If you’ve just dumped 5 mock ups on a client and they rejected every single one of them, all is not lost! You may be able to resell each one of those mock ups online and many times you can end up making more than you might have with that client. Be aware that if you signed a contract to make sure you still have the right to sell that work!

Either way this is a good way to make some extra income when times are slow. Or better yet, a perfect way for those up-coming designers or writers to get the ball rolling and find out if they’re talented enough to go out on their own!

On to the list…

#1 Sitepoint Marketplace

Sitepoint’s Marketplace has a special place in my heart as this is where I got my start before going full time freelancing. I sold templates for almost 2 years and brought in a good chunk of change during that time! You can sell any type of template here as well as domain names, websites, software, scripts and more. The marketplace has also had a bit of a face-lift recently and is still running strong!

#2 WebUnload

WebUnload Marketplace, which brands itself as “The Ebay For Web Stuff” is one I haven’t gotten the chance to try out myself but looks to be rather active. You can sell any type of template, established websites, blogs, domains, and software. Give it a shot!

#3 Pixish

Alright, while Pixish isn’t a place you can sell your work directly as with marketplaces. It is a place where work gets sold. Individuals and Companies hold contests and anyone is free to submit their work. Sometimes the prize is money and sometimes the prize is a cool sleek gadget… and well, sometimes it’s just books! Either way, pixish is pretty active and is a good choice for graphic and logo designers to make a little extra cash.

#4 DigitalPoint Marketplace

DigitalPoint is a hugely active community and contains a pretty active marketplace directly within their forums. You can sell Content, Templates, Domains, Websites, Programs, Scripts and more! The only downside to DigitalPoint is that the members aren’t usually willing to pay near full or sometimes reasonable price for the work! It is a good start for those who need to refine their skills though I must say.

#5 TalkFreelance

TalkFreelance is similar to digitalpoint but usually with higher quality submissions. Members here are usually willing to pay what the item is worth as well. The downside is that it isn’t quite as active as places like DigitalPoint but it is definitely not dead! You can sell the usual Templates, Articles, Domains, Websites and more…

#6 99designs

99Designs is similar to pixish as it holds contests, though 99Designs has a wider variety of type of submissions unlike pixish. From the makers of sitepoint, 99designs seems to be very active and attractive! Mostly for designers as the contests that are held are for Web Designs, Logo Designs, Business cards, and other templates. Definitely worth a try!

#7 Webmaster-Talk

Another forum marketplace, Webmaster-Talk.com, is a somewhat active community where you can sell templates, domains, websites, ad space, and much more! While not as active as some of the others on the list, the wide variety of items you can sell definitely makes it worth a try.

#8 CovantageTemplates

CovantegeTemplates is not a marketplace but a company who will sell your website templates, flash templates, logos, and banners directly through their website and affiliates. At this time, they take a %12 percent share from each sale.

#9 JungleTango

JungleTango is a marketplace for Wordpress Themes. Users are allowed to upload there themes, set a price, and receive payments when the template sales reach $100 (similar to adsense). Payout is said to be 1 – 3 days afterwards. While not hugely active, it is worth checking into!

#10 Ebay

Well of course you know of Ebay but did you know you can also sell templates as well as domains and developed websites? While Ebay is of course highly active, selling templates will take a little bit of skill here. Many people may shy away from these kinds of sells as it seems to be populated with cookie-cutter spam type sites and templates. Some do sell and if you have no luck anywhere else, give it a shot!

#11 CrowdSpring

How about one extra? CrowdSpring is a rather new but very promising creative marketplace. I have just recently been aware of CrowdSpring by one of the comments below but I must say I am impressed so far! For Graphic designers, Illustrators, Web Designers, and Photographers, CrowdSpring seems to be taking a fresh and detailed approach to the creative marketplace arena!

Conclusion

Know of another resource I’ve missed? Let me know and leave a comment below (hey, that rhymes!).

We figure the best way to gain experience as a freelancer in the beginning is to get your feet wet right away. Once you have a couple clients under your belt, you will have the right mindset when you begin to set yourself up as a legitimate freelancer. Once you have example work to show, you can then begin to build your online portfolio and begin to gain exposure to find a steady client stream.

Finding Your First Client

Finding your first legitimate client can seem daunting for some. The truth of it is that there are many various ways you can find your first client, and many without a penny in your pocket, or very much work at all! Go a head and give some of these a shot and you may just see how simple this can be.

Freelance Job Boards

Job boards are an easy way to find your first project. Many times the price is already set right there in black and white and you don’t even have to worry about pricing! There are many job boards out there depending on your industry. Many popular choices are:

• Elance
• GetAFreelancer.com
• FreshWebJobs
• Authentic Jobs
• Guru
• Coroflot

You can also try some job aggregators to get a birds eye view of multiple job boards:

• JobPile
• JobFloat
• MostHired
• JobAgg

Promote Your Services

Promoting your services will usually lend the most opportunities. You can print out advertisements on your home printer and place them at local collages, stores, and businesses. You can also promote your services online in many ways. You can try places like Sitepoints Marketplace and TalkFreelance, and Digitalpoint to get started.

