1. You’re not networking enough

No person is an island, and even if you’re a freelancer working remotely, you still need to build a network, form business relationships and reach out to others.

Networking allows you to develop business relationships and friendships that can be helpful in many ways. Not least financially!

Your network isn’t just a bunch of people from whom you can ask favors from time to time and bounce ideas off but also a valuable pool of professionals from whom you can seek guidance. By networking, you can also build authority so you become the go-to person in your field – a safe pair of hands that your network can refer colleagues to for your services.

Networking, when done well, is very much a two-way street. It requires your input, too.

If you aren’t networking or forming and nurturing relationships within your network, you are potentially leaving money on the table. That’s not just from unexpected opportunities that may arise but also from you proactively reaching out to your network and asking them if they know of anyone who would benefit from your assistance.

A simple email or follow-up to a key player in your network can go a long way, but like anything, to be successful, you need to be consistent and continue to nurture the relationships you build. 

This means you actively support your network where possible, too.

Networking (or lack of it), on the face of it, might not seem like a money mistake, but there’s a reason why they say your network is your net worth!

2. You’re not planning ahead

Not properly planning ahead can manifest itself in a number of ways, from not planning for potential dry periods (i.e. not marketing yourself adequately when you have work in and then getting caught up in the freelancer feast or famine cycle) to not planning ahead for events that are inevitable or regular such as tax and accounting obligations, to basic cash flow forecasting (know when cash is coming in/know when bills are due and money going out).

The good news is that a simple schedule can eradicate many of these problems. Having a routine schedule and sticking to it will also increase your productivity. There are plenty of online tools to help you with scheduling and planning; the key is to keep track of what you need to do (and when) and take action, i.e. don’t put things off or procrastinate.

There are other things besides planning you can do to make your freelance business run more efficiently, including automating time-consuming business processes. For example, when it comes to invoicing regular clients who need to be billed on a fixed schedule, you can take advantage of Invoice Ninja’s recurring invoice and auto-billing feature.

Auto-billing is a feature that enables the payments system to capture your client’s credit card details and store them for billing at a future date. This means future invoices can be issued automatically.

Invoice Ninja also has a time tracking extension for Google Chrome so you can log and manage all your tasks. You can also organize and plan your client work with Invoice Ninja’s visual project management tool. Find out more in our short video here.

Try Invoice Ninja for free here.

3. You’re comparing yourself to others

They say that comparison is the thief of joy, but when it comes to freelancing, it’s also the thief of your time and peace of mind. It’s easy to look at other freelancers’ progress and compare it to your own, especially when it comes to the rates they may charge. 

You could start thinking you need to increase your rates or, in some circumstances, decrease them to be more competitive.

However, the reality is that most freelancer’s rates differ for a wide range of reasons. They may offer different deliverables or add-on services, have varying levels of experience and expertise, position themselves differently, and target a specific client or target market, and that’s before we get into different locations and overheads particular to them. 

No one freelancer is exactly the same.

Your price, among other factors, should reflect your experience, the quality of the product/service, and your positioning in the market. It should also cover your overheads before you can generate a profit.

Trying to keep up with others is a drain on your time, money and resources. Sure, review your rates, but do what works for you and benefits your clients.

4. You’re not attracting the right clients

A lot of money issues by default are due to not attracting the right clients for you.

Take time to ensure your ideal client avatar you identified at the start of your freelancer journey is still the right fit. It may have changed considerably since you first started out.

It could be that your marketing materials and online presence are attracting clients that are no longer the right fit, or your website needs a tweak so it’s clear on your rates, even if it’s an approximate range that your prices start from. Read more about displaying your prices on your website here.

Also, don’t get stuck charging the same rate as you did when you began your freelance journey. You want to be paid what you’re worth, and bear in mind that lower rates can sometimes attract lower-quality clients.

Regularly reviewing your rates (upward) is the path to good positioning and prosperity.

The key is to avoid getting into a freelance rut, staying stuck charging the same rates you’ve always been charging, not learning new skills, or developing in line with the times and client needs.

Freelance success is routed in getting the foundations right, adding value to client projects and regularly updating and reviewing your skills (and rates where applicable).

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Hopefully, you’ve found these tips helpful. If you know of anyone else who would benefit, please share. Thank you! 

Whatever the reason, it can make us view the company in a negative light. In extreme cases, we might not buy from them again.

But what are some common frustration points that clients might experience when dealing with freelancers and small business owners, and how can we fix them?

Let’s take a look:

Ensure the first point of contact is a smooth one

The first point of contact will be your prospective client’s first direct experience with your company and how you deal with client correspondence and communicate in general, so this touchpoint should be as smooth and friction-free for them as possible.

