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A Guide to Building a Profitable Freelancing Practice

Posted: 17 Sep 2021 10:55 AM PDT

If you are looking to start a career as a freelancer, then it pays to know that you are not the only one who has made that decision. Whether you design websites or write e-books, you are competing against other professionals who are just as good as you.

Nonetheless, freelancing is still an effective way to earn a full-time income so long as you make the right decisions and apply the right strategies.

This brief guide will help you learn the basics of improving the profitability of your freelancing practice:

Tap your network

With the number of people entering the gig economy right now, it can be difficult to land high-value clients. You have to wait a long time and send hundreds of proposals and emails before you can find a valuable lead.

Thankfully, there's a shortcut to this, and you can find it in your current network. If you have friends and family members, ask them if they have anyone who needs your services. Using your existing network will prove to be an inexpensive and faster way to find potential clients.

Use freelancing platforms

Websites like Upwork and Freelancer offer a faster way to find projects that align with your skill sets. With just a simple search, you can generate an instant list of job offers you can accept. Having a presence on these platforms is also beneficial for your personal brand.

Previous clients can leave testimonials for new ones to read so they will know if you are the right fit. You can also include a digital portfolio and showcase your professional credentials. Doing so will make it faster for you to get accepted for a job.

Keep track of your financials

Many (but at least not all) freelancers tend to overlook the need to check their finances. Accounting is critical to your practice since you need to track how much you earn, calculate the taxes you owe, manage client invoices, and identify the tax deductions you are entitled to as an independent contractor.

Software such as QuickBooks can help you with many of these, but when it comes to issuing receipts, consider looking for invoice templates. It may seem like a lot of work, but tracking your finances can help you maximize your income, lower your tax liabilities, and maintain your practice.

Invest in upskilling

Individuals and organizations are more likely to hire freelancers who are experienced across different verticals or fields. These professionals are also compensated more than freelancers who specialize in one field. Making yourself stand out requires upskilling.

This matters a lot if your goal is to be a jobber for a global brand. Through upskilling, you get to acquire new skills that are more or less related to your specialty. If you are a web developer, you can take up online courses on graphic design and digital marketing. That way, your practice can now include web design, allowing you to find clients who will pay good money for your skills.

Are you ready to take on the world of freelancing? Keep this guide in mind so you can earn more in the gig economy than in an office!

How to Produce Videos on a Budget

Posted: 17 Sep 2021 08:34 AM PDT

Regardless of your industry, you can likely benefit from incorporating a greater degree of video content into your marketing campaigns. Studies indicate that video marketing content tends to yield a substantial level of engagement when compared to other types of content. Researchers have also discovered that 95% of a message's content is retained when a person views it as opposed to when someone reads it.

However, you may understandably be reluctant to produce video content because you suspect that doing so requires spending more than you can currently afford. That doesn't necessarily need to be the case. There are many ways you can produce effective videos on a tight budget. The following tips will help:

Study Others

This is a basic tip, but it's an important one. In the YouTube age, many who have successfully used video in their content marketing campaigns began doing so when they couldn't spend much money on product expenses. You should thus watch the videos of figures you admire on YouTube and other such platforms who you suspect began producing said videos when they had small budgets. By taking notes carefully, you may pick up on tactics they leveraged to minimize their spending.

It's also a good idea to download videos directly to your computer or mobile device via an app when possible. Doing so is key to ensuring you will have access to a video, even when you don't have a reliable Internet connection.

Use the Best Apps

It's wise to invest in the strongest technology you can justify purchasing when preparing to create videos. After all, even though we have been told throughout our lives not to judge a book by its cover, most of us still do so. A viewer will simply perceive your brand as being more professional and authoritative if your videos look impressive.

That said, it's also worth noting that we live in a time when devices many of us already own can serve multiple purposes. For example, video production apps have allowed independent filmmakers to literally make award-winning movies that were filmed on iPhones. Look into your options to determine if such apps can also help you produce high-quality videos without spending much money.

Don't Make Long Videos

This point highlights the importance of pre-production when creating affordable video content. Essentially, you have the chance to minimize your video production costs in a substantial way if you plan your video shoots thoroughly beforehand.

When writing the script for a content marketing video, strive to express as much valuable information as you can in the shortest amount of time. This can take discipline, but your hard work will pay off. Writing short but informative videos that require minimal shots and set-ups can help you efficiently film and edit videos that serve their purpose both for the viewer and for your brand.

That said, it's important to remember that producing videos still requires a certain degree of skill and effort. You shouldn't expect your videos to "wow" audiences right away. Instead, you should expect your video production and marketing talents to improve as you consistently apply these tips.