Personal Name vs Business Name

I have been thinking on this topic for a while now. I freelance under my personal name and have a website too for it. But I have personally come across many people who freelance under a business name. So which choice seems apt? I think it is more of a personal decision and depends on what you perceive your business to be.

Let us take it up one by one. I chose to work under my personal name because since I was starting out as a fresher I wanted to concentrate more on acquiring clients rather than entangling myself in the intricacies involved in branding a start up. Also, to be frank, I wanted to initially test the waters and see as to if I can establish myself successfully in this field. Apart from this, I feel there are several other factors too which can make the choice of using your personal name as your brand name a better option.

To start with, it allows you to convey a sense of personal involvement to your client. In a way it provides to the client a belief that the work delivered by you will bear your personal stamp and signify your true capabilities. But all this does not take away the disadvantages that are associated with using your personal name. To some clients, the use of your personal name as your business name might make it sound too casual and non professional. Also, it might get a bit difficult for you if you wish to sell the USP of your business by using your personal name. Pronouncing your name and remembering the same for future references too might be an issue for some clients living in other countries.

So does that make a business name a better option? Well, I see some disadvantages here too. Not only is the job of branding your business expensive but at the same time it needs to capture the true essence of your business too. The process of registering your business name to is a bit lengthy and involves a lot of paper work. What is also important is the fact that with a business name once in place it would get difficult for you to re invent or start something new under the same brand name. This is because the existing business name might not capture the true feel of the new business that you want to start.

So what should one do? I say go with your heart! If you are starting out afresh it is a sensible thought to start with your personal name. Once you see your business grooming according to your expectations you can then switch over to acquire a more professional sounding business name.

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Make Currency Fluctuations Work Your Way

It has been really long since I sat down and wrote a blog post. Well it was a combination of laziness and the absence of any good issue which really motivated me to write and entry. Well today, I got rid of the former and had a good latter which made me sit down and write. Group effort I say!

It makes me wonder as to how many new roles have I started to play since I went out working as a freelance writer. It has made me my own personal organizer, a creative thinker and at the same time a financial analyst. The first two can be related but what about the third? Well, this is where the fluctuating economic conditions come into play! No, I have not started writing articles on the global financial economy but I am gravely affected by the fluctuating currency denominations when it comes to asking for payments for my projects.

When I started out I did not bother much about it and was OK with the rate I got after the currency conversion rates. But lately with experience (and maybe the greed to get some more!) this has become a very important point for me when I quote rates for my projects. There are two currency related factors that I need to keep in mind before I go ahead and quote my price; the current currency conversion rate and, since I use PayPal for my payments therefore the fee that PayPal deducts for the payments.

Apart from INR, the other currency that I regularly deal with is the US Dollar. When the economy was hitting rock bottom it was booming times for me. Instead of the regular INR 38-43 against a Dollar, I got incredible conversion rates which went up to INR 50-51, good times I say! But since this does not happen all that frequently there comes the need to safeguard my interest. I recommend the following:

1. If you are starting out as a freelancer, you can afford to bear some of the fluctuations. After all this might result in a lower final amount that you quote to the client and make it work in your favor.

2. The other thing that I have constantly done is to leave my money in my PayPal account when the rates are too low. I have often experienced that these currency fluctuations are quite temporary and your patience might prevent you from bearing a loss. So if you can afford to leave your funds as it is for some time then this might work!

3. If you are using the services of payment gateways like PayPal then it is suggested that you go ahead and check with all the kind of accounts that they offer. You need to select the one which best fits your need as all of them have different rates which they charge.

4. The fourth and the most effective way to beat the currency punches is to go ahead and increase your rates. You need to convince your clients that the final quoted rate allows you to cushion your loss as well as justifies the efforts needed in the project too.

But what to do if you are getting into a long term contract?
I suggest that if you are getting into a contract with your client then you can go ahead and suggest adding a clause to it that the price will be reviewed after say a period of 5 months and based on the currency conversion rate at that point consequent changed would be made to the price. This will not only cushion your cause but at the same time put you forward as a good professional too.

Currency can surely be tricky but it is very important that you manage your finances well and charge an amount which is not only justifiable but at the same time allows you to make a decent profit too.

