StartupTalky

Tag: Freelancers

  • How to Communicate with Potential Clients As a Freelancer

    Let’s start with a question, how do you rate your communication skills? And do you know in between good communication and bad communication lies several jobs that you could have bagged? Had you paid a little attention to something as basic as the way you talk? The point is if your communication skill is not good, you cannot survive in this gig economy. As a freelancer and as a job seeker, the first thing you need to develop is good communication skills as it will help you to get more work.

    Effective communication skills help your clients to understand you better. Thus, increases your chance of getting more work. It has been a proven notion that people tend to prefer clarity and simplicity over complex terms and references. And a good interaction is often the point of difference.

    So how to become effective in communicating with your clients. Here are some of the effective ways to talk to your client as a freelancer. Let’s take a look.

    Effective Ways to Talk to Your Client As a Freelancer
    1. Be a Good Listener
    2. Be Professional
    3. Talk Positively
    4. Bridge The Communication Gap
    5. Speak With Confidence
    6. Do Your Research
    7. Use Their Talk
    8. Right Body Language
    9. Respect Your Client
    10. Wait For Response
    11. Note How You End The Conversation
    Conclusion
    FAQs

    Effective Ways to Talk to Your Client As a Freelancer

    Tips on how to talk to clients

    1. Be a Good Listener

    Good listening skills are always valued in any kind of business interaction, under all scenarios and settings. What makes the difference though? It shows your client that you care about their business venture and are willing to offer your services. Also, you get plenty of inferences about your client’s needs and the demands of the job.

    • Always maintain eye contact and occasionally nod and say ‘yes’ or go on to mark your affirmation.
    • Take notes if required.
    • Know when is the time to ask questions and don’t interrupt while the client is speaking.

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    2. Be Professional

    Coming across as too friendly, overtly casual or careless is not only frowned upon in a business setting but comes off as rude, reflecting your image poorly. Use the business lingo and professional terms whenever possible and keep your grammar in check. Also, try to be brief and stay on the point.

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    3. Talk Positively

    One of the insider’s tricks to leave a good impression on the client is to use positive language during the interaction. Freelancing can be quite a tricky business to manage but maintaining a positive tone at all times is the key. After all, your client expects you to get the job done. Here is an example:

    Wrong❌: It is impossible for the packages to arrive today.

    Right✅: We are trying our best, but it seems rather hard for the packages to arrive today.

    4. Bridge The Communication Gap

    As a freelancer, you often don’t get to meet your customer. And under dire circumstances, this might lead to a communication gap in terms of understanding the context of the expected result.

    • Always reply and try to have a quick response time. Not replying would not only affect your professional relationship but is also impolite.
    • Initiate the conversation yourself to ask questions or share the work progress. Don’t depend on your client to contact you every time.
    • Be bold enough to lay your opinion in front of your client
    • Ask for their thoughts and opinion.

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    5. Speak With Confidence

    You need to assure your customer that you are indeed the right candidate for the job. Retaining a sense of confidence as you explain your ideas to your client, leaves a good impression and increases your possibility of bagging the assignment.

    • You might want to come across as capable, trustworthy and responsible. By being confident of your previous works, you can check this off your list.
    • Maintain a comfortable tone that is reassuring and firm, but not impolite.

    6. Do Your Research

    Being a freelancer you must know the importance of leaving a good first impression. Doing your homework ensures just that. Before meeting your client, research their business, competitors and also the work you are expected to do.

    For this, keep some additional time off and diligently go through all the material for which the meeting is scheduled. Jot down the key points you might want to ask your client about. This way you will not only understand your client better but will also be prepared to address all your client’s queries.

    7. Use Their Talk

    This method is probably the best-kept business secret. Pay attention as your client speaks to you and take notes where necessary. Repeat your client’s statements lightly, just to assure them that you are following what they are saying. You don’t have to be a parrot repeating every word they say but rather, think of yourself as a good listener who understands their client’s point and is reaffirming it from time to time.

    8. Right Body Language

    Your body language tells a lot about you. So, you have to make sure that you don’t make the client feel uneasy. There are so many resources available from where you can learn about body language and how to improve it. Make eye contact as much as possible, you don’t have to be a different personality. Just make sure that you are active during the conversation. If you are on a Skype call or video call appropriate body language will make your conversation more effective.

    9. Respect Your Client

    It is important to respect your clients in order to get things done smoothly. You should respect your client in their views and opinions. There is a saying “Give respect, take respect”. So if you want to be respected, you need to learn how to respect others as well.

    Many times it may happen that the client may lose temper or be frustrated because of the workload. In that case, you have to recharge and encourage them. This is the most effective thing that you can do to calm them down. You always have to be polite while communicating with your clients. After completing any project don’t stop responding to your clients instead try to build a relationship. This will help you in the long run in your freelancing career.

    10. Wait For Response

    Don’t try to message or email them too often. Because sometimes your client might be busy, so you have to keep patience. If the client stops responding to your messages then you have to find a better solution for the problem they are facing. You should also use easy words for better understanding because too many technical words may confuse the client. Last but not the least, wait for their message before responding especially if they are typing don’t interrupt them. To become a successful freelancer you have to be a good listener.

    11. Note How You End The Conversation

    Take your time to draw the conclusion and maintain a positive attitude until the end. Remember, it’s the last few minutes to make your impression and you don’t want to ruin this. Ask your clients what are their thoughts regarding the discussion. Keep an open attitude and ask them if there is anything else you could do to help them.

    Conclusion

    Whether it is freelancing or any other business you need to have effective communication skills to share your ideas with your potential clients. If you are new to the freelancing field then good communication is the only thing that could help you to get more work and clients. These were some of the best tips that you can apply while communicating with your potential client.

    FAQs

    What does a freelance job mean?

    A freelance job means to work independently rather than for a company. Freelancing is a type of job where you’re self-employed. You are your own boss. You can say ‘yes’ or ‘no’ to any project.

    How to communicate effectively with freelance clients?

    Here are the effective ways to communicate with clients as a freelancer.

    • Be a Good Listener.
    • Be Professional.
    • Talk Positively.
    • Bridge The Communication Gap.
    • Speak With Confidence.
    • Do Your Research.
    • Use Their Talk.
    • Right Body Language.
    • Respect Your Client.
    • Wait For a Response.
    • Note How You End The Conversation.

    How can I impress a freelance client?

    Tips to impress freelance clients are as follows:

    • Communicate effectively.
    • Be Reachable.
    • Practice Patience.
    • Detail Your Invoices.
    • Stay Organized.
    • Be Honest.
    • Remember Your Client’s Interests.

  • Best Practices For Finding And Hiring Freelancers

    Of all the different types of workplace flexibility out there, freelancing is perhaps the most flexible. One of the best decisions you can make in order to keep your business competitive and growing is to hire freelancers. It doesn’t matter if you’re starting as an entrepreneur, or want to scale your business, or just looking to migrate to a friendlier paradigm workplace within your business.

    For any type of business, there is a myriad of benefits of hiring freelancers. Let’s take a look at the best practices for hiring freelancers, what to avoid, how to find, where to find and the benefits of hiring them.

    Best Practices For Hiring Freelancers

    Don’ts of Hiring Freelancers

    3 Ways to Find Awesome Freelancers

    Top 4 Benefits Of Hiring Freelancers

    Conclusion
    FAQs

    Best Practices For Hiring Freelancers

    By bringing little changes to your hiring practices to assess remote talent, you can attract a wider pool of freelancers to choose from while simultaneously reducing operational costs.

    Here are the best practices to follow when hiring freelancers to support your business.

    Identify Best Platforms

    It’s not easy to find remote professionals with good references and the exact abilities that you need. You need to find a specialized platform that allows you to look for them by category. Browse their record with other clients and protect the investment you make in each hiring process.

    Best freelancing platforms to find and hire freelancers.
    Best freelancing platforms to find and hire freelancers.

