Become CEO of YouCorp

One of the joys of freelancing is that you get to do everything. But this omnipotence means you can’t hate the sales team for not bringing in new clients, because you are the sales team.

You can’t have a spat with Maureen in accounts because she hasn’t sorted your expenses, because you are Maureen in accounts. You do (or don’t do) everything. You’re the CEO, the General Manager, the Finance Director, the mail boy and the tea maker. You are it.

And that’s great if you have the requisite skills. If you don’t, it’s worth buying a few books, taking evening classes or interrogating friends and colleagues to get some idea of what these missing colleagues would normally do.

I’m a freelance copywriter, so marketing is what I do, and it’s what I want to discuss in this article. If you’re a freelancer of any kind, you probably need to market yourself.

If you don’t, you may run out of work, or never find much in the first place. Marketing is essential to show people that you exist and that you’re available and valuable.

Marketing YouCorp

Don’t be afraid to be creative with your marketing. If you advertise with timidity, you will probably present a safe but cold corporate image, when what will interest people is your personality. Be bold and be yourself. Let the qualities that make you a good freelancer shine through. Nobody is quite like you, but if you strive for a brisk, “professional” image then you’ll probably end up looking like a great many other freelancers.

Spend some time learning about marketing. Ask other freelancers how they market themselves, and copy their most successful strategies. If you know a copywriter, ask them to critique your marketing copy before you print or publish anything. Read copywriting and marketing blogs, and get acquainted with basic principles of advertising. A little knowledge goes a long way.

If you don’t learn about marketing you may never know where you’re going wrong, or what you could do better. Put time and energy into your marketing, because this is what will sustain your freelance existence.

photo credit: Jeff the Trojan