A 2022 study suggests that over 70 million freelancers are in the US. You will need some good credibility to become noticeable in that crowd. You can display some of your previous projects and services to establish yourself and attract new clients. But is this enough? It is one thing to show clients you have the skills to deliver the best job and another to guarantee you won’t give them any trouble along the way. Clients want both, so consider the tips below to build your freelance credibility.
- Keep your rates simple and consistent
When starting as a freelancer, it’s alluring to adopt flexible pricing to charge potential clients. There aren’t a lot of jobs coming in, so you might think it best to take on one at a discount to establish a good reputation and make some money. Working below your desired rates or possibly free can be tempting early on. However, many experts do not encourage this approach. You earn your flowers by completing a few projects, delighting your clients, and collecting portfolio pieces and testimonials to get new ones. Many new freelancers continue negotiating and offering discount rates even after acquiring a few clients. Unfortunately, this can harm your credibility and chances of getting engaged, particularly by a high-end clientele.
- Get the needed certification
Obtain all relevant business credentials to prove your credibility as a freelancer. This means operating as a business rather than as an individual searching for work. For instance, obtaining a tax ID number or EIN can help you achieve this. While this is strongly advised, businesses or individuals that hire freelancers may be obliged by law to submit tax forms on their profits, which an EIN might assist you in avoiding. To satisfy this obligation, most customers need that you provide and attest that you are a taxpayer. If you are from the Palmetto state, you can learn more about how to get a South Carolina EIN here.
- Have a professional website
Many people begin freelancing after being laid off and needing a source of income quickly. They scour job sites and apply for tasks without paying much attention to their presentation. Unfortunately, ignoring your presentation is a huge blunder. How you present yourself online significantly impacts the chances of acquiring high-end clients. Even if you are not technically skilled, creating a professional website on WordPress takes a few minutes and a small expenditure. After all, you don’t need a Grammy-winning website design to demonstrate your credibility as a freelancer. However, it is an excellent venue for networking with possible clients and showcasing your testimonials and portfolio.
- Educate potential clients with valuable content
Gathering testimonials and portfolio pieces is a terrific way to position yourself as a prominent voice in your industry. Giving your prospects helpful, educating, and valuable content can take you to the next level. Premium clients are considerably more likely to recognize you if you’re devoted to building a quality content platform. Even if a client does not initially trust you or won’t hire you, continuous content may pull them in and strengthen the relationship over time. Offering valuable content can be an excellent strategy to build a lead stream and sustain your business.
- Be vocal in your industry
Consumers value freelancers with an industry voice since it suggests they’re serious and know what they’re about. So consider authoring an e-book, launching a blog, contributing to industry journals, and appearing on podcasts related to your field. These options are great for increasing your credibility and serve as excellent marketing tools to help you gain new clients.
- Make your proposals speak for you
It is exciting to receive your first email notification from a client after waiting a long time for feedback. But how do you respond when a prospective client requests a proposal? Creating a good proposal can be tricky if you are new to freelancing. What do you say? What should you leave out? Or what is the best way to organize everything to wow your prospect? Many new freelancers might lose the client if they don’t know where to start. There’s scarcely any time left for client work between marketing and proposal preparation. Even if you can achieve the results that your clients want, you will not be given a chance if you offer generic, ineffective ideas. The number of freelancers has skyrocketed in recent years, with no signs of slowing down. Additionally, high-end clients have a wide range of candidates to choose from. Fortunately, you can use proposal templates to save time and stress in putting together a good proposal.