SLOW AND STEADY WINS THE RACE - Freelance career

Unlike the other professions, the freelancing career has got more challenges and responsibilities. No other company or persons would take the responsibility of your work. Any issues happen; the question comes to you only. The coin has got another side; any acclaim comes to your way only. No other person can claim the credit of your success.

Well Success!! Is it just a seven letter word? No; hard work, talent, potential, luck and many more factors should work out together to accomplish the seven letter word. If you think that we can have an overnight success in the freelancing career, then you are mistaken. There should be a lot of observation needed. Patience, tolerance & hard work should be you input. It’s not necessary that you should get all your assignments approved. But the mentality to go on and give a try continuously should be there.

You might have heard the story of the bird which reached the top of the tree by eating bullshit and within seconds collapsed. The moral of the story should be kept in your mind. “Bullshit will take you to heights, but won’t let you stay there longer. Hence the main pint in your mind should be that you should make sure that what ever you do should be flawless in terms of quality.

Freelancing career is like a one-man-show. We need to give ourselves the time to land safely. The toughest part is to establish ourselves and leave our identity. The effort/turnover ratio would in very lower digits initially. But the main thing is how you handle the situation. We can wait and try again and again till we reach our destiny. You might have read the book “Who moved my Cheese” by Spencer Johnson. The protagonists of the story are two mice. This  is the story of four characters living in a "Maze" who face unexpected change when they discover their "Cheese" has disappeared. Sniff and Scurry, who are mice, and Hem and Haw, little people the size of mice, each adapt to change in their "Maze" differently. The narrator uses the two tiny creatures as the media to explain the importance of will power. Never give up. Try again and again. There is not even a single instance wherein hard worked hasn’t paid.

Well begun is half done.  If we succeed in making our identity, then we can count on the positive response. The amount of pain that we should take would be on the higher side. We should take enough pain. Then only we would get long lasting success. If you are looking for a successful freelancing career, keep all these in mind.

How to Start Working As a Freelance Web Designer|Programmer

There are many ways to earn money as a freelancer on the Internet, particularly if

you are able to write articles, content, design a web page, program web applications (think PHP / MySQL), do sound recording and engineering, know your way around the web, or are even willing to spend a couple hours a day doing quick data entry projects or link exchanges for a website. Often, there are even jobs you might be surprised to find. People looking for freelancers often pay through PayPal or other type services on the Internet. If you work fast, many of you can start finding little projects to start TODAY (no kidding, it works!) Here are some ways to find jobs like these on the internet and get started.

Step One: Go sign up at a Freelancer Marketplace. This is a place where people post ads for jobs and people bid on getting those projects. Signing up is almost always free (and if it isn't you'll need to look elsewhere), and there's usually nothing expected of you at these talent pools until you win a project (at which time they will take out a percentage commission of your final project bid -- usually anywhere from 5-10%). There are quite a few on the Internet; I'll be listing these resources following this article.

Step Two: You will usually have to confirm your email address, so do that first.

Next, you'll be choosing a username and filling out your profile. Don't worry about it if you don't have much to add just yet, just choose a username and add the basics, for now. Later, you can update and add more when you can. Choose a username that sounds professional and trustworthy (think 'writer4hire' or 'projectmaster', rather than 'suckit2004')

Step Three: Setting up your profile. When you're setting up your profile, be sure to choose the categories of the kind of work you do (writing, marketing, web design, ASP, whatever) and choose to be updated when new projects arrive instantly. You want to do this for sure, other-wise some other guy could beat you to the job! Many times, being the first one to place a good bid will get you the job, so it's worth it! Being FAST is a great way to get started working immediately.

Step Four: The Bidding Wars. When you start finding projects you want to work on, being new (zero feedback), place bids that are a bit cheaper than you'd normally be willing to go. A few tiny projects and good feedback will get you the clout you'll need to start charging more for projects. Besides, an extra $40 in your Paypal account in a day or so (if your fast) is nothing to complain about!

Step Five: Know When and How to Follow Up. When you do put a bid in, make sure you also leave a message on the board and repeat exactly what you said in the bid. Most projects are awarded for a combination of things, but mainly because the person understands what they have to do! Write a proposal that is basically a SHORT recap that includes the time it will take you, how you'll be delivering the final product (such as 'A ZIP file in an email with a TXT file of the article', etc.), and - believe it or not - a summary of EXACTLY WHAT THEY ASKED FOR IN THE PROJECT POST. I know it sounds silly, but it does get the point across, and you'll get chosen because you sound like you understand. And you do - because you have to read the post to even DO this!

Step Six: Winning the Project. When you get the project, do it AS FAST AS YOU CAN! Speed is important if you're working for less than what you expect at first. PLUS it will gain you better feedback.

Step Seven: Rinse, and repeat. After about 5-10 projects, you'll realize quickly that you're actually pretty much working for yourself these days. And considering the size of many of these sites, you can do this on and on and on...whenever you want.

