by Leo Wiles
31 July 2015
Recently I wrote about Dry July – that traditional time in media when freelance work dries up (as opposed to the charitable put-a-cork-in-your-vino period). And, drinking a very nice Shiraz as I write this, I wanted to expand on how best to use this down time to not just boost your income, but possibly even double it. (Stay with me here.)
I mean it. Or at the very least, make a plan to, in the near future when things look brighter on the work front, to ditch low paying clients or those that make you want to shoot yourself every time their name pops up on screen. Crap briefs, project creep, the extra time and energy taken up with rewriting … it’s onerous, it’s badly paid, you probably procrastinate over doing it at all AND it’s bad for your psyche. As my mother often says, while finger wagging, people will place the value on you that you let them. And actually, she’s right.
Have they changed along with inflation, or are you still charging the same rate you did when you hit the freelance scene? If so it’s time to re-evaluate, work out how much your outgoings are and how much you need to earn to afford the lifestyle you want (rather than the can of beans you’re eating out of right now). Rent goes up every year; why shouldn’t your rates? If the client can’t find the money and says they’ll find someone else, wish them luck and be glad that you now have the time to concentrate on someone who’ll value your skillset.
One way to tackle the ‘I’m raising my rates’ thing – and not apologetically cap-in-hand as I did for a while – is to charge a project fee rather than an hourly rate. Work out a proper brief; ie, one that both of you will stick to. Work out how long it is REALISTICALLY going to take you, tot up your hourly fee to do this then add ten precent for the super, holiday and that sick period you’ve avoided saving for.
Did someone thank you for being a professional? Email you to say your article was the most moving thing they’d read in years? Tell you that the website copy you wrote has lured lots of new business to their site? Write back, thank them and ask if you can use their words in your marketing material, your LinkedIn, the testimonials on your portfolio website. It builds your credibility and can add up to more money in the bank, people.
Seriously! When delivering copy, always pitch the next round of articles. You’ve just saved the editor time wondering what the hell they’re going to bring up in their next meeting.
Rach is fab at this. On her personal email you get a pic of her business card plus all her contact details and links to the multiple websites she’s founded. It’s a great endorsement and reminder of her value to the marketplace, consumers (and to those who want to hire her). So go into settings and automate your signature, listing contact details and link to that sparkly portfolio with its glowing testimonials and cuts.
Find your mag work is dwindling? Start pitching to website editors and digital companies. Let your contacts know you’re available if they need website copy or a little editing/proof-reading, if you’re able to do those things. It’s literally about having a finger in lots of pies.
No, you’re not crazy to spend your hard-earned funds on things that will give you back chunks of time. Like online shopping (three hours saved), a house-cleaner (two hours saved), a transcriber (one hour saved). That’s almost a whole extra day you have to chase work and add more projects to your pile and the cost to give that time back to yourself is pretty nominal. Same goes for a virtual assistant if you have regular tasks that could be easily outsourced (leaving you with more time to work).
Have you managed to boost your income using any of these strategies (or others we haven’t mentioned)?
