5 Tips on How to Scale Your Freelancing Business

Ever hit that frustrating wall where your freelancing income just won't budge, no matter how many hours you pour in? 

You know what I'm talking about… 

It's 2 AM, you're on your third cup of coffee, juggling multiple projects, and still, the bank account isn't smiling back. 

If you don't find a way to scale, you'll be stuck in this loop, overworked and underpaid, forever chasing deadlines instead of dreams.

What if you could break free and scale your income without adding more hours? 

Earning more but working less. 

Sounds dreamy, right?

Don’t worry - it won’t be a dream for long. 😉

In this newsletter, I’ve compiled 5 ACTIONABLE tips (with examples) on how you can grow your freelancing business while putting in fewer hours.

Let’s dive in. ⬇️

1. Think of It More Like a Business and Less Like Freelancing

Here's the deal: The moment you start seeing your freelancing as a business, everything changes. You're not just working gig to gig; you're building an empire. This mindset shift means: 

• Setting bigger goals

• Strategizing like a CEO

• And yes, planning for growth.

So from here, think business! The best freelancers in the world have a specific offer, audience, and solution they actively work to achieve. 

So instead of thinking about…

“How do I offer my services to more people?”

Think:

“How do I improve my offers and profitability to achieve my yearly goals?”

Shift your mindset from the micro to the macro. 👊

Quick Action Step: Take 5 minutes to jot down where you see your freelancing business in 5 years. Dream big – think about revenue, team size, offers, etc. That’s your new north star.

2. Stop Relying on Freelancing Marketplaces Like Fiverr, Upwork, etc.

Platforms like Fiverr and Upwork are decent starting points, but if you want to scale, it's time to branch out. 

Reason? Direct client relationships often mean better pay, more meaningful projects, and yup, no middleman taking a slice of your pie.

If you’re a writer, you could start a blog showcasing your expertise in tech. 

And before you know it, a Series A startup could reach out to you directly for a long-term project. 

No bidding wars, just straight-up value exchange.

Quick Action Step: Spend 5 minutes to jot down potential sales channels for your business. This could be Email, LinkedIn, or even Referrals. The aim is to activate other channels for revenue to become less dependent on freelance marketplaces.

3. Automate Repeatable Tasks

Automation is your best friend for scaling. When you’re scaling your business, it’s all about working smarter, not harder. 

Think of scheduling social media posts, automating invoicing, or even using project management tools to keep track of all your tasks. 

Nowadays there are thousands of AI tools (many of them we can’t even process) that can automate menial tasks so you can focus more on the 20% of your business that gets you cash. 💰

Example: A social media freelancer can use tools like Buffer to schedule a month's worth of posts in a day. Suddenly, they've got more time for strategy and new client acquisition.

Quick Action Step: Pick one task you do regularly. Spend 5 minutes looking up a tool that can help automate this process. Sign up for a free trial and give it a try!

4. Build Your Personal Brand as You Go

Your personal brand is what sets you apart in the sea of freelancers. It’s your style, your voice, your unique value proposition. And it’s what will draw your ideal clients to you like bees to honey. 🍯

But here, you need to be sure of 2 things:

1. Where does your ideal customer hang out?

Is it Instagram? Facebook? LinkedIn? If you’re creating a brand where your audience hangs out most, chances are you’ll gain their trust relatively quickly.

2. What is the format of your niche?

If you’re a writer, go for Facebook, LinkedIn or Twitter.
If you’re a designer, you’d be better off on Instagram.
If you’re a video editor, try going on TikTok/Insta/YouTube.

The point is, if you’re a designer and you’re playing with a format that doesn’t align with your niche, chances are you won’t be considered as an authority in your subject.

So yes – the platform that falls into both regions is your go-to platform to build a personal brand!

Quick Action Step: Spend 10 minutes researching a potential platform based on the questions above. Once you’re done, create and optimize a profile there and jot down at least 10-15 ideas for your next posts.

(Feel free to produce the whole post, but you only have to brainstorm the ideas for now) 

5. Client Retention Over Client Acquisition

It’s tempting to chase after new clients, but guess what? Keeping your current clients happy is where the real growth happens. They know your worth, and a happy client means referrals and repeat business.

It’s also easier to upsell to current clients than to go over a full-fledged sales process to acquire a new customer.

…Who may or may not pay you the amount you’re looking for.

Quick Action Step: Draft a short message and check in with past clients about their current needs. Customizing and sending it out to just one client could take less than 5 minutes, but the payoff could be huge.

👆 And there you have it – your blueprint to scale your freelancing business from a one-person show to a thriving enterprise. 

Remember, the journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. Take those action steps, and grow your business - you've got this! 💪

 📆 How I can help

That’s all for today!

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