Starting your career as a freelancer can be a bit intimidating, but at Publicist, we’re here to help you make the change of a lifetime.
The future of work is freelance, and we want to connect quality talent to reputable clients to produce the best work in the communications industry. Whether you’re starting your first project, or you’ve been freelancing for a while, here are some tips when starting a new project on Publicist.
1. Have a strong portfolio ready to go.
Have a portfolio ready to submit while applying for new jobs to establish your credibility. Be sure to highlight your successful PR pushes, your strong content creation, your creative work, and anything else that will make you a desirable candidate. An organized and appealing portfolio will show clients that you are the best choice for representing their brand.
2. Make sure your profile is professional and clean.
Your profile picture is the first impression that potential clients have of you. You’ll want a clean cut and professional photo to accompany your profile. Make sure your profile picture is a solo picture, and dress professionally for the workplace.
3. Create an individualized brief.
On average, clients receive eight strong proposals from freelancers in the first day of posting a project. To differentiate yourself, tell the client exactly why you are the best person for this specific project. You’ll want to highlight relevant experience; past clients who have hired you over other experts; how your skill sets are stronger than your competitors; why you are passionate about their company; and any other relevant information that makes you stand out. Make sure to write an individual and carefully-curated brief for each proposal, as the generic copy and pasted briefs are not as impressive.
4. Meet with your client first before starting the project.
Through our call, chat, or video functions, we recommend setting up a call with the client first to establish credibility and make yourself stand out against other freelancers. Initiating an introductory call will allow you to establish a relationship with your client, and they might be inclined to hire you again because of your friendly and professional nature. Setting up either a phone call or a video chat before actually starting the project will also help you and your client be on the same page and discuss any potential conflicts.5. Don’t be afraid to take on projects that aren’t in your location.
The future of remote work is here to stay, and Publicist allows you to work with any client, no matter your location. If you think you have the skill sets for a project based in London but you live in New York, don’t be afraid to take on the challenge! Working long distance is one of the many pluses to freelance remote work, and being able to handle this responsibility makes you more desirable to clients. Using the chat function or group chat messages on the Publicist platform makes it easy to stay in direct contact with your client and streamline direct communication.
6. Set concrete milestones for your project.
When completing a project on Publicist, you and your client establish at least two milestones to keep track of your progress. Setting goals and due dates is key when successfully completing a project, so make sure to talk to your client about the progress they would like to see done, and be sure to set realistic due dates.
We're excited that you chose Publicist for all your storytelling and marketing needs. The future of work is freelance, and we can't wait to help you launch your successful freelance career.