Ask Around

If you are well networked (or well liked!) then people can be your greatest resources. Ask your friends, your friends friends, and everyone in between! If you have a suave sales persona as well you can go a head and call up local businesses to try and snatch that first client!

Now What Should I Charge?

This is a popular question among beginning freelancers. There are different factors to consider when it comes to what to charge for the project and exactly how to charge for that project. Should i charge an hourly rate? What rate should that be? What about per-project billing? How do i know how much the project is worth? For your first step out in the freelancing world, we’ll make it easy as possible for you.

First, When it comes to the question of hourly vs. project-scope/per-project billing it comes down to your personal preference and personal situation. While hourly seems to be the easiest and maybe the most obvious choice, it may be more hassle then it is worth when your first starting out in my opinion. When billing by the hour you must consider what hours you can actually bill, how you will keep track of your time, how to communicate to the client the hourly breakdown of the work. This may be more then you want to handle with your first freelance job.

I tell most beginning freelancers to begin with per-project pricing before accepting hourly jobs. It is usually easier for you and many times easier for the client. Per-project billing works simply by quoting the client one flat rate based on the projects scope. The more required for the project, the higher the price. Easy as cake!.. Right? Well then how do you know what the project is worth?

If you’re not experienced in the industry then you may have absolutely no idea what to charge your new client! Finding the answer may be much easier then you think! Try some of the following methods:

Ask For The Budget

If your client has not disclosed a budget to you then you can simply ask if they have laid out a budget for the project yet, and what might that budget might be. Most clients will actually have a budget set aside either on paper or have a ballpark figure floating around in their head. The trick is not to charge the client 100% of their budget but to take their budget, knock off around 10% and send that number back to them as your price for the project (if of course the price is worth it!).

Sometimes 10% less than the budget might not be a price your comfortable with. If it seems too low for the work involved and more hassle then it might be worth then you can try to work with the client by telling them that, for quality work, the lowest price you can offer them is $xxx.xx amount. Sometimes clients will low-ball you and especially if they know you are just starting out! Don’t fall into this trap! It all comes down to whether the work involved is really worth the price. You have to walk away with something right? Right!

Look Up Similar Jobs

Many times clients will tell you that they have no budget and ask you what you charge. This is not unusual. The client probably still has a ballpark figure of what they expect you to charge but are hoping you are going to do it for much less.

How do you know what to tell these conniving type of clients? Just do a little research! Use the same job boards listed above to find similar projects… find the average price for these projects, and if it seems reasonable to you then use that to set your price… Nothing too complicated or profound but it works!

Ask The Competition

If your services are similar to many other freelancers out there then you can simply ask your competition what they would charge for this type of project. Of course just don’t go emailing everyone in your field asking them “Hey, what would you would charge this guy if you were in my shoes?” You can just request a quote from them as if you were asking about the project yourself.

Do this with at least three different fellow freelancers and you should have an average price. Remember, you might not be as experienced as those you asked so you may want to cut it down by 10% or more! They may be able to offer a quicker turn around than you. This should however give you a good idea of the average price of the project.

How To Handle The Deadline

When you have little to no experience dealing with deadlines it may prove to be a little tough to handle! This may also be a problem to those who work a full time job on the side. The stress of deadlines can sometimes eat you alive if you don’t handle them correctly!

One At A Time Please!

In the beginning, handle one project at a time. Handling multiple deadlines is for those who’ve been doing this for awhile. Start out with one project at a time and then move on to two projects at a time and move on from there. Never try to take on more then you think you can handle! This will most certainly lead to missed deadlines. Over time you will get better and quicker at what you do which will allow you to take on more and more work at one time.

Schedule Your Work Hours!

Yes I know, this may be one of the things you’re running away from at your corporate job! The truth is, especially if freelancing is still a part time job for you, that you should set aside hours out of every day that you will be sitting down and working on your clients project. In the beginning you probably won’t know your work habits at home. Most of the time they are much different then those at your other job. While learning these work habits and dealing with deadlines at the same time, you’re going to need to set your own schedule! Do everything in your power to stick with it. Go out and buy yourself a brand new planner or agenda and pencil in your new clients deadline! Stick to your schedule and you should hit that deadline with absolute precision!

Don’t Procrastinate!

It’s easy to procrastinate. You’re probably doing it right now aren’t you? Procrastination will destroy your chances of hitting those deadlines! Most of us procrastinate because we fear that we cannot complete the work on time or with the set amount of quality that we are required to accomplish.

