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Being a freelancer can be full of challenges as you navigate earning a living on your own terms. Although there is something liberating about working for yourself, there are also a lot of unknowns to worry about. A lot of freelancers suffer with the idea of imposter syndrome and feeling as though they don’t belong in a certain industry.
Professionalizing your freelance business can help you to feel more confident with what you have to offer so that you are always putting your best foot forward. Whether you’re trying to make money as a freelance writer, or you’re a graphic designer working from home, there are so many ways to bring a sense of professionalism to your business. Consider the following eight methods and you will soon have more self-assurance when it comes to meeting new clients, handing over completed projects and much more!
Smarten Up Your Website
Your website is the first place any new client or potential customer will go to learn more about you and your business. Making sure it’s accessible, smooth and easy to see on a mobile device is extremely important. You should also make sure you have a clear explanation of who you are and what your experience in the industry is. Work with a web designer or branding expert if you need help bringing each element of your website together in a professional and cohesive way.
Get Some Business Cards
Business cards are a simple and effective way to create a professional reputation for your company right away. Being able to hand a potential new client one of your quality business cards will instantly give off a great impression. It’s also a very valuable source of communicating all of your information to someone who is interested in working with you. Your business card should contain your business name, role, social media handle, email address, phone number and website address. It may seem like an old fashioned way of doing things, but you should never underestimate the power of a business card!
Create Engaging Content on Social Media
As well as having an eye-catching website, you also need to have a show stopping social media page that grabs the attention of your target audience. Creating engaging content on social media will help you draw in the right type of clients to your business. Working alongside an experienced social media manager may help you to stay on top of content creation, so that you can boost your engagement, find more followers and increase the visibility of your freelance business. Although followers don’t mean everything, it can also make your business look more professional if you have a decent number of people on your followers list.
Register Your Company Officially
When a potential client searches for your business, it will instantly give off a more professional impression if you’re a registered limited company. Registering your business isn’t too lengthy or costly of a process and it will help you to feel more confident when you put yourself out there to new clients.
Charge a Competitive Rate
When you are deciding on your rates as a freelancer, it can often be very difficult to decide what to charge. Doing a little research and scoping out your competitors should probably be your first port of call. Charging a competitive rate will not only help you to appear professional, but it also means you’re getting a good amount of money for your work. With that being said, you need to charge a rate that you feel is in line with the current industry rates, but you should never feel limited. As a freelancer you can essentially charge whatever you want as long as the quality of your work is reflected in the price point.
Communicate Effectively With Clients
Communication is key when you’re working as a freelancer; nobody is going to hang around for seven working days until you reply to an email. The freelance industry can be quite cut throat in this sense, so it’s always worth evaluating your methods of communication. Nowadays, you need to be able to pick up the phone and make conversation with people. That’s how you form a true connection and make a business contact right off the bat. With emails it’s also important to reply quickly so that your client isn’t left waiting around too long.
Dress The Part
The way you dress can definitely affect the way your freelance business is perceived by others. By dressing in a way that represents your business, you will give off an instant impression of your brand whenever you meet someone new. Whether you’re dressed smartly in a shirt and suit, or you’re opting for a casual style with a pair of jeans and sneakers, there is no right or wrong way to dress as a freelancer. As long as you are dressed in an appropriate way that represents your business in a positive way, you will feel great about everything you have to offer.
Believe in Your Abilities
Last of all, believing in your abilities as a freelancer will help you to get much further with your personal and professional goals. You should never doubt your abilities to succeed and onboard clients you love working with. Trick yourself into feeling more confident and you will soon feel better than ever about your freelance business.
There are so many useful ways to enhance the professionalism of your freelance business so that you can start attracting the clients you want to work with and feel more confident with what you have to offer. More often than not, most freelancers already have these elements in place already; they simply need to make a handful of tweaks to bring everything together in a cohesive manner. Whether you’re designing a set of stunning business cards, or you’re improving the way you communicate with your clients, you can completely transform the way your business looks from an outside perspective. You will always make the best first impression when your freelance business as all of these elements firmly in place.
