Strong business sense

Creative freelancing is not just about producing good work. It’s essential to develop strong business acumen as well. There are enough ego and talent coursing through the creative world for even the most gifted orders to get lost in the crowd. The one to flex their business muscle becomes the most identifiable and successful. Even though you have more freedom than the typical nine-to-fiver, freelancing carries all the responsibilities of an independent business, including marketing, accounting, and office management. When you’re running a business, you’ll find yourself having to make many solo decisions at any given point, so you’ll have to be a confident decision-maker. you will also need self-motivation and resourcefulness to maintain your own schedule and provides structure to your workday – qualities that will come in handy when you’re chasing down payments from clients!

A love for your art

maybe your career has been moving along briskly at a motion graphics firm, but the road ahead holds little appeal and autonomy is the only move that makes sense. maybe you took illustration gigs during college and with graduation around the corner and you’re ready to make a full-time go with it. however you came to the decision to freelance, one thing is certain: you have to be passionate about what you do. Ask yourself these questions: Wood freelancing excite you enough to get you out of bed in the morning? Would you mind sometimes burning the midnight oil to finish a project? Could you be happy turning your creative outlet into your main source of income? if you’re drawn to freelancing because of the lifestyle, the lure of authorship or the potential for fame you will likely become frustrated and burn out quickly when success doesn’t happen overnight. the successful freelancer is passionate about their art and seeks inspiration to fuel it – even in their off-duty hours – simply for the sake of generating work that they love.

Curiosity

Because you’re a visual auteur and an idea person, your curiosity has probably gotten you to where you are right now. Curiosity keeps your mind primed as a creative tool – keeps you open to new ways of working and looking at things. Read newspapers and books, watch documentaries and films, attend cultural events and more – these are ways to keep your curiosity alive. The likelihood is that at some point, you’ll probably be assigned a project dealing with a subject matter that you’re not familiar with. The more diverse your experiences and interests are, the stronger your ability to come up with ideas and will thus be able to translate your client’s needs into a successful piece of work.

Confidence and a strong vision

A strong freelancer does much more than simply execute the instructions of an editor or art director. if you let the client dictate the entire project through the paint by numbers program you will feel like a trained art monkey. you must have the confidence to suggest your own ideas and bring your voice into the conversation. This doesn’t mean that your confidence will dominate every project. Success will most likely come with a fine balance between articulating your vision and taking into account the client’s needs. to earn a living you won’t always get to pick and choose commissions that allow you to express 100-per cent of your creative vision. That’s ok because if you find yourself needing an outlet for that self-possessed creative energy, we take it upon ourselves to initiate personal projects that reflect your particular Style. as you add more of these personal designs into your portfolio, you’ll start attracting clients eager for your specific point of view.

Good listening and conversational skills

You need to be receptive to your client’s needs without letting the client run all over you. with keen observational and listening skills, you will find a version that satisfies both you and your client. the more you understand the client’s point of view and what they are hoping to achieve, the wider the nets you can cost to solve the problem. In fact, creative epiphanies are more likely to happen when there is complete understanding. Furthermore, clients will respect you more when they feel you clearly understand their needs and this is the key to developing a strong and long-lasting relationship.

Good communication skills

When it comes to working with clients you cannot rely on visuals as your sole mode of communication. any idea phase it is essential for you to inspire and persuade your client with words whether written or in conversation. The same goes for working with clients who may not be visually literate in your field. oftentimes clients do not know exactly what they are buying or what they want until it is delivered. therefore you will need to be able to articulate your artistic Vision and Direction throughout the process and thus understand and explain why you took a certain approach.

An ability to handle criticism and rejection

It happens to all of us. your work won’t always be gold stars all around, so be ready to digest less than enthusiastic reviews sometimes. Hearing criticism is not always easy, you will need to thicken your skin and remember that it is business and not a personal attack. your client needs to put their business agenda first. It may take some time but a successful freelancer eventually learns how to take criticism and how to turn it into a result that pleases the client.

A positive attitude and professional demeanour

Whether you’re interacting with clients or simply reflecting on a challenge and negative attitude won’t make anything any better. clients do not respond well to people who easily get upset or let unexpected situations ruin their day or mood. Remember that mistakes are part of the discovery process so do your best to stay positive no matter what unexpected problem arises.

Good work habits

If an organisation has never been your strong point it is time for a change. If you work from the home turn off the TV and keep personal interests to a minimum. Stay focused on business by making a list of tasks to complete at the beginning of each day and clients appreciate quality work that is done quickly so challenge your efficiency. For example, try to beat the deadline by completing a job in 6 days instead of 8. As a freelancer, you have to be self-motivated because only you can set the bar for your skill and output.