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A Realistic Blueprint For Fresher's To Help Build Their Portfolio

Just like in any other field of work, fresher’s starting out as freelancers too have to face their share of difficulty trying to convince clients of their capability and competence. The most important fact that works against them here is the absence of any prior experience in the field which could strengthen their credentials. So what does one do? This is a realistic situation as everyone who is someone today was at some point of time a pure fresher himself. So what did he do differently that made him sit where he is today? The answer is in the approach.

Any individual who is really serious about excelling in his field will be careful enough to scan his target market and chalk out his game plan before he would think of getting clients. It is usually seen that fresher’s are more than eager to start working and for the same they get ready to work for rock bottom prices. This is surely not the right way ahead. By this I do not mean that an individual should start quoting sky high and illogical price quotes but yes, the figure quotes should amply justify the hard work that you would be putting in towards the project. There are some simple steps that you can do here towards building your portfolio:

Blogs– An excellent way to start building your portfolio would be to straightaway go ahead and launch your own blog. Your personal blog will not only provide you the perfect chance to showcase your work but at the same time allow you to get live feedback from readers in the form of comments which could further help you refine your skills.

Working For Non-Profits – Though writing for free is never advised but this is surely one area where writing for free would not hurt. The reason is that if the nonprofit is a big name then it could be the perfect image building chance that you could want. A good PR move it could work as a perfect reference for you and lend a big help towards your credibility and image. On the other hand, writing for free for a normal webmaster whom no one would have heard of just to gain experience would be of no good.

Article Marketing – The main purpose of availing the services of article websites on the internet is to try and get some marketing value out of your articles. These articles could act as samples which you can send to prospective clients. But there is a catch here too. It is usually seen that many freelance writers write and submit articles to large, non specific and general article directories. Instead, I have always felt that it a good idea to write and submit your articles to niche article sites or to blogs which cater to your specific domain and specialty area. The reason for this is that these specific and niche websites and blogs carry more credibility and come with a built-in audience than the general non specific article directories do. They provide you a chance to link to prospective clients easily thereby allowing you easy and quick access to future assignments.

Websites For Freelancers – When staring out as a freelancer one can also make use of several websites which allow you look for freelance projects posted on their forums and allow you to try and bid for the same. Some of these websites are good starting places for beginning writers while others will help you build a network or even outsource some of your work. But freelancers need to beware as most of these websites need you to become their member for a fee in order to access their entire gamut of projects. Also it is seen that on most of these websites it is very difficult to get paid decent amounts for your work as most of the clients here are on the lookout for freelancers who can deliver the work at rock bottom prices. But yes, with patience and careful segregation it is possible to land up with some good options here.

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How Much Information Is Too Much Information?

When talking to a client most of us face the dilemma of how much information should be shared with a client when he approaches you with a project? I have always advocated the fact that one should be responsive to all the client queries and try and make him comfortable enough so that he gives you the project. For the same I would go ahead and share my opinion, my views towards his project and what would be the best approach forward. In most cases the client would appreciate my vision and honesty and that would allow me to put his doubts at rest. But then in certain situations I would wonder if that was the right move.

What if the client decides to use my suggestions by taking on board a cheaper writer and asking him to implement all that I had recommended! This could be sure possibility. So what should be the right way ahead?

I say, when a client approaches you try and provide him with a basic skeleton of your ideas leaving behind your actual plans. Leave small teasers for him regarding your vision which would make him interested to take you on board so that you could implement the same.

Providing him with complete samples could be the worst thing that you could do as he could use the same your sample without informing you! In such a situation when a sample is desired from your end it would be a good call to inform the client that you would be submitting just a small paragraph of content and not the actual article. By doing so not only can the prospective client get a look at your creativity and at the same time the length of the sample would not be enough for him to use as such. Never overstretch your offering. Make the client inquisitive for more. This will make him come back to you!

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Take Your Freelancing Career From Good to Great

Being a freelance writer is a career option that anyone with a flair of writing can get into. You could make it your part time jig or you could opt for it as a full time career. It is in the latter case that you really need to put things into perspective. If freelance writing is your full time job option then you need to treat it as one.

Most of us in the line of business fail to generate this sense of seriousness and therefore find themselves fighting deadlines and working overtime. This should not be what you should be facing ideally. As a freelance you do have the liberty of working at your own will but one needs to be clever enough to make the most of the time.