    59% of businesses surveyed said they use a freelance platform to source talent. These platforms let businesses advertise opportunities, promote themselves and access freelancers in international markets. Sites like Freelancer, Fiverr, Upwork and Guru, specialist platforms like Commtract and The Freelance Collective vet freelancers before listing them.

    Share Your Big Picture

    Share your big picture with the freelancer, i.e. why you are hiring them and how will their work fit into your main project. This little insight helps them better understand your expectations, ask better questions, and most importantly deliver better results.

    Set Criteria And Filters Beforehand

    Hiring a freelancer is also a recruiting process and just like other processes, setting filters and appropriate criteria will help you save time and select the best profile. For example, you can include specific forms or notes in your proposal to see if the freelancer is paying attention or following instructions or has provable experience in similar projects.

    Optimise Your Payment Process

    Remember when you are paying an independent employee you are making an investment, and this should be congruent with the service you expect to receive. Offering a fair salary means you are conscious of the value that the freelancer’s work will have for your business, and that you can adjust the budget range in consequence.

    Best Payment Options For Freelancer
    Best Payment Options For Freelancer

    Knowing how to manage payments is key to attracting and retaining the right talent. More than 75% of businesses using freelancing platforms pay directly through the platform or use PayPal. When it comes to paying freelancers, the research found the following factors are most important to them:

    • Security (47%)
    • Speed in receiving payments (33%)
    • Ease of withdrawing money when paid (31%)
    • Fraud protection (22%)
    • Pricing (22%)

    Mobile Compatibility is Key

    Mobile payments, mobile apps and mobile communication continue to grow in importance and usage for freelancers. Having mobile tools and be able to make and receive payments play a crucial role in this gig economy.

    Align on Communication Preference

    Communication issues are the biggest reasons for failed freelance gigs. Before working with any external partner, share your communication preferences with them and ask them to do the same. For example, you can specify that an individual worker can send an email to reach you anytime, but you will only respond during standard business hours. Freelancers typically set their own schedules and may work after business hours or on weekends, or they may be in a different time zone. This way you both would know which time is perfect to contact each other.

    Give and Request Candid Feedback

    Freelancers thrive on feedback. Your job is not only to give them honest feedback on what you loved/did not love but also to ask them for their feedback on you. Very often, the freelancer’s experience allows them to make very useful suggestions to improve your projects or even to propose creative new strategies to keep growing. Take advantage of all that knowledge and seize it as much as you can.

    Things to know before hiring a freelancer

    Don’ts of Hiring Freelancers

    There are certain things that you need to avoid during your hiring process. Knowing these details will allow you to conduct the hiring process effectively and efficiently.

    Don’t Let The Lowest Price Be The Selection Criteria

    Freelancing saves a lot of money but that does not mean you should go for the cheapest one. It is important to have a collaborator who fits in your project budget but ensuring the quality of work is equally important. The skills and experience of the freelancer should be taken into consideration while deciding the rates.

    Don’t Look Away From The Guarantee Of A Job Done

    Check what and how these freelancers have worked before. Keep track of their work. Having an open communication channel helps build client-freelancer relationships. Make time to discuss work and issues so that you and the freelancers would be on the same page. Keeping track of the work and maintaining good communication with the freelancers improves the chances of getting quality work in time. Also, give them honest feedback. Your feedback is important. A happy client means a return business to them.

    Don’t Start Working Without Having Perfectly Clear Expectations From Each Other

    It is better to clear the expectations about work hours and payment right from the beginning. You should never accept or start working on a project unless you have provided every single specification to the freelancer. A good freelancer will ensure that they inform you about the specifications of the tool and project budget.

    3 Ways to Find Awesome Freelancers

    You can scour the internet to find high-quality freelancers, but there are more reliable (and productive) ways to find the best freelancers and consultants for your needs. These three methods lead you to talented freelancers without the hassle:

    Ask For Referral

    Your professional and personal networks are the best places to find freelancers. Start by asking your coworkers, former colleagues, and industry contacts for referrals. Chances are, they will do the work for you and pass along some talented folks.

    Reach Out To Local Trade Organisation

    Freelancers love to connect through their own networks. Instead of using a freelance site, reach out to a local trade organization to find top-notch talent. If you need a freelance writer, email the head of a writer’s group in your city — the same goes for developers, designers, consultants, bookkeepers. You could look into Meetups as well!

    Check Out Secret Hive

    Most companies don’t know about the best online resource for finding amazing freelancers — it floats just under the radar. The Freelancer Union’s Hives are the go-to spot for independent contractors for all things freelance. Post your project on their Work Hive, and watch as the responses flood into your email.

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    Top 4 Benefits Of Hiring Freelancers

    Benefits of Hiring Freelancer
    Benefits of Hiring Freelancer

    Savings

    Hiring by project or by hours instead of having a permanent employee allows you to save a lot in hiring costs and fixed salaries. It also encourages to work by goals, which is the most efficient way to work. One of the most obvious reasons why businesses are hiring freelance developers is that it is very cost-effective to do so.

    On top of paying annual salaries to full-time developers, you also have to pay for legally required benefits, insurance, paid leave, retirement and savings, supplemental pay (overtime and premium), and much more. Unless you’re hiring remote developers, there are also overhead and general & administrative costs.

    Flexibility

    Freelancers move like fish in the sea in a commercial environment characterized by change and constant evolution. They work on simultaneous projects; they have a more diverse experience and they can offer a wider and more assertive vision of the solutions that your company needs.

    Whether you’re a startup founder or an engineering manager, being able to hire quickly and as-needed is one of the most attractive reasons to work with freelance developers. Imagine this: the IT project manager calls the entire development team into the meeting room and lays down a close-to-impossible timeline for your project. You have three people on the team but you’ve just been asked to deliver five people’s work. This is where freelancers can help you. You can hire them just for this project and then free them. This provides a lot of flexibility.

    Global Market And Access To Talent

    Thanks to online freelance platforms, businesses can now hire the best freelance developers from around the world for their projects. Furthermore, businesses located in more expensive areas of the world can easily hire quality freelance developers at a much lower cost. By hiring freelance developers, you wouldn’t have to worry about visas or relocating someone. Not only you can find freelance developers who are ready to work immediately, but you can also hire domain experts, saving time and money.

    Specialisation

    There has been a growth of freelancers in the business because the industry is demanding more specialized talent. Let’s say you’re trying to find a web developer well-versed in Go because it scales nicely and can handle high concurrent performance issues. Even though Go is an awesome programming language, there is a relatively small pool of developers skilled in it, especially if you’re limiting the search to specific locations.

    Hiring a freelance web developer who specializes in Go would be significantly easier. Maybe you’re not looking for something as niche as a Go developer. Let’s say you want to develop an Android app. Even though the developer you are currently working with is somewhat familiar with mobile development, he or she may not be an expert in Android development. A freelance developer who specializes in developing Android apps will definitely deliver better results.

    What can you use freelancers for?

    While freelancers offer a range of unique and specialist skills, businesses are most likely to use them for technical and creative projects. The most popular freelancing skills are:

    Most Popular Freelancing Skills
    Most Popular Freelancing Skills

    Conclusion

    Giving importance to the above-mentioned information when hiring a freelancer will ensure a good experience for both and it will ensure the addition of a valuable ally to your team.

    FAQs

    What are the best practices to follow when hiring freelancers?

    Here are the best practices to follow when hiring freelancers to support your business.

    • Identify the best platform.
    • Share your big picture.
    • Set criteria and filters beforehand.
    • Optimize your payment process.
    • Mobile compatibility is key.
    • Align on communication preferences.
    • Give and request candid feedback.

    What is the best way to find and hire a freelancer?

