Helping Freelancers Start Out Well

Getty getty I found some interesting research on the impact of an employee’s positive on-boarding experience and thought it was worth sharing with #freelancerevolution readers. While much of HR practice doesn’t fit the unique needs of the global freelance community, there are certainly some important lessons we can learn and apply from HR and on boarding is a particularly rich vein. According to Bamboo HR , among employees with a positive on-boarding experience: 87% say they have good role clarity; 89% say they’re engaged; and 91% report a strong connection to the organization. These are good results, and ought to be just as relevant to the experience of freelance platforms members. After all, role clarity, engagement, and connection to the platform should lend to increased productivity, and greater overall revenue as more commitment to overall platform member likely improves lead sharing and hunting in packs. Moreover, there is no more important outcome for a platform than the retention of its highest performing and most engaged freelancer platform members. We know that freelancers expect five outcomes from their platform , and are likely to lose engagement and commitment when these outcomes aren’t provided: Interesting, fairly paid, work A continuing flow of project opportunity that reinforces confidence and commitment to the platform Administrative, business and marketing support Opportunities to future-proof my skills and experience Membership in an active professional community that makes me better So, how well do freelance platforms assist their members to start up well and experience early success? We asked a panel of platform CEOs: As a new freelancer, I’m not sure how to be a successful solopreneur. How does your platform set up new full-time freelancers for success? What are the most important 1-2 challenges that your platform will help me to overcome? Here is what they said: Chandrika Pasricha CEO Flexing It “The success of any consulting platform depends on the quality of the work, and our goal at Flexing It is to enable the maximum number of consultants in our community to get matched to assignments and provide enabling support to ensure they deliver well. The first projects are critical to establish a virtuous cycle and build trust in the platform, and our team supports this through feedback on freelancers early proposals and project budgets, proactively marketing consultants based on skill fit, and providing operational support on invoicing/payments/tax queries. We maintain frequent contact with regular freelancers and offer visibility into upcoming projects to help them plan, and also get them involved in co-creating project teams for bigger project scopes with enterprise clients.” Charly Gaillard, CEO Sneakers+Jackets “With more and more employees becoming freelancers every day, we are providing first-class support to help them set up. To do so, we provide help on choosing the right kind of company or legal framework and how to register it; advising on the right level of protection (medical healthcare, life insurance, work insurance); tips on how they should organize their resume to increase impact; and, most importantly, train them […]

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When Should You Consider Freelance or Contract Workers?

With increasing human resource expenses, companies are always looking for ways to cut their overhead costs. It may help to work with freelancers or contract workers to diversify your workforce and reduce costs. Whatever the case, contract workers and freelancers can help a business operate more efficiently . Aside from cutting your overhead costs, it’s easier to connect with different experts for any project. However, there are several things to consider when deciding to work with a freelancer or contract worker. Freelancer vs. Contractor While freelancers and contractors might seem similar, they’re actually different. The key difference is the contract. Freelancers typically sign non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) while contractors sign contracts. In the case of a freelancer, they can work for any client, taking as many projects as their time allows. They can set their own rates or accept a mutually agreed upon rate and work from anywhere they want. Freelancers are not bound to any single client. On the other hand, contractors are more like “temporary employees.” They are typically bound to a client as stipulated in the signed agreement, meaning they work for one particular client at a time. The contract ends when either of the parties wants to opt-out. Contractors can work onsite in the client’s office or from their own workspace. Both freelancers and contractors are not traditional employees, meaning they can’t receive the typical employee benefits. This can save you money in the long-run. They are self-employed and are responsible for their own benefits. However, it’s vital to understand the laws of different states, such as California , with new employment laws. Hiring a Freelancer or Contractor Working with freelancers or contract workers comes with both negatives and positives. It’s vital to weigh them before making a choice. Pros Save Money– Hiring contractors and freelancers is often more cost-efficient compared to hiring full-time employees. You are likely to avoid costs, such as office equipment, medical cover, training, and taxes. Hire a Geographically Diverse Team– Since most freelancers and contractors can work remotely, it’s possible to set up a more diverse team. This gives you team members with different backgrounds, experiences, and skill profiles. They Are Often Specialists in Their Field– Most freelancers and contractors are usually specialists in their fields with vast experience from working with different clients. It is easy to find a professional for just about any project. Cons Training– You might need to train your team to ensure they understand the specifics of your project. The geographical gap can make training a challenge, but you can use online platforms to provide training. Higher Turnover– Since freelancers are not bound to you, they can quit at any time without notice. You’ll need to hire new members often, which can affect your team’s productivity, leading to delays. Less Attachment to Your Company– Freelancers and contractors pick projects based on rates and career growth. This means they have less attachment to your company, and they can easily quit when a more suitable project comes along. […]

