This year has definitely been my toughest yet on the freelance front. I feel like I’ve had to push for every project and really put myself out there. I’ve sent numerous emails both speculative and in response to social posts, and some have come up absolute trumps.
It’s always exciting to get a response when I’m essentially cold calling someones inbox, and when that email goes on to become a client it definitely boosts my confidence levels.
That said, I had one encounter where I was contacted to quote for a brief, and didn’t think I was the right fit. I doubted myself and responded as such. I feel like I gave up an awesome opportunity, but I also feel like I was honest with the team that contacted me about my own strengths and weaknesses and was conscious of not wanting to waste their time.
I know that I have become a little too comfortable with my regular clients and haven’t been putting myself out there too much over the past few years, but what the past few months have taught me is that I’m actually alright at what I do. Feedback is always positive (I had some glowing reports the other day from my newest client!) and I can turn my hand to a whole range of design related projects.
Honesty is also the best policy. I feel I can be open enough with my clients about my situation and in response to that I’ve had clients dropping me messages to make sure I’m doing ok through my quiet spell, which I found really thoughtful.
It’s definitely hard out there. As an experienced freelancer (11 years and counting!) I find my location is a definite drawback, and the clients I work with are truly wonderful in understanding that I have a strong work ethic despite being hundreds of miles away from HQ. I’ve built relationships over the years that continue to pay off, and although I feel that it’s been a tricky year so far, it’s great to see how full my calendar has been after a very blank looking diary ahead of the summer.
Thank you to everyone who uses my services – I literally couldn’t do it without you. Thank you for every like and share, whether it’s on socials or in person, it means a lot that I can carry on designing and having the freedom to do what I want in my downtime so I can deliver my best when I am in design mode 🙂