The truth is that once you face the project and your work, that it isn’t nearly as hard as you thought it would be! Start out with the smallest part of the project. Once you start accomplishing even the smallest task on the project list you will then suddenly have the confidence to go a head and knock the entire thing out!

Go a head and try it… Works every time! Next time you find yourself procrastinating, do the smallest task and you may find yourself hours later with half or more of the entire project complete.

How To Get Paid?

The work is done, now how does the client pay you? Many clients prefer the use of PayPal. Many bigger clients may want to do a bank or wire transfer. You will need some info from your bank such as your IBAN number if so. The process is rather painless and your client will be taking care of almost all the work.

If you have required a deposit or are holding on to the project files before the client pays, be aware of e-checks… wait for them to clear before sending off the final project files (if that is part of the agreement). While I have never had an issue to date with e-checks (knock on wood), it is possible the clients check may not clear.

Now What?

So you’ve caught that first client, charged him a reasonable price, hit your deadline and got paid. Now you should have some new found confidence in your freelancing abilities! It wasn’t so hard was it? Now where do you go from here? Your next steps will include setting up and establishing your freelance business, creating a professional portfolio, dealing with the paper work, staying organized and oh so much more… which we will be covering over the next few articles in this series. Just sit tight and check in again soon

Paul has helped make a name for himself as well as his web design company Headscape Web Design Solutions by not only publishing the most popular and longest running podcast for web designers, developers, and website owners over at Boagworld, and by speaking at several conferences and engagements such as SXSW, @media, FOWD and The Highland Fling, but also writing articles for such publications as .NET magazine and Think Vitamin.

As if that last paragraph didn’t contain enough links and mentions (slow down Paul!) he has also written a new book which should be of importance to our readers: The Website Owners Manual. With chapters such as “Secrets to a successful website” and “User centric design” it’s a must for anyone involved in website deployment. Not only grab a copy for yourself but for your clients as well (go a head, make them think you love them!).

We spoke with Paul about his past in Web Design, his futures of Podcasting, his current vacation in Scotland, and his favorite type of bread….

Thank you, Paul, for taking the time to speak with us.

Absolutely!

So how are you enjoying your vacation in Scotland?

Scotland is one of the most majestic places in the world. At least if it isn’t raining. I have found it incredibly inspiring being out of the office and away from the web. I have achieved so much more here because I am free from distractions.

Getting to the meat of our discussion is your weekly podcast on Web Design, which is to date the longest running and most popular web design podcast.

I believe you started this in 2005 and it has been gaining more and more recognition since. How do you feel this medium has served you and your web presence over the years?

I was very fortunate to stumble into podcasting. I started out blogging but found that hard work. I love writing but find it much harder to express my enthusiasm and excitement for a subject. Podcasting was a natural fit for my personality.

I doubt you would not be interviewing me if it wasn’t for the show. It has done a huge amount for my personal profile and that of my web design company Headscape. It is also what has enabled me to write the Website Owners Manual too. I doubt any of that would have happened if I had just stuck to blogging. There are simply too many blogs around. You need a way to stand out from the crowd and in my case that was through podcasting.

Any future plans for video podcasting?

I have thought long and hard about video podcasting and yet I do not have an answer for you. On one hand video podcasting is hugely popular and an enormous growth area. It would also enable me to show code and designs. This is something that constantly frustrates me about audio podcasts.

However, on the other hand I am aware that many people listen to my show while walking the dog or commuting to work. You cannot watch a video podcast in such circumstances. Video demands your attention in a way audio does not.

Probably at the end of the day it will come down to return on investment. Doing a full blown video podcast is a lot of work. Unless we can make it pay for itself I doubt it will happen. For now people will have to be satisfied with the audio show and the live ‘behind the scenes’ video stream.

You also have a new project in the works which has gone live recently on boagworld.com: “The Website Owners Manual.“ Which from what I’ve read seams to be an evolving manual for anyone interested in running a successful website (from start to finish)….

I am really excited about the Website Owners Manual for a couple of reasons. First, there are so few books aimed at website owners or managers. They are all aimed at designers and developers. However, the client is key to the success of a project and there are certain things they need to know. Second, I am excited by the way this book is being produced. Instead of simply being published, this book is evolving through social participation. You can get access to chapters right now and have the opportunity to comment on and contribute to those chapters. I collect your feedback and adjust what I am writing accordingly. At the end of the process you get the final product. Its publishing 2.0… or something like that

Sounds very progressive! Here at FM the bulk of readers seem to be beginning freelancers who themselves will need to know a bit of knowledge you’ve outlined in this manual… what points do you think this book would be most important to our readers?