    There are many websites and freelancing platforms where you can find a freelancer who has the exact skillset that you are looking for. Some of them are:

    • LinkedIn.
    • AngelList.
    • Upwork.
    • Freelancer.
    • Fiverr.
    • Indeed.
    • Profinder by LinkedIn.
    • Toptal.
    • Contently.

    Which freelancing jobs are most in-demand?

    The most popular freelancing skills are:

    • Web design.
    • Programming.
    • Graphic design/illustration.
    • Web/mobile development.
    • Web marketing and sales.
    • Accounting.
    • Data entry and internet research.

  • Top 6 Tools to Effectively Manage your Team of Freelancers

    With time, businesses have changed their outlook while hiring people. Nowadays companies are taking interest in freelancers apart from permanent employees. During the pandemic era, when people were left jobless, they opted for the second-best option, Freelancing.

    In freelancing, one is not permanently hired by a company; here they work as an independent contractor for a particular project provided by the company. Somehow, the second-best option has now turned into the best option for most of them. Businesses took this opportunity and started turning it into their favor by hiring freelancers for most of the work.

    Now, the benefits of this new kind of employment have attracted a world. In the point of view of a business, they are getting their work done by a person who specializes in the preferred domain and in a much lesser price. The pay-per-project factor is what encourages the businesses as well.

    When you hire freelancers, managing them can be a little difficult, as they work from remote places and face-to-face meeting them is not possible.

    Therefore, while managing the team, some tools are needed to ensure hassle-free and smooth work. This article will talk about the tools that have taken upon themselves in managing freelancers but before that let’s talk about the challenges that are faced during the management of freelancers.

    “We shape our tools and, thereafter, our tools shape us.”

    — John Culkin

    Challenges Faced While Managing Freelancers
    Tools That Helps In Managing Freelancers
    FAQ

    Challenges Faced While Managing Freelancers

    There exist numerous benefits of working with freelancers, but the obstacles are there as well. Some of the most common of them are:

    Communication

    Communication is a big factor; a project’s success huge depends on the communication process between the client and the freelancer. Sometimes miscommunication while video conferencing or non-verbal ways can lead to a severe conclusion. Tools like Google Docs can be a little trickier while using, to provide detail of the project to the freelancer.

    Time Management

    Time Management is another issue, if deadlines are not met by the workers, it can rig the entire working system which can even lead to the cancellation of the project.

    Management of the project

    Management of the project can be a little tricky; the employer needs to be cautious. They need to update the freelancers if there are any changes in the project and cater to the needs of the freelancers as soon as possible so that they can deliver the best result possible.

    Managing the independent contractors

    Managing the independent contractors can also be an issue, if that person is not giving their best or creating problems for the required project, it may cause a hindrance for the company.

    Tools to Manage Freelancers

    These entire problems can be resolved if one just uses the tools then the collaboration between the client and the freelancer can be a success. All the below tools help in managing the freelances as if they are working on-site instead of remote.

    Trello

    Trello Website
    Trello Website

    This tool helps the client in tracking the progress of the work done by the freelancer. The tools help in organizing all the work in a single board that shows who is working on what and what the progress of that work is. It is called a visual collaboration tool, where comments can be given, attachments can be uploaded that are needed for the project.

    Apart from that, due dates can also be assigned. The projects details are visible to those people who are invited by the employer, so leaking sensitive information can be avoided.

    Trello Pricing

    Trello Pricing
    Trello Pricing

    Alternative Apps- Asana, Wrike, ClickUp, Jira

    Slack

    Slack Website
    Slack Website

    Communication is important in any kind of job, it wouldn’t be wrong to say that it is the key to managing the freelancers as well. Communicating through email, text messages can take a lot of time and may result in delayed work.

    So, Slack here solves that problem. It is an all-in-one communication app; it allows text messages, voice calling, and video calling as well. Through this, communication becomes easier between freelance employers and the independent project workers.

    Slack Pricing

    Slack Pricing
    Slack Pricing

    Alternative Apps- RocketChat, Discord, Mattermost, Flock, Ryver, Microsoft Teams, Google Chat

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    ResourceGuru

    ResourceGuru Website
    ResourceGuru Website

    People are mostly interested to work as a freelancer because it provides the flexibility of time. One can work when one wants to. Sometimes this can create a struggle for the employer to keep the workers on time.

    ResourceGuru makes the job of employer a lot easier; it provides the employer with the availability list of the freelancers. They provide calendar features and helps in scheduling the work of the freelancers according to their time eliminating the struggle of time-consuming.

    ResourceGuru Pricing

    ResourceGuru Pricing
    ResourceGuru Pricing

    Alternative Apps- Tempus Resource, Mavenlink, Forecast, Journyx, LiquidPlanner

    15Five

    15five Website
    15five Website

    The dispute often arises, when queries are not solved through proper communication. Feedback from the workers is needed for the betterment of the project.

    15Five is an app that helps in getting feedback from employees. This also provides the company to answer the queries that arise in the feedback provided by the employees. Therefore, it solves any issues that can create a problem because of not communicating properly, for the project.

    15five Pricing

    15five Pricing
    15five Pricing

    Alternative Apps- Leapsome, Betterworks, Kazoo, Kudos, Motivosity, Culture Amp

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    Dropbox

    Dropbox Website
    Dropbox Website

    Sharing files with freelancers can be an issue if the file is big and there isn’t enough space. Thanks to Dropbox, this problem can easily be solved as it provides enough space and can help in sharing the files with the employees.

    The best thing is, employees can only get access to the files that employers provide them with. The employees also have the option to share large files.

    Dropbox Pricing

    Dropbox Pricing
    Dropbox Pricing

    Alternative Apps- Google Drive, OneDrive, pCloud, Tresorit, NextCloud, SpideOak

    TechSmith Capture (Foremerly Jing)

    TechSmith Capture Website
    TechSmith Capture Website

    Although freelancers are hired because they excel in their domain, there are some things that need to be taught to the employees before they begin with their work. While training freelancers is not easy as they work from remote areas.

    TechSmith Capture makes this work a lot easier by allowing the employers to create training videos of how the tasks should be done, for the employees. Whenever a new freelancer joined the company, the employer can just share the video that can train them.

    Alternative App- ShareX, Greenshot, LightShot, SimpleScreenRecorder, FastStone Capture

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    Conclusion

    With more and more people turning to freelancers for employment, it has become a great market for businesses to choose from. The tool just helps the businesses to collaborate with the freelancers properly that will in return provide the business with top-notch services.

    FAQ

    What is a Freelancer Job?

    A freelancer’s job is of an independent contractor instead of a permanent employee in a company that paid them on a per-task basis.

    Which Skill is Best For Freelancing?

    Social Media Management, Data Entry, Web Designing, Graphic Designing, Accounting, Content Writing are some of the top skills for freelancing.

    What are some of the tools you can use to manage freelancers?

    Trello, Dropbox, 15five and ResourceGuru are some of the top tools you can use to manage freelancers.

  • How to Hire Best Freelance Content Writer to Scale Your Content Marketing

    Whether it’s digital marketing, search engine optimization, email marketing, blogging or website creation; content plays a crucial role in generating traffic, engaging with customers and boosting conversions. In other words, content is the king in order to increase brand equity and reputation.

    With the shift in digital technology, the demand for freelance content writers has increased. As the success of a brand depends on the type of content produced. So, companies are keen on hiring freelance content writers who could write good content for them.

    A freelance content writer is a self-employed individual who writes creative and engaging content for clients. They help clients to craft their online content which further saves their time and provide value to the audience.

    A content writer not only knows the art of content writing well, but can also set the tone, garner attention, understand the subject matter and, most importantly, layout all the information in a sequential and presentable manner.

    But the question remains how to hire the right freelancer for content writing? It is not that difficult anymore since the gig economy is booming. In this article, we will guide you on how to find the best freelance content writer for your startup.

