Success Lifestyle Magazine Issue 2 - October 2018 | Page 9

don’t put yourself out there. You 3 must take the first step to find that water source. Think carefully about who your target customer is. Develop Focus More on Quality & Experience Pricing is one of the Pricing is one of the sore points for sore points for people people who’re new to the world of online work. You may feel that you must o�er who’re new to the the lowest price to win a deal because world of online work. you’re new to the game. This isn’t You may feel that you necessarily true. How you sell yourself is what ultimately matters. Let’s say you’re a writer. You can boost your credibility by: 1. Taking online courses that o�er verified certificates to prove your skill if you don’t have a tertiary-level degree in the field. Website such as EdX, Coursera and Allison o�ered verified certificates in courses from leading universities. 2. Creating at least 10 work samples that cover a range of in-demand writing tasks that interest you. Use these samples to must offer the lowest price to win a deal because you’re new to the game. If you can prove that you’ll provide the best solution to this person’s problem, price won’t matter. You’d be surprised by how quickly people will fork out the cash just to get their issues quickly addressed. 4 detailed buyer personas and use them to craft an e�ective marketing plan to reach these people. It’s the only way they’ll know you exist. 5 Consider a Freelancing Platform The beauty of freelancing platforms is that customers are already there, eager to find people to solve their work-related problems. All you have to do is find the right job, write an application that appeals directly to the person’s pain point, and place a bid you can support with evidence of your work and credentials. The rest is up to the client. The latter often makes the You may not have experience producing Find Your Customers; Don’t Wait for them, to Find You content for reputable websites, but these Have you ever seen a thirsty dog? The getting you anywhere. Sticking with credentials and portfolio pieces give you dog pants and sticks out its tongue for it is important if you want to succeed leverage to ask for higher rates. You may awhile then searches for the nearest on whichever platform you choose. not get exactly what you want for your water source and drinks the water. The There’ll also be times when there isn’t first job, but that doesn’t mean you must dog didn’t wait for the water to appear much work coming in. You’ll learn go far below your worth. Another point before it. Instead, it attempts to find quickly how to bridge the gap by to note is that listening to a potential water to quench the thirst. Similarly, building a client-base outside of the client’s needs is important. customers won’t come to you if you freelancing platform. build your portfolio. Issue 2: October 2018 experience frustrating for new freelancers. You’ll feel like you’re bidding often, but that bidding isn’t 8