How do you want potential customers to perceive you? As a serious, reliable professional who would definitely be hired, right? What you need is to build a solid professional image , which positions you as the first option that the client thinks of when they need a service. How to achieve it?
A freelance professional is an individual who provides services to clients on a project basis. Freelancers work independently and are not tied to any one employer. They offer their services to multiple clients, typically on a short-term basis, and are often hired for their specialized skills and expertise.
Freelance professionals can work in a wide range of industries, including writing, design, programming, marketing, and consulting. Some common examples of freelance professionals include writers, graphic designers, web developers, social media managers, and consultants.
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Benefits of working as a freelance professional
One of the primary benefits of working as a freelance professional is the flexibility it provides. Freelancers can set their own schedules, choose which projects to work on, and work from anywhere with an internet connection. They also have the potential to earn more money than they would in a traditional 9-to-5 job, as they can charge higher rates for their specialized skills and expertise.
However, freelancing also comes with its own set of challenges. Freelancers must constantly be on the lookout for new clients and projects, as they do not have the stability of a regular paycheck. They must also manage their own finances, including taxes and other expenses. Freelancers also need to be highly self-motivated and organized, as they are responsible for managing their own time and meeting project deadlines.
Overall, freelancing can be a rewarding and flexible career path for those with specialized skills and the ability to manage their own business.
Steps to enhance your professional image
Specialize:
Successful freelancers are those specialized, experts in a specific subject . It is better to be an expert sales trainer than to be a sales trainer, human resources trainer, and financial consultant who knows only half of each topic.
When a customer thinks of “sales trainer”, they will immediately associate the concept with you.
Gain visibility:
Creating a website and updating it regularly is an excellent option to stay visible, in this time when everyone has the internet in their pocket. For example, a blog, which allows you to create articles periodically
Have a serious business address:
It is crucial to demonstrate seriousness and professionalism. Having the office or business address in your home will give the impression of someone who is just starting out or who is not dedicated to that job professionally.
An office in a business center inspires confidence in your clients and conveys the image that you want them to see.
Always present:
Your customers must be served, always. Do not leave your phone behind and, in fact, the best option is to have a call reception service, so there will always be someone who answers and can take your errands.
How to choose your workspace
The space in which we work, undertake and grow has changed significantly in recent years. The endless cubicles made in series have given way to solutions as varied as working from home, in alternative spaces, shared or in offices adjusted to the needs of its users.
Given this scenario, it is important to ask ourselves the impact that these different spaces have on our performance and productivity. For this reason, we have made a compilation of key data that should be considered when choosing a new workspace.
- 15%: According to the Portfolio publication , this is the level at which performance improves when good use of space is made. Also highlighting that in most offices, at least 40% of the space is poorly used.
- Light, but not just any light: The same publication emphasizes the value of light in work performance, since it affects everything from motivation to cognitive performance. Likewise, it should be added that if too much artificial light is used, it generates the same phenomenon of fatigue as if too little is used.
- Between tastes and colors: Colors impact our psychology and can alter our emotional state, positively or negatively. Red, for example, generates a state of alertness and can even result in a lack of concentration. For its part, blue and green are associated with security, creativity or professionalism. However, it is necessary to clarify that these reactions are strongly linked to the culture and experiences of each person.
- Cold or heat: Directly related to lighting, the ventilation of the workspace is decisive for maintaining dynamism and motivation throughout the day. A temperature taken to the extreme, naturally or artificially, can also cause both lack of concentration and irritation.
- A space beyond work: Having the opportunity to “disconnect” at times throughout the day, contrary to what one might believe, can help us unblock ourselves, look at what we are working on at that moment and thus increase our productivity. Having nearby green spaces can also help reaffirm our positive attitudes.
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How to Achieve a successful negotiation
Whether you are part of a multinational company with decades of experience or you are working to consolidate your first venture, negotiation is a crucial aspect that you have to face on a daily basis, and that can even determine the success or failure of a project .
There are a multitude of factors that come into play at the time of a negotiation, from the image that each company has of itself, the personality of the negotiators, to the cultural differences that may exist when it comes to an international event.
The key is to understand the other
Therefore, the first thing you should do to achieve a successful negotiation is to investigate. Research is key to reaching an agreement . This allows you not only to know the trajectory and projection of your interlocutor, but also to have key information such as their objectives with this negotiation, as well as their margin of flexibility to close an agreement.
In addition to the above, and with equal importance, is the fact that an agreement will only work and be maintained over time if it benefits both parties . Going into a negotiation thinking only of the benefit to our side is a sure recipe for failure.
Pay attention to the details
Based on both aspects:
the investigation and the search for mutual benefit, you must organize a plan that contemplates from the objective or objectives that have brought you to that table, going through the possibilities of agreement if your initial proposal does not find a place, as well as what you are definitely not willing to give up. Planning the negotiation gives you security and firmness to achieve your goals.
Listen with all your senses:
A careful observation of all the aspects involved in oral communication, such as body language, intonation, gestures and looks, will be key to ensure that you obtain all the necessary information from your interlocutor, in order to act accordingly.
To close the negotiation and consolidate the agreement:
it is essential that both parties leave with exactly the same information. In the best of cases, this will save us the time it would take to hold a new meeting to confirm the points that were not clear; in an extreme case, it can even save us from a relationship breakup. So to close do not forget: Synthesize, specify and confirm
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