Freelance Resource Strategy

Continued, the beginning was here .


So, you are registered on a freelance resource and are trying to get orders. As you know, they win not by number, but by skill, so it would be nice for you not to be engaged in sending the same answers in the style “write me, icq # xxx”, but choose a strategy. This means that work begins long before registering with freelance resources ...


So, the preparatory work:
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Make yourself a hosting

If you are a programmer - put the necessary software there for you, if a flasher or designer - organize ftp and make accounts both for yourself and for customers, it will save both nerves and time. Think about how you will record information about orders and how the process will go. For example, configure del.icio.us (more on that later)

Portfolio preparation

Make it! :)
Required. If you are a web programmer - include pictures of projects and indicate what you did in the project. If the designer - sign the work so that you can find the desired image by searching the page. Organize your work if there are many. Try to lay out the best that you have. Well, then take care of the relevance, for the reason that no one is interested (as a rule) what you did 4 years ago. The portfolio should ideally be fresh, relevant, excellent work. If some work was performed under some additional conditions (for example, they made icons for Google maps, which imposes additional restrictions) - indicate this, because such things sometimes help in choosing a freelancer.

Order response template.

What should be indicated:
- the cost of work and time required, at least approximately.
- it is also worth writing if possible “I did a similar / similar job in
such and such a project (reference to the portfolio, preferably to a specific item, it’s often difficult to look for the right job in a large portfolio) "
- if it allows a double or more interpretation, or if you know how to do it better - add “in general, this is usually done in this or that way, so if you are also interested in these options, then let's discuss it” or “if you need more (description of the problem, not tz) then you can also think about option (solution), ready to discuss the scope of work and in this version "
- also indicate a link to the portfolio, preferably to a specific part of it, which relates to the order. It will save time for the customer to believe that will be appreciated.
- if there is, link to reviews.
- Required contacts: minimum skype & icq & email. Get a headset :)
After you write, show your friends, listen to what they say

Pricing

Think in advance - how much you are willing to take for their work. According to my estimates, there are two types of customers: those who need cheaper and those who need to solve problems. and I would advise not to get involved with the first :) Also, it is not necessary to adjust the prices for customers. In the end, I hope you are a professional and your time is worth the money. The only exception is if you have a small portfolio. In this case, it is worth pointing out that you are putting a low price precisely because of this. This argument works very well.

Connection check

After all this, ask your friends to contact you. Better unexpected and from an unfamiliar account. A typical example in your ICQ is mandatory authorization and for some reason it does not show you the logged messages. Either your mailer sends email straight to spam or immediately deletes it and you don’t track it, everything happens. Therefore, check your connection with third-party methods.
and check all your contacts, not just email. Notice how many acquaintances took the time to first contact.

To battle

So, the preliminary training has passed.

We look at the orders, we read TZ, we answer after the answer - we enter information about the order somewhere (see above about del.icio.us). Where - it does not matter, software or service, choose to your liking. The main thing is that he can put statuses to order (for example, wait, in process, done). According to the wait orders, there should be a search so that when the customer appears, it would be convenient to immediately find the TC, and not ask him who he is.

If you feel that the customer does not really want to give you work, you shouldn’t beg or offer to lower the prices. If with the first I hope, of course, then with the second - it is better to offer slightly different conditions. For example, to make him not a site for 100 instead of 300, but to offer him after work to give contacts to the person who will promote this site and hand it over to him without delay, or tell you that you are not just imposing a site, but also creating divas and know about optimization and this is also included in the original price you specified. Naturally, one should not overstate price requirements, but IMHO there are always borders that can be “moved” without lowering prices. If not, then no - yes, and do you need such a customer? :)

As for the work itself, it is difficult to say something short, most importantly do not forget to periodically contact the customer :)

After putting the work.

If you like working with a person, write a positive review about him on the resource (yourself!) And ask him to write a review to you as well (for example, “it was a pleasure to work with you, I wrote you a review here * link * if it's not difficult for you, write and I * link * "and do not erase your, if you do not write :)). If there is an opportunity to put your copyright and your link to, for example, the website of the customer - agree on this. If you have colleagues who will help the customer to support or promote the same site - say about it, recommend and give their coordinates \ link them. Again, no, no, but you will be plus in karma, and in the case of a new order for friends, the percentage is also possible :)

Regarding the latter - negotiate and maintain contacts of those who work in related fields - this sometimes helps a lot.

You can do it right here in the comments :)

Do not forget to add an order to your portfolio. and write it down somewhere — what you brought from this order to your experience. This is useful.

Lyrical digression:

Imagine two nearby stores. One is an example of a scoop, there are saleswomen who do not need visitors and only hinder the second one, in which you will be offered discounts, a personal manager and delivery to your home. Where are you going?
Approximately also on freelance sites. There are freelancers who need money and orders, but not clients, and there are freelancers who solve clients' problems. Now imagine that you are a customer. To whom will you go?

Lyrical digression number two:

As a rule, for freelance give small orders. But there is a small detail - if you have already successfully and without problems worked with a person on a small task, then the likelihood that you will be transferred to the next large and an order of magnitude more monetary project by the same order of magnitude higher.
Above this, is it worth considering?


ps. occasionally need freelancers; both designers and programmers. also periodically there are proposals for fulltime.
and you can also participate in projects with me, so see the profile :)