You’ll need to consider how potential clients contact you, as there could be many channels open to them. For example, if you are on several social media platforms unless you state otherwise (i.e. tell them to contact you via your preferred method), they could contact you via any of the social media platform’s direct messaging systems. If you don’t check these regularly or have notifications on, you could miss them.

Likewise, if you have a contact form on your conversion-optimized website or simply get people to email you, these notifications all need to be managed and promptly responded to. That’s where good inbox management comes in to ensure you deal with priority queries first and don’t miss any hot new leads.

If your client acquisition process includes a sales or discovery call, you may want to qualify them first by getting them to answer a few brief questions before the call. Again, this needs to be refined, so if it’s in questionnaire form, there shouldn’t be too many questions that take forever to complete, which might put the prospect off.

The more automated you can make the process, the better; for example, instead of playing email ping pong to arrange a date to get on a call or meet, use an online scheduler that links to your calendar and other streamlined work tools and automate the whole process.

These initial little tweaks will have a big impact on your client’s perception of you and your business.

Communicate well throughout the project

Once you agree to take on a new client, you’ll want to get them onboard as promptly and smoothly as possible.

Depending on your onboarding process, this could initially involve sending out your written proposal, deposit invoice, freelancer payment terms and conditions, and written contract. Again, the more automated the process and the easier it is for your client, the better. To keep things streamlined, it makes sense to make use of automation tools and helpful additions such as automatic signatures so your client can approve things quickly and seamlessly.

Having a written process in place of everything you need to do will help you put this workflow together so you don’t miss anything out. Having standard operating procedures (SOPs) for all your workflows will also make your business more efficient in any event.

Part of the onboarding experience could also involve sending out an automated welcome email sequence, which, in addition to the above items, can include general housekeeping such as file and account access.

The key is to look at the process through the client’s lens. If you were hiring someone, what would you expect as a minimum, and what would be your ‘like to haves’? What’s going to help your client and boost your brand perception?

During the project, not only is it important to keep communication channels open and schedule regular check-ins, especially when working on long projects, but you also want to agree on what communication channels you’ll be using. Before the project commences, you’ll need to establish boundaries for when you are available and can be contacted.

Poor communication can result in delays and missed deadlines. Freelancers missing deadlines can be a major headache (and worry) for clients, so absolutely avoid it where possible.

Make paying you easy

A common frustration that freelancers can face is late payment of their invoices. Not being paid on time can be due to many reasons, and we’ve listed some of them in our post here. That’s why it makes sense to get freelancer payment terms and conditions agreed upon upfront and in writing so there are no unwelcome surprises later on. 

Sometimes, a late payment can simply be a miscommunication or even an error on the invoice, such as incorrect payment information, especially if you are compiling them manually. This can be frustrating and time-consuming for both parties.

One way to mitigate this is to use invoicing software.

Invoice Ninja is a leading free invoicing software for small business invoicing, fast online payments, tracking expenses and billable tasks. It also includes attractive, professional invoice template designs you can customize with your logo and brand colors. You can also convert quotes to invoices at the click of a button, which is a great way to speed up processes and make that all-important first impression.

Try Invoice Ninja for free here.

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Remember, if a frustration point is slowing your customer down, it’s also slowing you down, so take regular audits of your processes to ensure everything is still ticking over as it should.

Being great at your craft alone isn’t typically enough to run a freelance business and thrive. You also need certain core business skills.

Here are 5 core business skills to enhance and refine to make your freelance career a success.

1. Negotiation Skills

Being able to negotiate successfully with clients will mean you don’t have to settle for work offers that aren’t suitable for you; this isn’t just about money issues but also terms and conditions that might not sit well with you (or need some tweaking), such as timescales, resources and deliverables.

Negotiating isn’t a one-way street but a conversation that can lead to wins for both parties involved, so communicating your needs properly will set you up for success. 

Poor negotiation skills may lead you to take on work that doesn’t pay enough, that you don’t enjoy, or just don’t have time to do in the allotted timescale. Good negotiation skills aren’t just for client conversations either but can lead to you getting better deals on other things, such as the tools you use for your business or rent you pay for business premises.

Remember: This is your business, and you absolutely can run it on your terms.

2. Client Communication Skills

How you communicate with clients as a freelancer is crucial to your success. Dealing with clients is a key aspect of freelancing and one that can cause issues if not managed well from the outset. 

Having solid business processes in place, such as a smooth client onboarding process, can help mitigate many potential misunderstandings, and being clear upfront as to what a client can expect working with you can manage expectations on both sides. 

These points will typically be detailed in your client documentation, such as your initial proposal, right through to your written agreement, which will, of course, also include your freelancer payment terms and conditions.

Clear and effective communication will help ensure there are no ‘surprises’ down the line.

