Keep it movin’: How to get more work as a freelancer
[bctt tweet=”You are only as good as your last job when it comes to freelancing” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Working as a freelancer has amazing perks: you keep your own hours, you do the work you actually want to do and above all, you do not have to answer to anyone else. You are your own boss and that is so liberating. With the highs come the lows: the inconsistent paychecks, the odd working hours and the never ending search for more work. Until you build up a reputation and have people knocking at your door you have work twice as hard- for your actual content as well as looking for more business. So how do you keep the business rolling in when starting out as a freelancer? 1. Be proactive You have to look for the work and until you become a brand name, it won’t look for you. So spread the word among your friends, family, even the stranger down the street (jokes, don’t do that unless you really have to). If you’ve left a previous job to become a freelancer ask your old colleagues to put out the word for you, even if recommending you for work they can’t take on. Referrals will help you get new jobs especially when you have a good reputation. It might be worth it to talk to other freelancers in your field, hear how they built their business and they could also become someone worth partnering with. Approach people you want to work with/for, put yourself out there. 2. Be social media savvy Thanks to Twitter, Facebook and Instagram, your clients are literally a click away. I am not a fan of the, ‘Guys, my client could be on your timeline’ tweets but I also appreciate the resourcefulness. If you use a website remember to link it to your social media so you can direct traffic to your site. Keep it updated, showcase your work and also engage with your followers. Social media is a great tool to build up and maintain your clientele. [bctt tweet=”Until you have people knocking at your door you have work twice as hard” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] 3. Be accessible Nothing irritates a potential client more than having to work for someone and not being able to find them. You don’t have a PR team behind you or a secretary so you have to balance your work and being available. Make sure you keep your contact details and website up to date. When your clients want you, they should be able to find you. When there are events or opportunities to attend conferences for your field, go! Get out there and get known, build your brand by being reachable. Having a good reputation is as necessary as producing good work. 4. Don’t be too picky Sometimes, you’ll look at a work offer and be like, ‘I’m above this’ but when you a starting out you cannot be too picky. You’ve got to do some not so great work to get access to the more exciting work. Sometimes this might mean doing work for free – which is a freelancer’s nightmare. Annoying but necessary in some cases especially when it will contribute to exposure and portfolio building. It is part of the process of starting your career. You get to be pickier when you have the choice to be. Right now you don’t. [bctt tweet=”Talk to other freelancers in your field, they could become someone worth partnering with” via=”no”] 5. Plan, plan, plan Without the daily structures of office life, it is easy to be lax when it comes to planning and having a set routine. In order to put out good work, you have to be efficient and structured. You are in charge of your schedule and it’s easy to let things slide but you have to create timelines for projects and mark down deadlines. Put in a weekly reminder to track your progress, that way you are consistently putting in the work and not just waiting for the due date to get the work done. You have to be on top of your schedule to stay on top of your work. 6. Let your work speak for itself You are only as good as your last job when it comes to freelancing. When looking for working on sites such as UpWork, you may be requested to give examples of previous work. Your portfolio is as good as your CV. Always be consistent in terms of quality by making sure it is always up to date. Another way to get more clients is to have your previous clients speak up on your work. [bctt tweet=”Freelancers need to get out there and get known, build your brand by being reachable” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Have them quote their opinion of your work on your site/ portfolio. This builds up your reputation and shows a history of satisfied clients.
Kairoshoppers: Empowering and changing the lives of designers
Kairoshoppers Network (also known as KSN), is a marketplace platform created for new, up and coming, heretofore undiscovered designers who are seeking opportunities to get into the marketplace, display and sell their products in the marketplace. KSN is not limited to up and coming designers though, more established designers are also welcome. Kairoshoppers is aimed at increasing brand visibility and product awareness for designers; KSN is a marketplace where unique designs are found that are not commonly seen in the fashion industry. These designs are new and avant-garde, differentiating Kairoshoppers from other platforms. Through its networks, Kairoshoppers increases brand visibility for many designers who come from African countries, such as Nigeria, Ghana, and even South Africa, who sell their products on the platform, taking them to a global market. What is the purpose of Kairoshoppers? The purpose is to increase brand visibility for new and struggling designers. These are people who may be students, unemployed graduates, or self-employed individuals, who believe in themselves and want to make something happen! They strive to make a living from the talents with which they are gifted and maximize their creativity. KSN is geared toward empowering these individuals to attain a success-driven future. What are your predictions for the African fashion industry ? I believe this is going to be huge, I see a situation where not only Africans will be wearing African outfits but this will extend to other countries. Africa is known for its vibrant colours and attractive cultures, which is evidenced in our fashion style, best expressed by embracing our culture. African prints will increase in demand and more people will embrace African culture, a trend we already see now. What advice do you have for women who want to be fashion enterpreneurs? First, I would say to build your faith because everyone’s faith is going to be tested even as my faith has and will be tested. Second, one must be able to persevere and remain on top of your tasks and responsibilities