100% of You Have Done This One hundred percent is a bold prediction, but I am confident in my calculations. What is it that all of you have done? Freelance. Even if you work in a full-time job, you have been contacted and asked to assist in a project for a friend, associate or acquaintance. How can I be so sure? It's a matter of numbers. And, if you are an active freelancer, you need to ask yourself - 'Am I getting noticed?'
Freelancers can be segmented into three categories: Full-Time Freelancers, Part-Time Freelancers and the Occasional Freelancer.
Over the past five years, content production and design needs have escalated to the point that it would be difficult to name one business that has not had a need for the creative. Hundreds of businesses open daily. They need logos, websites, advertising, content, and more.
Having done my share of freelance work as an "Occasional Freelancer," I can offer a few suggestions for those of you just getting your feet wet.
1.
Never work with someone that says, "I don't have a lot of money, but..." Trust me.
2.
Charge a flat fee for some projects . This just means that you should value the work that you do. A logo, for instance, might take just two to three hours to create. If you charge $50 an hour, that's $150 and perhaps the most important investment a company can make. Value it for what it is, not the time it takes to create it. Some of us work faster than others, but it doesn't change the worth of that logo. As the foundation of a business, my suggestion is to start at $750 as a flat fee.
3.
Keep learning. The winners in today's technology-driven world are you - designers, creatives, artists, illustrators. Understand your own significance and continue to add skills and knowledge to your personal tool kit. It will not only make you vital, you will enjoy it!
4.
Your sanity is more important than money. Don't overpromise, overschedule or overengage clients that are unsure of what they want.
5.
Sometimes you have to ruin your magnificent creation because your client wants to "help" with designs or content. Let it go and move on. Yes you created it, but you don't own it.
Tips On FreelancingNegotiating a price for your brilliant creations is not always easy. The best way to start is to know how others are doing it.
Pricing, Proposals and Positioning for Freelancers is a download from the pages of HOW Magazine that can provide you with information about creating proposals, developing positioning strategies and setting prices.
Most importantly, this digital download provides a step-by-step guide to what your project proposals should include suggested by freelance veterans who have learned from their own miscalculations.
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