I’m not the best anything you can find out there. Not the best writer or marketer or communication consultant. And I say this, because in the 9 years of my professional life, I’ve seen so many amazingly talented folks who I have learned from and continue to learn from.
Yet, I’ve managed to build a sustainable freelance career. I have been freelancing for 6 years now. Over time, I have attracted repeat clients, monthly retainer projects and enough income to lead a satisfactory life.
And that didn’t come from being brilliant or the best at writing or marketing. I think it came from something else.
Reliability: My selling point is my reliability. I take complete ownership of the work I do. The fact that the client does not have to constantly keep checking on me builds trust. I deliver what I promise just as I have and within the timelines I have agreed to. And when I can’t, I explicitly communicate that to them.
This is also something that I actively tell prospective clients too. I may not be the best talent out there, but I would definitely be one of the few they can completely bank on.
And ultimately that's what people want, right?
When you outsource your work, you need someone who will reduce your workload and deliver quality work in time without being prodded and prompted to do so.
Sincerity and reliability counts, sometimes even over talent.
Willingness to learn: I'm forever learning. And clients appreciate that. I started my freelance career with script writing, evolved to take up blogs and website copy and today, I do B2B SaaS content strategy. All of this, I learned along the way from people I met as clients and co-workers.
The love for learning has helped me add more value to my clients. I'm not just writing content, I'm also suggesting ideas and discussing possibilities. This has, of course, helped broaden my portfolio,. More than that, it has helped me command a certain level of expertise among my clients.
This is not to say that talent doesn't matter at all.
All I'm trying to say is, talent can definitely set your ship sailing. But reliability and willingness to learn can keep it floating and sailing in the long run.
Has that been your experience too? Let me know what's worked for you. :)
Comments