I too faced similar situations when I started up as a freelance content writer. As I was working from home I had to handle my work responsibilities as well as the responsibilities back home. and believe you me this was not easy. The mantra which worked was ROUTINE.

• You might be working from home but you need to follow a routine, something that you follow in the office. Till the time you do not infuse a generous amount of professionalism to your freelancing it will not succeed. Try and set a time schedule for yourself. Waking up at a fixed time, getting dressed, eating your breakfast and sitting down for work at an appointed time. This will tune your body and allow it to get into a routine.
• Prioritize your time. You could designate a time slot during the day for checking mails and replying back, similarly a time slot for rest.
• Since you are working from home you should also be prepared for unforeseen activities which you might have to cater too. Getting some repairs done, picking up or dropping guests or maybe having to pay a visit to the bank or post office. what is important is not to get irritated by these small changes. A bad mood could lead to a completely unproductive day at work!
• Be regular on your blogs and websites too. You need to update your portfolio regularly as this is what your clients will look at when they visit your website. Any casualness here can result in clients turning back.
• It is a good idea to have some personalized stationary printed for yourself. business cards, letterheads can add the needed touch of professionalism to your freelancing.
• In freelancing it all boils down to networking. Make ample use of forums and blogs to interact with fellow writers. this would help you increase your base.
• There could be no better advertisers and marketing options than your old clients. Once you are done with the project for your client does not mean that you do not remain in touch with them. It is always a good idea to maintain a regular follow up with them.
• If you are in your initial stages of starting as a freelance writer and you are being offered to do some notable work for free then it would be a good idea to take it on. Building up a portfolio is what you should be concentrating on initially and for that you need to regularly keep on adding work. This does not imply that you take up any free project that comes your way. If you feel strongly towards a project and sense that it could help you to showcase your creativity then only opt for it.

These pointers might sound to be very basic and simple but they can do wonders to help you establish your self in your choice of field.

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Pick Me!

Yes, this is what all of us wish for when applying for an assignment. There have been instances when I had been so sure that I would definitely land up with a project but somehow at the end that never happened. Someone else was picked up instead of me. this bought me to realise that what is it in my, my skills that sets me apart from the others in my field. Once I could get to know these points I could then work towards making them work in my favor. trying to find out this is not at all difficult. All that is required is that you carry out a careful assessment of certain points and be the judge yourself.

In order to know your plus points ask yourself some hard questions; questions relating to as to why should clients pick you for their projects. Are you dependable, are you available, are you flexible with your approach, do you adhere to time lines, are you a pro at something, do you have good client testimonials to back your work, do you work cheap? These are some questions which can lead you towards the answer and the discovery of what is unique in your writing talent.

The next step? Hardcore Marketing!

Yes, in freelancing what is visible sells! once you know your positives which set you apart from the herd you need to go out and make your clients know that too! Send emails to prospective clients highlighting your plus points; discuss about these on your blog; emphasise on these points when you talk with clients; showcase client testimonials on your website. having said all this what remains the number one rule to follow is to DEMONSTRATE your skill to the client! With action speaking louder than words you need to prove it to your client that you HAVE the skill in you..

It is all about discovering and sticking to it... Every client likes to work with people who are not only good at their profession but at the same time are worth their salt too!

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Twitter and You

The buzz doing the rounds amongst everyone in any kind of field is 'networking'. There is nothing new with it as networking was always around but was something that was done in closed rooms and by exchanging visiting cards. With the Internet booming and opening new avenues the term networking has suddenly taken a whole new perspective. there are now present several forums where you can meet like minded people and interact with them at your convenience. Further these networking websites also allow you to separate your personal as well as professional interests by having both social as well as professional networking websites. A regular search on networking websites is bound to provide you with results which could leave you amazed. The latest entrant here is Twitter. The kind of buzz that twitter has generated amongst netizens is fantastic. So what is all the chirping all about?!

Twitter is a communication media which allows you to interact with other Twitterian's in short 140 character messages. This free to use tool allows you to interact with other people in the form of messages called tweets and you can find people who are either of your field or someone you wish to know more about.

So what is the connection between Twitter and Freelancing? Well, why freelancing, it could be any profession for that matter! Twitter allows you several advantages which you can harness and use to help you grow and spread your business needs.. How? Well, you got to read on!

Twitter allows you read the tweets/updates of other people which is referred to as following in the Twitter terminology as well as allows other to follow you too thereby providing you with followers. This is what you can use to your benefit.

