Freelance 101: Four tips for building your professional brand
This is a post from a member of the Freelancers Union community. If you’re interested in sharing your expertise, your story, or some advice you think will help a fellow freelancer out, feel free to send your blog post to us here.
As freelancers, we’re used to fighting our own battles, and working hard for each new project and client. The pressure is always on, but there is one thing that you can establish that makes it easier to seal the deal with clients, increase your rate, and become more successful: a killer brand.
Here are four ways to stand out.
Define Yourself
You already know your strengths and skills, but potential clients don’t. That’s why you need to sit down, dig deep and analyze the following:
Your niche
Think about where you belong and whom you offer your services. Can you work in different areas? Are you an expert on one in particular? This needs to be crystal clear for anyone thinking about hiring you.
Your skills
Think about the skills and the experience you’ve gained so far. Choose the things you’re the proudest of to impress on clients why you’re the one that they need to hire.
Your work ethics
It’s not just about what you produce, it’s about how you get there. People want to know what they can expect from you and your collaborative style to determine if you are a match.
Now that you’ve defined what you have to offer, build the brand your skillset deserves.
Name, Image & Design
It’s essential to put some serious creative effort into the following to stay competitive.
Name:
This isn’t just for big corporations: freelancers also need a catchy name so that clients will easily remember them. If you’re struggling, go with your own name and simply add the niche you belong to: “Josh Pearson Design.”
Regardless, come up with a unique hook.
Image:
For the visual aspect of your brand, decide on colors, fonts, and logos and use them consistently. This will help you gain recognition, and make potential clients feel closer to you and your brand.
Going public
Now that your brand is ready, get it out there.
Social media:
Your brand simply will not survive without it. Create profiles on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and other prominent social media that fits your industry. Make sure that everything we’ve covered so far is clearly visible and presented in your profiles.
To get clients interested, promote your work, share client testimonials, and inform them about what you offer.
Website:
Every professional has a website, so you should to. It should contain:
- About Me page
- Contact Me page
- Portfolio
The goal is to help people understand exactly what is it that you do, the types of services that you offer, and where they can find you. Finally, don’t forget to connect your website to your social media accounts.
Make a connection
Creating an emotional bond with your clients may sound like the icing on the cake, but it’s actually essential. In order to build a strong client base, your personality needs to shine through your brand.
This is why you need to establish your brand voice. What type of communication will you create between you and your clients? Will it be strictly professional or is there room for a more friendly note? Make sure you establish your voice early on and use it consistently.
Erica keeps track of the latest trends in IT and technologies, blogs about efficient strategies in education and business coaching, and holds educational webinars.