Happy New Year! It's certainly going to be an interesting one. Whether you're optimistic that the global economy will pick up, or afraid that you might be eating end-of-the-month Salticrax all year, here at Freelancentral HQ we're optimistic that necessity is the mother of invention - and who's in a better position to be creative than freelancers? If you're freelancing, check out our article about '10 recession-busting tips' below - and if you use freelancers, remember that they are a great low-risk, low overhead option when budgets are being cut. Here's to a successful year!
issue 30 ::
January 2009
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FEATURED RESOURCE:
Microsoft ClipArt Online
Before you throw up your hands in horror, take a look at this resource. They have a pretty good photo library and all images are free. In fact all the stock shots on Freelancentral come from ClipArt Online... a definite step up from those horrible screen-bean characters...
Got a resource you'd like to recommend to the Freelancentral community? Send your favourite blog or website links, book titles or software recommendations to info@freelancentral.co.za.
SITE STATS FOR JANUARY
Freelancers registered: 3,725
From Google Analytics:
- 2,530 visits
- 16,884 page views
- 6.67 pages per visit
- 31.07% bounce rate
- 11:21 mins average time on site
- 63% new visitors
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 021 780 1364 or mail us on info@freelancentral.co.za
GET 25% OFF YOUR NEXT FULL PORTFOLIO
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 sending us a mail.
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** STOP PRESS **
PLACEMENT BRIEF: Senior graphic designer (25 hr week, ongoing, CT) - very creative with print and web skills. Find out more.
PLACEMENT BRIEF: Mid/senior copywriter with medical experience (anywhere) - see 'Latest news' section on www.freelancentral.co.za
** STOP PRESS **
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10 RECESSION-BUSTING TIPS FOR FREELANCERS
Right now, it's a great time to be a freelancer. Really. Nobody can make you redundant; you are in control of your own income; and clients are more likely to outsource than employ staff. Here are 10 tips for freelancers to make the most of the current economy. Read the rest of this article we published recently on BizCommunity.
WHAT CREATIVE FREELANCERS CAN LEARN FROM SUITS:
PART 3: Value
is money, not time
Something many freelancers struggle with when they're first starting out is quoting. Most haven't ever had to draw up an estimate before. The first question asked is usually 'what rates should I be charging'?
Well, here's a new idea: how about charging based on the value you add to your client, not the time you spend on the project? Charge for results not effort, and your income is no longer limited by the number of hours you can work in the week. Be careful though - value-based pricing is only for experienced freelancers whose solutions include strategic guidance (deep-etching is still best charged for per hour...). Read on for more...
CHRISTINE ONLINE: The art of self-promotion
There are many ways to tackle an economic down-turn: cost cutting, value adding, finding new business or finding extra ways to earn an income are all tenable solutions. If there was ever a time to start getting resourceful, it's now!
Nobody really likes having to cut costs - so the most palatable solution for many is finding a way to supplement their income or, indeed, net more clients.
Naturally, one of the best ways to grow a client base is through advertising and PR. Two of the biggest challenges you may face as a freelancer is finding clients and self-promotion. Both can be addressed by advertising as widely and as cost effectively as possible. The web offers many (often free) opportunities to do just this. Read on for more...
PIKE: Straightening the metaphorical tie
Remember the holidays? They're already an almost-distant memory, aren't they? Aaah, St Francis Bay, how I yearn for thee. Now here we are at the tail end of January; the all-hands-on-deck work deluge that is February is already eroding your holiday-induced state of meditative calm. On the plus side, however, Trevor Manuel thinks we 'might' avoid a recession in South Africa this year; March to May are rife with public holidays and we're all about to vote in an election whose outcome we feel we could actually play a role in. Read on for more...
CHANGES TO FULL PORTFOLIO REFERENCE REQUIREMENTS
Freelancentral members no longer need two pre-approved references in order to qualify for a Full portfolio listing. We have removed this requirement as quite a few referees do not respond to requests for feedback, preventing freelancers from getting their portfolios online. Clients can still see how many references a freelancer has had pre-approved by the Freelancentral team on each freelancer's portfolio. The more approved references a freelancer has, the more reassured a potential client will be, so we encourage freelancers to continue submitting references on the site. Clients can click on the little blue speech bubble on each portfolio to fill in a feedback form about that freelancer.
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Read how Freelancentral is helping South African freelancers
on our new Testimonials page - and do send us your success stories too.
If Freelancentral has connected you successfully,
whether you're a client or freelancer, we'd love to hear from you.
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