    How to Hire Freelance Content Writer

    How to Hire the Right Freelance Content Writer

    Write Definite Job Description

    Give out a strong and definite job description. You may wonder where this piece of the puzzle fits in. In all truth, your job starts from here. Sending out a detailed, highly specific job description not only does the initial filtering but also ensures you meet the right freelancers.

    You may want to let the writer know your work requirement, your purpose, his or her workload as well as the audience he or she will be writing for. For example, one’s approach towards writing for business blogs will be quite different from writing for your social media handles. Know that these things matter to a writer. By sharing your precise needs, you are increasing your chances of finding a writer well-equipped to handle the job and produce great results.

    Ultimate Guide to Write a Perfect Job Description
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    Market Your Job Requirements

    The right candidate can approach you only if you are discoverable. If your business is a startup, it might not yet be recognizable just by the firm’s name. Make your presence known to all and work on your accessibility. Besides posting for the job openings on your official website, post it on the top job-seeking websites as well as freelancers marketplace. A few of the top freelancer marketplace in India is freelancer.com, Upwork and Fiverr.

    Posting a job ad is not enough. You can include a section of benefits that you can offer:

    • Freedom to write evergreen content that will stand the test of time, particularly if your business doesn’t have an established blog.
    • Insights into how well their writings do.
    • Opportunity to network with other writers.
    • Input into content strategy.

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    Connect With Bloggers Network

    It is a known fact that one can find some of the best freelance writers on bloggers’ networks. Blogging Networks act as a middleman between brands and bloggers. Some of the best Bloggers networks are Acron Activate, Bloglovin, Aspire, BlogHer, BlogMeetsBrand, Clever, IZEA, SocialFabric, TheSway, and TapInfluence.

    A good idea would be to throng these networks and go through the posted works. You can always approach a blogger directly and request them to write for you if his or her work is best according to you. It might cost you more, but it will be worth it. Look out for a strong profile that you want for your organization.

    You can also connect with freelance content writers via these:

    Social Media: Nowadays everyone uses social media which makes it a great place to market our business. You can even post your job description on social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Instagram where you can use your industry-specific hashtags which is a good way to find a successful content writer.

    Referrals: It is another best way to get a good content writer. You can ask your close friends, business associates or co-workers who work with content writers. If someone in your circle knows then they will be able to guide you and refer a qualified writer. Referral or word of mouth is the best way to get a qualified content writer because you hear about them from someone who has already work with them.

    Agencies: One of the easiest ways to get content writers is through a Content Agency. They have a team of freelance content writers who will write the content based on your requirement. Some agencies will do everything from content creation, writing, editing to publishing, and providing a relevant image to the content.

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    Ask For Portfolios and Work Samples

    The first step would be to go through the candidate’s writing portfolio and work samples. Does he or she already have any previous experience that matches your need? Does the writing style suits your requirement? Has the writer got a basic knowledge of the subject you intent him or her to write on? Does his or her writing skills match your standards? Do their previous experiences add value to the kind of work you are seeking them for? Passionate writers often have their blogs with all their skills on full display. Does your candidate has his or her blog or in the past has contributed as a guest blogger? These minor details usually serve as the candidate’s plus points and help build a strong job profile.

    Give Out a Test Assignment

    The second step would be to give out a test assignment though this does not play the part of the ‘nail on the coffin’, a sample test assignment sure serves as the final call to pronounce your judgment. Give out an original topic, relevant to the content you expect your job prospect to later work on and allow him or her a period of 1 to 2 days wherein he or she gets to display their writing skills by completing the assignment.

    Telephonic/ Face-to-Face Interview

    Every writer has a unique writing style that would help you to decide which one is relevant for you. Do not base your judgment entirely upon the facets of grammar, but take a closer look at the mood, presentation, and suitability of the created content. Interview a test sample, this criteria may almost seem optional. Conducting an interview, though, has its own merits. Many companies, these days, prefer interviewing potential candidates over the phone or via Skype. By conducting an interview, one can decide if the candidate seems passionate enough to do the job with a sense of responsibility, besides acknowledging their personality and desire to give their best. Some questions which you should ask during the interview are:

    • What type of content do you like to write?
    • What is your work schedule?
    • How many articles can you write per day?
    • What ideas do you have for content for my business?
    • How do you craft SEO-friendly content?
    • What are your prices?

    Just like any other job, you need to see the freelance content writer you choose is the right fit for your needs and can produce the quality work you want.

    Conclusion

    With all this information, you are set to find the perfect freelance content writer for your startup.

    FAQs

    What does a freelance job mean?

    A freelance job means to work independently rather than for a company. Freelancing is a type of job where you’re self-employed. You are your own boss. You can say ‘yes’ or ‘no’ to any project.

    What is a freelance content writer?

    A freelance content writer is a self-employed individual who writes creative and engaging content for clients. They help clients to craft their online content which further saves their time and provide value to the audience.

    What is a freelance digital marketer?

    A freelance digital marketer is a professional with multiple ranges of skills from content and copywriting to social media, search engine optimization, ad creation, building websites, strategy building and design.

    How to start a freelance digital marketing business?

    You can start a freelance digital marketing business by following these steps:

    Step 1: Manage your expectations.

    Step 2: Identify your talents and skillsets.

    Step 3: Find a niche.

    Step 4: Develop a personal brand.

    Step 5: Look for clients.

    Step 6: Figure out how much to charge.

  • How to Hire a Freelance Digital Marketer for Your Startup?

    Hiring a freelance digital marketer has become common now. With the increase in the number of active internet users, the larger share of people are shifting online and hence companies or startups are moving towards digital marketing.

    Digital Marketing is the marketing of products and services with the help of electronic devices and the internet. Digital marketing has been introduced to reach more and more people around the globe creatively. Marketing, unlike the olden times, has reached the peak of advancement by incorporating digital marketing.

    The work of a digital marketer is to identify the new digital technologies and use web analytics tools to measure the traffic in a site to optimize marketing campaigns, social media marketing, email marketing, and search advertising.

    Thus, startups are keen on hiring freelance digital marketers as they are less expensive and less risky rather than hiring full-time employees who require long-term commitments, bigger paychecks, contracts and benefits. A freelancer can be contracted on an hourly basis to deliver high-quality work in a short span of time.

    And in order to find them, you need to search on various online freelancing marketplaces like Upwork, Fiverr, Freelancer, etc. or other platforms like LinkedIn, Indeed, etc. which lets businesses find and hire a potential freelancer.

    Now the question comes How to Hire Them?

    For that, you need to post a job description on various sites mentioning the work that you want to hire for, skills required, stipend and perks.

    The job description must include that he/she must oversee the online marketing strategy of the organization. They must plan and execute digital marketing campaigns and be able to design, maintain and fill in the content for the organization’s website. The job description may include the following day-to-day activities:

    1. Develop and manage digital marketing campaigns.
    2. To exercise a social media strategy.
    3. Manage and maintain the organization’s website.
    4. To track and analyze traffic on a website.
    5. To fix errors on the website or in the content.
    6. Posting videos and audio content on the websites.
    7. Create online advertisements and oversee Pay-Per-Click (PPC) ads management.
    8. To identify new emerging digital technologies to enhance the business.
    9. Attend product launches and networking events.
    10. Work on Search Engine Optimization (SEO) of the website.
    How to Hire the Right Digital Marketing Agency

    What to look for in a Freelance Digital Marketer

    Hire a team, not an individual

    Every person has boundaries and they can be produced up to a certain perimeter only. The job of marketing demands a candidate with a wide skill set composed of:

    • Analytics and Statistics.
    • Conversion Optimization.
    • Return on Investment.
    • Pay-Per-Click.
    • App Store Optimization.
    • Originality and Innovation.

    It is unlikely to find a person who excels in all the above skills. The solution to this problem is to hire a group of freelancers who are proficient in various skills. A diverse team can surpass individual limitations and the combined efforts promise better results for the company.