1. Find your old clients using the search option and start following you.
2. Find contacts who can be prospective clients and follow them too.
3. It is always a good idea to market yourself. Tweet about your talent and thereby get the visibility.
4. Twitter comes with various job search options where in people DO tweet about their needs. Regularly check these search options and scout for openings of your like.
5. Make the most of the 'bio data' section on your twitter profile and convey the best about your profession. It is a god idea to use the major keywords relating to your profession here so that you appear on a search when done by someone looking for a person with your expertise.
6. Customise your twitter homepage in tune with your personality.
7. It is never a good idea to spam your followers. NO. NEVER.

Make the most of this 140 character tool and harness its potential for your benefit.

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A Thoughtful Read

While surfing some blogs today I came across this simple yet good article. What I loved the most about this article apart from the message that it wished to convey was the simple language used in it. I truly feel that simple language can prove out to be more impactful than heavy words laden sentences. This piece conveys my thoughts!

The article is about tips and advices to make your writing powerful. Yeah I know.. you must be feeling that been there seen that but what is the harm if you get to read it all again and refresh your writing principles too!! :) Enjoy!!

Article: 7 Simple Ways to Dramatically Improve Everything You Write

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Virtues of my trade

As a freelance creative writer I get to do writing assignments for clients who stay in different corners of the world. I do not get to meet most of them personally and it is my communication with them and most importantly my work which I deliver which projects my image to them. This makes it very important for me as a writer to be able to reach out to my clients. In this profession it works well to establish a good relationship with your client as they are the best advertisers that I can get for my work.

This makes professionalism an extremely integral part for my field of work. And let me tell you it is not at all difficult to inculcate professionalism in your field. Its actually very simple.

1. Deadlines and time lines form the back bone of my profession as a creative writer. An immaculate record with deadlines would speak a lot of good for me and would help me in routing in new prospective clients too. A dependable image is what is conveyed by it.

2. Maintaining a regular and a timely communication pattern with your client too plays a very important role in conveying your professional attitude. You have to understand that the project on which you are working is your clients and he has the full right to get involved with his project.

3. Be respectful and courteous in your communication as this will help your client to relax and instill in him confidence towards you.

4. Be completely honest in your approach and always put in your best in all your projects. If you are time bound and really do not have the time to take on a new project then it is always a good thought to convey it clearly to your client. Also, if due to any reason you are unable to deliver the deliverable to your client on time then be honest and do not come up with lame excuses. Your honesty towards your work will provide you with reliability.

These tips have worked for me and I am sure that anyone wanting to excel in any field too can use them to make the most of the situation. So all the best guys! :)

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My Tips, My Experience

I may not have had enough time yet as a freelance content writer but there are certain things that I have discovered and rather drilled in my head to keep in mind. Practical tips which have come my way from my very own experience. Tips which might not sound all that important but believe me when you are working in this field of creative writing and that too as a freelancer they can help you wade through real smooth!

1. You have to learn to say NO too! I can imagine that as a freelancer you might be at times wanting to grab any project which comes your way but believe you me, you have to say no at times too. Doing projects for free or on terms which are totally dictated by your client will not get you any good. You have to understand this. It might be difficult to turn down a project but you have to make the client understand your terms and conditions too!

2. This brings me to my next tip. Before you start freelancing as a content writer devote some time and chart down your price list and your terms and conditions. I understand that when yous tart off you cannot charge high but this does not stop you from charging a decent befitting amount too. You have to make the client realise that you have the talent hence he has approached you for his work.

3. Never under price. Never put your talent on the line just to grab a project by succumbing to the pressure of the client asking you to lower your price. If you feel that you are charging the right justified amount then stick to it. You would portray a strong stable personality this way.

4. Never compromise on the quality of work. As a freelance content writer it is your work which is your identity. By delivering low quality work you are harming your reputation. One of the most common reason for producing low quality work is lack of time owing to too many projects. Therefore limit the amount of work that you take on at a particular time.

5. Do not shy from networking. For a freelancer it is the word of mouth which brings in business. For this you need to network effectively. To start networking ensure that you have your portfolio ready. If possible have your website created too. You can now become a member of the various networking communities on the Internet and simply sell your talent.

6. Communicate. Keep in touch with all your good clients as they are the one's who can be your best advertisers to future customers.

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