KEYS TO BE A SUCCESSFUL FREELANCER

There are so many options for side income these days. In particular, platforms where third party vendors might offer a product or service that a potential customer will purchase from them. They type “freelance” into the search bar. Freelancers may agree to work on projects for a specific company for the same period of time and then, without warning, decline the work. Of course, the buyer has the same ease in saying farewell, but freedom is reciprocal. Of course, acting in such a way is unprofessional, and I have no idea who would do such a thing. However, the key point is that there are no contracts and nothing tying independent contractors to one business over another. Freelancers can (and frequently do) work for multiple businesses while managing their own websites concurrently, and their employers have no control over this. Freelancers can work however they like, as long as deadlines are met and quality is high. The personal banding should be one of your top priorities. By this, I mean that when you market your services, you’re really marketing yourself. Thus, your success, aptitude, and professionalism are reflected in how you come across online or off. Your individuality matters. Really big. People won’t buy what you’re selling if they don’t like you. While you might meet 15 people on a night out, you might meet 100 online. Asking and answering questions is the best approach to engage others in what you do. And while the touch may be shallower, you can still be much more focused. Therefore, I advise starting online, figuring out who is important to you, engaging with people on Twitter in advance of offline events, and using LinkedIn connections to set up coffee dates. In the realm of freelancing, customer reviews of your product or listing are another crucial factor. Most clients want to read user reviews before making a purchase decision because they are a proven sales driver. Here are some interesting statistics on user reviews, their benefits for SEO, the value of negative reviews, and how to use them on product pages and in navigation. The case for the importance of reviews for ecommerce has already been made so many times that it really isn’t necessary for me to make it again. Conversions are increased by user reviews. They can help with product selection or dispel any doubts potential buyers may have about a product. Reevoo statistics show that conversion rates might rise by 4.6% for products with 50 or more reviews. Customers are more inclined to make a purchase from a website that includes user evaluations, according to 63% of consumers. 2011’s iPerceptions. Visitors who engage with user-generated content on a site—both reviews and consumer questions and answers—are 105 percent more likely to make a purchase and spend 11% more money overall. (Conversation Index for Bazaarvoice, Q2 2011). According to a study of US internet users conducted by online video review site EXPO, consumer reviews are substantially more trusted (almost 12 times more) than manufacturer descriptions. February 2010 (eMarketer). The benefits of negative reviews heavily depend on the ratio of positive to negative ratings. Positive reviews are more credible because of the negative ones, but there is a point where they start to worry customers. For instance, if two of the fifteen evaluations on a product website are unfavorable, the remaining thirteen appear to be reliable. The situation changes if that ratio shifts. According to recent study from Lightspeed, between one and three unfavorable internet evaluations are sufficient to prevent the majority (67 percent) of consumers from making a purchase of a good or service. Age groups have different levels of tolerance for negative feedback. For instance, compared to just 10% of those between the ages of 18 and 24, 28% of people in the 45–54 age group and 33% of those between the ages of 55–64 would be discouraged after reading two negative evaluations. Additionally, it depends on the kind of goods being sold. A book, game, or movie will frequently cause disagreements, but reviews of electrical devices that point out defects are more likely to discourage consumers. Much is dependent on the context and how reviews are presented, which I’ll discuss further in another section of this essay. There are several ways to obtain reviews, but the following are the most popular: Utilize a third-party provider of reviews, like Reevoo or Bazaarvoice. After a purchase, email the customer. It’s a good idea to email a client to request a review after they’ve made a purchase, but the timing is crucial in this case. Request product page reviews. There are many product sites that haven’t received any evaluations from customers, perhaps because they are niche or recently published. Provide rewards for writing reviews. Offering an incentive to customers who have already made a purchase will encourage them to take the time to write a review. Your experience as a freelancer will be enhanced by each of these important characteristics. However, being clear on your expectations for this experience is the most crucial aspect of freelancing. You should consider your level of commitment to working as a freelancer, whether it be part-time or full-time. You won’t harbor any unreal hopes in this situation.