- web freelance jobs|freelance career- 

 go back to home

5 Easy Steps to Finding a Freelancer for Programming or Web Design

There's almost nothing more intimidating for the average person than wanting to make a simple web site, knowing how you want it to run, imagining an easy logo, and then trying to find someone to do it. The technical jargon alone is confusing for most people. It often sounds something like this:

Client: "I need to be able to, you know -- log in and change stuff.."

Provider: "You mean a CMS."

Client: "No, not really. Just something simple.."

Provider: "That's right. A CMS. A content management system. You can usually get that

done in P-H-P-n-My-Ess-q-eel, or --"

Client: "..."

Provider: "That'll be a zillion dollars."

Sound familiar?

Or maybe you just want to have a quick look around Google. Unfortunately, for the past four years, the top results for "web design" or anything related -- if it has anything to do with web design -- don't exactly help you know how to get a project started, get it done, and ... probably more importantly ... for much less than a zillion dollars. Possibly more in the range of $100. And if you know where to look, sometimes for little more than the cost of an installation.

In this article, I'm going to show you how to find sources and freelancer hiring pools (the easy way), hiring said freelancer, finishing the project, and getting your final result from said freelancer in 5 easy steps. Steps that you can rinse, repeat, and rinse again, if you really have the 'projects' for it. So let's start:

STEP ONE: This is the easiest part.

Finding freelance providers for several years has been made easy because of the proliferation of new "freelance job auction sites". These are websites that are basically full of freelancers from every discipline and every corner of the world, from PHP programmers and content writers in the United States, to data entry workers and ASP gurus in Turkey, to Marketing and SEO geniuses in Brazil, to Flash experts in the United Kingdom. These sites are often referred to as "Freelancer Sites". Clients post jobs here, and within minutes the talent pool is furiously bidding against each other for the lowest price and the fastest time. And since these sites usually rely on a ratings and feedback system, the freelancers in these auctions will actually *meet* their arrangements and timelines. For you, this works great -- you get the lowest price, the fastest work, and instead of clamoring after a website designer, it puts people like us in control of our own project! A Freelancer Site is often called a "Reverse Auction" site, mainly because the service providers are bidding on the money they earn, rather than on buying something from the poster. For the scope of this article, this is where we're going to be finding our talent. There are many, many tochoose from at the time of writing this article.

Here are some of the best and my reasons why:

1. TheSuperlancers :: This is a new and very promising site. It's run by both ex-freelancers and current website developers, so they really know both sides of the game. They also offer no commission on opening projects (that means you start a project here for free and you don't pay anyone anything except your freelancer -- after the work is done, but we'll get to that later). And aside from great features like payment escrow, they really seem to want to provide a lot of support and help where needed. Every time I've had to deal with service and support on this site I had a response within an hour ... and it was actually *helpful*. They also have some of the cheapest and best rates in the business. Their talent pool is big enough to get the work done and have a decent selection of bidders for your project, but they are the newest site (probably less than a year old).

2. Scriptlance :: This is probably the opposite of the siteabove. This site was founded several years ago, and while it isn't the oldest, it certainly has the most reputation, good and bad. These guys have some good things going for them, though, including a huge talent pool. You can always guarantee some results by posting a project there. Posting a project at this site is free, too, but you are charged a commission when you close a project (usually 5-10% of your final accepted project bid). The support here is generally slow and not always useful, as it is with most older sites, but it's always great to have options. I usually go here when I don't get the results I want at the first place (which is free for me, the client/buyer).

3. GetAFreelancer / Freelancer :: The middle-brother of these two other sites. GAF (as it is dubbed) has been in business for several years, and has grown quite a bit recently. Often, I will end up here if I can't find what I want at the other two.

Usually, it's rarely necessary to go beyond the first site in my recent experience -- but it's always good to have options, isn't it?

STEP TWO: Create your account at any (or all) of these sites.

Usually, you can start with one and get used to it first. You'll need to confirm your email (standard), choose a username, and possibly flesh out your profile slightly, possibly by adding a business name and sometimes a picture. These "freelancer sites" are communities like eBay, so the more information you can provide the more freelancers know that you're not somebody who may be out to scam them out of their work. Just being a real person is enough. Doing this is much faster than eBay, however. It usually takes only 2-3 minutes at most. When you open your account, you do not have to add any money yet. These three places above generally don't require you to. You may, if choose, add enough funds to cover a "Featured" or otherwise special project, or if you get a bid from a programmer you like. We'll get into this later, but for now there is NO need todeposit money unless you really feel like it.

STEP TWO-AND-A-HALF:Open your first project.

While this may sound intimidating to most people still, the signup process and getting your first project out there is probably easier than you think. It's basically as easy as signing up for a forum and opening your first post/thread. Just confirm your email (since these are communities, they need to make sure everyone is a real person ... including the freelancers *and* you), set up a profile (username, the usually) and then find one of the links that say something like "Post a Project". Usually, these links are close at hand.

