How to manage freelance projects? It’s easy! Well, managing freelance projects sounds exciting. We can make our own schedule and have total control of it. But, it will be another story when we meet some problems as we handle multiple tasks by ourselves. Indeed, we need to attract customers and run business goals at the same time. Fortunately, there are ten steps we can do how to manage freelance projects effectively.
1. Set up the proper workspace
Having our own workspace is more than just an ergonomic thing when creating a business freelance. While a comfortable seat may increase our productivity, we will work best in maintaining the right business.
Take note that we also need to manage our work balance and know what really stimulates us.
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2. Do short self-promotion
Promoting ourselves to customers is a basic step to do for our business freelance. Building up a short promotion will enable us to catch and actively offer customers our products or services.
No one takes so much energy for a long introduction, so assure that our promotion seems as brief, friendly, and attractive as it appears.
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3. Promote our business through social media
Make a lasting impression with any online platform like websites, social media, marketplace, and etc. At this point, uphold our promotion with good credibility as our media campaign.
Most importantly, we need to be consistent in managing Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram to boost our brand selling like making carousel posts, videos, or any campaign tactics.
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4. Keep in touch with customers
Make sure that we have to keep our good relationship with our customers after we have finished their projects. By doing this, our customers absolutely realize that our business is very trustworthy in providing products and services. Besides, we can build their trust to keep them still becoming our lasting customers.
We can send our customers an acknowledgement and thankfulness through their email. Additionally, we can ask them for feedback because it is very important to get their review or suggestion from their perspective for our improvement.
5. Learn how to increase our sales
Think like the staff when they serve the customers at a drive-thru: “Hey, we have special promo for our authentic menu, would you like to order it?” The first point is being humble and treats them like a king. Try not to be aggressive; however, tell our customers about new products and ask for their review that may improve our business.
6. Create a side project
Do you have some free time? If so, we can use our spare moments to offer support to loved ones. With it, we will get their advice that we need for business development. Opportunely, we may get a paid project if our friends recommend our work to their social media and other communities. Plus, this way will help us in expanding our portfolio.
7. Join with a collaborator
As our business grows, we will find a variety of customers. We may have logo designs, and then our customers begin requesting website designs. Before we worry about developing our skills, think of collaborating with other designers who have this expertise.
If we collaborate with another designer, remember that one of us should manage a project at every given time. Work seamlessly with our partner in the back room, so we don’t overcharge our customers with administrative details.
8. Become a time manager
Working as a freelancer, we tend to have multiple tasks, and when it comes, we are often not sure how to handle it. It will help us work smart by using useful tools like a better keyboard or mouse to help us work faster.
Besides, we can also ask someone to handle administrative tasks for doing more creative work.
9. Overcome common difficulties
We can surely hit barriers throughout our freelance job. Good preparation can help us move from them with ease. Here are the three primary difficulties a freelancer may face:
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Uncertain finances
Inconsistent income is an annoying thing a freelancer’s career faces, particularly in the early years. But there are actions we can use to handle our finances and grow our company.
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Start with deposit
It’s always an excellent idea to keep some money before jumping into a freelance career. We will also need money to buy any business core elements: software programs, marketing insurance, and office equipment. Don’t spend our money on unnecessary things.
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Calculate our cash-flow
Come up with a sharp goal when we expect to earn money. Try to predict how many projects we may obtain and how much money each project will spend each month for our office space, supplies, and so on.
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Reduce our stress
Don’t worry too much about our finances. Anxiety and stress don’t create the bills, so try to enjoy the journey and have confidence. Those things will work out when we put in the hard work.
10. Invest new skills into ourselves
Keep developing ourselves by learning new skills and keeping on-trend in our chosen field. For example, if our market’s niche is a presentation design service, consider improving our PowerPoint design skills. Or if we are capable of web design, then learning about design principles, typography, color theory, design tools, software, and UI/UX design.
Conclusions
Sometimes doing multiple projects alone is quite hard. When it comes up, we will need a mentor to navigate our business freelance. Finding someone who has a similar field to us can help to solve some of our problems.
Some mentors won’t tell us exactly what to do because everyone’s way is different. Still, by understanding what they have learned from their own expertise, we may find some experience how to manage freelance projects.
