Happy New Year! We hope you had a great break over the holidays and that 2008 has already started well. If your New Year resolutions included finally doing something about getting your freelance career on track, now's the time to get your Freelancentral portfolio online! If you need any help or advice with it, just give us a call. And clients - if you are revising your list of regular freelancers, we've got some awesome people for you who are available for placements, so just let us know what you are looking for. Here's to a great year!
issue 21 ::
january 2008
WELCOME, MICHELLE!
Michelle Graham has just joined Freelancentral as Jo's assistant. She recently left teaching to follow her passions: fine art and graphic design. We're thrilled to have her on board :-)
TROUBLESOME CLIENTS? NOT GETTING PAID?
We've had a few calls lately from freelancers who are having trouble getting paid for work they have done, with some even resorting to legal action. We have drawn up a very useful article about what you can do to avoid getting into this situation - most importantly, get everything in writing, and ask for a deposit! Click here for the article and let us know what you think, or what experiences you have had.
CAPE TOWN AND GAUTENG GET-TOGETHERS
We're currently making plans for get-togethers in both Cape Town and Gauteng in March and are looking for venues in both cities. If you have any suggestions or know a venue that would like to host us or anyone who'd like to sponsor the events in any way, please get in touch.
SUCCESS STORIES GET 25% OFF
Don't forget that if you send us your Freelancentral success stories and we publish them in our newsletter or on the site, you'll get 25% off your next month's Full portfolio. Submit your stories by just sending us a mail.
PORTFOLIO CRITIQUES
Are you selling yourself effectively in your Lite or Full portfolio? Wouldn't it be great to have someone give you an honest assessment of your portfolio, and tips on how to improve it? Lite and Full members can get this by making use of our Portfolio Critique service, via our free Advice Line. Just call the Freelancentral team on 021 683 9416 or mail us on info@freelancentral.co.za.
SITE STATS FOR DECEMBER 2007
- Hits: 119,929
- Page impressions: 42,724
- Unique visitors: 8,650
- Want to advertise on Freelancentral?
PREPAID, AFFORDABLE ADSL
The Freelancentral team can't say enough good things about our broadband ISP, WebAfrica. We use their prepaid ADSL which costs just R70 per gigabyte. Once you've used it up, simply go online and buy another one. It doesn't expire at the end of the month and you pay only for what you use. Plus their customer service is outstanding.
Click here to find out more.
 |
||||||||||||||||||||||
newmembers
|
||||||||||||||||||||||
 |
||||||||||||||||||||||
Don't forget to keep checking www.freelancentral.co.za and the Freelancentral group on Facebook for Placements and Projects adverts.
CURRENT PLACEMENTS AND PROJECTS
The more we know about our freelancers, the more likely we are to call you when we get a brief in, so if you are available for placements, please sign up for a portfolio ASAP.
- Advertising account director (3-4 months, CT)
- Web designer/developer (permanent, JHB) - Contact Jo for details
- STOP PRESS - m/w copywriter and m/w DTP/FA required for 1 week+ at BTL agency in Bryanston. Contact Jo for details ASAP.
- Middleweight art director / AD & copywriter team (ongoing, JHB) - see www.freelancentral.co.za (latest news section) for details
It's cheap, quick and easy to upgrade your listing to a Lite portfolio - click here to find out how.
A DOZEN REASONS TO USE FREELANCERS
In our November newsletter we gave you tips on how to get the best from a freelancer. This month we're showing you why taking on a freelancer can be a really good - and stress-free - decision. (Freelancers - send this to your clients to remind them why they should be calling you more often!)
- Freelancers are an admin-light alternative to employing permanent staff - no UIF, BEE, benefits, HR issues, etc.
- Only use them when you need and can afford them.
- They're cost-effective - they work efficiently, don't have corporate distractions or high overheads.
- Freelancers are flexible and accommodating - think after-hours meetings and rush jobs.
- They are personally invested as each job they take on puts their own reputation on the line.
- They're accessible. With no client service people in between you can communicate directly and build understanding and trust.
- Senior freelancers are highly experienced and skilled - a great way to bring expertise into your business, affordably.
- Freelancers have a variety of experience to offer as they are not limited to working on just one or two client accounts or sectors.
- Most freelancers are no-nonsense. They won't intimidate you with industry jargon and just want to get on with the job.
- They are passionate about what they do. They can choose to take on the kinds of projects that really interest them.
- They won't pressure you for a permanent job. They're freelance because they have chosen that lifestyle and enjoy its flexibility.
- Their personal investment, creativity and accessibility means that you'll learn from working with them.
CHRISTINE ONLINE: Q&A
This month Christine answers your questions about making your website user friendly, the implications of using Flash v HTML and how to read your website statistics. Read more...
Our monthly newsletter contains news, tips and advice on freelancing, articles written by freelancers, offers and much more.
Subscribe now!
You are being sent this newsletter as you have either requested it or because we have identified you as potentially being interested in it. To unsubscribe, click here.
Comments, suggestions, compliments? We'd love to hear your feedback about our site and service. Tell us what you think.