I think the main thing will be how to better communicate with clients. The problem with most people who choose to start freelancing is that they under estimate the challenges of dealing with clients. You might be the best designer or developer in the world, but if you cannot deal with clients effectively you will fail. The website owner manual shows you what clients need to know and demonstrates ways of presenting that information to them.

So you’re the Creative Director at Headscape, you run a weekly podcast, you speak at numerous web design and marketing conferences, and still find the time to write a book. I think even David Allen himself would be proud… whats your productivity secret? Whats your daily life like?

I am a huge fan of David Allen and follow the Getting Things Done methodology closely. However being organized is only half the battle. The other half is recognizing what you are good at and sticking to that. I know I am an ideas person. I am great at starting stuff and terrible at finishing it. I therefore surround myself with people who are good at following through.

At Headscape I have three fellow directors who are expert at managing me to be at my most effective. They bring me in for short bursts of activity when a load of ideas are required and then quietly push me to the sidelines when the REAL work begins.

With the podcast, I rely heavily on the community to make it happen. There are people who transcribe the interviews, moderate the forums and even produce the show. There is Paul Stanton who helps me source news stories. Ryan Taylor produces the show by organizing guests, writing show notes and much more. Finally there is Anna Debenham who is our technician. She edits interviews, manages the site and handles the RSS feed.

These people all give up there time because they love the show. That makes me feel very honoured. I would be lost without them and feel guilty that they don’t get more out of it.

You started out as a Web Designer and evolved into other areas since, I’m guessing mostly due to your success with your podcast. How was your early experience when starting out as a Web Designer?

I started out designing for the web back in 1994. I was working for IBM producing CD-ROMs for the first generation of multimedia PCs. While doing this IBM decided to start taking the web seriously and so I got involved very early on.

I was just a junior designer which was why I was given the web stuff. It just wasn’t important back then. My career ended up growing in line with the growth of the web. As the web became higher profile so did my job until eventually I ended up working as a creative director at a dot com company in the late nineties.

Basically, I just lucked out. A lot of success is luck. The idea that successful people are in someway more talented or better is just not true. It is about being in the right place at the right time. That and having a big mouth and being willing to shout about how good you are!

What advice do you have for those looking into starting out as a Web Designer themselves?

Wow that is a hard one. Its very different starting out today compared to my experience. That said, here is my gut reaction.

First, know the basics. Focus on HTML, CSS and Javascript before anything else. Don’t get distracted by the latest fad or the more exciting trend. These are the fundamental tools you will always need.

Next, find talented people you admire and get alongside them. Don’t be shy in approaching them. In my experience they love the attention Follow their work, ask questions and look at who they follow and admire.

Finally, get involved in the web design community. Go to meetups, conferences and other events. You will learn so much from your peers. Far more than from a book or university course.

And I must ask of you what I ask all my interviewees: if you could be one type of bread, what would it be?

Tescos own brand. Cheap, processed and yet it never goes moldy

In this edition we ask the question “Are you really ready for full-time freelancing?.” If you’ve been day dreaming at your desk all day about joining the work-at-home generation while wondering what it would be like with that much freedom in your life then it’s time to get serious about it! No more wondering! We’re going to find out if you are really ready for full time freelancing…

Could I Really Become a Full Time Freelancer?

If you’re unsure about whether or not you could survive on doing freelancing alone then you need to ask yourself some hard questions:

Can I survive on my creativity?

When you work in a freelancing field you will most likely be also working in a creative field. Are you confident enough in your work that you will put your financial future on the line? Sounds pretty scary doesn’t it? Don’t worry! You don’t have to be the best web designer, graphic designer, writer, developer, or whatever! You just have to be good enough to land clients, and satisfy their needs (then comes the money part).

In reality there are many levels of skill within any line of work and freelancing is no different. You can land clients and make income if you’re just starting out within the field you’re interested in… but if you are not self-established enough then it is NOT the right time for you to go full time (yet)! You will need to build and establish your knowledge and skills within that field to the point where you get enough recognition to where you feel confident in yourself to take that full leap.

Like true love, you will just know when it comes.

Can I really handle working from home?

Sure, it sounds so easy, so void of stress. For many of us, this couldn’t be farther from the truth! When you work from home you are more prone to distraction. Your friends call you in the middle of the day (“you’re not busy are you?”), your significant other probably wont “get it” that when you are at home working, you’re working (“Can you go pick up the dry cleaning?”). These distractions can become a real nightmare if you don’t handle them correctly (more on that later…).

Another issue that arises is when you work where you live and live where you work, you never get away! It can be really hard to close up shop at the end of the day. In fact, for me personally, it’s impossible! It’s 12:00AM and you lie in your bed… trying to fall asleep… but you cant… you’re holding yourself back from walking right over to that computer and checking your e-mail. You then find yourself up until 4:00AM and your mind is still racing from work. Forget about having a normal sleep schedule. That will be thrown out the window the day you start your freelancing career! Of course this will balance out over time as you learn to adjust to this lifestyle (again, more on that later…).