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Best Money-Making Apps

About 36% of U.S. workers are involved in the gig economy, and money-making apps have played a significant role in breaking down barriers that once kept people inside the office.1 Through free apps, you can earn income to pay off debt, supplement income, fund a hobby, and even support yourself full time. The best money-making apps allow you to work on your own time through a simple sign-up process while receiving fast and easy payment. We researched more than a dozen money-making apps to find the best options based on factors like earning potential, how quickly you can receive payment, and app store ratings. This roundup will help you choose the best money-making app based on your goals, how you want to earn, and the time you’re willing to invest. The Best Money-Making Apps for 2021 Sign Up Now Upwork’s simplicity, streamlined communication and potential for freelancers to earn more over time make it the best money-making app, whether you’re picking up a side hustle or building a full-time freelance business. Simple profile set-up to find work in hundreds of skill categories Attract new clients based on reviews, total earnings, and score Pursue ongoing or one-off projects by applying directly or receiving an invitation Payment protection ensures payment for successful work As a freelance marketplace driving the gig economy , Upwork is the best money-making app for skilled workers to connect with clients, while managing projects in one place. For its broad range of available skill categories, profile-building features and limitless earning potential, Upwork wins best overall. Regardless of your previous experience, Upwork makes it simple and easy to create a profile and apply for new gigs. Freelancers can find opportunities across hundreds of skill categories spanning digital marketing, coding, translation, admin work, and much more. If you can do it on a computer, you can do it on Upwork. Through Upwork, you can apply for one-off opportunities or find ongoing work with clients. New reviews and a rising Job Success Score will make you a more attractive candidate for future opportunities. Qualified freelancers may receive invitations for exclusive opportunities. Project funds are held in escrow through Upwork’s Payment Protection program, which helps ensure safe and timely payment for freelancers. You can receive payment through direct deposit, PayPal, wire transfer, or other methods. Unfortunately, freelancer fees range from five to 20%. The more you earn from an individual client, the lower your fee percentage. Funds aren’t credited to your account until 10 days after the weekly billing cycle ends. As an independent contractor, you’ll have to pay taxes on earnings. Available on: iOS: 4.6 stars Google: 4.3 stars Sign Up Now Offering numerous cashback options for online and in-store purchases, Rakuten delivers a seamless process with rewarding sign-up and referral incentives. Up to 40% cashback on purchases at thousands of qualifying retailers $10 welcome bonus for spending $25 $20 bonus for referring new users who spend at least $20 Browser extension offers additional perks and features Previously known as […]

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Ways to Attract Clients as a Freelance Accountant

