** This post about freelance tips contains affiliate links.
More and more people work on a freelance basis nowadays, and they all face one challenge: boosting their credibility. Unfortunately, for every reliable freelancer, there are often several bad ones. There are people from all over the world posing as something they are not online in an attempt to secure work. There are also those who disappear once a deadline arrives. It can be incredibly frustrating, but you can show potential clients that you arenβt an unreliable worker. Use these freelance tips to boost your credibility and secure more business.
- Focus on SEO: SEO (search engine optimisation) is a must for any business, and this includes freelance businesses. When you search for a company on Google, who do you deem the most credible? No doubt, it is those that feature at the top of the result pages. It really pays to get your website and social media profiles as high up on the search results as possible.
- Use a contract: Contracts are not a necessity in the world of freelancing, but it is a really good idea to have one. A contract will protect both you and your client, and it will enable you to build a professional relationship. You can move forward without disagreements, as everyone will be on the same page.
- Engage in charity work: Research shows that consumers look at businesses in a more favorable light if they support charities. So, it is easy to conclude that you can build credibility through supporting charitable work and, of course, there is the added benefit of giving back and supporting a great cause. There are numerous ways you can incorporate charitable work into your branding approach. For example, you could donate a percentage of your profits to charity, or you could write a blog post about your charitable efforts.
- Start blogging: One of the biggest mistakes freelancers make is failing to establish themselves as an expert in their field. You need to set yourself apart from the competition, and blogging provides you with an exceptional platform to do so. It gives you the ability to provide advice to others while also writing at length about the topics you are interested in. This is a credible way to build your audience, and it will result in more clients as a result. After all, they will see that you know what you are talking about! Blogging also has the added benefit of moving your website up the search engine result pages, which as you now know, is great for boosting credibility.
- Be consistent with your rates and offer multiple payment options: There is no denying that one of the most difficult things about being a freelancer is establishing a price list for your services. This is especially the case when you are just starting out. The best thing to do is conduct extensive research so you can get a feel for what other professionals are charging vs. what you should be charging. Make sure your prices are fair β anything too cheap will indicate a lack of quality, and anything too high will put people off. You also need to ensure you are clear about your prices, so that there are no disputes down the line, and make sure you stick to your guns. It’s also helpful to accept different forms of payment. It’s up to you what payment services and currencies you are comfortable accepting. Some services charge you a small fee to use and send invoices. Some freelancers nowadays even accept cryptocurrency! Use a Crypto CGT calculator to take such payments if you’re comfortable doing so.
- Have a physical mailing address: It can be worth investing in a mail forwarding address, especially if you send email newsletters, for which you are required to provide an address. This will make you appear a lot more credible, and will boost your personal brand image. It shows that you take freelancing seriously, and it provides clients with another form of contacting you.
- Write guest posts: Starting your own blog is important, but guest posts are critical, too. Guest posts enable you to harness the power of influencers in the market. Influencers have already built trust with their audience, so by putting together blog posts for their website, you will automatically boost credibility, and you will find it a lot easier to get new clients.
- Use social reviews: There is no denying that word-of-mouth is still the most powerful form of advertising at present. You should ask all clients to leave a review once you have completed your work for them. Not only this, but it is a good idea to connect your reviews and testimonials to Facebook. This means that people will see reviews from their friends and friends of friends when they log into Facebook. This is a great way to establish credibility, as people are more likely to trust comments from those they know.
- Sign up for Shake. Create listings for sponsored posts, appearances, photography, writing, editing, design, audio and more. You can set your own price and chat directly with buyers of your listing. (I am employed by IZEA.)
