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All Freelanced Out? Get Inspired!
Sometimes us designers tend to have over extended their creativity, yes it happens to the best of us. We have times where we create something so profoundly unique that it is just amazing. But then there are times when we stare at the screen for hours, trying to think of what to do next.
Today I bring to you for week starter Mondays, a place to view the latest design trends to be with the times. CSSClip is a website that showcases some of the best CSS based web designs around.
So if you are having some trouble racking your brain for the latest design trends and need to take a breather to see some nice websites, check out CSSClip.
Tips for Tuesdays - June 24
I find that it is very helpful when I have a Ticketing System that allows me to keep track of everything that everyone needs done. This is especially helpful when trying to manage multiple projects at once. If you find that you are overloaded with email requests to make changes on your clients websites, and need a way to help organize and prioritize all of the requests coming in, take a look over at OSTicket for a system that really works.
That’s all I got for you this Tuesday, until next week.
Week Starter Tools on Mondays: BustAName
I have decided that every Monday I will review a tool or a website that can be used to help freelancers and internet entrepreneurs in their online endeavors. This Weeks Starter Tool is BustAName. Say what?! Bust-A-Name. That’s right.
This genius made this awesome AJAX and Ruby on Rails based domain name search and who-is functionality. The tag line you ask? ‘You can still find good domains’ — In fact, I have already found a few from there: makemoneyfreelancing.com, scriptsnap.com, wpabuse.com, and a few others. This is just an awesome tool for any domainer or anyone trying to find a good domain out there. I had been using Domain Name Analyzer for a long time, but now I have my heart set on BustAName.Website: http://www.bustaname.com (Find Good Domains)
I have noticed a few bugs in the site. Sometimes it will tell you a domain name is available, when really it is not. This got a little frustrating for me when I was like HOT DAMN THATS AVAILABLE!@#~ …BUY… And then GoDaddy says Sorry that domain name is already taken and it upsets me. But that’s okay, it still has to be one of the most advanced domain name searching website available on the net today. I really hope the owner doesn’t get hired for some big corporation and never do any updates to it, because this website has great potential.
Don’t forget when you find a good domain name, take it on over to Pagematic for Quality Web Hosting. Tell them Casey sent you and you’ll be sure to get taken care of like no other.
That’s what I got for you this week, please leave me a comment and let me know what you think of BustAName. I would definitely love to hear what everyone has to say.
The Freelance Referral Business
Getting referrals in the freelance world is cake-work. All you need to do is satisfy your current clients to the fullest. Once you have provided the highest level of quality work to your client, ask them if they know anyone who needs help with their website. If they feel they have received the best service, they will not hesitate to either give you some names and numbers to call, or have those people call you.
I am a very strong believer that referral business is the best type of clientele for anyone running a business, easpecially when trying to make money freelancing. It helps that the person knows they have a friend who has already been treated good by you or your company. This makes the person less skeptical about your skills or quality as a freelancer or company. They know that they will be taken care of to the fullest, just as their friend or acquitance did. No hassle, no giving references, no bull.
Hello *client_name*,
I recently completed a project for you and was hoping that I had given the appropriate attention to detail and the highest quality of service that you deserved. If you feel that I have provided you with this quality service, it would be very helpful if you could point me in the direction to anyone you may know that needs something done, or if you could help get my name out there to a few of your acquitances. Thanks for your help in this matter and I greatly appreciate your business.
I hope to hear from you soon.
Regards,
*your_name*If you have some clients that you have previously worked with that you think you did really well for, and you are a little slow on business at the moment, get in contact with them and ask them if they know anyone. Someone has to know someone somewhere that needs something done.
Building Customer Relationships while Freelancing
In my opinion, building customer relationships to make money freelancing is a very important thing. It helps build potential future revenue as the clients know that you will take care of them to the best of your ability on anything else they may need. A Loyal customer to me is better than having 50 customers. As a freelancer you don’t want to busy yourself with everyones projects.. It can be really hard to keep up only being a one person show.
My customers have been loyal to me for a few simple reasons, and I’ll list them below:
- I joke around and make friends with my customers
- I pay close attention to detail when working on a project
- I get personal with my customers and ask them how they are doing, or how their children are doing
- I make sure that I have assessed and taken care of all of their project needs, even if it is something they may have forgotten themselves
- I prioritize my customers so that every one of them get taken care of in an effecient and timely manner
All of the items above have helped me build customer relationships and allow me to help keep my customers loyal to me. Not only this, but they are so satisfied that they bring me tons of referral word of mouth based new clientele. Do you see what I mean ? $ ?
Making Money Online as a Freelancer: Part 1 of 4
Yes, this is my first post, but let me introduce myself. My name is Casey, and I am an online freelancer. I develop websites and customize wordpress themes for people all over the world. Being a freelancer allows me to do what I love, without the fuss of an office, or being to work on time. Many many years ago I wanted to only do freelance work, but sometimes its not always that easy to make money freelancing. Now that I have been successful in my venture of being an online freelancer, I wanted to share some things that helped me along the way, and can help many others in their journey as well.
Lets Prepare Ourselves
Here is a list of physical tools I’ve used along the way that have helped me stay focused, and manage my time and projects so that I can handle all of my customers in an effecient manner:
- A powerful computer
- Dual monitor display
- Huge pack of yellow note paper
- Lots of pens
- Phone charger plugged in next to your computer
- Window near your desk
- A comfortable computer chair
- A reference book on HTML, PHP, or whatever you are freelancing
Here is a list of online or software tools that have helped me along the way as well:
- A PayPal account
- Something to manage your time/projects, I like Intervals
- A good email management program (Outlook works if your using windows)
- A Support Ticket solution, OSTicket works well
- Your OWN dedicated server or VPS solution, Pagematic does wonders
- Something better than a standard Notepad, Notepad++ is nice, make sure it has character and line count capabilities
- A high speed internet connection, no joke, I ran off of Sprint Mobile Broadband for a while and it was horrible - Cable is much more effecient
- An instant messaging client with multiple messengers built in (to reduce CPU load running 5 different messenger softwares)
If you haven’t already acquired all of the items listed above to being your freelacing journey, go ahead and get them to prepare yourself for part two: Where Do We Begin
