Collaborative Post¦ Some of the best things about working for yourself are that you get to set the rules. Want to wear jogging bottoms for the day? Go for it. Want to start work at 11 a.m. so you can enjoy breakfast with a friend? Absolutely. You’re in charge of your day.
But while working for yourself will give you a lot of freedom, when it comes to working with clients, a professional approach is always best. So how can you present your most professional self to your freelance clients? Use the following tips to help you give you a more professional edge.
Image Credit: Unsplash under Creative Commons
Show them what you’re all about
Working with clients is your chance to show them your expertise. You can start by creating an online portfolio, and there are some amazing free portfolio tools to help you do this. Show clients why you’re the best person for the job and what you have to offer.
Having a website and a social media presence will also help you outline your services to clients while helping you look more professional, so provide as much detail as you can to help demonstrate your knowledge and experience.
Brand your business
Branding is very important to any business, even if you are its sole employee. Building a brand from scratch doesn’t have to be difficult, you can start with creating a logo to put on all of your documents, emails and social media profiles. Creating a brand for your business will help it look more professional, helping you compete with agencies and larger businesses, while making a strong first impression on new clients interested in your services.
Project confidence in meetings
Client meetings are one of the most nerve-wracking parts of being a freelancer, especially if you’re pitching to them for the first time. But by exuding confidence, you can help win them over and get them on your books. The following tips can get you off to a great start:
@brillerstationery These tips will make you confident in meetings. #hrbabe #hrtok #hr #hrcontent #worklife #hrlifebelike #hrtips #hrcontentcreator #workinginhrbelike #workinginhr #confidence #confident #corporatelife #hrtiktok #hradvice ♬ Aesthetic – Tollan Kim
The right setup can also make a big difference. Your background should be non-distracting, and you should consider the right video conferencing software to help maintain performance and security. There are different tools out there, and if you’re concerned about Zoom security issues, you might want to explore an alternative. You could even find tools that integrate with the rest of your applications for seamless working.
Keep on top of your workload
Managing your own workload is one of the most important elements of managing clients as a freelancer. You’re in charge of your own workday, and you need to keep clients updated regularly on your progress. Look at effective business communication methods to help you maintain clear and constant communication, helping you stay on top of things. Productivity tools can also be helpful to help you plan your workday, and even automate some of your processes to help you save time on some of your basic tasks.
Working for yourself can bring all kinds of challenges, but don’t let professionalism be one of them. Be confident, be productive and be prepared to show off your expertise to win over your clients and help you enjoy success in the freelance world.
Disclosure: This is a collaborative post.
Cover photo by Headway on Unsplash