Can you handle the commitment?

It’s true that once you become established and generally good at what you do then you will have quite a bit of freedom when it comes to the time of work spent each day. This is not so true when you’re first starting out! You will have a lot to do to get the ball rolling and it always takes constant maintenance. You will need to be able to build your own portfolio, handle clients, emails, distractions, keep up with the latest trends, and build your own online identity and presence… while handling your projects at the same time! You may be discouraged in the beginning as it might feel that you quit that 9 to 5 for a 14 hour work day! Don’t fret, with all sacrifices come great rewards.

Not Ready? Take Baby Steps

If you’re not ready to take the full leap just yet this does not mean that you shouldn’t start right this second! It’s quite the opposite actually… just to merely keep your day job while establishing your skills, knowledge, and presence.

If you still need to build up your confidence to become a full time freelancer then usually the right thing to do is to either:

A) Keep your full time day job and start freelancing on the side.

B) Find a part time job that satisfies the bills and use freelancing for the rest of your income.

The first is how I began and how many other freelancers began as well. The time it takes to become ready to quit your current job will vary. For me it was 3 months before I realized I could do this on my own. I have had bumps in the road of course but I stuck with it and now I dread the thought of going back to a “real job.”

How do you know you’re really ready? It’s just simple math (good, because I’m no good at math). When you consistently make more money in the time you’ve spent freelancing then the money you make at your other job then it’s probably time.

When I began making twice the money working half the time than at my other job I realized the more time I spend on freelancing the better and wealthier (I’m not rich!) I would become… and the better I become the more money I could potentially make. For me it was simple economics: the more I produce the more I make and the more I make (it seems) the better work I produce… why am I working for someone else for this lousy check?

When money from your (bi)weekly checks seams like chump change then it’s time to ditch that job and go full time! If you’re still have a need for a steady predictable income then it’s time to go out and find a part time job and devote more time to freelancing.

Where Do I Go From Here?

Ok so now your pumped up and ready to get your hands dirty… we’ll sorry to disappoint you but you will just have to wait until the next episode! Don’t worry, it’s right around the corner

Here at FreelancerMagazine we can also be pretty lazy (I prefer to say busy). So instead of writing up a giant list of our own hacks, that are already out on the web somewhere, we compiled a list of other lists of hacks. Silly? maybe, Good idea? Definitely!

Amazing Wordpress Hacks Part 1!

StylizedWeb, which also runs off of wordpress (who would of thunk it?), provides the following hacks for wordpress development:

• Forwarding section pages to their first sub-page
• Grabs the textual content of a Post and style it
• Loads a stylesheet with dynamic values dependent on the Page view
• Post Expiration time and date

Amazing Wordpress Hacks Part 2!

Supposedly part 1 just wasn’t enough. StylizedWeb followed up with these supplemental wordpress hacks:

• Wordpress post expiration code (option two)
• Secure your wp-includes folder
• Wordpress Static HTML Template

Mastering Your Wordpress Theme Hacks and Techniques

The fellows over at Noupe seem to work hard when it comes to link-bait driven articles. This one is no different. There are quite a bit of hacks and techniques listed and some of which are included are:

• Embed Google Ad in First WordPress Post
• Displaying single post pages differently in specific category
• Dynamic file content
• Exclude Categories From Your Home Page
• Getting Custom Field Values

Wordpress Theme Hacks

Nick La is a busy guy (I can relate!). Over at WebDesignerWall he has comprised one of my favorite lists of wordpress theme hacks. Some of which include:

• Dynamic Highlight Menu
• Feature post highlighting
• Custom Frontpage
• Page Templates

40 Most Wanted Wordpress Tricks and Hacks

Over at Hongkiat they compiled a list of wordpress tricks and hacks from other sources as well. Definitely worth checking out. Some of the tricks and hacks are:

• Turn Wordpress blog into CMS (Content Management System)
• Display recent post from specific category
• Create thumbnails for each blog post and displays them
• Format images for feed readers
• Create mobile version of your blog

Wordpress Themes, Plugins, Hacks…

Whats better than a single page full of WP hacks? A whole site dedicated to the subject! HackWordpress has made it a goal to document and provide many hacks and other related information concerning Wordpress. Too many to list here, so go check it out!

Scriptygoddess: Wordpress Hacks

ScriptyGoddess has quite a few of their own little hacks tucked away in their archives. You can find such things as:

• Get Wordpress to use sendmail instead of mail()
• Pulling in post content from a separate blog install
• Forget User Info

Wordpress Core Hacks

Perishable Press has a few tricks up their sleves as well. Some of these hacks include:

• Customize password-protected posts
• Customize default links for individual post-comment feeds
• Enhance parse_url Functionality
• Limit PHP memory for cache.php

Conclusion

Well I believe that about wraps it up. Maybe it’s not so “giant” in retrospect but it just about covers all the bases! If you know of any other hacks or tips you’d like to share just drop us a comment below! I’m sure the readers would enjoy it

On to the list!