at all times. Also, one must be dedicated. A lot of people have beautiful and awesome dreams that can materialize by being dedicated. It is paramount that one use the right instrument for the right purpose; this is to say using the right and appropriate photographs, models, hiring the right staff, working your crafts, and more. Consistency is also a key factor because the best you have given must be replicated as a standard in all you do, for instance the perfect finishing on a size 12 must also be the same on sizes 14 and 16 and this is how you maintain and retain your customers. What does the future hold for Kairoshoppers? We are looking forward to continue to expand and bring more designers on board. It is our joy and fulfillment that these designers are being empowered, lives are being changed for the better and their families maintained. We also look forward to gaining a greater share of the market, positioned competitively in the marketplace and territory. What are the top four ways to create brand visibility? Kairosshoppers has a TV show here in Houston, Texas that talks about our designers and celebrates them. We also network with other parties like bloggers and stylists in the fashion industry who help in creating brand visibility for up and coming designers. Customer service is also a key…responding promptly and resolving customers issues has a long lasting effect on the customer’s sense of brand loyalty. We also share information about our designers on all social media platforms like Twitter, Instagram, Facebook etc. Would you say Kairoshoppers is a success? Yes, most definitely. Apart from increasing brand visibility, we have been able to break new ground, transcending barriers; KSN has been able to sell into both the American and African markets. This points to the fact that new and struggling designers can sell their products globally. Sponsored post
Quick ways to create awareness for your brand
Owning a brand that is easily recognisable isn’t easy, at all. We can testify to that. That doesn’t mean making a strong brand is impossible though, with a few steps in the right direction, you could be on your way to brand heaven. Make good use of social media Hey, most social media tools are free you know. You might as well use them to your full advantage. Social media levels the playing field and also gives you a great opportunity to promote your business while increasing brand awareness. With the right approach you could be reaching millions of people across the world and turning some of them into clients. In Nigeria alone, 16 million people visit Facebook each month, you shouldn’t need more convincing when it comes to social media. Motherland Mogul tip: Start with a Facebook page for your business then a Twitter profile. Build them up by following conversations around industry-related topics and engaging with others. Offer prospective customers useful information that addresses their problems even if you don’t mention your brand. Remember that whatever social media channel you’re using, your message should be consistent and same tone. Press releases Sending press releases to newspapers and magazines are another way to raise brand awareness. Write compelling press releases that are up to journalistic and public relations standards. Your press releases can announce information relating to your business and/or products, or even just general events. Can’t think of any newspapers to send your releases to? Simple, upload them to your blog or website. If you can find other websites to carry your releases. Remember that interesting stories will generate publicity. Motherland Mogul tip: Consider other forms of advertising that may be unique to your country. For example, despite the huge numbers, most African still aren’t online. They are mobile though. Consider making use of SMS services to get your brand out there. Make use of established customers Coming up with campaigns targeted at gaining new leads is great, but while you’re looking for new customers you shouldn’t forget the ones that you have already. Brand awareness campaigns are a great way to keep your brand in customers’ minds and nurturing the relationships you have built already. If your customers constantly remember you, your business will remain relevant to them. Motherland Mogul tip: Need a campaign idea? Why not show your audience your business’s human side? Let your customers know your story. Show them who the person behind their beloved brand is. You can do this through your website or your blog through an “about us” page or personal updates that are relevant to your business. Stand out There are probably a thousand people offering the same kind of product or services you do. This is why you’ll need to stand out, what makes your brand different from others? Don’t ever be afraid to push the limits when defining your identity and looking for what makes you stand out. Consider alternative ways to uncovering the unique nature of your brand. Motherland Mogul tip: You can use customer testimonials to stand out from your competition. Here’s how. Ask yourself, what are your customer’s saying about your brand? Talk to them and use this to uncover your brand’s uniqueness. Videos are a great way to capture this, imagine your customers sharing what they enjoy about your products/services. You can also use this to build up your brand’s YouTube channel, go you! Make use of influencers Offering your most influential clients sweet deals is another way to create brand awareness. You can get customers to recommend friends and family, all through incentives. This is especially useful when these customers are very influential people. If you don’t have influencers in your networks, reach out to some. Influential people can be bloggers or other business owners in your industry. Motherland Mogul tip: You may have to consider offering freebies to your identified influencers. Yeah you’re dashing them things, but consider that well-connected people will very likely talk about your services to their followers. It’s a win-win. Partnerships When you’ve gone through the list of things you can do by yourself and are still lacking, it’s time to partner up. You can consider partnering with other brands to get your name in front of a new audience. With a partnership you’re tapping into your partner’s image and reputation, so you’ll have to be careful who you approach. Motherland Mogul tip: Another way to partner using social media is through guest blogging. This can create awareness for your brand when it is done with people who are popular in your industry. With brand awareness there is no shame in being everywhere in your niche. Just try not to get burned out.