Posting a project is like posting a message on a forum and waiting on replies, or putting up a classified ad, but more immediate and more inter-active. What you'll want to do is post a project that purely explains what it is you want to do or need done. Offer examples where you can. Keep it short and to the point. don't worry about them not 'getting it' (they will), and don't try to tell them how "easy a project it is for someone who knows what they're doing" (they hate that -- easy projects are often harder than you think, and harder orders are often easier than you might believe). Just explain as much as you can and take it fromthere. Usually these places have Project Message Boards, and you can further explain to interested providers when they ask. Just post what you can -- if you need a website built, provide some examples of similar-looking websites that you like. If you want a website that is supposed to do something (say, have users log in, upload photos, vote on a poll, cut and crop uploaded photos) then say that in your post. Most of what you're asking for has been asked for before, so many providers know what you're looking for immediately.

After typing in your project, you'll need to choose a budget and some categories (at most sites). This is often pretty simple -- for your budget, just be honest. Programmers and designers might start off bidding within your budget, but they're going to ignore it just as quickly to start competing with each other. Be honest about your budget and let them work it out between themselves. For your categories, just choose up to five (5) that most closely fit what you said you wanted in your post. If you wanted just a website header, then choose things like "logo" and "graphic design". If what you're looking for is some marketing help, then choose those categories. Whatever categories you choose, every provider in the system for that category will be emailed a notice that your project is live, so choose carefully! (Perhaps that's why they make you choose only five.)

NOTE: A website that has any sort of interactivity (logins, uploading/downloading, search, ability for you to change content) is probably a "coder" type job. That means the provider you're looking for -- while possibly being able to design brilliant websites -- must also know how to code. The language that they code it (PHP, ASP, et al) is rarely very important unless your web server (your host) requires it. Most applications (coding) these days is done in PHP/MySQL. If you're not sure, post your project to the coders and let them figure it out. Most coders do design, while most designers don't do code.

ANOTHER NOTE: A website that has any nifty animation, or slick moving things with music and special effects is probably done in Flash. Make sure you choose the 'Flash' category if your idea sounds too nifty to be true. Featuring and making projects "Urgent" is up to you. Rarely are they necessary, but are often useful if you are posting on a very busy site, want to draw attention to your project, or are truly in that much of a rush. Mostly, "Featured" means that your programmer won't be paying commission on the final project bid, so they'll lower than they'll usually go on said project. If you have a high-budget project, "Featured" is usually the way to go. "Urgent", is a great way to get last-minute bids, and "Private" is simply a way to keep your bids hidden -- if you don't want programmers competing amongst each other for your work. This can be helpful if you feel that providers are bidding too high on a very easy project. Otherwise, save your money to pay your programmer or web designer and hit "POST" on that project.

STEP THREE: Sorting out the bids.

Your project will almost ALWAYS draw a lot of bids. It's up to you to cut through the bidding wars and find the best provider for your work. A few things to look for are feedback ratings left by other clients, or project buyers like yourself. It's important to read through these and get a feel for who the provider is. If the provider doesn't have any feedback (which is sometimes the case), then try looking at profiles. Follow the links to the providers portfolio and personal websites. Try to get a feel for them and for what they do. Out of 10-20 bids, it's usually pretty easy to find 2-5 that appeal to you. Sometimes, the person with the highest feedback (rating) isn't the way to go. I have had many great projects done myself by providers with little or no feedback, and often they are willing to go lower than others to establish themselves on the site. For this, don't simply rely on the bid postings -- use the project message board to ask questions. Find the right person by looking for easy tip-offs, like:

*Good communication. I they don't make sense now, they'll make much less sense later, believe me.

*A good portfolio. Use your common sense and best judgment. The work may be incredible, but is it theirs? Also, is it the kind of work you need done?

*Someone who clearly understands what you need to do. Usually someone who is clear on the project will be able to tell you what YOU want in the first message or two, and will do this just to make sure that THEY understand.

Don't answer programmers that try to get you off of the site or talk directly by phone, MSN, or otherwise. This is a problem because it strips you of the protection that the site itself offers. Stay 'tuned in' to the site, because once you're off, you're on your own again. If you communicate and manage through the site, it's much easier for their support to come in and handle problems if you need them to.

When you're sure you've found the right person, it's time to close the auction. If you make a mistake, don't worry yet. These websites can help you un-do a mistake and pick another provider (find one with great support, as mentioned), reverse an escrow payment (we'll discuss what that is in the next step), or even un-write feedback. It's a fairly forgiving system if you use it correctly. Besides, the programmer has to be notified that they won the project AND decide to accept the project in the system before starting work, so don't sweat it. Yet.

STEP FOUR: Escrow payment and start work.

Now is a good time to pull out the old checkbook. Or, in this case, PayPal. Most sites work through PayPal (if you aren't signed up, you should be -- it's free and it's very common to use on websites for payments). Unless you have much more work you need finished, you'll only need to deposit the amount of money you chose for the bid. Usually, you can do this through an account panel at the site. You'll start at the panel, leave for PayPal, add funds of some sort, and then return. By the time you get back, your deposit should be visible in your account area at the site you're at. Now find the "Escrow" button and send it to your provider.