3. Time Management Skills

When you are running your own business, you are responsible for making things happen, and that includes showing up, being punctual, getting things done and meeting deadlines.

While you might outsource specific tasks, you are still ultimately responsible for ensuring your business runs like clockwork and stuff gets done, especially when it comes to tasks of a regulatory nature, such as paying the correct taxes or getting accounts filed on time. 

Good time management also impacts on your productivity. Planning ahead and reviewing processes to see what can be done more efficiently is all part of this. That’s why it makes sense to automate any repetitive routine processes that need to be done but devour up your precious time, such as invoicing. 

You can read more about the benefits of automation for small businesses at our post here.

4. Sales & Marketing Skills

If you don’t market yourself properly, how will potential clients find you? Whether you use content marketing, SEO, social media, cold calling, email marketing or a combination of inbound and outbound strategies, you have to put yourself out there and be confident in your communications.

And it’s not just how you communicate (via what medium, your brand voice and style) but what you communicate. For example, how you position yourself in the market, who your ideal client is and the marketing message you put across to target your ideal clients.

Likewise, honing your sales and discovery call skills will help you better identify clients who are the right fit, boost your confidence and help provide clarity to your potential clients regarding what you do, the value you provide and the transformation you offer. 

5. Money Management Skills

You don’t need to be a financial whizz kid to run a successful freelance business, but you do need to know the basics and understand the principles of how a positive cash flow is essential to keep you afloat. 

Knowing what’s coming into your business, what’s due out, the related expenses and what and how to charge are all vital for you to prosper. Hiring an accountant can help with a lot of the more top-level money management issues, but to help maintain a positive cash flow, one essential thing you can do is to ensure your invoices get paid on time. 

Invoicing software such as Invoice Ninja can automate this process so it is streamlined, and what’s more, if you integrate with one of our payment gateways, your clients can pay you fast.

Payment gateways enable you to accept credit cards and other electronic payments online directly from invoices you email to your clients. This means clients can pay you in just one click, and they don’t even need to leave the Invoice Ninja client-side portal. Seamless, quick and convenient!

Invoice Ninja integrates with many high-quality payment gateways, including Stripe, PayPal & Venmo, Go Cardless, Checkout, Square, Apple Pay, and many more. You can even get paid in Bitcoin. View all the payment gateways we integrate with here.

Try Invoice Ninja out for free here.

At certain times, you’ll likely also need to approach potential clients who’ve never heard of you before. This is known as cold outreach, and one of the ways to do this, apart from picking up the phone and calling them (which might not be convenient), is via email.

Here are 4 cold email outreach tips for freelancers.

1. Do your research

Before you reach out to potential clients, it pays to do your research. You don’t want to be cold emailing clients who aren’t in your niche, wouldn’t need the services you offer or can’t afford them. What’s more, you’ll want to contact the right person in the organization who has the authority to hire you.

Part of your research will also be identifying clients who are the right fit for you, those brands that inspire you, or those with a culture or reputation that you know you’ll also enjoy working with and align with your values.

Your research should also ideally identify any relevant company news, trends or recent hot topics in the industry that might be useful to mention.

While it’s pertinent to have some standard wording or even a template for your cold outreach email, ensure it’s flexible enough to be customized so you can add a personal touch and change it depending on who you are writing to, as obviously, not all clients are the same.

This is especially the case with the email subject line, which you can personalize and mark for the relevant person’s attention and make it compelling so the email doesn’t get lost or deleted.

The email subject line is doing all the heavy lifting, so if it’s not relevant or doesn’t pique the receiver’s interest, your email will not get read. However, ensure it doesn’t come across as spammy either, which brings us to the next point.

2. Be clear and concise

Show you value your prospect’s time by making your message concise and clear and getting to the point quickly.

You don’t need to use fancy language to say what you do either; make it simple so there is no confusion. If your prospect has to wade through a load of text before getting to your message or is confused about what you do and how you can help – then you’ve already lost their attention (and their business).

Instead of using corporate speak, come across as a human being. After a short intro, compliment them on their business, mention a news item you’ve read about them or a blog post by them, or say you’re a fan of their brand.

Just make sure you are sincere. It’s a nice way to break the ice and show you’ve done your research.

3. Make it about them

Rather than over-focusing on your skills and accolades, make the email about them.

You can display how you help by mentioning the type of clients you’ve helped previously and the positive transformation and outcomes.

You want them to picture themselves getting similar results by hiring you. Of course, you need to outline your service and offer but make it focused on them. You could even link to a short case study or name-drop other relevant brands you’ve worked with.

At the end of the email, ensure you have a Call To Action (CTA) telling them what they need to do next, i.e. what to do if they want to proceed, where to go to find out more information or ask them to confirm that they are not interested.

