Confidence is one of the challenges that freelancers face when it comes to looking for a client to market their skills and services to make a living or just to make extra money.
Self-confidence and self-esteem are essential traits that go hand in hand in building a strong foundation for a freelancer. Self-confidence is your belief in your skills and capabilities, while self-esteem talks about how you measure and value yourself.
Imposter Syndrome is also present and common among freelancers who persistently doubt themselves with never-ending thoughts of “I’m not good enough.” It is about being clouded with incompetence and feeling like a fraud, even after all the achievements done.
This article will help you to learn other ways to gain confidence as a freelancer, even if you have a hard time believing in yourself, to help you prepare to get more clients!
Make A Presence Online
Putting up your work online can make it easier for potential clients to view your work or portfolio.
Online platforms like Wix, Behance, or Linkedin can help you set up your online presence to expose yourself to more potential clients. Instead of sending them an email of a PDF or a document of your work, you can send them a link to your portfolio instead of giving them the hassle of downloading huge files, and they can access your portfolio with a click of a button.
Use Freelance Platforms
As a freelancer, you always have to take the first step, which is starting somewhere. Posting your freelance services on well-known platforms like Upwork, Fiverr, or Linkedin can help boost your exposure to clients that are looking for freelancers that can do their one-time project.
These platforms are also so user-friendly that a majority of freelancers can learn to navigate through these platforms’ interface in a day. It's perfect for freelancers who are just starting their freelance journey.
Countless job posts ranging from the lowest rate of $5 (or ₱250 in the time this is written) and can go as high as possible, depending on the project posted.
Create a Contract to Set Expectations
One way of ensuring a client is to provide them a contract to set their expectations on the price and quality of service you will provide while still in negotiation.
Creating a contract sets boundaries that legally protect both the client and the freelancer in terms of abuse, prevent overworking for less pay, and reinforce accountability on the project to both the client and the freelancer.
Confusion, Misunderstanding, and Disagreement can sometimes arise, and it can provide a headache for both clients and freelancers. Contracts also serve as a credential when both parties come into a disagreement about the project that can serve as clarification for both parties.
Tip:
When creating a contract, it is important to require a downpayment from the client before beginning the project, to prevent the client from ditching you.
Celebrate Every Accomplishment
Celebrating every accomplishment, big or small, is critical to your freelance success. Acknowledging the effort, hard work, and time you poured into these achievements can help you move forward to your next project. It can also help you grow your confidence, improve your self-esteem, and help you to overcome Imposter Syndrome.
Celebrating your success is beneficial to you in more ways than one. It can help you drive momentum, it can help you surround yourself with positive energy, and it can help you get to know yourself better by understanding your strengths and weaknesses.
Recognizing your achievements can also motivate you to continue striving and improving your craft to provide your clients with improvements that can open more doors and opportunities for the growth of your freelance career,
Set Competitive and Adjustable Prices
Competition in the freelancing market is inevitable. Whether you are a writer, a graphic designer, a video editor, there will always be competition in your field. What sets you apart are your uniqueness and delivery of your skills, and of course your prices.
Clients may vary when looking for freelancers to do their projects. Some may splurge on a project to get quality results, while others set a budget to keep a balance between budget and quality, and some may look for the freelancer with the cheapest rates.
Setting adjustable prices like setting up a bundled package pricing along with the guidelines of the services and deliverables can help you rise above your competition while attracting more clients so they can understand your services within their budget.
Never Stop Learning
Learning is a lifelong process that can enhance your current skills further. The industry of freelancing offers a variety of services and flexibility of skills that a freelancer can potentially possess.
Expanding your skills relevant to your field can open new doors for possibilities that help you expose yourself to more potential clients. If you are a graphic designer, you can learn how to learn photo and video editing. If you are a content writer, you can learn Search Engine Optimization (SEO) and content marketing. If you are an illustrator, you can learn further by doing animation.
Growing and nurturing your skills may seem overwhelming and intimidating, but it can grow your confidence in delivering and producing your services with quality that can compete with other freelancers.
Engage With Your Clients
Building a relationship with your clients can help you in building trust and confidence. Not only that, it also helps you to identify your target audience, demographics, and industry.
Engaging with your clients can come in more ways than one. Keeping your client posted while working on their project can help them track your progress, getting to know them personally can help you build rapport, and asking them for feedback once you have completed their project can help you know your strengths and weaknesses.
Getting to know your clients more can help you create more awesome and suitable projects for them that can adapt to their preferences which can increase your chances of returning satisfied clients.
Become a Registered Freelancer
It can be quite confusing to read this since we are used to the fact that freelancers are non-contractual independent workers that only work per project-based remuneration. Being a registered freelancer means being legally registered to run a freelance business.
The gap in benefits between non-registered and registered freelancers is quite huge. Being a legally registered freelancer is exposed to more opportunities that attract big clients like companies, corporations, and businesses who are specifically looking for a set of skills in freelancers. Although they may demand more work and projects, you will receive more compensation and income.
One of the best, cost-efficient and effective ways to be a Registered Freelancer is through a Virtual Office at Weremote. A Virtual Office offers Business Registration services for freelancers that want to solidify and legitimize their freelancing business. A Virtual Office plan at Weremote offers this and more benefits for freelancers working remotely through its creative Coworking Space.
Takeaway
Being confident in your skills and believing in yourself takes time and effort before you fully get to do projects without doubting yourself. Your skills are your selling point, and believing in your skills and capabilities can bring you far more than what you can expect because confidence is a skill that can move mountains. By following this guide, you will be able to take a step back and reset your mind to set your goals in freelancing.
Published for Weremote Philippines
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