What's Escrow, you ask? And why?

Escrow -- very much like the real-life escrow system -- is a method of payment that both secures your money at the site as well as the payment for the programmer or designer. With the escrow system, you can pay to start the work *without* actually paying any money "up front". This also tells the provider that you actually have the money to pay them. All in a manner that doesn't quite pay them and doesn' quite part you with your money just yet. With the escrow system (at the three sites above that I mentioned), this usually means that only YOU can complete it, and only THEY (the programmer, or designer, or writer) can cancel it. What that means is that power is evenly distributed --

NO ONE wants money just left in limbo. Generally, the site's support staff will be there to clear up any disputes, so they will step in and cancel an escrow when a provider won't, or can't. However rare dispute cases are, escrow is the safest way for everyone involved (much, much safer than you paying for work "up front", or your designer starting to work on a "promise"! Use the site's escrow system whenever possible -- a good programmer or designer will even *demand* it. Be wary of those that don't.

By this point, the provider has probably already emailed you, or communication has started. This is a good time to clear up any last-minute details and to give them any materials they might need to get started. Usually, you'll give them FTP and web server information from your host, existing logos or web copy, or anything else they need. While it is very common for clients to create separate FTP accounts for programmers and designers when starting work, it is also very common to trust them with this info. Use your best judgment, and always take the route that is safest for you or your business. Make a backup before you start, or only allow access to what they need. In the end, most providers can, in fact, be trusted with what is often very sensitive information, as commonly as a valet is handed the keys to a prized automobile.

Many times, it is also common to speak with providers as they work through Yahoo, Skype, MSN, or ICQ. Staying connected and in good communication is easily 90% of most projects going the way that they should. Remember, you shouldn't disappear for days at a time any more than they should -- they're often relying on you to be there when they're done so they can move on to the next project. Stay in communication and expect the same from them. If you don't (for whatever reason) hear from your programmer or designer (or writer) for more than three times what you expected (three days, when you only expected not to hear back for one) -- then it may be time to talk to the site for support. Many times, the site will track them down for you and work out the problem with ease. If not, they can always help you choose another programmer and get you started again.

STEP FIVE: Work is completed and they're asking for money / escrow. Now what?

It is important to check the work they give you. If you've been talking to them throughout, then you probably already know if you're happy with the work or not. Just remember – if it's a programming project, have them install it for you and make sure it runs. If it's a writing project, proofread it. If it's design, then be certain that you have all the elements you need for later, including FONTS, PSDs, Illustrator documents (if needed), FLASH FLA files, and anything else that might have been used to make the project. Get EVERYTHING, whether you think you'll be needing it or not.

Once you're settled and approve of the final outcome, it's time to pay up. Often, this is as simple as releasing the escrow at the site you're working on. Sometimes, you loved your provider so much that you offered a bonus for great (and fast) work. Maybe you're even having them over for dinner. Just know that it's time to pay the piper and let everyone in the community know how the project went by leaving feedback. Your provider will probably want this to happen right away, because as you may not use the site again for several weeks, months, or more -- they're going to be right back at the auction pool within a day of finishing your project.

Feedback, while consisting typically of ranges from 1-10 (10 being the greatest and 1 being the 'worst' of experiences), is most often left at the lowest and the highest range. It is very rare to leave an "average" rating (very much like ebay, or other auction sites). Just say that if a job was well done, it deserves a '10'. If it was horrible, it deserves a '1'. If it was so-so, it deserves a '10'. Maybe an '8'. Use your best judgment, but don't bicker too much over an above-average rating. If everything goes as planned, your provider will be leaving you a '10', and probably expects you to do the same. I once made the mistake of giving a decent programmer a '7' rating out of honesty, and it didn't go to well. Just remember that the ratings are usually graded on a steep, steep curve, as usually with most sites.

That's it! By this point, I hope that you've managed to build that site you've been wondering about and dreaming up, and I hope it all works like it should. You can always go back and hire more talent for more projects in the future -- just remember the process and learn as you go. But be careful -- for some clients (like me) it has become very easy to "decide" when I need freelance work. Some might call it an 'addiction'! There's something quite addictive about envisioning a project and seeing it done by a professional right before your eyes. You can even work on four, five, or more projects at a time, giving you space to dream about even more websites and ideas (at least it's what I do). 

Enjoy yourself, and good luck on that new website you're building. Meanwhile, I've got a few to finish myself...
-web freelance jobs | freelance career- 

freelancer's toolset : The essential toolset for freelancers which help to make their freelance career easier.

There are more than 100 tools which helps freelance career easier. I have already give you some famous tools before. Here is the list of around 90 tools. I think it will help you to perform well while freelancing and it will help you to get some web freelance jobs. Here I am classifying the tools into different categories which will help you to realize the purpose of the tools more easily.

