Freelance 101: Chronicles for the Self-Employed

by Leanne Rollins, Membership Manager

Networking is the key to freelancing

Up until a few months ago, I held a very traditional view of networking. To envision how I viewed networking, think of a room full of potential job seekers, who are striking up stilted conversations with anyone in earshot hoping to reach that one person who might put them in touch with an opportunity. It’s enough to make me shudder.

The bad news is that this form of networking actually takes place. Worse still, there are many people out there who seem to feel that this is the best way to seek out work. But I have realized that networking takes many forms, most of which are more natural and more successful than the scene described above.

Creating your circle of friends

You know those ugly little stone ‘circle of friends’ thingamajigs that were in vogue a decade ago? I think of that little circle when I think of my own network. A network is simply a broad range of people, placed in a metaphorical ring all around one person. What makes your own circle significant is that these people in your network know you, and more importantly, they know what you do.

When you are looking for a full-time job, your circle is important and can land you that one great opportunity at the perfect time. When you freelance, your circle is CRUCIAL and you can NEVER stop building and refreshing your network.

Building your network

So how do you build a network? Everyone networks differently, but here are a few of my methods:

1. Make a list of past co-workers that would recommend your work, and then try to find those co-workers today.
   If you haven’t tried Linked In, you should: (https://www.linkedin.com) This web-based tool can help you track down past friends and peers on an international scale. Okay, so I first used this site to locate an ex-boyfriend, but I quickly realized that the site is also an invaluable business tool. Not only can you search by name, but you can also search by employer. Most people have listed all previous employers, as well as their current one, so it’s easy to track people down if they’re in the database. Once you find those co-workers, make every effort to initiate a lunch or a coffee, and then stay in touch. You never know when one of your former associates will turn out to be VP of some startup who needs a writer.
2. Keep in touch with every manager you have ever reported to, whether you liked them or not.
   
   True story—I recently landed a contract with an ex-manager whom I didn’t particularly get along with as a full-time employee. However, since we both left the company, I made an effort to stay in touch and we have lunch together every couple of months. It turns out he is great at managing contractors and is now much more reasonable about dates and deadlines!
3. Tell everyone you meet what you do, and be specific.
   
   An acquaintance just bought a restaurant in town (Okay, it’s my cleaning lady). She’s been cleaning our house for five years, and she’s taken an interest in what I do since I started freelancing. She called me this week to ask if I could take on the job of wording her menu selections and designing the look and feel of her marketing collateral for the restaurant kickoff. Remember that commercial for a shampoo product in the 80’s that went ‘and she told two friends, and so on, and so on’? Oddly, it’s true—keep the explanation of what you do very simple and people will remember you when the time comes. Someone they know will mention a related task or a need, and suddenly your name will pop up.
4. Share clients with a real estate agent.
   
   Okay, this sounds a little odd, but think about it. Real estate agents, good ones that is, know EVERYONE. They have the most diverse client range, and they are constantly meeting new people, chatting them up, and solving their problems (not just related to housing either). Make sure your agent friend is well aware of your niche, and whenever a conversation involves technology or the like, your agent friend can possibly slide you into the conversation. The best part is that you can reciprocate this service for your agent. You likely know a number of people who plan to move in the future and who will need a good agent.
5. Be a joiner.
   
   This one is hard for me—I am absolutely not a joiner under any normal circumstance. However, in the interest of networking (and paying the bills), I bite the bullet and I actually show up in person for some things. Fortunately STC meetings are painless, and I learn a lot to boot. But, don’t just attend the meeting. Show up early, introduce yourself to others (yes, even those you don’t know), and stay afterward to chat because council members are always the last stragglers and you know they have pretty good contacts. If you find me at a meeting (good luck, I’m so short I get easily lost in the group), I’ll introduce you to everybody and we can be joiners together. Remember to bring your business cards!

Refreshing your network

Once you’ve connected with people, don’t let them forget you. You don’t need to pester; just send a gentle follow-up email, or even a snail-mail letter to thank contacts for their time (who doesn’t love getting letters?). I prefer the high-tech method of communicating, so I tend to rely on email follow-up and avoid the telephone whenever possible. I figure a follow-up email is non-threatening, and the person can read it on their own terms, which makes it seem less intrusive. Even if you’ve lost touch with people over the years, it’s never too late to reconnect. Natural curiosity will get a reply to most “Hi, how you have you been, want to have lunch” emails. Offer to pay for the lunch, and you’ll have an instant networking lunch date (and a tax write-off). I have lost count of the number of lunches that I’ve eaten since January that were mainly for the purpose of reconnecting. I average two lunch dates per week, although I have to reschedule often due to client demands.

My best advice is to think of your network as a reciprocal arrangement. You do for me; I do for you. There are lots of ways to do this, but a few simple ways I use are:

• Offering to provide a reference for those that I’ve worked with and feel confident about endorsing
• Forwarding jobs (especially unposted jobs) for full-time roles to contacts who might be considering a leap
• Sharing information about methods, templates, or particular resources that help me find contacts and clients

In my opinion, a broad network is key to successful freelancing. It’s definitely been an overwhelming factor in my early success—to date, all contracts I’ve landed (except one) can be directly attributed to individuals within my circle of friends. How cool is that?

I’d love some input about what you’d like to see here next month. How to estimate projects? How to handle tough clients? How to make sure you get paid? Email me at leanne@leannerollins.com and let me know of any special topics you’d like me to write about.

About Leanne Rollins

Leanne recently became a self-employed contractor, escaping management roles for the first time in years. This newfound freedom has allowed Leanne to take on extra-curricular activities such as a more active role in the STC. When not writing or playing with her kids, Leanne enjoys running and soccer.