The Business of Freelancing 101

An overview of what you will learn from this section

The first step to running a profitable freelance business, is to stand out with a niche - i.e., how you differentiate yourself from the 100s of other freelancers out there, providing exactly the same service. Let's face it, there are 1001 graphic designers, copywriters, illustrators, bloggers galore.

What's your niche? How do you define, or even refine it?

This downloadable PDF document explains how

Why dive into a project JUST because it pays?  If the fee’s good but it means selling your soul to the devil – is it really worth it? 

Let's take a closer look at your ideal project and how you can go about focusing on that, and that alone.

Who are you and what do you do best?

If you’ve ever found yourself working for a client you wish you hadn’t touched with a very long barge pole (or worse still, if looks like you’re picking them up like a bad habit) then it's time to reevaluate who it is you really want to work for.

This lecture take's an all important look at your elevator pitch. Why you need one and its important role in helping you laser focus on your niche.

If you've never created an elevator pitch, then now's the time to do it.  Download the handy worksheet "3 Essential Tips to Writing Your Elevator Pitch"

Here are the ONLY two things you need focus on, to sharpen your competitive edge.

Get these two things in focus, and you'll never worry about the competition ever again!

In this Lecture, I explain why as a freelancer you should specialize, versus be a generalist and Jack of all trades.

If you have a long list of services – almost like a menu of services clients can select from – you’re NOT going to cut it as a premium, high-end freelancer.

Your audience/prospective clients, simply will NOT believe you are an expert in a 101 different services.

Here are 5 ways you can specialize, with a niche around a core service,

In this lecture, I introduce the concept of packaging up your skills and talents, turning them into 'packages' that can be bought, and the benefits of doing so.

In this lesson we discuss how to create your service package, with specific tips.

Also download the worksheet with more tips "How to create service packages - a step-by-step process"

In this lecture we discuss how to price your packages, plus provide tips on pricing strategies.  

In this Lecture in detail the three-tier pricing strategy, specifically:

• What is the three-tier pricing strategy?
• How do you create one?
• What are the benefits of using it? and 
• How to upsell and expand on this type of strategy going forward.

You probably know you should be on the look out for opportunities to pitch.  But just how do you pitch and what is the perfect pitch?

Here's one that has 6 essential elements.  

There's also a sample pitch for you to download and refer to, so you can practise pitching yourself.

In this section, we'll focus on marketing that really matters. So that means ensuring your marketing is targeted and focused on your ideal clients (where they hang out and the messages they want to hear from you).

We'll also take a look at how you can use your skills and talents to diversify, and enjoy a variety of income streams.

And finally, we'll look at how you can create collaborative partnerships with complimentary service providers, so that you can further extend your reach.

In this introductory Lecture, I discuss why you need to consider moving away from, what I call, the scatter gun approach to your marketing.  In other words, firing your efforts anywhere and everywhere, simply crossing your fingers and hoping something sticks.

Here's why you need a smarter, targeted approach.

We’ve spent some time on this course focusing exclusively on your niche, namely, the one core thing you really enjoy doing.

We’ve also focused on your competitive edge - what makes you stand out from the crowd.

So, when it comes to getting the word out to prospective clients about what you do and how you do it, it simply doesn’t make sense you wasting time, money and energy on a hit and miss marketing strategy, that hopes something will stick.

In this Lecture, I discuss in detail, 6 specific steps to a smarter, focused, targeted approach to your marketing.

If time is money, then as a freelance service provider, your time is your most expensive commodity.  

It quite literally is your money.

One of the biggest ways you can waste time, is by inadvertently frittering it away. 

You do that by spending so much time working IN your business, that you have little time left to work ON it.

This Lecture discusses:

1. the difference between working in, versus working on your business,
2. vital systems you should implement in your business, to maximise success and profits,
3. which four areas of your business require those systems, and
4. how to implement them.

In this Lecture, I'll show you the BEST way to earn continued and ongoing freelance work. 

Congratulations. You've completed the course.