The World’s Top Freelancers Share their Secrets ∞
Posted at 12:19 PM on September 19th, 2009
Now that I’m officially a “freelancer,” I will be the first one to admit, even after 7 years of working on freelance projects on the side, that I don’t know everything. So for this post, I’m going to try something different. Instead of bestowing my vast knowledge and experience upon you, I’m going to open up this blog post for everyone to contribute to. Post your best freelance advice or stories in the comments. If it’s of any value, I will pull it into this post and post the best advice on the Designmoo Blog for the world to tap into.
Post your best freelance advice in the comments below
You may also tweet your advice if you’d like, simply include a link back to the article within your tweet and it will be pulled into the comments below.
26 comments so far
Oops. I dribbbled.
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I designed this for a big announcement on the UpThemes blog.
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Working on revisions to a logo we were commissioned to design.
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Client requested some color changes.
Steal this design. See if I care.
Hand-crafted in the year of the tiger.
Mine is actually a series of stories that I sum up with on my website.
Here’s the first one about why I started freelancing:
Freelancing Strategies for Designers – My Way
I look forward to reading the comments / future blog post. Great idea Chris!
Don’t back down. Clients won’t respect your opinion if you always bow to their wishes. Explain your reasoning. Make them understand or remind them that they hired you for your what you know.
For me it’s the issue of marketing yourself to prospective clients. There are thousands of companies that declare themselves web designers and developers but how do you distinguish yourself from the rest.
I would say the majority of small business owners aren’t aware of all the technicalities that go into building a website. All they know and really care about is that their logo and products are online for the world to see.. or so they think. Walking the client through the entire process is crucial and educating them as you go along. This helps build trust and a sound relationship, something that the fly by night design shops don’t even bother with.
There are many issues that arise once you stake off on your own in the freelance world. New challenges and obstacles that you don’t really think of when you have a steady paycheck coming in.
Good luck on the new transition man. By the looks of your previous work you’re going to do great things now that you’ll be able to dedicate your entire time.
I wouldn’t consider myself a freelancer and I’m yet to be one, so you might want to take my opinions as a pinch of salt
I have worked on several projects which I sourced from friends and friends of friends, many of those of which were great but one of which was a particular pain. Basically, the client simply asked for more features and multiple modifications – not to mention giving me the green light to start work on two drafts and then later changing their minds and scrapping two completely usable layouts.
My advice will be signing an implementation form/contract or something that is similar in nature before you start work. In the contract, a list of features and requests will be made and they’ll be something that your client and you have arrived at an agreement. The contract should also state very clearly that for additional features, extra charges will be made towards the client.
The project which left a sour taste in my mouth was my very first. Since then I’ve learned to be more careful and of course, make sure that the client and I arrive at a common consensus and have signed the implementation contract before I proceed.
p/s: I forgot where I read this, but I heard from another freelancer that if a client asks you to make your site design IE6 compatible, he/she proposed that you can charge them extra by the hour. Now that’s wicked.
Have a great weekend!
I’ve been freelancing for over a year now and the best thing I can recommend is to save your money for the low times. Even if you have plenty of clients now, there is often a flux of paying for (at least there was for me). So being mindful of that will definitely keep you safe in your job and avoid stress later on.
Biggest thing for me? Have all the things set up to properly document your financials. Esp. come tax time, you’ll need everything in good order to make sure you pay the right amount (and not pay too much). Find a working system and go with it.
No project is big enough or important enough to prioritize above your sales and marketing routine.
Follow your gut. If you don’t think someone will pay, they won’t. If you think something is going to take longer than the client wants tell them. Cut your rates to take on a project you believe in and raise them for the projects you don’t.
I could talk about the business side of freelancing… the accounting, the legal, the paperwork. I could talk about the creative side of freelancing… the process, the wireframes, the mock-ups. I could tell you to communicate, to follow up, and to send thanks. I could tell you to charge what you’re worth, never discount your rates, and always send invoices. Those are all the practical ‘secrets’ to freelancing.
I know when I started freelancing almost 9 years ago that people told me all of the above, but none of the below. This is more my theory behind successful freelancing.
As a freelancer there is no corporate red tape, and you can change business strategies at the drop of a hat. If something isn’t working… change direction and find something that works.
As a freelancer you are forging your own path, but always leaving breadcrumbs to never forget where you came from. Learn from your mistakes, as you are bound to make a few.
Freelancing is freedom, but can also strangle you. Sure, you can do what you want, when you want… but deadlines are always there. If you don’t manage your time well, it will manage you.
