How To Sell Yourself As A Freelancer
With more and more people choosing to become self-employed and live life as a fully-fledged freelancer (as a designer, a writer, an architect, a business consultant, or any number of other professions), what was once a fairly unique way of working has become almost the norm. The problem with that is that if there are more people working in the same way, doing the same thing, it gets harder and harder to stand out from the crowd. So how can you sell yourself as a freelancer? Read on to find out.
Get a USP
Having a USP (unique selling point) is essential if you will be a successful freelancer. What is it that you offer that no one else does? Once you have worked that out, you need to ensure that you market yourself based on that important factor. Finding what makes you different and using that to your advantage will bring you more customers than almost anything else. It really can be anything. Perhaps you saw a ghost box for sale, and now you use it in your videos, or it could be that you want to be known as the freelancer with the classic car.
Remember, once you’ve picked your USP, make sure your portfolio or testimonials mention it and show it off. There’s no point in having a great USP if you don’t have any examples of how good you are at it.
Blog
A blog is not just for freelance writers (although they should definitely have their own if they are planning to write one for clients). It’s for every type of freelancer out there. A blog will enhance your standing as a freelancer, showing potential clients that you know what you’re talking about and, more than that, that you take it seriously. Use your blog to keep your readers up to date with changes and important news in your industry, and you’ll become an influential voice.
Website
Of course, if you’re going to have your own blog, you should have your own website to put it on. A website gives you credibility, and these days, thanks to a plethora of web hosts, they’re not hard to create either. Having a website will mean people know how to find you and can get in touch easily. It means you can have your portfolio and testimonials in one place, rather than having to send them out to people all the time. It’s a quicker and more efficient method of finding new clients.
Newsletters
Using newsletters as a means of email marketing can work incredibly well if you have the right content. Putting them together may take a bit of time, but if they are interesting and engaging, those who signed up for them will appreciate the work you put into them. They will also remember you. The more times you end up in their email inbox, the more likely they are to come to you when they need your services.
Networking
Networking is all-important when you are a freelancer and need to keep finding new clients. You can network online through sites like LinkedIn, or you can go to networking events. Whichever you prefer and whichever works best for your particular brand of freelancing, keep doing it. Networking doesn’t have any kind of impact if you only try it once or twice and decide it’s not for you. Persevere, and you’ll find that those contacts you are making each time you go or each time you log on will eventually prove useful.