4. Follow up

Schedule a time in your diary to follow up if you haven’t heard back from them within a reasonable time. Just because they haven’t responded yet, it doesn’t mean they aren’t interested. Your follow-up email may be the nudge they need. How many times you follow up is up to you, but it shouldn’t be excessive. The key is to be polite and mindful of their time.

Depending on what happens next, note down all relevant prospect information on a spreadsheet or CRM tool. For example, it might be that they don’t have any work for you at the moment but have put your details on file until a later date.

Make a note of any conversation or correspondence you have with them and any other pertinent details. For example, if you did get a response, did they talk about an issue they were facing, an event they were thinking of attending, or even something non-business, such as a recent vacation? You can use this information when you follow up to reconnect in a friendly way.

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When your prospect decides to become your client – thanks to your compelling cold email skills – and you send them your quote, you can speed things up with Invoice Ninja’s “Approved Quotes Auto-Convert to Payable Invoices” feature.

When you email quotations to your clients, they can “Click to Approve” the quote, which converts it into a payable invoice!

Invoices can then be paid online with 1-click, and your account documents all steps!

Making the whole process simple, quick and hassle-free.

If you haven’t already got Invoice Ninja, then try it for free here.

1. Using outdated or manual payment methods

If you haven’t reviewed the payment method you offer your clients for a while, now is the time to do so. Freelancers who don’t offer clients a range of payment options on how they can pay them could be missing out on new business or even repeat business if the payment method they offer is clunky or inconvenient for the client.

Likewise, if you manually create invoices, you could be using up valuable time that might better be spent on profit-making activities. What’s more, the invoices may come across as unprofessional, and you could even unintentionally miss out some important information, which results in you getting paid late. 

That’s where quality invoicing software comes in.

Invoice Ninja is a leading free invoicing software specifically developed for freelancers and small businesses.

It includes professionally designed invoices, multiple payment gateways, client-side portals, quotes, recurring invoices, time and task tracking, and lots more to ensure you get paid quickly and hassle-free.

You can even get paid in Bitcoin – definitely not outdated!

Try Invoice Ninja for free here.

2. Undercharging or not increasing rates

It makes good business sense to review your rates regularly. 

It could be that your rates aren’t in line with the market and, thanks to inflation and the rising cost of living, have stagnated.

While it’s good to be competitive, undercharging could reflect in the type of client you attract, and you could even be perceived as producing lower value, lower quality work or just less experienced than you actually are based on your prices. 

Furthermore, if you are undercharging and overdelivering, this will have an impact on your work-life balance and could even lead to freelancer burnout.

Add a note in your calendar to review rates at least annually, and don’t feel guilty for raising your rates and getting paid what you are worth.

3. Not keeping up with the times

What’s going on in your industry? Are there new skills you need to train in or update? What about modern technology and tools? Are you making the most of automation tools to streamline your business?

Clients will expect you to be up to date with current trends in the industry and make their lives easier by having client-friendly, efficient processes in place so you can continue to provide them with a valuable and competitive service.

While you shouldn’t jump on every new bandwagon or get carried away with shiny object syndrome, it pays to keep your ear to the ground and up to date with the latest trends.

This could be via networking with other freelancers, attending industry events, subscribing to online or print industry publications, or simply paying attention to what competitors are doing.

Keep up to date so you don’t miss out on valuable opportunities or business ideas.

4. Letting client communications slip

If you have long-term clients who know your ways of working and working with them feels like slipping on a comfy pair of slippers, it can be easy to let regular communications slide and just assume everything is okay. 

But this can be risky, especially if you are working with a large organization with a lot of moving parts. Your point of contact could change, new management might come in and bring in their preferred providers, or the business model could change – that’s why it makes sense to keep in regular contact with clients – regardless of how many years you’ve worked together.

If you are not in regular contact, schedule regular check-ins and review meetings in your diary – even if it’s just a short email check-in. Keep all communication channels open.

Keeping in regular contact with clients also keeps you top of mind for any new projects that might arise.

5. Not maintaining proper client/freelancer boundaries

Forming good working relationships with clients is essential; some could even become friends outside of the work arena. 

However, when working, ensure proper client/freelancer boundaries are in place, and you don’t let emotions cloud your judgment when doing business.

Be mindful of your time so clients know how (via what medium) and when it’s acceptable for them to contact you. Clients who overstep these boundaries effectively pull you away from work you could be doing for other clients or stop you from working on your business instead of in it.

You can stipulate times and contact mediums at the beginning of the client relationship, and it can form part of your client onboarding process. For example, for quick check-in calls, your client might not need to schedule an appointment, but for longer project briefings or ideation meetings and calls, you may need to plan and block time in your diary.

