Articles by Freelance Switch from October 2012

Freelancers interested in earning big should always be looking for opportunities to raise rates. Luckily, if you’re reading this in the fall, you’re at one of the easiest times of year to ...

Once a week, we feature a fantastic freelance-themed comic from the talented N.C. Winters. Why not also take a look at our comic archive? ...

As a freelancer (or potential freelancer), you live and die by your ability to sell your services. And unless you’ve got some kind of agent or marketing firm doing your marketing for you, you...

Transparency is the buzzword that everyone conducting business online seems to be focused on. Were all supposed to be open and share even the smallest details about how we do business and when we scre...

Theres a lot to learn when youre breaking into freelancing, but the most important skills any freelancer will learn revolve around one thing: clients. Every successful freelancer will eventually need ...

Startups are great, particularly when:They are free or freemium.They have easy-to-use products.They help you deal with daunting business tasks that make you lose valuable time you should be spending d...

One of the things that makes would-be freelancers nervous to quit their day jobs is the whole issue of paying taxes. When we’re employees, our company handles most of our tax responsibility for ...

One of the most powerful tools you have at your disposal to maximize sales as a freelancer is your own personal career portfolio for your freelance business. The location of your portfolio is importan...

Google Analytics is one of the most popular analytics packages available online, in part due to its price. Where most analytics software is relatively expensive, Google Analytics is entirely free to u...

Business writing is one of the most lucrative forms of freelance writing out there. Yet, many writers avoid this niche.In my experience, that’s often due to a misconception of what it’s li...

Once a week, we feature a fantastic freelance-themed comic from the talented N.C. Winters. Why not also take a look at our comic archive? ...

Looking for a new client? The FreelanceSwitch job board is a great resource of freelance gigs and opportunities. These opportunities are in various fields, from development to writing to design, and c...

Each week I get two or three requests for design work. They come sometimes from contacts, but more often than not they come from random people. Sometimes they even come from web-famous people or well...

Are youcommittingto every project or a bid that comes your way? If the answer is yes, chances are that you are simply wasting your time and money. Here are 3 simple questions (with many smaller ones, ...

As a creative professional, your work is often governed by copyright law. Its not exactly a topic that most of your clients will be familiar with, so you need to make a point of having practical expe...

Here’s something fun about being a freelance writer: If you want a gig writing an article for a magazine or a newsletter for a business, you can get it, even without a lot of experience.How?You ...

Theres quite a fetish for failure-as-fodder these days. Search failure on popular business sites like Forbes, Entrepreneur, or Inc, and youll get loads of articles on how it can be a great teacher. I ...

Okay, bloggers, we see you out there. Writing great thoughts while wearing your pajamas. And then you post them online for everyone to admire.Well, how’s that for stereotyping? Portraying blogge...

Once a week, we feature a fantastic freelance-themed comic from the talented N.C. Winters. Why not also take a look at our comic archive? ...

If you’ve ever been a college or university faculty member, you’re probably familiar with sabbaticals. You remain on your institution’s payroll while taking time away from campus to ...

When was the last time youd heard that phrase?I hadnt heard it in years, until a recent assignment for a magazine article led me to sit in on a local networking meeting. As I took my seat, the woman I...

When a client browses through the services you offer, it can be hard for her to equate that list with the results she needs your help to reach. The best way to make clear what youre able to offer bet...

If you don’t use LinkedIn as part of your marketing strategy you’re missing out on a rich source of new clients.Admittedly, LinkedIn is a tough nut which many freelancers are still learnin...

The phrase “business plan” probably calls to mind a lengthy formal document full of analysis and fine details. At the same time, it suggests the structured thinking process that should lea...

Landing a few clients who keep you on retainer, paying you a set amount each month, can do a lot to even out a freelancers income. While most clients will make sure to send you as much work as youre w...

Once a week, we feature a fantastic freelance-themed comic from the talented N.C. Winters. Why not also take a look at our comic archive? ...

Looking for a new client? The FreelanceSwitch job board is a great resource of freelance gigs and opportunities. These opportunities are in various fields, from development to writing to design, and c...

One of the smartest business decisions I’ve made as a freelancer is to stop charging by the hour. I want to take the plate and bat for this method — not because I’m trying to convinc...

Some of the more popular project management tools these days offer you the option of creating limited accounts for your clients, so that they can see your progress, review changes and otherwise intera...

With collaboration services being one of the most in demand in today’s web-specific market, there have emerged a considerable number of online tools that help to ease the process of creative wor...

The most visited page on most websites is the about page. That holds particularly true for freelancers on my site, almost half of my visitors wind up there. Thats because a client looking to hire som...

Theres a lot of fun and exciting perks to starting your own business. Bookkeeping is not one of those. New business owners often underestimate the time and stress it takes to just get paid.Here are so...

Once a week, we feature a fantastic freelance-themed comic from the talented N.C. Winters. Why not also take a look at our comic archive? ...