Solo Freelancers With Agency-Level Effectiveness? Here’s How

Photo by frischmilch.

Recently, one of my friends asked me how I handle scheduling, getting content first and getting it on-time. I’ve been working in graphic/web design for six years professionally, primarily with non-disclosure (ND) clients.

The most important insight I gained during six years of working with different agencies is that each company has a different way of dealing with things. The most successful agencies had a few things in common.

Here’s what I learned from the big guns:

1. To schedule effectively, build a base of clients that will need on-going work.
2. To get the content up front, ask for it.
3. Place the client at the center of the universe, but with limits. Explain to them the benefits of these limits.
4. Understand that they want to be loved by you. Stay in touch!

Schedule

As referenced in this article and many more on the site, the 80/20 marketing rule should be your best friend. You need to massage your existing client base and ensure that it’s actually made up of companies that can give you business.

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