6. Not attracting the right clients

Are you still attracting your ideal clients – or any new clients? Has the definition of your ideal client changed over the years? Perhaps you’ve created your own niche or expanded your services or skill set since you first started out. 

It’s worth reviewing this from time to time to ensure your marketing communications and strategy are still on point. Also, ensure your social media bios are up to date so they reflect your brand and what you currently offer clients.

Attracting the clients that are right for you will go a long way to rewarding and mutually beneficial client relationships.

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If you’ve hit a bit of a business roadblock or have a bout of analysis paralysis with your freelance business, review these six strategies to avoid common freelancer pitfalls.

1. Realize that everyone is at a different stage of their journey

The first thing to consider is that everyone is at a different stage in their freelance journey, even those who started at the same time as you. Nobody has the exact same background; people have different experiences, skills and goals to bring to the table.

Perhaps the person you are comparing yourself with wants to scale fast or become an agency, or they may want to niche down or go for high-ticket work. They may even have other people in the background helping them. All these factors and more need to be taken into account. While this may sound trite, there is nobody exactly the same as you, and you can use this to your advantage as nobody will offer the exact same client experience.

In any event, success isn’t linear. It’s typically a series of ups and downs. You might be comparing your down to someone else’s up.

2. You don’t know what’s going on behind the scenes

Outward displays of financial success, especially when shared on social media, don’t always show what’s really going on behind the scenes.

That ‘6 figure month’ might be a one-off, or they are sharing turnover instead of the actual profit and income they receive, so you are not being presented with the whole picture.

If you find yourself scrolling social media and falling into the comparison trap so often that it becomes a problem or impacts your mental health, consider taking a break from social media or at least turning off notifications. The key is to be intentional with how you spend your time on social media.

If you market your business on social media, consider using a scheduling tool to post your updates so you don’t have to actively go into your timeline or outsource your social media marketing.

3. Look (and appreciate) how far you’ve come

A good exercise to perform to put things into perspective is to list all your achievements so far; you’ll soon appreciate what amazing progress you’ve made. 

Celebrate all your successes. List everything you’ve done, including some of the seemingly minor things that have allowed you to progress, such as putting in place a slick workflow that enables you to use your time super effectively. List the clients you’ve worked with, projects you’ve worked on, the pitches you’ve won, and what you’ve learned from them.

Also, how much did you charge? Is there scope to increase your prices? Now might be a good time for a review. You’ll be surprised at the gems this simple exercise can uncover.

4. Get motivated (and take action)

Obviously, some people will be ahead of you, and others won’t be as far ahead of you. It’s all relative. If you find yourself comparing yourself with someone else, use it positively to motivate you and set goals. You could even reach out and ask them for tips or follow them on social media to see if they are doing something that you could also apply to your business. Turn this perceived lemon into a positive lemonade.

Also, don’t discount that you could be making some simple money mistakes that can be rectified (take a look at our blog post here). For example, maybe cash flow could be better, but you’re tied up doing routine repetitive admin tasks manually, so you can’t see the wood for the trees. These types of tasks could be automated to free up your time so you can focus on more profitable activities in your business.

One of them is invoicing. This can be time-consuming, especially if you manually compile invoices yourself.

Invoice Ninja is a leading free invoicing software for small business invoicing, online payments, tracking expenses and billable tasks. It also includes attractive, professional invoice template designs you can customize with your logo and brand colors.

Try it for free here.

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Ultimately, rather than comparing yourself to other freelancers, it’s better all around to adopt a more positive attitude and celebrate other people’s wins. Opportunities forged by others also mean there are potential opportunities and new pathways that can open up for you, too.

Success leaves clues!

While it’s true that putting important tasks off in your freelance business can lead to cash flow issues, there are many strategies you can implement to help overcome them. These include breaking down big tasks into smaller ones, doing the most challenging task first, and seeking accountability, among many others. We’ve written about some of the better ones in a previous post: 7 Ways to Overcome Freelancer Procrastination.

But have you heard of precrastination? A term first coined by researchers David Rosenbaum, Cory Adam Potts, and Lanyun Gongin in their 2014 study, it’s the opposite of procrastination and is the phenomenon where you rush to do a task just to get it off your desk – in other words, you do it earlier (and often more hurriedly) than necessary. 

Getting tasks done quickly seems like a good thing, but when you break it down and look at it in the extreme, precrastination might even be as problematic for your freelance business as procrastination!

Let’s look at some ways it may manifest itself so you can quickly identify if it applies to you and take action (or not!).

1. You can miss out on the finer details

When you rush a task just to get it off your desk so you no longer need to worry about it, you can miss out on the finer details, especially if you perform tasks manually.

