Wobizzle

For women who own or aspire to own their own businesses

  • Grow
  • Marketing
  • Management
  • About Us
  • Consulting Services
    • DIY Social Media Consulting
    • DIY Content Marketing Consulting
    • Marketing 101 Consulting
  • The Wobizzle Podcast
  • Contact Us
  • #MoveForwardMonday
  • Nominate A Female Entrepreneur To Be Featured
Make More Money As A Freelancer

Six Ways To Make More Money As A Freelancer

As a freelancer, cash flow is often a feast or famine situation, especially when you are first starting out. Employing strategies to level out those peaks and valleys is essential. Here are some lessons I have learned along the way and tips I’ve picked up from others to help you make more money as a freelancer.

Evaluate Your Hourly Rate

Are you charging enough for your time? Yeah, I’m talking to you. We women are hilarious. We are furious about pay inequality in the workplace, but as freelancers we are quite notorious for undervaluing our6 Ways To Make More Money As A Freelancer services. If you want to make more money as a freelancer, I have two words for you…stop it! You’re in charge, get paid for what your talent and experience are worth.

Your freelance hourly rate needs to be within the range of what others are doing in your industry and perhaps your locale, but remember that it is uniquely yours. Do a little research on freelance rates. Also, take your experience and talent into account. Then set your rate and start earning what you deserve.

Make More Money As A Freelancer By Giving Yourself A Raise

Maybe you’re happy with your hourly rate. Great! But are you bumping it up on an annual basis?

Generally speaking, when you are working for someone else and you are doing a good job, if the company is in good financial standing, you’re probably going to get a merit increase on annual basis. Why aren’t you treating yourself the same way? Consider giving yourself at least a cost of living (2%) increase on an annual basis.

Limit Face-To-Face Meetings

This was one of the best pieces of advice I received from a friend who is freelance website developer. If communication on a project can be done on the phone or through email, do it that way.

When you are juggling multiple clients and projects you need to be efficient with your time. Face-to-face meetings are sometimes a necessity, but they can also be a time-suck.

Make More Money As A FreelancerEven if you are being paid to be there (and you should be), meetings can interrupt your momentum and decrease your productivity for the day. Less productivity means fewer billable hours and less folding money for you.

Advertise

20 years ago, advertising for a freelance business would have been a luxury that few could afford. Social media has changed that. With social ads, you can cast a wide net to reach potential clients worldwide or hyper-target your message to a specific locale or industry. And, you can invest less money in the effort than you spent for that fajita bowl you had for lunch.

Diversify Your Services

Not everyone who needs your help can afford to hire you. But maybe there’s something you can offer to that audience that will be a win-win for you and them. If you want to make more money as a freelancer, you should give it some thought.

For a freelance website designer that might mean you offer some templates at a low price point. For a freelance writer or marketing consultant, you might offer an affordable webinar with blogging or social media tips.

One of my clients, a freelance HR consultant, offers an employee handbook as a base level service. Because it is template-based, she is able to quickly and easily customize it for her clients at an affordable rate. They get something they need. She gets paid. Everyone is happy.

Stay In Touch

Many of my clients are “one and done,” meaning they contract me for a single project, and they may never need my services again. But even when there is no plan for a future project, I stay in touch.

Staying in touch keeps you top of mind and makes them more likely to call you when another project comes up or refer you business when they encounter someone who could use your help.

Don’t be a pest, just check in once in a while with a friendly email or a call. Consider it light networking.

Just last month, I reached out to a client that I worked with last year, asking if I would see him at an upcoming industry conference. As it turned out, he was not attending the conference, but he called a week later with a small project for me. Cha-ching!


Related: Change One Thing To Make Business Networking Pay Off

SaveSave

SaveSave

About Michelle West

Michelle West is a marketing and communications consultant with more than 20 years experience in for-profit and non-profit industries. Her expertise encompasses strategic communications planning and tactics including brand and message development, writing, video production and social media management.

Her business, Chamber Speak, specializes in providing marketing and communications services for chambers of commerce and small to medium-sized businesses.

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Latest Posts

The Wobizzle Podcast: Making Working from Home Work

1: Make Working From Home Work

Michelle and Melissa tackle ways to make working from home work. Looking at everything from things to think about before you get started to maximizing space, setting … [Read More...]

The Wobizzle Podcast

0: Intro

The Wobizzle Podcast is an extension of Wobizzle.com, which serves as a resource for women who own or aspire to own their own businesses. Hosts Michelle (West) and Melissa … [Read More...]

The Wobizzle Podcast

Introducing The Wobizzle Podcast

We've got news! The Wobizzle Podcast is now live on iTunes and Google Play! What's The Wobizzle Podcast? Well, it's an extension of what we're doing here on Wobizzle.com. … [Read More...]

Sign Up For Our Weekly Marketing Tip

  • Grow
  • Marketing
  • Management
  • About Us
  • Consulting Services
    • DIY Social Media Consulting
    • DIY Content Marketing Consulting
    • Marketing 101 Consulting
  • The Wobizzle Podcast
  • Contact Us

Copyright © 2019 · Website Provided by Megaphone Designs