Organization - organize your work-

If you’re busy with lots of client work, it’s easy for things to get out of hand. Don’t let your work get away from you; organize information and projects with these tools.

backpackit.com : Get your projects organized by using Backpack. Create to-do lists, notes, files, images and a calendar with reminders that can be sent via email or to your mobile device.

centraldesktop.com: Collaborate, communicate and share files with clients and co-workers using Central Desktop.

Viapoint: Viapoint makes it easy for freelancers to store emails and files by client or project.

Stikkit: Use Stikkit’s “little yellow notes that think” to keep in touch, plan and collaborate with clients and coworkers.

Webnote: Webnote users can take notes using a web browser, then save and return to the notes on any computer. This is especially helpful if you’re working on-site with a client and have to use a computer other than your own.

Netvibes: Spend less time searching and more time working by customizing your browser’s start page with email, feeds, messaging, job boards and much, much more.

Calendars & To-Do Lists

Client meetings, important events and a never-ending list of things to do can wear you down if you can’t make them manageable. Use these handy calendars and to-do lists to keep your schedule from taking over your business.

Remember The Milk: Remember The Milk reminds you to take care of important tasks, so you’ll never forget when a project is due.

CalendarHub: Use CalendarHub’s web-based calendar to keep track of deadlines and set goals for your business.

Google Calendar: Google Calendar is a web based tool that allows users to organize their schedule, so you’ll always know exactly what you need to be working on.

Planzo: Planzo’s online calendar keeps freelancers connected to events and things to do. It lets you share your events just about anywhere, get a daily digest and receive text message reminders.

Spongecell: Spongecell is an online calendar made for freelancers with lots of meetings and engagements. Plan events, spread the word and allow guests to add content to your calendar.

Neptune: Neptune’s web based to do list tool helps you keep track of the things you need to take care of every day. It lets you email yourself new tasks, get an email report every morning and upload files to store with your projects.

Ta-da List: When you’re busy with lots of projects, it can be hard to keep track of what you’ve accomplished. Make web-based ta-da lists for yourself or other people, then share them and check items off as you go.

Your Money

Money is what keeps your freelance business going, but managing it can be tedious and time consuming. Sure, it’s fun to see money come in, but does anyone really like sending out invoices? Use these tools to make the process of managing your income easier and more enjoyable.

Wesabe: Use Wesabe to keep tabs on where the money in your business goes, helping you to make better financial decisions.

InstaCalc: InstaCalc is a web based calculator with lots of bells and whistles including spreadsheet capabilities, unit conversions and programming commands. It’s great for freelancers because you can send clients links to any of your calculations, put a calculator on your website or create charts and graphs from your calculations.

XE: If you’re working with an overseas client, you may need to handle foreign currencies. Use XE’s currency converter for accurate calculations with up-to-the-minute currency rates.

Dimewise: Use Dimewise’s web-based convenience to manage your business transactions wherever you are.

FreshBooks: FreshBooks offers a program for “painless billing,” so you’ll never have to spend hours sending client invoices out. Designed with service-based businesses in mind, this software provides a method to manage and send invoices, handle work orders and generate reports with ease.

Storage


Do you have too many client files clogging up your hard drive? Use these services to take a load off.
openonmy: openonmy’s website offers storage for files up to 1GB. These files are made to be accessible from any computer, so you can open them up even when on-site with a client.

Xdrive: Xdrive offers 5GB of online storage. Use their service to share files with your clients and coworkers.

YouSendIt: Have you ever had to clean out your inbox just so you’d have room to send out an email? YouSendIt puts and end to that trouble by sending files up to 2GB to your clients.

Flickr: Save space on your hard drive by uploading your photos to Flickr. It’s a great way to store, share and organize photos for your business.

Box: Create an online file-sharing location for you and your clients on Box.

MediaTemple: Keep your important client files safe on MediaTemple’s servers. They offer innovative hosting solutions for all kinds of websites.

DivShare: Use DivShare’s file hosting service to email files to clients or store them in a folder for shared access later.


Project Management & Productivity

Do you wonder where all of your time goes? Do your clients want frequent status updates? Keep tabs on your time and projects with these tools.

Harvest: Harvest offers web-based time tracking software with simplicity. Track your progress and inform your clients using Harvest’s reports.

Side Job Track: Side Job Track, designed with freelancers in mind, provides software that lets you track and manage project information. Features include job tracking, invoicing and reporting.

Basecamp: Basecamp offers a way to improve project communication. Use it to keep your teammates and clients informed about what’s going on with your projects.

ConceptShare: ConceptShare provides online design collaboration. Invite clients and coworkers to view your design and make comments on your work.

ProjectStat.us: Instead of fielding constant calls about the status of a project, let your customers view the status of their project online with ProjectStat.us.

Writing & Design Tools


Being creative can get expensive. Purchasing icons, stock photos, book publishing and the like can add up fast and eat into your profit margin. Check out these free and inexpensive tools designed to make the lives of freelance writers and designers cheaper and easier.

