5 Steps to Get More Freelance Work
Freelancers can align themselves as the most logical choice for a myriad of jobs, specialized projects, and clients by adding a few practical steps into their work routines.
From the first step to the last, they can tackle any perceived obstacles to acquire and maintain the work they are passionate about and dedicated to.
Here are five steps to help you maintain your current workload as a freelancer and get more work when you’re ready.
1) Create a Strong Introduction
Using an introductory email is a great way to make an impactful first impression. Professionals are more likely to work with or recommend individuals who leave a first impression of strength and confidence. If you think of yourself as a brand that desires subscribers, then an intro email is crucial. According to Knowledge Base, “Welcome emails have some of the highest open rates of 50%, on average.”
Learn more about introduction recommendations on the Hub.
Now, it’s time to consider how successful introductions translate into multiple connection points.
2) Maintain Multiple Connections
It is essential to have several connections at a time because business mirrors life; It’s never stagnant, and all roads to success are not from one source.
When a freelancer has several contact points, they know when project managers are online, and they know where their pillars of support are. These pillars of support enable freelancers to find:
- New and ongoing projects
- Project support and assistance
- Payment-related resources
Understanding who to contact, and when and how, prevents project issues from causing delays and minimizes confusion. Knowing who can help with tech support or a payment issue is the difference between resolving a problem simply or it getting bogged down in time wasted and misunderstandings.
3) Educate Yourself
A high-quality freelancer understands their field continuously changes, so they constantly adapt. They proactively educate themselves to stay on top of industry trends, potential challenges, and other relevant information that will benefit them in their work.
Freelancers can educate themselves by communicating with fellow freelancers and attending industry-specific events, such as webinars and conferences. They can also use the companies they partner with as a resource. For example, TransPerfect offers several avenues for freelance linguists to utilize. These include:
Freelancer self-education impacts receiving and being qualified to handle projects offered. Get more tips about self-education on the Hub.
4) Quality Behavior Looks Like
In any industry, the project gatekeepers remember who provided the best work and the best attitude, and they give jobs to them first. They also recommend them to others who are looking for a high-quality freelancer.
The following recommendations are just the tip of the iceberg. Still, by beginning here, you’ll be presenting yourself as a quality candidate and be on track to have a continuous flow of work:
- Remain deadline-driven
- Be quick and responsive
- Fully utilize tools provided to you by a project manager or tech
- Always check project instructions
Every client is different, so do your best to understand each individually. Find out what their pain points are and do what you can to reduce that for them. By making their job easier, they’ll be sure to reach out to you for projects first. More information on quality is available via the Hub.
5) Stay Relevant
A relevant freelancer is a connected one. They have good relationships with project managers, billing, tech resources, and fellow experts.
The Cambridge Online Dictionary defines relevance as “the degree to which something is related or useful to what is happening or being discussed.” Adhering to that definition, here are additional ways to remain relevant:
- Attend conferences, physically and virtually
- Maintain a conversational and professional connection with your colleagues
- Continue to leverage relationships you’ve built with project gatekeepers
- Read and share blogs and applicable professional resources
- Actively self-educate with interactive online courses—the community from those courses will also remember you
At TransPerfect, we’re always interested in hearing future blog ideas from our valued freelance experts, as well as continuing to support our clients’ needs through a variety of services. Freelancers should reach out by emailing VE_GetInvolved@transperfect.com, while clients can connect with a member of our sales team here. For those of you who haven’t begun your freelance expert journey with TransPerfect, you can start here!