How to Rock it as a Freelancer

At Schmooz, we work with an amazing team of freelancers and are always interested in meeting more writers, designers, developers, videographers and photographers. We’re always busy, so it’s great to have a team of freelancers to turn to for support. Who we choose depends on a number of things:

1. who is the best fit for the job,
2. who has been showing you that they want work to do
3. who will get excited about the specific client or work.

The freelancers that we count on the most, have varying skill sets and experience, but all have the chutzpah and the hustle to work with a small agency to be scrappy yet professional.

Over time, we’ve developed a list of qualities we look for in a freelancer. Here’s our Schmoozworthy run-down of what it takes to be successful:

1. You take initiative and ask for opportunities.

You understand that your clients are busy juggling a million things at once, and are willing to do what it takes to stand out. You don’t take it personally when work is given to other people, and when you want more work, you ask for it. You present opportunities for new projects that you want to spearhead. You do what needs to be done to constantly stay on our radar.

2. You always re-read your work before you send it.

When you’re billing by the hour and trying to keep costs low, it can be challenging to perfect a project. You know, however, that your client is “the client”, and that what is sent to them needs to be free from error. Everyone makes mistakes, but you’ve learned to eliminate copy errors and other careless mistakes through giving the project a thorough once-over before you send it off. Our advice? Read it out loud. It can be amazing the types of things you can catch. Designer? Read the email with the project description out loud before you send it back. Did you really do what the client wanted?

3. You follow up more than you think you need to.

Didn’t get a response back to that logo design you sent? You don’t take it personally, and you know to follow up to a) make sure the email was received and b) ask for feedback on how to make it even better. Until you’ve confirmed that your work has been received by your client, that project is still on your plate. Emails get lost in inboxes all the time. You don’t worry about bugging your client, you are doing your due diligence to make sure that your work has been received.

4. You bill in a timely fashion.

We can’t stress this enough: billing on time is essential! You understand that in many businesses, every billable hour counts. You are fully aware of when to send your invoices in, and how to bill your client so that your work is accounted for and so that the client is getting what they are asking for.

5. You know that you’re the expert, and you act like it.

Whether you specialize in design, writing and illustration, you understand that you have been hired because you have a deeper knowledge of this area. We know our clients, but we rely on you know to be the expert of your specialty. If what we’re asking for does not make sense, or you need more detail, speak up! This shows us that you care enough to give us all the information we need to blow our client away.

While there are many more amazing qualities that create a great freelancer, these five steps will take you above and beyond the rest of the pack. Thank you to our amazing freelancers - so much of the great service we provide would not be possible without your hard work!

Does freelancing sound like your bag? If you are interested in working with Schmooz-- get in touch! We’re always happy to hear from interesting people who want to contribute to making Schmooz great.

At Schmooz Media, we understand that customers are your best brand ambassadors. That’s why we’re excited to create custom social media marketing strategies for small businesses, and take advantage of what their customers are already saying on social media. Schmooz Media is a Full Service Social Media Marketing Business, helping small-mid size businesses get the most social ROI possible. We’re passionate about giving your business actionable, measurable and meaningful results. Learn more about what Schmooz can do for you, or contact us with your inquiries today.