Writeboard: Have you ever had a client or coworker revise a document and end up wiping out your work? Use Writeboard to share and collaborate while saving separate versions each step of the way.
Lulu: Lulu gives fledgling writers an easy way to get published. Each product is printed as it’s ordered, so you don’t have to build an expensive inventory.
MailBuild: Built for web designers, MailBuild allows users to set up a template for client email campaigns.
MyFonts: Do you want to see how fonts will look on your design before committing to a purchase? MyFonts provides a source for trying out and buying new fonts.
IconBuffet: Find and trade stock icons for your web designs on IconBuffet.
stock.xchng: Add photos to your writing or web design at low or no cost. stock.xchng provides tons of stock photos, many of them royalty-free.

Google Docs & Spreadsheets: Don’t bother spending hard-earned money for the latest version of MS Word. Create, upload, share and edit word and spreadsheet documents online using Google Docs & Spreadsheets.

MorgueFile: MorgueFile’s high resolution photos are has-beens in the stock photography world, but that doesn’t mean they won’t do a great job spicing up your work.

Security & Privacy

Don’t let your work get stolen or compromised. Can you imagine how your business would suffer if you lost files due to a virus? Or worse, if the financial information of your clients got exposed to spyware? These services help you stay safe and secure.

SpamSieve: Fighting spam takes time away from your business and opens your system up to intruders. Use SpamSieve to keep spam out of your Mac email client.

Escrow: Don’t get burned by clients that make fraudulent payments. Use Escrow to protect yourself and your clients from payment fraud.

Cloudmark Desktop: Cloudmark protects your Outlook inbox from spam, phishing and viruses, so you’ll never have to worry about compromising business files when reading your email.

PayPal: Give your clients a way to pay without sharing their financial information by using PayPal.

Moneybookers: Open your business to the worldwide market safely. Use Moneybookers for secure worldwide payment and acceptance.
Spamato: Keep your business email secure by using Spamato with Outlook, Thunderbird or Mozilla Mail.
Spybot Search & Destroy: Make sure your confidential client information is safe from prying eyes by scanning for spyware with Spybot Search & Destroy.
AVG Anti-Virus Free Edition: Protect your business files with a good antivirus program. AVG Anti-Virus offers a free solution for protecting your computer from viruses.

Mobility & Contact

When running a business, it’s essential that you’re able to keep in contact with clients, vendors, coworkers and other important acquaintances. Use these tools to communicate with ease.

 

Campfire: Campfire is a web-based chat tool that’s ideal for online meetings with clients or coworkers.

Meebo: Don’t miss out on a client just because you don’t use the same instant messaging tool. Get access to every major messaging service on Meebo’s website without having to download anything.

FaxZERO: Online communication is popular, but sometimes you just have to send a fax. But who wants to invest in a fax machine and phone line for something that happens only on a rare occasion? Instead, use FaxZERO to send a fax anywhere in the US or Canada for free.

eBuddy: Don’t miss out on important messages while you’re away from your base of operations. Log on to eBuddy to sign on to online messengers using your mobile device.

K7: FaxZERO lets you send out a fax for free online, but what if a client wants to fax something to you? Enlist the help of K7, a service that assigns users a phone number that accepts fax and voicemail messages, which are then sent to your email.

GoToMeeting: Use GoToMeeting to keep in touch with clients and coworkers via online meetings.

LogMeIn: Don’t let your business suffer because you can’t take your computer on the road. Use LogMeIn to get access to your computer’s desktop anywhere.

Marketing & Networking

You provide a great service and offer awesome rates, so why isn’t the world knocking down your door with business? Perhaps it’s because they have no idea you exist. Get your name out there and find new clients with these tools.

LinkedIn: LinkedIn offers online networking at its best. Find opportunities and contacts based on your work and the people you already know.

askCHARITY: Take advantage of askCHARITY’s database of key media contacts to get the word out about your business.

Craigslist: Craigslist is an invaluable tool for any freelancer. Find clients, sell your work, buy supplies, network and more using Craigslist.

Coroflot: Use Coroflot to post an online portfolio and find design jobs.

ProfessionalOnTheWeb: ProfessionalOnTheWeb hosts a directory of portfolios. Make sure yours is there when clients search for help.

Elance: Use Elance to get connected with clients that need your services on a project.

37signals Gig Board: Use the 37signals Gig Board to find freelance jobs in programming, design and more.

WebProJobs: Find full-time and freelance web professional jobs on WebProJobs.

Job Pile: Job Pile aggregates popular freelance job boards, so you can spend time working instead of searching.

YouTube: Use YouTube’s viral video to get the word out about your creativity.

CafePress: CafePress offers on-demand printing for promotional items as well as a place to sell your design.

Spot Runner: Use Spot Runner to build a TV advertising campaign.