    Self Education

    It is important for the hirer as well to self-educate with the basics of digital marketing. Like, learn how to use Inbound Marketing tools like Google Adwords, Google Analytics, Buffer, etc. A basic understanding of digital marketing would help you to communicate better with the applicant. This will also help you to know if the implemented marketing steps are legit or not.

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    Search Online

    There’s nothing you can’t find online. Freelancers look for opportunities on websites like Internshala as well. You must design an attractive advertisement stating the skillset you are looking for and the perks of working with your startup. The advantage of searching online is that you can read the reviews and ratings of the applicants given by the companies they have worked in the past and their popularity in the marketing field. This helps you select suitable candidates. You can work with a marketing agency or hire a consultant to help you find desired freelance digital marketer. Share the availability of the job on LinkedIn and other social networking sites. This is the most effective method to find freelancers.

    Hire a Person with a Plan

    No amount of hard work can make up for bad marketing. A digital marketer should be capable of designing a game plan to improve the statistics of the business. By asking questions about their objective towards your company, you can filter out competent applicants from the rest.

    Google Your Applicant

    Googling your applicant before hiring helps you to find as much information as possible about the applicant.
    Googling your applicant before hiring helps you to find as much information as possible about the applicant.

    The online presence of the person you are about to hire plays a tricky role in understanding the applicant’s capability. If his blog or content shows up in one of the first few searches then the marketer is a good investment. Otherwise, you might end up with an inexperienced freelancer.

    Referral Marketing

    Who understands the toils of the job better than your present employers? Ask them to recommend candidates who they find as the best fit. Reward the employer whose reference is selected for the job. This simple action gives you free advertising without spending a fortune on Google and Facebook ads.

    Search Everywhere

    The young are high with enthusiasm and ideas. They are not afraid to experiment and are always looking for exposure. You should attend various conferences and meet professionals working in the same field. Get to know them and build your network. This provides future employers and increases the prospects of your company.

    Pricing of Freelancers

    A freelance digital marketer has flexible working hours so he/she is paid depending on the amount of time they are put in the job or the type of project they are working on. Usually, a startup hires a freelancer to work on single or multiple projects for a short span of time so it’s better to discuss the price with the freelancer.

    Conclusion

    If you also own a startup, then digital marketing would be a great option for you rather than going for traditional marketing. As it helps the business to reach the targeted audience in a cost-effective and measurable way. You can hire a freelance digital marketer as and when required based on your budget to improve the scalability of your business.

    FAQs

    How do I hire a digital marketing freelancer?

    You can find and hire digital marketing freelancers from various online platforms like:

    1. Upwork
    2. Freelancer.com
    3. Fiverr
    4. Freelancermap.com
    5. LinkedIn
    6. Internshala
    7. PeoplePerHour
    8. Guru
    9. Flexjobs
    10. Toptal
    11. OnSite
    12. Indeed
    13. Craigslist
    14. VA Networking

    How much does a freelance digital marketer cost?

    Freelancers’ hourly rates range between $50 and $100. The average hourly rate for a freelancer is more than $100. But you can negotiate with the freelancer as per your budget.

    Is digital marketing expensive?

    It is not that expensive as traditional marketing. It cuts down your cost and provides a number of advantages that traditional marketing does not. It helps you to reach a larger audience in a cost-effective manner.

  • 5 Ways to Market Yourself as a Freelancer to get in front of Potential Clients

    Freelancing has its own unique benefits. You get to decide when you wanna work, when to stop and when to take a vacation. The whole idea of being your own boss and following your interests is what drives many new people to the world of freelancing. As long as you have a skill and you’re sufficiently good at it, people will pay you. While this sounds great and almost like a dream job, it’s not so good when you stop getting clients.

    To make sure something like that doesn’t happen, you might wanna consider promoting yourself as a freelancer. The more people that know about you and what you do, the more clients you’ll receive. Here we’ll look at some of the most effective ways to promote yourself as a freelancer.

    Build a Detailed Portfolio
    Be Active and Promote yourself on Social Media
    Make sure you are visible on LinkedIn
    Dont Hesitate to Pitch yourself at Public Events
    Invest in Advertising
    FAQ

    Build a Detailed Portfolio

    Working as an individual for hire, you’ll want a place where your potential clients can check you out. A dedicated website for yourself is perfect as it will act as a place where you can share your work and where people can find you. A portfolio website can contain your contact information, personal projects, experience, and maybe something about yourself.

    People are more likely to hire someone who’s transparent with who they are and the kind of work they’re involved with. This means by having a website for yourself, you’ll be increasing the amount of people that find you.

    Making a website isn’t something complex. Website builders like Wix and Leadpages can help you set up a portfolio in a few minutes using beautiful templates. Once you choose a template you like, all that’s left is modifying it and adding your own information. Most professional websites have their own domain and you should get one too.

    Finding a professional yet cheap domain name isn’t that hard, since platforms that deal with domain names let you search up any name you desire. Once you’re done connecting your domain name to your website, you should be good to go. You can redirect anyone who wishes to know more about your work to your brand new website.

    Be Active and Promote yourself on Social Media

    If you’ve ever been on the internet you know social media is where people are at. In fact, it’s so popular that huge businesses and startups alike use it for their marketing.

    Social media sites like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter are opportunities for you to grow your business. Not everyone will be looking you up directly, instead, they’ll be on socials.

    The vast number of people who use social media and are on the lookout for getting a task done means you’ll be more discoverable. A few advantages of having social media accounts are:

    • More traffic for your website
    • Better networking
    • Higher chance of getting noticed
    • Developing a community
    • Posting and sharing your past work

    It’s not only a place for you to share content you’ve worked with in the past but also a way for your clients to reach out to you. Adding your socials to your website and vice-versa means more ways for clients to connect with you.

    As you keep growing as a freelancer, you’ll be developing a community of people that know your work and can even recommend you to others who require your services.

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    Make sure you are visible on LinkedIn

    LinkedIn is a professional network that can be a hub of opportunities if used properly. It is a network of clients, professionals, employees, corporate firms, and yes freelancers.

    By having a LinkedIn profile you’ll attract new clients and build a network just as you do with social media. Many of the world’s leading professionals are on LinkedIn and by networking with others in your field of work, you get to grow together. It’s also a place to share your detailed information, including your experience, education, career timeline, and so on. By posting your personal growth on LinkedIn, you start to network with others in the same phase as you.

    LinkedIn even has its own freelance marketplace called ‘ProFinder’. This works similar to popular Freelance websites Fiverr and Upwork. Anyone looking to get a project done will find your LinkedIn profile along with your provided information, considering you have the skills required. LinkedIn is a must for all professionals out there as it’s beneficial to your career along the way.

    Dont Hesitate to Pitch yourself at Public Events

    It may not be something you’ve considered in the past but pitching yourself at public events can be an easy way to get new clients. Events, where all sorts of people gather, is a chance to connect with potential clients. You never know what people are looking for unless you talk to them.

    People are usually hesitant about pitching because they fear it will be considered rude. But nobody will take offense if you simply mention your profession during a casual conversation or share your work with people who might be interested. Instead, you might get a new client the very next day wanting to hire you for a project. All you have to do is speak up and you’ve got nothing to lose.

    Invest in Advertising

    If you really want to promote yourself and your work then you might want to consider paid advertisement. Though it might not be affordable for beginners, as an experienced freelancer, getting a few ads up to spread the word will get people to notice you. Unlike traditional advertising, getting an ad up on the internet is relatively cheaper and way more efficient.

    There are several places to advertise online and you get to choose where you want your ads to show up. Facebook Ads, Google Adwords, Reddit Ads are all good places to let people know about your work.

    Using an advertising platform means you can scale your ads according to your growth. If you ever feel like it’s getting too expensive you can stop it. It’s all up to you when and where you choose to advertise. Getting some advertisements up when your business is running low might just get you the clients you need.

