writers and Research Freelancers, Creative Writers, Editors and Proofreaders, or six other categories.  

Some Upwork gurus suggest that if your profile or account is rejected, it could be because there are too many people with your same skill set in that particular category.

To find out the most sought-after freelancers on Upwork, visit the news portion of their website and scroll to the bottom. Each quarter there is a new article published listing the fastest-growing skills for freelancers.

For example, the top five fastest-growing skills from the last quarter of 2018 were Hadoop, Dropbox API, Genetic Algorithms, Microbiology, and Computational Linguistics.

Do not be discouraged if your Genetic Algorithm skills are not as top-notch as they should be. There are plenty of jobs for regular people as well. It is worthwhile to peruse the list to see if there are any categories that you might be able to add to your profile.

What Happens After Your Upwork Profile is Approved?

After your profile is approved, you find a job. Much like other job searches, getting your foot in the door can be difficult.

Here’s how it works. When you log into your account, Upwork will give you a list of the jobs that were listed in your specific skill categories. If you find a job that you are interested in, you submit a proposal for the job.

Your proposal will tell the client how much you would expect to earn for completing their task. You can either ask for a flat fee, or you could request an hourly rate.

You will then write a cover letter detailing why you are the best choice for the job. This letter should not be a repeat of your profile information. Instead, you should highlight how your skills and experience can help the client.

Although it takes a lot of time, each cover letter should be unique to the job. In fact, some clients will ask for you to include a keyword or phrase in your cover letter so that they can make sure you read all the details of the job posting.

Before you send the cover letter to your client, it is wise to include attachments of previous work you have completed. If you have not completed any freelance work before, you should probably consider creating samples of your work to provide to clients.

Depending on the popularity of your skill set, you may need to apply for dozens of jobs before you hear back from a client. This can be frustrating because although you are sitting in front of your computer for hours at a time, you are not earning any income.

What Happens When You Hear From a Client?

Then that magical day occurs when you finally get a message from a client. Before you accept the terms of the final proposal, it is essential that you make sure you understand the scope of the work.

How Do You Get Paid?

Once you have completed some jobs, you will see the amount of money you have earned gradually increase. Unfortunately, since Upwork takes 20% of your earnings that amount will not grow at the rate you would hope.

Overall, Upwork is a decent place to get started as a freelancer. It gives you practice knowing what is standard in your industry and gives you practice interacting with clients.

This article was originally published by FreelancingBuzz.com

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