a crash course on the freelance experience

A CRASH COURSE ON THEFREELANCE EXPERIENCE

JO PETTYCOPYWRITER AND CONTENT STRATEGIST

- jopetty.co.uk @joapet

HOW I GOT STARTED

Working full time and got made redundant... booThe jobs available didn't match what I wanted to doThrough places like I was encouraged togo freelance

The Farm

PUTTING MYSELF OUTTHERE

Set up a website and email addressRefreshed my social profilesBusiness cardsNetworking

FINDING CLIENTS

Started to compile a list of potential clientsDeveloped a template emailHad about a 20% success rateSet up Twitter and LinkedIn searchesSuccess finally came!

MAINTAINING CLIENTS

Try some traditional marketingCheck back in with them during your down periodsAsk for recommendations

WHEN CLIENTS GET INTOUCH WITH YOU

Don't feel obliged to talkPhone calls and chains of emails are disruptiveCreate a filter, like a questionnaire

REMEMBER TO CHARGEFOR EVERYTHING

Sometimes you may not even realise you're doingwork for freeTrue story timeLesson is, if you spend more than an hour or twothinking about a project, you should probablycharge for something

MY WAY OF INVOICING

Consider doing your own accounting: it's easier thanyou thinkSet terms and ask for a percentage up frontAlways quote slightly higher than what you'recomfortable with

DON'T BE AFRAID TOCHASE UP

This is your actual real jobYou can kick assYou don't have to be everyone's friend

ALWAYS AIM HIGHERBUT DON'T FORGET ABOUT YOUR

EXISTING CLIENTS

As a business it's important to growBut carry on nurturing small and existing clients:they are your bread and butter

ENJOY YOURSELF!

Don't let the pressure get you downTake a day off every once in a while

Don't give upTime is money

Look at the bigger picture

TO SUMMARISE

THAT'S IT!JOPETTY.CO.UK

@JOAPET