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    Conclusion

    As a freelancer, you’re bound to market yourself at some point, and whatever your growth, having more clients means more business. Always be proud of the work you do and feel free to experiment with any new techniques to gain attraction. Using these methods is sure to get you noticed and from there on it’s up to you to maintain and preserve what you’ve created.

    FAQ

    How can I promote myself as a freelancer?

    Be active and promote yourself on social media, make yourself visible on LinkedIn, invest in advertising and build a detailed portfolio.

    Which is the best platform to find freelance jobs?

    Freelancer, Upwork, Fiverr, Truelancer, and Guru are some of the best platform to find freelance jobs.

    How to advertise skills as a freelancer?

    Identify your niche, Build a community, and be active on social media.

  • Tasks You Should Outsource To Freelancers: A New Kind Of Employment

    With technological advancement over the last few decades, every field of business has evolved and is still evolving, every day. Now, in an organization, permanent employees are just not enough to give you a hand to make your business grow into a hub of success. With the facility of working from home, independent contractors or freelancers are increasing day by day. The Covid-19 also played its part, and thousands of people who were left jobless emerged into being independent contractors. Needless to say, they are excelling in that.

    The growing market of freelancers has led to businesses hiring them for their projects. Naturally, sites that deal with freelancing are playing significant roles for the businesses and the freelancers as well. Not every task that is needed to be done requires a full-time employee. From a business point of view, it’s just an unnecessary expense and is a hassle too. So, to curb down those unessential hassles, freelancers are undoubtedly a good option.

    “Pleasure in the job puts perfection in the work.”

    -Aristotle

    Why hiring Freelancers Are Better?
    Top Tasks to Outsource to Freelancers
    FAQ

    Why hiring Freelancers Are Better?

    There are various benefits of hiring freelancers. Some of them are:

    • The biggest factor is the cost, freelancers save the business from the costly procedure of hiring an employee. They tend to be cheaper to deal with.
    • Most freelancers are specialists in their domain; therefore, compromising with work seems unlikely.
    • The business can hire freelancers from any corner of the world. Huge numbers of people are available as well to choose from the sea of freelancers.
    • Hiring freelancers save time, it is not a long procedure, once the worker is hired, and they just start working immediately.
    • If the employer is not satisfied with the work, then they don’t have to pay to the worker. Only if they are approved of the work, they are required to give them the payment.

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    Top Tasks to Outsource to Freelancers

    In a business, there are a number of tasks that should be assigned to freelancers to lessen the burden. The following tasks are mostly that are outsourced to the freelancers:

    Content Creation

    Content Creation | Tasks to outsource to freelancers
    Content Creation | Tasks to outsource to freelancers

    It is probably one of the most in-demand freelancing jobs in the market. Nowadays almost every business has blogs and YouTube channels, naturally content needs to be created for those platforms. It is to inform about the products to the customers and of course a method of communicating with them.

    Freelancers take up this job and provide quality contents to the businesses, fulfilling the desired work. They just had to focus on creating content and not on other things like editing, creating graphics, or promoting on other social media platforms. Thus, it is packed with everything that the employers demand for this job.

    Graphic Designing

    Graphic Designing | Tasks to outsource to freelancers
    Graphic Designing | Tasks to outsource to freelancers

    It doesn’t matter, if it’s a small business or a big one, Graphic designers are in demand. From introducing a new product to creating the logo of the company, without a graphic designer it is not possible. However, hiring a full-time graphic designer can be costly and unnecessary as well.

    On the other hand, a freelance graphic designers will only take the payment for the assigned projects. Talent is not limited; clients can choose anyone according to their requirements.

    From one to many, even if the client wants to work with a team for a specific design it is possible. If by any chance, a project gets canceled, they can just revoke it, without suffering a loss.

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    Social Media Management/Promotion

    Social media Management | Tasks to outsource to freelancers
    Social media Management | Tasks to outsource to freelancers

    We live in a time where social media rules the world. If your business is not active on social media, there is a big chance, that you might miss a lot of important opportunities.

    Social media is a very popular and powerful mode to communicate with customers and introduce its products and services. Taking a freelancer for this is a suitable choice for a business.

    Social media helps in communicating the agenda of a business to promoting any new products in front of the public helps in boosting the sales as well. Therefore, instead of hiring a permanent employee for this work, getting a freelancer is much more valid.

    Email Management

    Email Management | Tasks to outsource to freelancers
    Email Management | Tasks to outsource to freelancers

    Managing emails are a hectic and time-consuming job. The job includes dumping unnecessary mails to sending newsletters to the people who are connected with the business.

    Taking freelancers for this saves a lot of time and not to forget money as well. Email management also leads to an increase in sales of a business by sending newsletters and templates to potential customers, so undoubtedly it is a significant task.

    Project Management

    Project Management | Tasks to outsource to freelancers
    Project Management | Tasks to outsource to freelancers

    This is a serious job that is actually important but hiring a permanent employee for just doing this, seems uncalled for. If the deadlines are being met and if the employees are fulfilling the tasks that they have been assigned, all these day-to-day activities are noted down in project management software.

    Freelancers are surely a better option for this job, it is cheap and time-consuming too.

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    Customer Service

    Customer Service | Tasks to outsource to freelancers
    Customer Service | Tasks to outsource to freelancers

    The success of a business depends on customer satisfaction. Therefore, customer service is all about helping customers with their problems and be attentive to them. Somehow, a permanent employee may seem extreme. A freelancer can do this work much more easily and this will also lessen the burden of the business.

    Conclusion

    Not all jobs in a business need a permanent employee, hiring freelancers solves the time-consuming problem and provides good outcomes. Plus, providing chances to talented people who are experts in their fields helps in maintaining and running the business smoothly.

    Those who are happy with their job tend to bring perfection into their work. Freelancers are in their specific domains works for businesses and give their best in whatever way they could.

    FAQ

    What is the Average Salary of a Freelancer?

    An Indian Freelancer earn an average up to ₹ 20 Lakhs a year.

    What Is The Best Freelancer jobs?

    Copywriter, Graphic Designer, Software Developer, Programmer, and Web Developer are some of the best freelancer jobs.

    Who Are Freelancers?

    Freelancers are Independent contractors who are self-employed and don’t work for a particular organization or a company.

  • Is Fiverr still a great place for freelancers in 2021? [Case Study]

    Fiverr is an online marketplace for people to find and give services of various types. Since its launch in 2010, Fiverr has grown into an arena of opportunity in itself with more than three million gigs in its database. It has become the largest marketplace for digital services in the world. Each service on Fiverr cost a minimum of $5 until 2014. After that they removed this price limit as the marketplace grew.

    How does Fiverr work?
    Categories in Fiverr
    Pros of using Fiverr
    Cons of using Fiverr
    Analysis of Fiverr in 2021
    Tips for Sellers on Fiverr
    Tips for Buyers on Fiverr
    FAQ

    How does Fiverr work?

    Fiverr more or less works like any other place where one looks for a service and the other offers one. The sellers mention the services that they can provide and those who want to buy it will ask a few questions to confirm if the service matches their requirements and make a purchase accordingly.

    Amidst this business, Fiverr takes 20% of the transaction. As mentioned earlier, the variety of services that can be found here is really wide and what you can do is to make a mini sales pitch by explaining your potentials that will make the buyers make the purchase.

    It is a credible website with its own customer support. They will help you regarding any concerns at any point of time. It protects both buyers and sellers in a judicious manner. As a buyer, if your order is not delivered, you can either get a refund or an extension. The sellers can take a test which is a new feature of the website that will add to their credibility. Good reviews, information about their education will further strengthen the credibility of a seller on the website. The quality of the seller can be assessed by the buyer by going through their ratings and reviews.

    Categories in Fiverr

    The following are the major categories that are available in Fiverr. All these categories contain more than 30 subcategories.