The toughest part of freelancing is getting clients. As a freelance accountant, your ability to attract clients is what makes you a successful freelance account. You can have better accounting skills than your competitors, but if they know how to attract clients while you struggle with it, they will experience a more successful freelance career than you. Are you a freelance accountant struggling with attracting clients? Have you done everything you can but had only little success in return? Perhaps, you want to quit freelancing and get a regular paying job because of your frustrations. Do you want to increase your current clientage? Then this article is for you. In this article, you will learn the quick and proven ways you can attract clients as a freelance accountant. Let’s get started. 1. Word of Mouth Word of mouth (WOM) is the most powerful yet massively underrated way to attract clients for any business. It is cost-effective and does not require you to spend a kobo. Most of the jobs that freelancers get are from client referrals. Many freelance accountants are not leveraging on their existing pool of customers. Word of mouth may seem effortless but it is not. Asking your clients for referrals in exchange for free work is a win-win situation that your clients will most likely take. If you have long-term clients that are happy with the quality of your work, there is no harm in asking for referrals. They will be more than happy to do that for you without you asking. Another way to get word of mouth referral is to simply deliver consistent services that exceed the expectations of your clients . Keeping your clients happy will result in referrals from them. Since they trust you, they will easily recommend you to others who need your services. Never underestimate the power of a glowing recommendation from a client. It cuts short the onboarding process since they know you can do the job they want. We find ourselves using the services of certain professionals not because we found them ourselves, but based on recommendations of others in our cycle. If you do not have any clients, you can spread the word about your business on your social media platforms and in conversations with friends and families. They can easily refer you when someone else needs the services of an accountant or hire you when they need your services. 2. Create or Revamp Your Website Having a website can put you ahead of other freelance accountants that do not have one. However, it is not just enough to have a website. Is your website loading speed fast? Does it have all the information about your services including testimonials and social proof? If you do not have a website, you need to get a domain name, website builder, and web hosting services. Some website builders you can use include Wix and Squarespace. Investing in a world-class website is a quick way to attract clients. It is a […]

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Things to consider before hiring a freelance transcriptionist

File photo of someone using a computer Transcribing work is generally outsourced by a lot of legal and medical companies and even other businesses. There is a huge requirement in this area of transcription; thus, finding legitimate freelance transcription jobs at Dormzi are easier for people. However, it can become extremely difficult for organisations to hire numerous people and set up a team. Having in-house transcribers requires professional setup, and it can be extremely expensive. If your organisation focuses only on transcription work and if you are planning to expand your wings in the transcription industry, it makes sense for you to invest in having a team of qualified in-house transcribers. But if you do not have enough assignments to engage the full-time employees, then the entire investment would become futile. In order to avoid things like these, you are getting help from the freelance transcribers can be an amazing thing to do. There are several benefits that one gets by hiring freelance transcribers because these people are available in abundance and the freelance market is extremely vast. You can hire them at affordable prices and can get all the work done without any contract. You need not engage them at all times and can choose to get their services when there is work. As there are so many advantages that one can get from the freelancing services, it is a great idea to be implemented in terms of saving a lot of costs. As an organisation, it is important that you follow certain tips even before you get into the hiring mode. You can learn more about the tips that are required for you to apply when you are planning to recruit some of the freelance transcribers into your organisation. Understand the skillset This is the first and foremost criteria that every organisation must follow when they are planning to hire a team of freelance transcribers. Without understanding the skill set, it is definitely unwise to handover the task. Not all the freelance transcribers that you come across are genuine. There are several ways to tweak a freelance website and create a duplicate portfolio with fake experience. Therefore, it is important to check all the skill sets only even before you proceed to bring an individual or a team for freelancers onboard. Understand the language skills Another important thing that every organisation that is into transcription must focus when they are hiring a team of freelancers to check for language skills. If a freelancer is not competent in the areas of language, then it would be certainly futile in investing in such a person as you might face a lot of loss. The transcription industry is all about typing and also listening to the instructions that are given by different clients that are placed globally. Majority of the transactions to happen in English and if the freelancer is not competent, it might become extremely difficult for them to cope with the assignments that are given. Conduct an interview […]

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The Best Guide To Growth Hacking a Freelance Business

