Being a freelance worker can be hard at times because there might not always be work available and people may not be wanting to hire a freelancer to do work, however there are a lot of things that freelancers can do to maintain workflow throughout each year.
1. PROMOTION
Social Networking.
Social Networking sites such as Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn are fast becoming a main way to talk to both companies and clients. With two people joining LinkedIn per second (according to fastcompany.com) and many more joining both Twitter and Facebook, it’s more than likely some jobs I undertake will be from companies who I have been in contact with through a social network. Social networking is also a great way I can promote myself and get myself known. By using hashtags in my tweet and statuses I will be making a selected audience view my content and eliminating anyone who may not be interested. These hashtags could also attract companies to my work.
Leaflets, Flyers, Business Cards and Portfolio’s.
Handing out leaflets and flyers to people and even putting them on notice boards in café’s and workplaces could persuade people to hire me to do a particular job. By also handing out business cards to anyone who is interested could result in a call or email for more information about the services I could offer to them which could lead to more work. One of the main promotional tools for me as a freelancer is a portfolio. By having a portfolio, clients will be able to see previous content I have produced which could persuade them to hire me. I could create both an online portfolio on my website, such as a link to my blog and I could also create a handheld copy for interviews etc.
Websites.
By having a website promoting myself and the work I do, people are able to see what I can create and if the content I produce is right for them. By including pages such as ‘Previous Opportunities’ or even a client list on my website, possible clients will be able to see who I have worked with in the past and make a valuable choice on whether to hire me. By also having a blog which I write in my spare time, companies can also view this and contact me for any possible opportunities for me to promote their product or brand through a sponsored and paid post on my blog for all my followers to see. I can also sign up to use websites such as Freelancer and oDesk, which will feature my profile when someone searches for a Fashion Journalist or Blogger.
2. CREATING AND KEEPING CONTACTS
One of the main ways of getting work is to have contacts. These contacts are very important as they will be able to offer me work, possibly more than once and could also become good references for future opportunities. These are some ways in which I can create new contacts:
Networking
By networking with possible clients, I will be able to talk to them about the work that I do, the content I produce and previous clients I have worked with. I can also promote myself and show that I am a very hard working person who would be ideal for the job they could have to offer. By doing this I could either come out with a job or I could be able to add them to my contact list for future opportunities.
Social Networking
Once again, Social networking is a really valuable place to talk to possible contacts. With a ‘Direct Message’ option and also the option to tweet them publicly, Twitter is an ideal place to interact with people and create more contacts who could possibly offer me work.
Websites
By using websites such as Freelancer and oDesk, I will be able to interact with more people who are after a certain type of freelancer, in my case a Journalist. Websites such as the two above are brilliant ways of both promoting yourself and gaining contacts as clients are able to search through various job roles and a whole host of freelancers who they will then be able to talk to and learn more about the work that they can produce.
Existing Contacts
Keeping in touch with existing contacts is a very important thing for any freelancer to do. By keeping in touch with contacts that I have made from previous jobs, they will remember both who I am and the type of work that I can produce, meaning that they could approach me for any further jobs that they would like doing.
3. THE WAY I WORK
Obviously, one the main ways in which I will get new jobs is if my previous clients have given me a good reference and because of that, the way that I work is a very important issue.
Meeting Deadlines and Time Management
By meeting all deadlines set, I will be setting a good example to all clients that I work with that I am a very consistent person who delivers on time and to a good standard. If I were to miss a deadline, this could jeopardise my career and could stop me from getting any more work and therefore, I plan to keep to deadlines. Another thing that I believe to be very important is time management. Once again, by constantly being on time to things such as meetings, events and even replying to emails quickly, I am showing clients that I am focused and a very trustworthy person.
Friendly Persona
Another very important thing to gain work is the way in which I interact with clients. By being friendly and a nice person to work with, that client has more chance of offering me another job or giving me a good reference for a new job. If I was rude to a client or very nasty then it would be more than likely that I would not receive any more jobs off them or a good reference.
There will always be times that finding work will be hard however I do believe that by doing the tips that I have mentioned above, finding work will be a lot easier and the work flow that I receive will be a lot more consistent.
saskiasteelswright 