#1 Not using contracts

Most beginning freelancers fail to utilize contracts due to the fact that they believe clients will shy away from them. This is (in my experience) untrue! Many clients appretiate the professionalism and will let out a sigh of relief once they see you are a legitimate businessman (or woman!). Once you go through that one bad experience with a client, you will of wished you had the contract to fall back upon!

Or maybe new freelancers just don’t know to construct one or what to include. If you have not constructed your contract template, sit down and make a list of everything you want your client to know. Set your boundaries, your pay rate, and limits. Be detailed but don’t overload the clients with useless information! Keep it to the point!

#2 Over estimating your skills

So a potential client has given you a list of requirements for a new project. It contains some aspects that you have no experience in, but the money is good- should you take it? Probably not! You should be honest with the client and tell them “Sorry, but to be completely honest, I have never done that before.” Sometimes you will still get the job and they will contract out that aspect, or maybe ask you to contract it out. If you do however have a relationship with another freelancer who does have experience with it- contact them and see if they could handle that side of the project. Some clients do not like this however, so it may be a good idea to check in with the client first. Clients like less complexity to deal with (and so do I!).

#3 Under selling your services

Some new freelancers don’t understand that to be a freelancer also means to be in the sales business. You are selling yourself and your services just as the employee at the local appliance store tries to sell you that refrigerator (you know the one, with the TV built in that alerts you when you are out of milk.). Learn from other salesman whenever you get the chance. See how, even when you buy the refrigerator they offer you the 2 year warranty? Next time you sell your services, offer another service of yours that compliments your previous work with the client.

#4 Charging too little!

Do your research before you under-price that next project! I know that it can be a struggle to get that clients budget out of them at times, and if so, send your own estimate anyway. Don’t be afraid to ask for what you or your service is really worth! It can be a hassle down the road when you are charging new clients a reasonable price but your old clients are asking for less than half that!

#5 Not following up with the client.

Follow up with every client you have done work for. This is a good chance to land more work from that client. Many times they can loose your contact info or have a project in mind that they just haven’t contacted you about. Don’t miss out on this chance!

#6 Missing deadlines

We’ve all been there. Deadlines can be a tough thing to keep at times. Especially when the project gets out of hand. You might have taken on too much work or simply over estimated the time it would take to complete the project. This can lead to un-happy clients and loss of future work! Do your best to request all the specs on the project and read over them!. Go through them with a fine tooth comb if you have to. This will give you a much clearer idea of when you can really complete the project and may very well help you hit that deadline.

#7 Accepting everything that comes your way

When you first begin, you don’t just consider every piece of work that comes your way- you grab it! This can be a mistake however as you can easily miss deadlines… or become a walking zombie trying to complete everything on time! Learn to say “no” to some of the work that floats your way. You will understand that when you hook a client, complete it on time, and pay special attention to their project- you could potentially have a long term customer. I’ve had long term customers who have paid my rent for an entire year by being able to turn down other work in favor of theirs!

#8 Under investing in your business

Just because you’ve been getting steady work since you’ve started doesn’t mean your luck wont run out some time soon! Invest 10% of all your income and put it back into your business! Use this for things such as advertising and marketing. It’s no different starting out as a freelancer as it is running a small business.

#9 Not returning emails / phone calls on time

Clients rely on your customer service so you must return any phone calls or emails in a timely matter! If you fail to do so, then you begin to get a bad reputation which can lead to the downfall of your freelancing career! Sometimes un-happy clients come back to bite you in the butt! Do yourself a favor and get organized! Call or email them back even if you don’t have much to say about the project at that time. They will still appreciate it!

#10 Lack of professionalism

You may be designing their web page in your underwear but you should also treat clients as if you were working the customer service department at the local retail store. There is a balance that’s not hard to find. You should be personable but at the same time professional. Don’t tell your clients something like “sorry i haven’t gotten you that revision yet, i was out all night last night drinking, and then my car got stolen, and then my boyfriend was all like telling me it was my fault and then he called a cab and made me walk home alone…” It may be true, but due them and yourself a favor and either don’t give them a reason, or simply fabricate (we all have to do it sometime!).

Conclusion

Have another you might want to add to the list? Comment below!

When Is Good

WhenIsGood.net

Ahh, the universal question, when is good? WhenIsGood.net is a simple online application that claims to be “An easy way to find out when everyone is free for your next meeting or event.” You simply select the times that you, or your client, are available (in the local time zone). This creates an simple and effective way for you and your client to agree on a time for that next phone call or chat.