Take invoicing, for example. It’s an important task that needs to be done, but in your rush to get the invoice ‘done and dusted’, if you are creating invoices manually, for example, on a Word document, you might inadvertently miss an important piece of information, resulting in your payment being unnecessarily delayed down the line.

To counter this and still get paid fast, take advantage of quality invoicing software that offers multiple payment options so you can get paid at the click of a button.

Invoice Ninja is a leading free invoicing software for small business invoices, fast online payments, expense tracking, and billable tasks. It also includes attractive, professional invoice template designs you can customize with your logo and brand colors.

Perfect for freelancers and small businesses who want to get paid fast.

Try it for free here.

2. You don’t allow enough thinking time

Most professional writers concur that their content is often much better when left a day or two before hitting the publish button. This gives the author time to process the copy, new ideas to ferment, and corrections, revisions, and refinements to be made. Before any professional copy goes to print (or is published online), it’s also good practice to have a second pair of eyes look over your work or, even better, to hire a proofreader/editor. 

The same advice can be applied to written client agreements and proposals. These need time for you to consider all the possibilities and also outline how best you can help your client rather than rushing something off without taking everything into account.

This is especially the case for freelancer proposals for longer-term projects or retainer agreements. By sending out cookie-cutter templates or rushing the proposal because you are concerned the client won’t hire you unless you get it to them super quickly, both parties could lose out. The client won’t benefit from all you have to offer, and you could lose out on a lucrative contract.

3. You say ‘Yes’ when you should be saying ‘No’

When offered freelance work, it can be tempting to say yes to every opportunity that comes your way, especially if you are new to freelancing or have already experienced the dreaded freelance feast or famine cycle.

By taking on all the work offered to you, you will not only distract yourself from the bigger picture, and other client work might suffer, but adding this to your proclivity for getting everything done as fast as possible could also lead to freelancer burnout.

Furthermore, it can become an obsession and permeate other areas of your life. For example, when tasks come in outside of your regular work hours, they can disrupt your work/life balance and encroach on your quality downtime with loved ones.

Remember – it’s perfectly okay to decline work if you don’t have the capacity to do it. It’s also a great opportunity to refer colleagues in your freelancer network.

4. Priority tasks can get demoted

Unless you have a routine and work schedule that you rigidly stick to, priority tasks can get unintentionally knocked off the list if you are constantly firefighting, rushing to do the latest task that comes in, are distracted by emails, or just too busy overly engaging on social media.

Not properly thinking things through will impact the quality of your output. While clients want prompt delivery, they also value quality. Another consideration is that too fast is often equated to rushed and low quality, so think about this in your brand positioning, too.

Being quick on the draw can also have an unintended impact on your online reputation. For example, a well-timed media announcement can go a long way toward enhancing your reputation, in contrast to an off-the-cuff and not thought out social media post response that could unintentionally harm your brand and your business.  

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You may have heard that patience is a virtue and good things come to those who wait. This applies to business, too. Sometimes, it’s smarter to be the tortoise and not the hare. 

If you know of anyone who might benefit from reading this post– please share. Thank you.

1. Prepare and research

You may have heard of the saying attributed to Benjamin Franklin that by failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail. Getting prepared in advance and doing client research is the foundation of a successful client call. How well you already know the prospect and where they are in the client journey will determine the amount and type of research you need to do. For example, if it’s a first inquiry from someone who came to you via your website, you’ll need to do more than if it’s a warm lead, someone you’ve had correspondence with before or even return business.  

Just like a traditional job interview, knowing a bit about the client, their needs, and the industry will help. It’s also useful to jot down some questions that you can ask or that require answers to during the call so you are aware of the full situation. This will help you detail your services and how you can help. One way to help with this is to have a short pre-call questionnaire so you can qualify leads and better understand how you can help (or not) before the call.

Also, be prepared for any questions they might ask. If you don’t have your prices or a price range published on your website, be prepared for the pricing question. It might be that you need to draw up a quotation and get back to them, or if it’s a product or package with a fixed price, you may be able to give them this information on the call.

The client may already have a frame of reference from working with other freelancers and will likely have a budget in mind. That’s why explaining the value you’ll provide and your services during this call is a good idea. It should help combat any price resistance. But in any event, your marketing and general positioning should also do a lot of the heavy lifting. For example, if you offer a high-ticket service, you’ll be marketing to clients who can afford your price and see the value in what you do.

2. Set the scene

Don’t discount the fact that your prospective client may be a little apprehensive about the call, too. They might not have hired a freelancer before or don’t know what questions they should be asking, so it’s your job to guide them through your service and how you can help them.

Be as friendly and helpful as possible and set the right tone for the call by being punctual and unflustered so you come across as professional and reliable. If you are on a video call, ensure your environment is tidy and there are no distractions or noise so you can both focus on the call. 

