Freelancing Getting Harder? Try This…
by Andy Strote, photo by Steve Johnson
Is your freelancing business getting harder? Is work slowing down? Are you losing enthusiasm for freelancing?
Maybe it’s time for a reset. A fresh start. Time to reboot the business.
Let’s go.
Start With a Clean Sheet (Or a Fresh Doc)
Go all the way back to “why”. Why are you freelancing? Your “why” today might not be the same as when you first started.
Thinking about freelancing today, what is your ultimate purpose? Financial independence? Lower risk than counting on one employer? Flexible lifestyle? Or are you thinking of building something bigger?
Think about why you’re freelancing instead of looking for a job. Get it all down, out of your head, into a document.
Sounds Corny, But Create a Vision Statement
From that, try to create a vision for yourself for the next few years. Think about your business and your life outside of the business. Often, this involves both money and time. Likely, it’s a combination of making the money you want and still having time to enjoy it.
It could be something like, “I want to be working with high-profile clients and have the freedom to take time for myself (and my family) whenever I want.”
Now It’s Time to Get Specific
Let’s break down the Vision Statement. What are high-profile clients? Realistically, they’re recognizable clients with reasonable budgets and projects that you would enjoy doing.
Assuming you could be a fit for those clients, your goal is to bill $X per month. What is $X? That will vary for each of us. $5,000? $10,000? More?
Pick a number that will be a stretch but could be achievable with the right clients.
How do you pick a number? Here’s one way. Double your best month. If your previous best was a $3,000 month, your goal is regular $6,000 months.
That probably won’t happen immediately, but it gives you something to aim for as you work with clients.
What Would It Take to Double Your Business?
Probably different clients. Clients with bigger budgets and lots of work for you. Remember, your goal is to double your income and still have a life. It’s unlikely you’ll be able to do that with your current clients.
So, ask yourself, would bigger clients hire you?
What are these clients looking for? Here’s a good place to start.
Bigger, professional clients want:
Reliability. Reliability is #1
They need to know they can count on you. How can you show reliability before working with someone?
Here’s the best way: testimonials. Get your clients to say how much they enjoy working with you and that they count on you. Would your clients say that? Have you asked them? Get some testimonials on your website. Testimonials are more convincing than anything you can say about yourself.
Professional, easy to work with
This goes hand-in-hand with reliability. As a professional, you have processes. You write detailed estimates. You include Terms and Conditions. You take control of the job. You make sure the client is always aware of where you are in any larger project.
In short, you solve your clients’ problems. They don’t have to worry about you.
Your fees make sense
How much you can charge is all over the map. Ideally, when you first start working with a client, they’ll give you an indication of their budget. You have to decide whether it’s appropriate for the project.
Once you start working together, you get to know each other better. You know how much you can charge; they know how much projects cost. Money isn’t an issue. It’s a nice way to work.
Tip: Be prepared for some give and take. You may quote $1,000, but the client says they only have $750. Try to make the job fit the budget. Or do the job and make up for it somewhere else.
Being easy to work with and getting one project after the next is far better than constant churn and hustle.
Let’s Talk About Niches
However you choose to define niche, it’s critical to more clients and higher billing.
Why? Because having an easily identifiable niche makes you an expert in the eyes of many clients.
I look at niches in two ways: vertical and horizontal.
A vertical niche is expertise in a business segment. So, you could be a freelance copywriter with many clients in the organic foods segment. You understand the marketplace, the customers, and the challenges of the business.
If you approached a large potential client in that segment, you could easily have industry conversations with them. That makes you a likely candidate to work together.
Vertical niches apply mainly to writers.
Then, there are horizontal niches. They are more applicable to programmers and designers.
For example, you could be a developer specializing in email campaigns for e-commerce stores. You don’t care what products they sell, but if they want to use email, you know everything about high-performing email campaigns.
You could be a designer focusing only on landing pages. You’ve done dozens of them and know what works across many markets.
More on how to pick a high-paying niche here.
Narrow Your Focus to Niche
Look at your existing clients and see whether you can group them into one or more niches. Then, look for bigger clients in those niches.
Some freelancers fight against niches. They want to be “generalists”. OK, that’s fine, but you’re missing the premium you can charge as a niche expert.
Where To Start Rebuilding
Start with a clean sheet. Look at your business, look at your life.
Determine what you want. (It might not be more money. Maybe it’s more time.)
Write a vision statement for yourself. Take your time.
Get focused. What will it take to get where you want to be?
Re-align your communications to promote your new goals. That may mean changing your website, re-ordering your portfolio, reaching out to previous clients for testimonials, reviewing your estimates and invoices, etc.
Whatever it takes, get your house in order to give yourself the best chance at success.
Think hard about one or more niches. Your goal is to be seen as an expert. Experts get paid more.
Free 1-Hour Consultation if You Bought One of My Books
I’ve been doing this but haven’t publicized it yet. If you bought one of my books, I’m happy to chat on Zoom, Google, or whatever platform works.
I’ve done it for quite a few people and have enjoyed it. For some, it helps their business or solves immediate problems.
No proof of purchase is necessary. I’ll take your word for it (but I might ask you what you liked most about the book).
So, buy a book and get in touch. If you already own one of the books and want to talk, let me know.
On Bluesky, DM me at @strotebook.bsky.social.
On Twitter, I’m @StroteBook.
On LinkedIn, I’m Andy Strote.
New Book For Freelancers
I’ve just published How to Become a Successful Creative Freelancer. It’s the essential business guide for freelance writers, designers, developers, filmmakers, and photographers.
Whether you’re just starting as a freelancer or have years of experience, you’ll learn a lot from this book.
It’s broken down into easy-to-understand chapters with strategies and tips you can use today. Not just “what to do”, but also “how to do it”.
It’s available now in Paperback and Kindle ebook on Amazon.
Want to Grow An Agency? The Agency Book is For You
If you’re looking for tips on how to build and grow your agency, you’ll want to read How to Start a Successful Creative Agency.
Available at Amazon (Paperback & Kindle ebook), Kobo (ebook), Apple Books (ebook), and Gumroad (PDF).
The book is packed with useful information to help creatives start and grow their agencies.
Testimonial: You Can Charge More
“I took a lot from your book around proposals. Show them everything that is involved in delivering a quality product, all the steps you take.
You can charge more, and they will understand the value you put into it.”
Sean Hogue, Twitter
Want a Free Taste First?
Sure! Sign up in the footer below for a free PDF of Chapter 14 of the Agency book Working With Clients.
This chapter covers essential areas such as Clients vs. Projects, Corporate Clients vs. Small Business Clients, How to Create an Opportunity Document, the Benefits of Finding a Niche… and much more.
Questions?
If you’re on Bluesky, I’m @strotebook.bsky.social. Ask me anything.
On Twitter, I’m @StroteBook. D.M.s are always open.
On LinkedIn, I’m Andy Strote. Ask away.