    • Video And Animation
    • Music And Audio
    • Graphics And Design
    • Video And Animation
    • Writing And Translation
    • Programming And Tech
    • Business
    • Lifestyle
    • Digital Marketing

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    Pros of using Fiverr

    Exposure

    The variety of projects that you get to work in Fiverr is unmatchable.

    Easily accessible

    The website is constructed in such a way that it is extremely easy to get a hang of it and locate the suitable service.

    Additional Income

    No matter how less or more the buyer pays, it is definitely an additional source of income. It is always good to tap at this opportunity.

    Cons of using Fiverr

    Underpaid

    If not often, at least in the beginning you will be disappointed to observe that you are underpaid for your services. Apart from that, 20% of the transaction goes to Fiverr and this makes the situation further grim for the seller.

    Inconsistent

    With the style of transaction in itself, it is clear that Fiverr does not offer continuous money. It completely depends upon how you do the business with the buyer – and hence Fiverr can never be a reliable source of income.

    Delayed Payments

    Fiverr takes upto 14 days to complete their payments. If you are a verified seller, chances are that your payments will be transacted faster.

    Pressure

    Fulfilling requirements can be stressful in most of the cases. This happens especially in the beginning mainly because the seller does not want to get any bad reviews.

    This also means that sellers will have to sacrifice upcoming orders in order to prioritise the existing ones.

    Fake reviews

    This is the biggest bane of Fiverr for all its stakeholders. Sellers write or hire people to write fake reviews for them and will mislead the buyer into losing money for low quality work.

    Lack of satisfaction

    It is unlikely that neither seller nor the buyer gets satisfied in the transaction although satisfaction is not a rarity. In many cases, the seller is underpaid and the buyer often gets low quality works done.

    This adversely affects the business of both the buyer and the seller.

    Analysis of Fiverr in 2021

    From various reviews and studies, it was observed that Fiverr is not a great place for freelancers any more. It has lost its reputation over the period of time. Its ranking systems are flawed and fake reviews outnumber the original ones. There is always a lack of communication between the buyer and the seller which creates a trust issue all the time. It has become the market for the smart ones.

    It’s good for those buyers who have a way with choosing the right service in the right quality or to be precise; for those who know how to exploit the service providers.

    And as far as the seller is concerned, they mostly provide low quality works in a way that was not advertised. It is a loss for them. The competition is so high that they have to lower their prices to stay in the market. Once they do that they might get more orders. Many sellers in Fiverr say that they work too hard for too little money. Most of the transactions occur at the base price of $5 which makes things largely dull for the sellers.

    Fiverr annual spend per buyer
    Fiverr annual spend per buyer

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    Tips for Sellers on Fiverr

    • Set the price that is worth your effort. In this way only the right customer gets to you. It will help in ensuring satisfaction on both ends.
    • Make use of the resources that is put forth by Fiverr that will help you in improving your business.
    • Be honest to your work and deliver orders on time.
    • Focus on quality and not quantity – over time you can develop a strong base which can convince your buyer the reasons for the service’s  relatively high price.

    Tips for Buyers on Fiverr

    • Do not be blinded by reviews, it can be fake.
    • Read the negative reviews before you place your order.
    • Be clear about what you want.
    • Focus on quality of the work rather than trying to get work done at a cheap rate.
    • Do not hesitate to complain if the order delivered is not satisfactory.

    Conclusion

    However, it cannot be ruled out that there are a lot of decent people there too. Be careful about the red flags and contact customer support in case of any help. Do not lower your prices for more business and ensure that you get the right buyer and seller. After all, no place is bad when people on both sides have the right intentions.  

    FAQ

    Which country uses fiverr the most?

    Most of the Fiverr traffic comes from India and then followed by US.

    What sells best on Fiverr?

    Product Demonstration Videos, Video Editing, Video Intros & Outros for Business, Slideshow Videos, Logo Design, and Photoshop Editing are some of the jobs that sell most on fiverr.

    What is a gig in fiverr?

    A Gig is termed as the service you offer and sell within the marketplace at Fiverr. Your Gig is an opportunity to showcase your talent to potential customers, as well as to provide all the information they may need prior to placing an order.

  • How to Write Freelance Bid Proposals

    It’s hard to muster up the courage and set out to start something of your own. It’s even harder to build a steady work pace, in the Indian freelancing market, and land enough clients to keep you smiling throughout the year. What isn’t hard is curating the perfect proposal for your clients, a feat that adds to your success and shows professionalism. This being said, proposals do play quite a role in helping you not only land clients but also bag great projects, and make a good impression.

    Why do You Need to Write Freelance Proposals?

    Before we come to understand the necessity of writing business proposals in any and every professional setting, let’s see what it is.

    So, how do you define a business proposal? Wikipedia defines it as a, ’a written offer from a seller to a prospective buyer.’ Call it a bridge between the service provider (that’s you!) and the client.

    Another source says, ‘A proposal puts the buyer’s requirements in a context that favours the seller’s products and services, and educates the buyer about the capabilities of the seller in satisfying their needs.’

    That is, you need a proposal for a business proposal since it clarifies and establishes the terms of working on the project. It describes the targets and goals through a formal document that is mutually agreed upon, by both the client and the freelancer.

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    Clients Expectations From Proposal

    • Personalization in proposal
    • Professional writing style
    • Details about your skills and experience
    • Social and communication skills
    • Assurance that you will spend time on their project and add value.
    • A price that matches your skills, experience and professionalism

    How to Write a Good Proposal?

    Know Your Client

    Writing a proposal may seem like a daunting task but knowing your audience narrows the scope quite a bit, and makes the task both easy and more specific. You need to know the person behind the desk, to create a maximum impact with your proposal. For that to happen, a strong understanding of your client is vital.

    Think of a proposal as an in-between between finding your client and getting paid. Now this ‘in-between’ requires some convincing, demonstration of your skills and a notion of how this professional relationship can be successful. Knowing your client’s preferences, work requirements and needed job skills help. By addressing your client personally, you are adding more value to both his company and the job at hand. This assures your client that you are genuinely interested.

    Note How You Start

    You might want to draft a proposal that captures your client’s interests right from the beginning.

    • Start with a specific, attention-catching (yet professional) subject line and follow up to a strong, purposeful introduction.
    • Let them know what makes you different. Mention your skills and convince them why they might need you.
    • Don’t hesitate to dole out your observations regarding the business or the project. Consequently, follow up your observations with solutions and suggestions; that is, what you could do from your end to optimise their business.

    Promote Yourself

    How can your client hire you if they don’t know what you are capable of? The key? Promoting yourself.

    • Let them know why you are the perfect candidate. Elaborate on your strengths and how is it going to be beneficial for your client.
    • Do mention your qualifications along if the job requires any kind of academic expertise.
    • Work on your communication skills. You need to convince your client that you are indeed capable of the task.

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    Highlight Your Strengths

    If you are a freelancer, who is searching actively for a job online, you sure need to let the world know of your strengths and abilities.

    • Sell yourself
    • Put your marketing skills to effect, and build a wide network. Your client should be able to reach you before giving you the job and needless to say, network building helps.
    • Let the client go through your sample works, that are relevant to the job.

    Include Your Work Samples

    Employers are always eager to see if the words on your portfolio do indeed translate to some real work. A collection of carefully categorised and sorted work samples will do the job for you.

    • Among your work samples, including the projects that are similar to or related to the task at hand. This would assure your client that you carry some experience in the area and hence, are capable of doing the job.
    • Instead of keeping a diversified portfolio that showcases everything you ever worked on, be more specific or job oriented. This shows both expertise and professionalism. Resist the urge to include your every work on your portfolio.
    • Keep the language in mind
    • Note that when addressing your clients in your proposal, you want to be persuasive and positive. Let them know that they don’t have to worry at all and their project is under capable hands.
    • Be professional
    • Add a little value on the client’s front. Let them know you understand their company’s vision and his or her passion for the job. Adding value not only builds a healthy professional relationship but also, ensures that both the employee and the employer is satisfied with the result.
    • If possible, use their language.