Don’t overthink it. Most clients aren’t looking for freelancers with superhuman capabilities; they are looking for reliable professionals who can get the job done – i.e. you.

Likewise, if you are not the right person for the job – say so. Even better if you can then refer them on to another more suitable freelancer in your network.

On the call, make sure you take notes. You may wish to record the call or use a transcription tool, but if you do so, make sure the client is aware and agreeable to this.

The aim of the call, in addition to seeing how you can help, is to build a rapport. And if, for whatever reason, you just don’t click or you feel something is off – trust your intuition. Not every client is going to be the right fit – and that’s okay.

3. Follow up

After the call, make good use of your notes to compile your freelancer proposal. It won’t hurt to send a short acknowledgment email thanking your prospect for their time and telling them what happens next; for example, you’ll put together a written proposal and send it to them by a specific date.

When putting together your proposal, ensure you include all relevant information and make it easy to read. Go through all salient points, such as what you’ll do and when, the investment required from them (i.e. your price), and include your freelancer payment terms and conditions. If you have any client case studies or relevant testimonials, you can also include them.

If they want to proceed, tell them what they need to do next and by when.

With Invoice Ninja, if a client wants to proceed, they can quickly turn your quote into an invoice and pay you with just one click. Likewise, if you require a deposit to commence work, you can set up the deposit invoice and once paid, the invoice will automatically update itself with the balance due and set the new final invoice due date.

Invoice Ninja, a leading free invoicing software specifically developed for freelancers and small businesses like you, offers a user-friendly interface for creating and sending professional-looking and custom-branded invoices.

Try it for free here.

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Sales calls don’t need to be a chore; the more you do, the better you’ll become. At the end of the day, it’s a friendly conversation to explore how you can help your client achieve the positive outcome they want in exchange for payment, so it’s a win-win situation. Happy prospecting!

However, you shouldn’t be under a constant barrage of stress and anxiety or forever worrying about where the next client will come from or when your outstanding invoices will be paid. That’s no fun!

Here are 3 areas to review to help reduce money stress, take back control and keep your freelance business profitable and rewarding.

1. Review clients and pricing model

A lot of freelancer anxiety stems from working with clients who, for whatever reason, are not the right fit. It could be a mismatch in freelancer/client expectations, skill sets and experience, or you simply don’t enjoy working with a particular client. All this can contribute to feelings of anxiety, so make sure you attract clients who are the right fit for you and who you love to work with and pay you accordingly.

It may be that your ideal client persona or niche has changed, so it pays to review it from time to time.

You can also consider reviewing your pricing model. It might not be what you charge that is an issue, but how you charge. For example, if you currently charge hourly, would a project rate better suit your business? If you are doing a lot of short-term jobs and are constantly on the lookout for work, look to attract projects of a longer duration or long-term clients that pay you on a retainer basis to help reduce your exposure to slow months.

These strategies can lessen some of the anxiety around cash flow and fear of the freelancer feast or famine scenario, where you experience periods of buoyant finances and lots of clients and then no work and no income during dry periods.

Firming up your client acquisition strategies, ensuring you are marketing to the right people, and making sure you consistently apply them to attract and work with great clients will help reduce stress in this key area.

2. Make good use of automation tools

Using automation tools to leverage your productivity can not only free up time but considerably reduce stress. Most repetitive processes can be automated, and nowadays, there are plenty of low-cost and free online tools on the market to choose from. These tools can save you time that could be better used elsewhere, for example, focused on making the most of your number one profitable skill. Automation tools range from writing tools to scheduling and, of course, to invoicing.

Invoicing software can help reduce the risk of your invoices not being paid on time. It can speed up the payment process and send automatic reminders before (or after) the invoice is due, saving you the cost and stress of getting paid late. A money worry you definitely don’t want to deal with if it can be avoided.

Invoice Ninja is a leading free invoicing software for small business invoicing, online payments, recurring invoices, tracking expenses and billable tasks. Try it for free here.

3. Diversify income sources

It’s probably best not to have all your eggs in one basket or rely on just one source of income because even with the best will in the world, nobody can predict the future. 

For example, if you have just one client, you could find yourself with no income if the contract ends or something happens to the client’s business. Conversely, if you have too many clients, you need to be mindful of how much work you can realistically take on.

One way to help combat this over-reliance and help future-proof your business is to have several income-generating assets. These could be online courses, productized packages, paid email newsletters, affiliate and referral programs, consultancy, etc. You could even offer a subscription service to your services or products. 

Knowing you have more than one source of income makes you less likely to take on unsuitable work just for the money, and when dealing with prospects, you’ll come across as more confident and in control. 

One less thing to worry about!