Freelancing is community, but full of loneliness. Clients will sing your praises, colleague’s will pick you up when your down… but at the end of the day, it’s you… and you alone.
From the time you wake up in the morning until you rest your head at night you are a freelancer. Freelancing is life.
hi sir,
I like your blog. it was nice. Ram Mane. working in a firm as a web designer. i am working from last 3 years. I know html, css, javascript, joomla, wordpress, php.
now i am thinking to start carrier in freelancing. will u guid me how to go ahead?
A local family-owned business published a calendar with some really horrendous illustrations. I casually knew the family and thought that this might be an opportunity to make a pitch. I called and set up the appointment then prepared my portfolio. The meeting started well enough, and they put up the expected resistance about being happy with their current agency, but they also seemed impressed with my work. I sensed an opening and went in for the kill: their current agency dropped the ball on the illustrations, and I would love the opportunity to show them what they COULD look like on their next project. I may have gone on a bit about my dislike of their current illustrations, because the marketing director — the owner’s daughter — looked at me coldly and said, “my mom did those drawings.”
I didn’t get any work from them.
What it boils down to is sales and marketing “-)
Think to the future.
Sometimes is better to earn less in a job when you are working for an important person, because you bet on having more jobs thanks to his/her’s recommendation.
Giving free stuff to people, encaurages jobs too (wordpress themes for example).
Good luck Chris. I don’t think you really need it because you are really good, but just in case
Ah… another one.
Never work for friends or family.
The three times I did it, it was a pain, and created a lot of problems between us >.<
Luckily everything is good as ever now
Don’t be afraid of negotiations. Give and take. You and the client will be happier if both of you feel you are winning some battles.
GET EVERYTHING IN WRITING. Detail out all contracts. Don’t do anything without a signature. It WILL bite you, and when it does, you’ll go hungry.
1. You are the professional, so make your answers seem that way. Own the project or the client will own you.
2. Give yourself set hours and generally stick to them (as you would an office job). Its easy to fall into the trap of working a 90 hour week, but it doesn’t do you any good.
2b. If you work from home, get up and get dressed to go to work in the other room. It starts the day off more professionally & productively.
3. Always reply to inquiries ASAP.
4. Build up a good network of colleagues who can take on overflow work. You never want to turn a job away – you never know what they will need in the future.
5. Keep track of your quotes. That way, you can see what you quoted their friend 12 months ago.
6. ALWAYS get a 30%+ deposit. Once clients are invested in the project they won’t want to screw you around (as much)
6b. Never, ever, ever send through any vector or final art, or send a job off to print until the fees have been received.
It seems mixing hours and your total estimate for clients is NOT a good mix. I’m not sure how others are doing estimates, but once a client correlates hours to the estimate, it always seems to go south.
Lesson learned here: Get the expected budget for the project as soon as you can.
If a client is thinking $1000 for something… and you estimate $2500; you probably wasted your time preparing the proposal and estimate.
This is an extremely tricky subject, and I am sure it could be debated endlessly, by the freelancer and the client.
The Bottom Line: You know what your time, effort and expertise are worth. Don’t kid yourself.
From my experience, when charging a client, it is best to get half the amount before and half after. This helps us as freelancers keep our income rolling; plus, this way you know he won’t back out after you spend time on doing a good project.
I’m in total agreement with TheAdamJanes who says “it is best to get half the amount before and half after!”.
This seems to work best for the people I have worked with and who are working as freelancers.
Make sure to get agreement from the client on items they will be responsible for. Small businesses often have big plans but little follow through when it comes to getting tasks completed.
Make sure you have an agreement (contract/SOW) that clearly defines when the project is completed and payment is due.
Also, get at least 30% up front.
1. Don’t overbid/underbid the project
2. Go after projects that you can actually do
3. Get everything in writing
4. Don’t go out and buy all the fanciest equipments. Get what you need to help you get your job done
5. Set aside time every day to network, via LinkedIn, Twitter, FaceBook, etc.
6. Research companies around you, including your competition.
Happy Freelancing!
[...] The World’s Top Freelancers Share Their Secrets [...]
Business: I always ask for a signature and a deposit. It will NEVER annoy a clean client. And as they already have paid something, they won’t let the project aside and be more reactive when you need them.
Creation: always keep updated, never think you know it all, there is always something to improve, more books to read, more websites to experience, more blogs for tips etc…
At the end of a project, take a whole day to work on something else. When you’ll open the project again the next day, the changes to make or not will be all clear.
Never give up, never stop, never be discouraged and don’t let the naysayers get you down.