Why should you run your freelance or small agency business as if you were going to sell it?

Buyers look for all the things that make a good business. So why not adopt these “good business” rules for yourself now?

Think of this as the “Three P’s”: Profit, People, and Processes.

Even if you’re not selling your business, this is where you should be looking too.

If you’re a freelancer or agency, you should be using written estimates that include terms and conditions.

Learn which terms are critical to include, and which to avoid. Find out which payment terms are best for your business.

If a client wants you to sign their terms, be careful! Here’s what to look for before signing.

If you want to grow your business faster, you need bigger clients. One of the ways to get those clients is by freelancing for agencies.

You don’t want all of your clients through agencies, but having some will accelerate your growth.

You’ll get recognized names in your portfolio which will attract other big clients. That’s the path to growth.

How the right attitude can contribute to your freelance business success.

Includes enthusiasm, listening, using your portfolio to sell, not jumping to conclusions, and starting engagements with a paid review.

Lots to steal here!

RFPs are a proven way to get a foothold into new clients. Often these turn into big accounts with plenty of work.

But answering RFPs is a lot of work when you start (it gets easier).

Here’s what you need to know about how RFPs work, which ones you should consider answering, and which ones to avoid.

Many freelancers and small creative agencies question whether they need an accountant.

If you’re just starting in business, you could do your own bookkeeping. Be sure to pay expenses and taxes along the way, and then hire someone to do your year-end taxes.

But as you grow, I think having an accountant is essential. See whether you agree.

Whether you’re freelancing or in the market for a full-time job, you need to know about the hidden job market.

What is the hidden job market? It’s job or project opportunities that are never advertised. Stats say that between 40% and 80% of job opportunities are hidden.

You want to get in there before they run an ad. Less competition!

Here are the details of 12 essential elements that belong in any successful creative services estimate.

I learned these over many years of freelancing and then building two agencies. Adapt this as a template for your own work.

You’ll be more efficient and have happier clients too.

If you’ve been a freelancer for more than a month, you’ve come up against red flags. What are red flags?

Red flags are warnings that you should pay attention, that something bad will happen if you don’t put a stop to it.

You often get red flags when you meet with potential new clients. Here are some typical red flags and what to do about them.

This post is for you if you’re a freelance copywriter in the first years of your career.

You may be writing for people in your network, for businesses run by friends or relatives, or finding work on job platforms like Fiverr.

This is how many of us start. Ideally though, you grow from there to work at a higher, more professional level. Let’s get started on a path to growth.

If you’re a freelancer, you’re a business owner. That means you need strategies for dealing with money.

How to get paid more, get paid faster, get repeat business.

Don’t shy away from money talks. Successful retailers have been doing it for ages. Here are some examples you can use.

Should you get an agency or corporate job before going out on your own to freelance?

I think you should. You’ll grow faster, learn things you can’t learn any other way, and create a network that will serve you for years.

Consider working agency or client-side before starting your own business.

If you’re a freelancer, your life will be 100X easier if you have a steady stream of repeat business.

With repeat business, you’re spending more time working and billing, less time chasing new clients. Your rates will likely be higher too.

People often talk about luck. Of course, there’s luck in life and business.

But often, you can prepare for luck, so when luck finds you, you’re ready to act on it.

You’ll soon realize that luck is just a small percentage of your success. The rest is up to you.