Freelancing as a Career

Freelancing is similar to any other classic labor. The only difference is mobility and time flexibility- meaning that you can operate from any place in any given time.

Who is a freelancer?

A freelancer or freelance worker is a person who pursues a profession without a long-term commitment to any one employer. In other words, a freelancer is a self-employed person working on a contract for variety of businesses, offering services and often to multiple clients at a time, as opposed to working as an employee for a single company. Freelancers have the freedom to pick and choose their projects and companies they would like to be associated with.

Categories of freelance

There are several jobs you could do as a freelancer. Here are some but few;

• Marketing, such as digital marketing, social media marketing, copy writing, publicity, etc.
• Writing, such as articles, blog posts, etc.
• Programming and Tech, such as web programming mobile apps and web, database etc.
• Creative works such as graphic design, mobile and web designs, social designs, etc.
• Financial support, such as bookkeeping.
• Music and audio
• Video and animation
• Fun and lifestyle

As a freelancer you need to know that all jobs require you to write a competitive proposal to bid on freelance jobs. The process of bidding is very competitive, and the best bid does not always land you the job. As you strive to put your best foot forward, so do other freelancers who compete for the same job. With all conditions being equal and objective, the best bidder may win. Usually the writer with the most enticing bid proposal wins.

What is bid proposal?

Bidding is the most important part of freelancing. A bid proposal is a summary of why you are qualified to undertake a job. It must be precise and short. Your bid proposal allows you to state what your qualifications are and how your background would allow you to perform the specific job with excellence, accuracy, and on deadline. Bid for quality not quantities.

Your qualifications may include:

1. Skills
2. Education
3. Past projects
4. Experience
5. Results

Bidding is not about the price alone. Price comes last. The purpose of the bid is to provide the interested party (client) with the best possible option (contractor) for the requirements of the project.

How the bidding process works

Once you have posted a new proposal, the job site immediately notifies the buyer. The buyer has the choice to select the contractor based on qualifications, experience, price, and other individual factors.

Before you formulate a competitive bid proposal, realize that buyers will evaluate you based on criteria such as relevant skills, performance rating, and completion rate. You will have an eye on the job, and the buyer’s eyes will also be on you.

How to present your bid

A successful bid proposal persuades the buyer to award the job to you. Although you have little to no control over whom the buyer chooses, you have complete control over how you write and present your bid.

So, if you’d like to present it right, here are some tips on how to write a competitive bid proposal:

1. Don’t bid on every project

There are lots and thousands of freelance jobs out there. You don’t have to exhaust yourself by bidding on every single project. Obviously, you can only bid on a small fraction of jobs. You can always expect more promising jobs to come your way.

2. Always go through the job descriptions beforehand.

Included in the project details, the buyer specifies exactly what the project includes and what he expects the freelancer to accomplish. While bidding, ensure you add summaries of each of your previous jobs with screenshots or show your screens for scrutiny during video calls.

3. Avoid scripted proposals

Scripted bid proposals sound too mechanical. When your bid looks and sounds the same as all the other bids, you sound like you’re only interested in winning the project itself and not meeting your buyer’s standards and expectations.

Hint: Don’t attach your resume or CV while bidding for proposals.

4. Try not to underbid your fellow freelancers

It’s reasonable to place a bid higher or lower than the competition, but it’s unreasonable to bid way too high or way too low. Put simply, the latter tilts the balance in your favor, more often than not at the expense of quality. Capitalize on your strengths and credentials. In the long run, this practice encourages healthy competition and preserves the reputation of freelancers as professionals.

5. Take a glance on your buyer’s history

Try to review your buyer’s request. You don’t know whether your buyer may as well be doing same thing on you as a bidder.

6. Don’t forget to review your bid

Haste makes waste, so don’t rush into prematurely posting your bid. As a final check, avoid misspelled names and typographical errors. Let others help to review your proposals.

7. Avoid taking a rejection personally

Without lowering your expectations, prepare yourself for either an acceptance or a rejection. Either way, the bottom line is that you know you’ve prepared and submitted a bid as best as you can.

What a buyer looks for in a bid

Firstly, place yourself in the buyer’s perspective. Why would you want to be hired for a project? A competent buyer looks for these in a bidder’s proposal:

1. The buyer wants you to address his needs and his project immediately. He wants to know that you have the experience to complete his project.
2. Secondly, the buyer wants to know what experience you bring to his project.
3. Thirdly, the buyer wants to know if you’ve worked on similar projects, and any positive results that you’ve achieved for other clients.
4. Finally, and important in most cases, what is your fee, and how do you justify the amount you are bidding?
5. Mostly all buyers look out for these few things in the your profile:

• Past projects you have worked on
• Positive and negative feedback
• Ratings from previous buyers
• Project completion rate
• Skill set
• Sample of past projects in your portfolio

What makes a bid proposal attractive

1. Always address the buyer by name or username as a salutation.
2. Don’t make your response formal, make it as personal as possible.
3. Talk to them with respect but as if he’s your colleague, but don’t be too polite.
4. Never write in ALL UPPERCASE.
5. Use proper English. Capitalize all sentences. Use correct punctuation. Write in complete sentences.
6. Take note of what you say with each client needs. Get their requirements, get a solution and document it.
7. Address the buyer’s needs. Tell the buyer you can get the results that he seeks.
8. If the buyer is paying you such and such amount, what does he get in return?

Key points you need to consider when freelancing

1. Respond to messages fast, reply in minutes not seconds.
2. Once in a video call with a client, try as much as possible to be polite, be casual and friendly.
3. Be in time for each schedule meeting with a client. Don’t be late to calls!
4. Don’t give your clients a low quality service because there’s no much money to be gained.
5. Make sure you deliver your project before deadline to get good ratings.
6. Come up with solid proposals and make them look professional. Present templates.
7. Don’t estimate project price roughly but calculate based on time and delivery.
8. When you deliver projects, try as much as possible to present all packages. For example, source codes, designs etc.
9. Be sincere and professional about your job. Make sure to show samples of work before the next chat with your client.

Increase your ratio of success

Also understand the importance of following:

1. Communication between you and your client
2. Your profile
3. Your ratings and reviews
4. The strength of past jobs
5. The reliability and dependability in quick delivery
6. The outcome of being online always. The faster you reply the more you keep your client!
7. Do not hesitate to communicate with your client in case of unforeseen circumstances
8. The success in proper planning

To be successful, you can’t do it alone. Make sure to get mentors, work with professionals and work with companies and businesses that offer great services and products, give you access to opportunities, technologies etc

Thanks to Mark Essien, CEO of hotels.ng for the enlightenment on this wonderful career — freelancing.