The “Secret” To Being A Great Freelancer
What is the one thing that all successful freelancers have going for them?
(Yes, there is an answer to this question, and no, it is not as complicated as you might think).
There are tons of freelancing courses that emphasize the importance of different things that freelancers “need” to be successful,
But, in my personal experience,
(And spurred by inspiration from Lizzie Davey’s email content, which I highly recommend you follow),
The secret sauce to building a successful long-term freelance business is to
✨Be a nice person✨
(Yes, I am aware this is beyond simple, but walk with me on this one, I have things to say)
A brief caveat
When I say “be a nice person” throughout the rest of this newsletter, I am not talking about:
Letting clients walk over your boundaries
Never saying no to avoid conflict
Prioritizing other’s needs and wants over your own
Doing anything you don’t want to do
Being nice does not mean you are a pushover — it just means you are nice to work with.
That’s it.
(Now, back to the good content!)
Being nice is the name of the game
In so many ways, being a successful freelancer involves going back to kindergarten rules.
(Yenno, be kind, be respectful, and be yourself — the classics, really)
But, despite the fact that we all (hopefully) know that being a nice person is a good thing,
When it comes to running our own businesses, there is so much toxic advice that can sometimes contradict these essential truths.
(Sorry #hustle kings, we don’t have time for your grindset garbage here!)
It is very tempting to assume that clients hire writers based on their skills and experience alone,
And because of this, freelancers regularly struggle with anxiety and imposter syndrome.
But, in my own experience, these things are so often not the only thing that makes a difference between being hired or being passed on,
(And arguably, aren’t going to be the things that make you stand out from other possible candidates, either)
Obviously, to be a great freelancer, you need to be able to do great work.
But, while your experience and portfolio might be what gets your foot in the door to landing a new client,
✨Being a nice person✨
(I.e., being responsive, being friendly and easy to talk to, and being open to feedback, etc.),
Is the essential key to maintaining long-term, successful relationships with your clients.
(And will be the secret to landing the occasional cheeky referral, too)
Legitimately,
(And I am being so serious when I say this)
The only reason why I have been able to grow my business as quickly and effectively as I have is because I am nice to work with.
(Literally, every single time I have received a referral, testimonial, or recommendation, it has mentioned that I am lovely to work with. Turns out, ✨being nice✨ really is the secret sauce to success!)
Running a business is hard — but it’s easier if you aren’t an asshole
So, let this be a reminder to you:
You don’t need the best website, to be the most qualified, or to have worked with famous clients to build a successful freelance business.
If you are able to do great work while being easy and friendly to work with,
(While maintaining your boundaries, of course)
Then you are well on your way to building a fruitful freelance business.
Being a freelancer is hard work — but one of the many perks of being your own boss is that you get to decide how you run your business.
(And that means you get to decide how you represent yourself and your brand — and I strongly recommend going for the “nice and lovely to work with” angle over the “scary corporate asshole” vibe every day of the week).
I hope this reminder helps you feel better as you put yourself out there to land new clients and advance your freelancing career.
You got this!
Until next week,