Are you doing freelance work on the web? Freelancing is a profession for which some newcomers lack experience. Their business sense may fail them in freelance negotiations. Here are five brief tips for negotiating the right price for freelance work, from writing to web design.

1. Don’t undersell yourself. You need to find a rate (either hourly or by the type of work) that will fairly compensate your time. Valuable customers will pay a good price for good work.

2. Be honest about your experience. It is not smart to exaggerate your experience. Speak honestly about what work you have done and provide examples for the potential customer.  Read more…

Many people see opening an online business as a way to bridge the gap between take home pay and monthly expenditures. While most online business opportunities aren’t going to make the millions that many of the online ads infer, if worked properly, many of them can provide enough income to make the difference between deciding which bills to pay every month and having money to put away for retirement or vacations.

Freelance Writing

The market for freelance writers is expanding, with new sites and companies looking for content all the time. Writing topics range from the mundane “how to change a light switch?” to the more involved “How to upgrade a Mustang for more power and fuel economy?” The proliferation of writing sites alone means a writer is sure to find topics that they are qualified to write on. Editors also have plenty of opportunities to edit much of the content being publicly requested online.   Read more…

Outsourcing is a great way to save time and money in your business. There are different kinds of outsourcing, but the point is always to either keep costs as low as possible, or save time while still getting the job done right.

Why Should You Outsource?

By outsourcing work you are giving yourself one less thing to do. Whether you are running a small business by yourself, or you are managing a large company, making your to-do list smaller is important. There are always little things that someone else could handle and you should pass that work on.

Another great reason for outsourcing is if someone could do the work better and faster than you. For example, if you are setting up a website for your company but you don’t have any experience with designing sites or graphics, outsourcing the work is probably the best plan. Learning new skills like this is time-consuming and frustrating. Unless you plan to make the majority of your money this way, hire someone. The time and stress you save by paying someone to do things you aren’t familiar with is almost always well worth the money.  Read more…

Freelancers are often creative people. They may have chosen to freelance because of the opportunity it provided to use their creative talents.  Freelancing, though, is not only a creative outlet.  It also involves running a small business.  As owners of their own businesses, freelancers have to take care of  many administrative tasks.  While those tasks are seldom as enjoyable as the creative work itself, they have to be done in order to keep the business going.

Keeping good records is essential to the health of a freelance business.  Having good records saves time and helps prevent costly errors.

These are the most common record-keeping tasks that freelancers have to take care of:

Keeping track of submissions

Freelancers who send work out “on spec,” sending it to potential clients or customers and waiting to see if they will buy it, must keep good records so that they know where their submissions are at all times.  Read more…

The life of a freelance worker is a great way to relax, take a long lunch, or enjoy the outdoors while using wireless technology.  There are several advantages to freelancing, but the sedentary lifestyle starts to take a toll on your health.  Most people sit at home behind a computer and rarely move and get exercise.  These are some simple tips to maintain your health while enjoying the advantages of freelance work.

Exercise

Exercise is what many freelance enthusiasts lack.  With the amount of business, most freelance people sit behind their desk for hours without any type of exercise.  Join a gym to rectify the lack of exercise.  When you join a gym, you have a place to go to release stress.  Exercise releases endorphins, so you’re ready to tackle the hassles of the day.  Whether you workout in the day or at night, it’s a great way to keep in shape.  Read more…