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Naturally, when freelancing, it’s super important to be mindful of your work/life balance because this will have a significant impact on your performance and stress levels. This isn’t just about the hours you work but how you approach your day and manage your time.

For example, movement is essential not just for our physical health but also for our overall well-being, so make sure you are incorporating some form of movement into your day. You’ll be surprised at how much better even a short burst of exercise can make you feel. A quick walk in the fresh air to top up your vitamin D can boost mental clarity and even help solve problems you’ve been mulling over.

Likewise, getting proper rest and a good night’s sleep is vital to our general health. Poor sleep can result in tiredness throughout the working day, lower our mood and enthusiasm, and even result in poor decision-making. 

All these strategies combined can help keep the financial worry and overwhelm sometimes associated with freelancing at bay.

1. Take stock

A good outlook-boosting exercise for freelancers is taking stock of everything you’ve achieved. Whether you schedule this as part of an annual review at the end of the year or something you do on an ad hoc basis is up to you, but it pays to focus on the highlights of the year, new clients, projects completed as well as challenges and obstacles you successfully overcame. 

Write down all your achievements and progress, and you’ll soon see how far you’ve come. It’s a great exercise to address any areas that need professional development, learning opportunities, or skill acquisition, and it might even uncover new potential opportunities. Was there a project you excelled at this year, a client you particularly liked working with, and an area you hadn’t previously explored that turned out profitable? Write all these things down to fully appreciate an overview of where you are in your business right now.

Another great way to boost your mood and remind yourself why you are a freelancer is to reread former client testimonials (and remember to share them on your social media channels). Look at all the people you’ve helped, and cut yourself some slack.

2. Phone a friend

One of the attributes of being a solopreneur is that you often do things on your own, as the name suggests, especially if you are a freelancer working remotely. That’s why it is a great idea to have business buddies, people who are freelancers or work in your industry, to meet up with both online and in person, so you can share ideas and discuss challenges. 

Attending business and networking events is another good way to boost your mood and your confidence and meet new people. Knowing you have business buddies you can get on a call with and talk to when you are feeling a bit low or worried about something is both reassuring and comforting.

These conversations can change your perspective on your business, uncover hidden opportunities you might not have thought of on your own or even ignite product ideas so you benefit from multiple sources of income.

Definitely subjects that will shift your mindset in the right direction!

3. Celebrate

Celebrate all your wins, no matter how minor. Small everyday wins such as getting a task completed on time, finding a quicker way to do something, automating a previously time-consuming process, or attending a productive meeting.

All the small things add up and are just as worthy of celebrating as the big things like closing a deal or winning a new client. It will also put you in a better mood and gain a more positive outlook as you start to appreciate everything going right in your business instead of worrying about the future that isn’t here yet – it’s just in your imagination. 

How you celebrate can also foster a positive mindset; get creative with it, maybe you could even gamify your wins, e.g. if you get a specific number of tasks completed in a week, it leads to an even bigger win or celebration.

Maybe after completing a task, you can treat yourself to a walk, or your favorite hobby, or go to the gym – all things that can also further boost your mood.

4. Write it down

Many freelancers journal. You don’t need to be a professional writer to have a journal either, and it’s up to you what you put in it. The act of writing things down can not only be meditative but can be a good way to process your thoughts; some people create a gratitude journal, where they write down all the things they are grateful for. This practice can be immensely helpful, and you’ll soon see you have lots to be thankful for – just like the annual review in point #1, it puts things into perspective.

Having an ‘attitude of gratitude’ can be transformative in all areas of life, not just business.

As a bonus, consider creating your own mantra. Put it on a post-it note or somewhere on your workstation so when you feel a little anxious, you can look at it and remind yourself of why you are running a business, why you went freelance in the first place, and every reason you have to be positive.

5. Get organized

Good time management, working smarter, and having boundaries can all help maintain a positive mindset. At the foundation of all these things is being organized, so you know what needs to be done and when to keep your freelance business ticking over like clockwork. Using the right tools is critical. When your business is as efficient as possible, there are fewer things to worry about, and you can focus on big-picture goals. The more time-consuming tasks you can automate, the better, such as invoicing. This is a task that needs to be done so you can get paid, but it can take up valuable time if you are invoicing manually.

Invoice Ninja is a leading free invoicing software for small business invoicing, online payments, tracking expenses and billable tasks. It also includes attractive, professional invoice template designs you can customize with your logo and brand colors.  On top of that, it can help streamline your workflow so you can focus on the bigger picture.

Try it for free here.

Let’s get you back on track!

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Wherever you are on your freelance journey, having a regular check-in with yourself can be a great way to help banish limiting beliefs.

Remember, you’re running your own business, and everything you’ve achieved so far is all down to you – isn’t that amazing? Believe in yourself. You’ve got this!