Business & Legal

Paperwork isn’t always fun, but it is necessary. Forms and agreements can provide legal protection and help you avoid disputes down the road. Check out these tools that help you protect yourself and spend less time on the boring stuff.

MyNewCompany: Get legal and tax protection for your freelance business by making things official. Use MyNewCompany to incorporate or form an LLC online.

Help Me Work: Get the stability of corporate life while still working as an independent consultant. Help Me Work takes care of taxes, client billing, paychecks, benefits, retirement plans and more.

Designers Toolbox: Get set up with all the legal forms your design business may need with Designers Toolbox.

Creative Commons: Use Creative Commons to specify how much or how little legal restrictions you want your work to carry.

AIGA: Protect your business with AIGA’s standard form of agreement for design services.

Nolo: If you’ve got a legal question about your business, head to Nolo. Experts there offer legal advice for independent contractors and consultants.

Creative Public: Head to Creative Public for forms, contracts, pricing guides and more for your design business.

Client Contact & Feedback

Your clients are what keep you in business, so it’s important to check in with them and make sure they’re satisfied. Use these programs to keep in touch with your clients and find out what they have to say about your work.

Breeze: Send out email campaigns to your clients with Breeze’s easy tool.

Wufoo: Use Woofoo to make forms, surveys and invitations for your customers with ease.

Relenta CRM: Keep track of customer relationships using email, contact, document and activity management with Relenta.

Highrise: Don’t lose track of your customers: keep in touch with Highrise’s online contact management system.

ScratchnScribble: Use ScratchnScribble’s service to have handwritten or printed greeting cards sent to your clients.

Website Tools

Clients are looking for your business online. Will you be there? Check out these applications to make sure your business has an excellent online presence.

Big Cartel: Set up an online store to sell your products using Big Cartel’s service.

WordPress: Blog about your business and industry with WordPress.

Inblogit: If you’re a design professional, your blog should be attractive. Use Inblogit for blog functionality with more flexbility in design.

Icebrrg: Create web forms with Icebrrg so that your website can generate customer inquiry and feedback.

XHTMLized: If you’re too busy to build a website yourself, use XHTMLized. They take your design and turn it into a web page that is browser and search engine friendly.

XHTMLiT: XHTMLit offers freelancers another time-saving solution for converting design into HTML.

Userplane: Make your website interactive for your clients by bundling chat, messaging, video, search and live presence with Userplane.

Ning: Let your clients network with each other by creating your own Ning social network.

ExpressionEngine: Impress your customers by having a website with lots of features. Use ExpressionEngine to publish just about anything on your website.

FlashDen: Build a great-looking website that your clients will want to visit. Buy Flash, audio, video and fonts to make your website look good at FlashDen.

Printing & Packaging

When your products look good, your business does too. Presentation makes a difference, so be sure to make a good impression by using these innovative printing and packaging tools.

Jewelboxing: Impress your customers with Jewelboxing’s customized, professional-grade DVD and CD packages.

Qoop: Qoop prints everything freelancers might need: business cards, apparel, promotional items, posters and more.

Moo: Moo prints note cards and mini cards from your photos and design. These can be used for promotional materials or business cards.

Tools to Give & Take

These tools pack a double-whammy of functionality. Use them to get the resources you need or as an alternative revenue stream.

Google AdWords: Use Google AdWords to advertise your business or make money by putting AdWords on your website.

Prosper: Using Prosper’s people-to-people lending website, you can borrow money for business expenses from real people. If you have extra cash, use Prosper to earn interest by lending to others.

Text Link Ads: Generate interest in your website and attract clients with Text Link Ads or earn money by selling space for others on your site.

PayPerPost: Use PayPerPost to have a blogger write about your product or service. Alternately, you can earn money by writing about someone else’s business.

Guruza: Find answers to your business questions or earn money by giving expert advice on Guruza.

Miscellaneous

From office suites to creative stimulation, these tools have a lot to offer for freelancers. Check out these applications that cover anything and everything else you might need for your business.

Zoho: Zoho’s Office Suite includes a variety of software solutions for freelancers: a word processor, spreadsheet, presentation tool, wiki writer, notebook, project management, CRM solution, database creator, calendar, web conferencing, email and chat.

Veetro: Veetro offers another all-in-one solution that specializes in the tools freelancers need the most. This program combines money, document, task and customer management with email marketing, reporting and blog publishing.

Work: Are you clueless about what it takes to run a business in your industry? Work offers guides that show you how.

Pandora: Get your creative juices flowing with Pandora’s fully customizable internet radio.

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9 Useful Tips for Freelance Designers

1. Select an appropriate work rate that you will charge. In fact you should have more than one rate depending on the work. Being a freelancer does not mean that you have to charge less than everyone else. Take some time to select the most suitable rate that you will charge; you will need an hourly rate, and a project rate. When deciding on how much you are going to charge you should make sure that you take into account your particular niche of freelancing, the market demand, your own skills, your overheads, how much profit you expect, and how much your client will be willing to pay.

