101 Essential Freelancing Resources
The web is such a big and wonderful place, packed with tools and resources which you all too often don’t know about. So to help all you freelancers out there we have compiled a gigantic list of resources, categorized up for your benefit. If you know a resource that we’ve missed, let us know as we’re always looking to grow this list!
Update: Well it’s actually 126 resources now, thanks to all the people who added resources in the comments.
Update: This article has been translated into Brazillian Portuguese by Rafael Marin.
This article has also been translated into Spanish by Diana at Artegami.
This article has also been translated into Italian by Matteo at Rails On The Road.
Being Available During Office Hours
This article has been translated into Spanish by Diana at Artegami.
One way to forge great relationships with your clients is to get in the habit of keeping your phone with you at all times and checking your emails as often as possible. Clients working office hours expect to be able to get a hold of you and will want a prompt response. One of the by-products of good relationships with clients is that they rely on you. Unfortunately that means that if you don’t get back to them promptly that relationship could be jeopardized.
Sleeping in until midday or catching that afternoon movie can become complicated if your aim is to keep similar hours as your clients. Really the only reason not to be available as far as a client is concerned is if you’re in a meeting. Part of the fun of being a freelancer is having flexibility and being your own boss, so you need to balance that with keeping your clients happy.
From experience I decided that if I missed a call for whatever reason I should call the client right back, even if it is just to give them a time I’d be able to talk in depth. It’s good manners and my clients knew I was eager to take their call. The last thing you want is for your client to feel they need to track you down or harass you in order to get in touch.
Staying Motivated Without a Boss (part 1)
Many freelancers find discipline and motivation a problem. You start out with the best of intentions, but soon find yourself waking up at midday and lounging in front of the tv. These are the first in a series of tips and tricks you can employ to stay motivated when you don’t have a boss on your back.
Give your client a timeline even if they don’t ask for it
A good way to make sure you don’t waste your days is to give yourself a tight schedule and put it in writing for your client. Commit to dates for small milestones throughout the project, so hopefully you won’t find yourself working through the night to meet your deadline.
Get an Edge on the Competition
This article has been translated into Spanish by Diana at Artegami. Thanks Diana!
You’d be surprised to hear how often clients tell me they went with us not because of the quality of our work, but because we ‘spoke their language’. So many times I’ve heard them say ‘the other designers were intimidating’ or ‘we didn’t understand what they were talking about’. Or even worse; ‘they didn’t seem interested in our business’.
Most freelancers are so busy trying to prove to potential clients how creative they are that they ignore their clients needs in the most basic sense. Save your creative talk for people in your industry. Talk to potential clients about what you can do for their business. Discuss how you will help them:
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