ScheduleOnce

ScheduleOnce

ScheduleOnce is a similar application as When Is Good?, which also allows you to choose a time in which you and your client can agree on. Whether setting up single meeting times or alternative meeting times, you can also receive emails when changes are made to the schedule!

Google Calendar

Google Calendar

Most of us could probably get by with the few applications google has made so far, and Google Calendar is no different. You can set up days and times and invite others to comment and view that certain calendar. You can also add your clients or friends calendars for an up-to-date view on their availability.

Doodle

Doodle.ch

Doodle.ch is a slightly different take on the When is Good formula. You start out by creating a “poll” and setting up times, participants can vote on which time is best. You can also choose to receive updates via email. If you just cant get the right scheduled time decided upon, Doodle might be your best choice!

Yahoo Finance: Currency

Yahoo Finance Currency Converter

As well as scheduling, you may encounter problems when it comes to your price of your service with the issue of foriegn currency. When your client agrees on $500 and some how your account reflects half that… it may be that there was some confusion on which currency you were talking about. On the other hand, it might not be so bad if your account reflects twice that amount! Either way, to avoid this you should also explain the amount owed in their local currency. There are many tools out there but I choose to use the
Yahoo Finance Currency Converter.

Rockstar freelancers are at risk of becoming the stereotypical ego workers (It’s my way or the highway type) which can leave a bad taste in the clients mouth. This can also hurt your fellow freelancers as well. While many of us work hard, keep our deadlines, and exceed the expectations of our clients… too many individuals and businesses are already wary of hiring freelancers in favor of design firms or development houses instead. Some of us are looked upon not as freelancers but freeloaders! Any bad experience of a client is a bad outcome for all other freelancers.

If you an up-coming freelancer my advice to you is to stick with whats been working and don’t change it even if you hit the big time! When and if you become the next rockstar name, remember you are always at risk of walking off the path that lead you there… and the only direction to go is down!

Did you prepare for this inevitable outcome? If not then this is a good chance to learn a valuable lesson in real world freelancing. If you have taken all the necessary precautions then congratulations.. you have learned to get the most out of your clients… and yes, this also means money wise!

Learning to prepare for this can greatly increase the income for any project in which suffers from the “scope creep syndrome.” You will soon learn to love it, and so will your bank account! Not to sound like this is taking something from your client- it’s only fair that if you need to do more work then they specified then it will also cost them more. But what if you didn’t prepare for this outcome? How do you handle the clients needs with no extra income then you both originally agreed upon?

How To Deal With It Now

So you’ve done 10 revisions of this clients design and he still replies “Let’s try it with this color… and tweak this and pull it down a little.” You know as soon as you send it back he is going to reply with more work for you to do. You can’t just ignore him! What are you going to do?

The first step is to, politely but sternly, tell him that you limit your revisions or customizations to X amount. You will gladly do one more for him but after that, any further revisions will be subject to additional charges. Tell him that it is, of course, nothing personal! Explain, politely, that you have to calculate your time spent on the project and each revision ends up cutting into your costs as well (by not being able to work on other projects) and to support yourself you must set a limit!

Don’t be afraid to hit that “send” button. I’ve never gotten an angry reply to one of these emails and either the client will send one last revision (believe me, they will be thinking hard on it this time), or they will gladly pay you more for further changes.

Learn How To Love It Later

Now that you’ve dealt with that last project (it seemed soooo long) you’ve vowed to never have this happen to you again! What should you do to ensure that this will be avoided in the future? Here are some ideas…

Document This In Your Contract

Before beginning any project you should always have the client sign a contract in which you’ve laid out your terms. Don’t be afraid to be detailed but don’t make them read over a 20 page document either.

Within this contract you should specify your limits for the project scope. Explain clearly that changes beyond this limit will be subject to further charges. Highlight this if you must! You learn to foresee the future of the project work before you take it on. It usually comes with experience (bad ones). Every time you foresee scope creep within a project, highlight that field!

Clients aren’t as afraid of contracts as many beginning freelancers might assume. Even if they try to sound like your long lost buddy in their emails, they still understand that this is business. It doesn’t hurt your relationship with that client and it many cases it makes it stronger. They see you as more professional and they also clearly know their boundaries as well… which can help them cut cost overrun.

Have Them Sign A Completion Document

When you complete the project as outlined in their specifications, have them sign a “Completion Document.” This should state that the project is completed as specified and that all further work will be charged at your hourly rate.

Try Hourly Rate

If you are doing this project hourly, then scope creep is not an enemy but a friend! It means more billable hours. If you have tried per-project billing and have had problems, try an hourly rate.

I myself do both per-project and hourly depending on the project. No matter what though, you should still have new clients pay a deposit! Just as there are flaky freelancers, there are flaky clients! For hourly rates it can be a percentage of the estimated time to complete the project.