    Create a Brand of Your Own

    Creating a brand of your own makes you stand out of the crowd. The point being, instead of heading for the built-in templates, you can draft your proposals. From deciding on a design layout to curating, writing and editing your proposals, crafting your content brings a sense of your own identity to your work and projects forward your image in the professional market.

    You can also refer your client to visit your website or portfolio. Because it will help the understand to know more about you and your work. But this is optional.

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    What Your Proposal Should Include?

    Confused what you should include in your freelancing proposal? Here’s a complete breakdown of everything that should be there:

    General info

    Give a little introduction about yourself. This includes your name, your client’s name, contact info, and project brief. You can also tell write little bit about your education. For example any type of course that you have done and which will help you to complete the task.

    About the work

    Include your skills and why you should be considered for the candidature.

    • Acknowledge what your client is looking for and how are you going to deliver on their needs?
    • Give positive suggestions and solutions and let them know how you plan to optimize their business. Show the client that you understand their needs and are capable of delivering them.

    Deadlines and Cost

    Most freelancing projects come with their time restrictions and expenses.

    • Consider how much time would you need to deliver the project. And include it in your proposal with mutual agreement.
    • Will there be any overhead expenses? How much will be paid and on what basis? What would be the mode of payment? What will be the contract terms? These are some of the key points that ought to be discussed in the proposal as well.

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    Conclusion

    While the above factors sum up the points of consideration for writing a great freelance portfolio, there are other factors as well that still need to be considered. For example, your client, the project undertaken as well as the pay scale offered. With these tips, however, we hope you craft an amazing proposal and win that dream project.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    How do I write a good freelance proposal?

    Keep your proposal short, professional, and friendly. Adding samples of your work at the beginning of your proposal. This might help in creating a good impression in the starting. Your proposal needs to be short so that your client do not lose interest also, you have to make sure you capture their attention with few witty lines. Clients are interested in knowing what is your reason or motivation of working with them. Simply they want to know how you fit the needs of their project. So, answer the question ‘why should I work with you’ very carefully and creatively. Not to mention add your relevant skills and experience.

    What should be included in bid proposal?

    A bid is a tools to persuade someone to choose your company over others. Most often people write it as if it is a information source, no wonder why it does not work. The bid should be written considering clients needs and expectations in order to let them know that you understand them clearly. Every client is different and so shall be your proposal, personalized. Also the proposal should include how are you adding value or if you understand them.

    How many bids one gets on Freelancer?

    Well, that depends on your membership type. Free Members get 6 bids per month. Intro Members get 15 bids per month. Monthly number of bids for basic, plus, professional and premium members is 50, 100, 300 and 1500 bids respectively.

  • How to Turn Your Freelancing Hobby Into a Profitable Career

    You have a freelancing hobby that looks like it could become a full-time career option then you need to make some major changes in your work environment. Some changes will be easy and comfortable while others can be difficult and time-consuming.

    For example, if you are planning to start your own company, you have to pay taxes at both the state and federal level. Something that your company took care of before. We have provided you with a map here showing everything that happens when you leap.

    Let’s start with some of the basic pre-requisites to launch your freelancing career.

    • Make sure that there are a fair and profitable market and a client base out there that you can cater to.
    • Make sure that you love your hobby enough to make it a full-time job that gives you income.
    • Ask yourself this question before you start, am I willing to put in the work and energy that it requires this business to become a successful source of income? You have to remember that the goal of every freelancer is to become successful and earn good money.

    The number of freelancers is increasing day by day because more people seek flexible working hours

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    Have a Business Plan

    Before you start with the actual work, there is a need for a basic plan. A plan that tells you what the fundamentals of your career are going to be. You need to chalk out certain points that form the basis of your work.

    • The number of hours that you are willing to put in every week.
    • An account of what your expenses are going to be.
    • Your goal and your purpose behind your career. Basically what you hope to get from all of it.
    • Your long and short term goals.
    • How are you different from your competitors in the field and why should your customers choose you over them? You need to provide not only your area of expertise but the specifics of your skills. The longer and more elaborate the list, the better are your chances to get selected/hired by prospective clients.

    Income

    Income
    Income

    Now that your hobby is going to become your job, you need to make sure that it brings in enough money. You have to do a thorough calculation for this purpose. Calculate your annual salary and calculate what you need to earn in a month.

    You have to take into account various aspects like unforeseen expenses, clients leaving and months where you need to beef up your productivity.

    Take a good look at your budget and your level of industry expertise and decide on the number of hours you’re going to work in a week.

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    Growing Your Business

    Now, this sector is big, as in you have to rattle your brain over this because this is what keeps your business alive and going. When all of this was just a good old hobby of yours, you took whoever came to you as your client. But now you have to be wise and selective when it comes to choosing your clients. You need a source of income, preferably one that is long-term and also stable. Look for clients who have spent at least $10,000 online and are looking for long-term relationships.

    Marketing Your Services

    You need to increase the number of clients. That is of primary importance. This is the most basic strategy of success in your business. Also as your number of clients increase you will start to look “official” to your existing clients.

    It’s the age of the Internet and to be a successful freelancer you need to have an impressive portfolio/webpage. There are multiple ways to do this and it’s really easy.

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    Portfolios

    There are many websites where you can build your portfolio. If you are a content writer then here are the websites for you Clippings.me, Press folios.

    If you are a graphic designer then you can create your portfolio on Wix, Kro.

    These websites have attractive templates where you can drop in your information. Or if you want a webpage of your own then you can go to Weebly or WordPress to create your website. You don’t need any type of programming skills to develop your website on WordPress.

    Be it a portfolio or a webpage, it’s a good idea to include case studies showing the problems that your client presented to you and the way or the skills that you used to solve them and a visual (if possible) showing your final work. Your portfolio/webpage must include who you are, what skills you’ve got and why you are better than others in your field.

    LinkedIn Marketing

    LinkedIn is a necessary tool that can further your career. Your account should be polished and complete with authentic information about your working history and skill set. If you have a web-page or a portfolio then make sure your LinkedIn page has their link. Include a professional-looking headshot and if possible, testimonials from past clients.

    Try and reach out to potential companies and recruiters. There’s an even more effective way to make sure that companies notice you. There are LinkedIn groups that are great for networking and getting new clients. Show active participation in group discussions and put your skills to good use and someone or the other will notice you. Some of these groups allow automatic joining whereas in others you have to request access.

    Cover Letter

    Another thing that you have to learn is that Personalized cover letters give you a better fighting chance. This shows your interest in the company and your willingness to work with them. Begin by researching the company and learning about its needs as much as you can. If possible address the cover letter to the hiring manager’s first name. Your message should be brief with proper official format and language. But try to give a little touch of personalization and discuss how you could add value to the firm. Make sure to include email address, phone number, Skype ID and available hours to set up an interview.

    Benefits Of Turning Your Hobby Into A Full-time Career

    There are so many advantages to choosing a freelance job as a full-time career. You can travel anywhere in the world. This is the best way to work while you are travelling because in a full-time job under any company you will not be able to do this. But if you choose to be a freelancer for full-time then you have the opportunity to work from anywhere, travel to beautiful places and eat delicious foods.

    Many people are now becoming Digital Nomads to enjoy their life and to be free from the regular 9 to 5 schedule. So, take advantage of this time and just ride on the wave of success.

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    Conclusion

    As we can see, it’s a long journey and it also has to be a well-planned one. You have to keep your patience and keep working, trying to bring in more and more clients to make yourself eligible to work with some big-shot companies out there. There’s fierce competition out there but as the wise old owl said there’s nothing that a good business plan and determination cannot achieve.