If you ever Google “growth hacking strategies”, all you’ll find are the strategies that can skyrocket sales for a business or an organization. However, few articles talk about how to grow a freelance business with growth hacking. Freelancers or solopreneurs are people managing an entire business and juggling multiple roles solely. From finding new clients to sending deliverables on time, it’s all their responsibility. And in the process, they often forget a very important thing that is MARKETING their business. At the mercy of the virus which has led to a global pandemic, the number of freelancers is increasing significantly. According to Upwork’s CEO, they are witnessing a surge of 80-100% in new freelancer registrations. Now to grow or thrive in such a competitive time, freelancers need to market their services more than ever. And that’s why there’s a need of using unconventional marketing strategies aka growth hacking strategies. In this article, we’ll discuss how to growth hack a freelance business in detail but before that let’s understand the growth hacking funnel. So this is the basic growth hacking funnel that you can use to create your own strategy. The funnel consists of 5 stages: Acquisition Activation Retention Revenue Referral Acquisition/Attraction: How Do Customers Find You? First thing first, define who your target audience is that is the people who might be needing your services. Now based on that, explore what strategies can you use to reach out to your potential clients? Some of the strategies that you can use are: 1. Freelancing Marketplaces There are plenty of freelancing marketplaces out there like Upwork, Freelancer, Fiverr, and more. And having a profile in such marketplaces is one of the best ways to catch the eyeballs of your potential clients. However, this might not help you immediately because such platforms promote the profiles of users who already have earned a great reputation. 2. Social Media Marketing There’s no point in denying the fact that social media holds immense powers in terms of connecting people. All you need to do is work upon your presence on social media platforms and represent yourself as a business. Now if you want to leverage social media to get yourself in front of your target audience, you need to first understand which platform would suit your profession. For example, if you’re a freelance photographer, Instagram, and Pinterest would be the best options for you and if you’re a writer, LinkedIn and Facebook should be your choice. 3. Blogging Having a website is a common thing nowadays but blogging consistently is still something that just a few people do. No matter what business you’re doing, your potential clients are searching for experts on Google and you need to reach them before your competitors do. And that’s why you need a website where you post regularly. However, make sure you don’t write random stuff but you have a well-defined content strategy for your website. 4. Guest Blogging Guest blogging allows you to represent your expertise in front […]

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6 Ways To Make More Money As A Freelancer

A common goal for most freelancers is to become financially independent, but work stability is often the most significant barrier to doing more work. Creating a balance between earning extra money and schedule flexibility isn’t out of reach. Rather than just working longer hours to make up for low-paying clients, try these x income-gaining methods to earn more long-term. Idea 1: Always Use a Contract Contracts aren’t just useful for maintaining legal compliance. They also ensure that you get paid on time with the rate you proposed at the beginning of the project. With a contract, you can set your rates as high as you want, and the client won’t have the authority to lower them. Contracts also protect you if a client decides to stop paying you or is consistently late at invoicing. Fortunately, you don’t have to go to a lawyer to draft up a legally binding contract; just use one of Bonsai’s freelance contract templates for an easy-to-use, editable document. Idea 2: Increase Your Rates Every year a freelancer should increase their rates by approximately 5-10%. You can increase this rate further, especially if you’re starting to appear in major publications, but don’t be surprised if current clients won’t pay that amount. You have to decide whether or not you want to raise your rates across the board, give discounts to frequent clients, or only charge a higher amount for new customers. If you’re unsure what amount clients will pay for in your niche, research and compare with what other freelancers are charging and offer slightly less. Idea 3: Gather Social Proof Clients want a freelancer with experience, but it’s challenging to get experience if you can’t find any work. There is a solution to this riddle: gather social proof. For example, if you’re a freelance writer, reach out to HARO for a feature quote , contact blogs for a guest post, or showcase high-profile clients on your website. All of these methods for gaining social proof sends a clear message that you’re trustworthy and highly regarded. One minor feature in a top publication like Vogue, Washington Post, or Huffington post can triple what your clients are willing to pay. Idea 4: Work in a Highly Specialized Niche Not all niches make the same as others, but at the same time, not all niches are accessible to you without a degree. Specialized freelancers will make more money as long as they have the skills, education, and samples to back up their worth. Starting with a general audience is the perfect way to get plenty of clients fast, but it won’t give you any authority in those industries. General freelancers are also a dime a dozen which is enough justification for some clients to pay you less. If your skills are scarce, you can command higher rates and find more work. Idea 5: Find More Than One Freelance Client The harsh reality about freelancing is that your income streams can dry up at any time, no matter […]

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