Now hopefully you’ll avoid working more for nothing! Working more for more money, on the other hand, isn’t such a bad thing

Have anymore ideas…?

Have anymore ideas? Let us know, and leave a comment below!

1. You have no incoming projects at this time and it may be awhile before you have more

2. You have many projects, none of which are completed, and have no cash coming in within the near future!

Sometimes as freelancers our projects come in waves. We can take on 5 – 10 projects one week but by the time we complete them, we have nothing else lined up! Or quite possibly we have those 5 – 10 projects half-finished and the rest of our income relies on the completion of those projects… all of which could take 2 more weeks! On top of that, we’re broke!

This could spell certain disaster for some freelancers, especially those committed to so many financial strains that just can’t handle a week or more of no income! Learning to avoid this is one skill all freelancers should learn if they want to survive this line of work. Its no joke as I’ve witnessed many freelancers having to abandon they’re entire freelancing career to go back to the steady pay of that other line of work.

If this hasn’t happened to you yet, it will! Even those at the top of their field find themselves in the dip, usually do to poor planning! Below you will find some steps and precautions to take to better avoid this problem.

Plan Your Projects Wisely!

The most obvious solution to this problem is to plan your projects wisely. Instead of accepting 5 projects in one day and giving them all the same turnaround date… tell them you can start their project in X number of days, or next week! Always consult with each client as you don’t want to loose a project either. If they want this started right away then consult with the next client and see what type of rush they are in. You then ask for the deposit on the start date… and you can also get that first project completed faster. This allows certain projects to end in the middle of another project. Here is a simple example of how this situation might work:

Project #1 starts tomorrow
Project #2 starts in 3 days
Project #3 starts 1 week

Tomorrow, you will receive the deposit for project #1. This will give you 3 days of work which will get it (wishfully) 50% complete. At that time you will be taking on project #2, and receiving the deposit from project #2 in the middle of project #1. By the time your 50% complete with project #2, you can also be complete with project #1 and receiving the income from that. Then you will beginning project #3, and half way through that project you could be complete with project #2… and so on…

Of course all your projects might not all take the same amount of time depending on the individual complexity of each project… but hopefully this dumbed down example will give you the general idea.

For some people this happens naturally, and for others it happens all in one week or even one day! If you are the latter then simply plan out your workload the best you can. This will space out your work, your income, and possibly your referrals from other clients. Which might be the beginning of steady work, not work overload!

Start a Partnership!

This might not be the most obvious choice but this is an ingenues way to get more steady clients. By starting a partnership with another freelancer in your field you will gain more clients… and even if they are shared clients where you only get 50% of the income from that project… you are still only doing half of the work! Refer to the Vinn diagram below for a visual representation:

This is how many legitimate design firms get started. You have your personal freelancing business driven by your online portfolio, your partner has the same. You work together and create a new service based on a partnership. Each client you get from your partnership is a new client all together and more income for you (as well as your partner!).

Diversify your income!

As a freelancer your income is probably not the most steady or predictable thing in the world. You will most likely find yourself in a financial dip sometime in your freelancing career… maybe more often then you might want to admit! I will tell you what I tell every beginning freelancer… diversify!!

Do not rely only on your main product or service! Learn to create passive income. It may not start out as much but it will build up steadily in most cases. You can accomplish this is any number of ways. Many popular options are:

1. Selling Stock Photography
2. Selling Ads on one or all of your websites
3. Affiliate Marketing
4. Sell your “scrap” work online
5. Write and Sell an ebook

And so on… all of these would provide income that might be on a much more constant flow. Some of these might provide surprising results over time. Many people have made thousands monthly by selling their ebooks. The best part about it all, is you don’t have to leave your couch to do so!

Use a different payment system!

First of all, if you are not requiring a deposit on all of your client projects (what are you thinking???) then its time to start right… NOW. If you do however require a deposit but still find yourself broke before you’re even half way complete then its time to set up a different payment / deposit system.

For example, you require 50% up front, and 50% when complete. You do this religiously but somehow you’ve spent the money before you’re anywhere near complete! First off, you need not spend their deposit before you know they’re satisfied with your work 100% (what if they want their money back??) but if you are positive that they are, then you are in need of reconfiguring the way the client pays you.

Instead of 50% up front, you can also request 25% up front, 25% when half way complete, and then the last 50% when the project is complete. This will not only give you more constant income on this project and maybe teach you how to handle cash flow, but it might also provide you with more motivation to get the project complete!

This can also be configured other ways. Some clients have no problem paying weekly, or setting shorter milestones (10% every time they see enough progress) but consult with the client first! Usually they are more then happy to do so but some might have restrictions of their own!

Have any more ideas?

Know something I don’t? Let me know and leave a comment!