2. Make sure that you get the most from the internet. Even though the majority of freelancers are web-workers nowadays they still fail to take full advantage of the web. It is possible to really bootstrap your freelance career by promoting it through a blog or website. The web also provided plenty of free software that can help with all areas of your business such as; idea generation, managing your budget, and invoicing customers.

3. Build the best network that you can. In the beginning, as well as throughout your career, it is important to have a network of people who will send referrals your way. There are many opportunities for networking both online and offline and these can help send work your way as you build up your reputation. It is important that you use every possible avenue for networking including online resources like Linkedin and Facebook.

4. Make sure that your work environment is optimal as possible. Being a freelancer doesn’t mean that you have to work alone at home. It also doesn’t mean that you need to go work in an office. Many cities are now seeing the arrival of co-working spaces. The advantages with these types of places is that they don’t need to be alone all the time, and it is also cheaper than getting an office.

5. Make sure that you put by an emergency fund. Having an emergency fund will take some of the pressure off and allow you to just concentrate on being creative. Life is not fun when you have no food on the table, and having an emergency fund will allow you to be choosier about clients.

6. Consider outsourcing your work. If you find that your freelance business is really taking off then you might that you need to turn down work. You don’t really need to do this though. What you could do is outsource the work to other reliable freelancers and manage these people remotely. Outsourcing can really be a great decision because it will allow your business to grow and it means not turning down work.

7. Make sure that you keep an eye on your progress. If you want to be really successful as a freelancer you need to be able to track not only the financial parts of your business but also your own performance and attitudes. Once you have determined how your hourly work rate relates to your speed at completing projects you will be able to able to judge your own efficiency. You need to be regularly thinking of ways to improve efficiency so that you can then increase the amount of money you make. You need to be careful though, because improving your work rate should not mean a reduction in the quality of your work.

8. Expand your freelance services. When you reach a stage where you are happy with your work efficiency you should then consider broadening your freelance services. Almost everyone will be able to offer other content as well as what they are currently providing. These could be things like podcasts, slideshows, screencasts, or diagrams. If you don’t feel up to this extra work now then you should at least make plans to offer them within a year or so.

9. Break down large projects into smaller units. Many freelancers can become a bit daunted by the idea of taking on a big project; many freelancers try to avoid these as much as possible. If you are taking on a big project then it will come with a bit more responsibility and might feel like a lot to take on. The trick is to break it all down into small jobs and tackle each job as you go along; this will make it all seem less overwhelming. If you need to you can also outsources some of the work to other appropriate freelancers.

Finally, remember that bad times come and go. The ebb and flow nature is freelancing is part of the package. To be successful you are going to need to accept this. The best way is to do the best you can, plan well, and don’t worry too much about those things that are out of your control.

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Freelance Career For Fresh Graduates

Recession has increased the unemployment rate across the world, in this scenario one of the possible options for fresh graduates is to go freelance. In a freelance world, you do not have any boss – you will not be required to wear any uniform (or anything for that matter), you have a schedule fully customizable and you get to work at the comforts of your home if you want to.

All of these are enjoyed with a relatively satisfying salary. While some treats this as a part-time job, a fresh graduate could make this a full time gig. But just like most industries, being a freelance is difficult during recession. The good news is that freelance is still a better option for some companies.

For example, instead of hiring a full time website developer which requires full benefits and consistent salary, they can just talk a web developer, demand a deadline and monitor the progress for a quality work.

After the project is done, the relationship ends. It is certainly better financially and in terms of quality since you can always askfor more or a lot better as long as you provide the right payment.

If you are considering becoming a freelance professional, here are the three things you should consider: a niche, multiple streams of income and character.

Considering a Niche


Everyone is special in something and that something could help you earn as a freelance. There are thousands maybe millions of freelance professionals today and they are expert in something. A niche is something different about you – something that could be immediately identified as your expertise.

This expertise is rarely seen in other freelances. This should be your focus. Think of something different that you could be an expert on. It does not even matter if it is relevantfor now. Give it time and soon you’ll find a client and start a client base.

Multiple Streams of Income

One of the many reasons why many freelancers are having trouble dealing with this simple yet challenging career is that they base their work on a single stream of income. A freelancer should never do this.

Remember that you can have a job right now but could be completely out the next day. For that reason, you need to have different sources of income. For example, you could be a freelance web developer while writing tips on web development online.

Time Management

The most challenging part on being a freelance is on how to build clients. But the secret in gathering clients is all about character. You need to show to your clients who you are and how you can do a project. Everyone values deadline and if you are consistent in this field, you will surely have happy and returning clients. It is always important that you value time above everything else since you cannot control your time easily. You can easily procrastinate in this career and end up losing a lot of clients.

If you are considering freelance work, take note of the things above. It’s simple to  understand, difficult to execute but could lead to financial stability even at the comforts of your home.

Popular Freelance Websites


* RentACoder.com
* GetAFreelancer.com
* Scriptlance.com
* Elance.com

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