I’ve been working for myself for over a year now. When I first started freelancing, I thought it would be a stepping stone to something bigger.
Now here I am, running a successful agency that has made millions of dollars and employs other people. It’s been quite the journey one that was far from linear and far from perfect.
But what do you expect? Nothing worthwhile ever is. Still, if there are things I could go back in time and tell my younger self to know before starting an agency, it would be these:
| Takeaways |
|---|
| 1. Gain insights from experienced freelancers |
| 2. Consider key factors before starting freelancing |
| 3. Build a strong brand and online presence |
| 4. Establish a niche and target market for your agency |
| 5. Network and collaborate with talented freelancers |
| 6. Market your agency’s services effectively |
| 7. Set transparent pricing based on value delivered |
| 8. Address legal considerations for your agency |
| 9. Focus on building a strong reputation |
| 10. Implement scalable strategies for agency growth |
1. You Won’t Be Able To Do Everything Yourself
You will be surprised by how many things you can’t do yourself. You might be great at designing websites, but when it comes to crafting copy and landing pages, you may want to bring in a professional copywriter.
You may also find that hiring freelancers is cheaper than hiring employees. Instead of paying someone a full-time salary and benefits package, you can hire them on an hourly basis for specific projects or one time tasks. This allows for flexibility in your business model, which can be especially useful if your company is growing rapidly and you need extra help handling new projects or clients.
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2. Hire Freelancers To Help You With Your Work
As a business owner, you have a lot on your plate. You’re responsible for managing employees and projects, marketing your services, and completing projects on time and under budget…the list goes on.
If there’s any way that you can offload some of those responsibilities onto someone else who is willing to take them on (and do them well), then do it! Freelance companies are great if they are looking for more work than they can handle alone or need extra resources when their workload peaks.
Freelancers can help you with specific tasks or entire projects or both! They can help get through all the tasks that have piled up since last week’s deadline slipped away from us; meanwhile, we were putting out fires left and right because our intern quit without notice again (I’m not bitter at all).
Alternatively, an agency may be able to take one part of our marketing strategy off our plate by doing outreach locally while we focus on getting new clients from around the world via social media platforms like LinkedIn or Twitter.”
3. Outsourcing Saves Time And Money
Outsourcing is an excellent way to save time and money. You can outsource tasks in many different ways, but one of the most common is by hiring freelancers on platforms like Upwork. Hiring freelancers will allow you to focus on your core business, without having to worry about the details of a project or task.
Freelancers are great for small projects that don’t warrant hiring someone full-time or taking on an intern who might not be as skilled as they need them to be. They’re also great for things like data entry, which can be tedious and repetitive work that drains your energy (especially if you’re doing it yourself). If this sounds like something your business needs help with, then outsourcing may be right up your alley!
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4. Get Great Clients, Not Just Good Ones
If you’re just starting out, you may think that the key to success is to land the best clients in towing the ones who pay well, refer business and have a long-term relationship with your agency. While there’s nothing wrong with this approach (indeed, it can be very lucrative), it should not be your only focus.
If your goal is primarily getting paid as much as possible, then it would make sense to choose clients based on their willingness to pay more than other agencies charge. But if we’re talking about being successful in business over time, then I’d encourage you instead to create a list of ideal clients based on factors such as:
- Willingness to pay what you want (and aren’t afraid of losing)
- Willingness and ability to refer others through word-of-mouth marketing like referrals and testimonials (which are great for SEO)
- Willingness and ability for long-term relationships (that means no cancelations after six months)
When choosing which freelancers or agencies work together on projects with one another or help each other out by sharing leads or referring each other to new clients, these are all important considerations too!
5. Great Clients Will Hire You Again And Refer You To Their Associates
The best clients are the ones who refer you to their associates. When a client hires you, again and again, it means that you’re doing something right. It also means they trust your ability to deliver quality work on time and within budget.
So how do you find these great clients? Referrals! The best way to get new clients is through referrals from existing ones, which is why referrals are the best form of advertising. If a professional service provider like yourself can get one good referral from every two or three jobs they do, then they’re doing well and so are you!
6. Make Sure Your Website Content Is Up-To-Date
Your first impression, sales pitch, resume, portfolio and marketing tool are all on your website. If someone goes to your site and sees outdated information or a dated design when they’re looking for fresh ideas in their industry it’s going to turn them away quickly.
A great way to stay on top of this is by having someone else look at it every couple of weeks or so who has no connection with you or the project you’re working on (think: a friend who doesn’t work with web design).
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7. Keep The Content On Your Website Fresh
Keep the content on your website fresh. If you have been working in a particular area for some time, it’s easy to get wrapped up in the daily grind of doing business and forget that potential clients need to know more about you if they are going to choose you over your competition.
One way to keep yourself top-of-mind is by continually updating the information on your website especially if there are specific events or holidays coming up that would be relevant for your business. For example: I write about graphic design for mobile devices, so I always make sure my blog posts mention Christmas or Easter when those holidays come around (in addition to other seasonal topics).
8. You Don’t Need A Fancy Office
You don’t need a fancy office to run your business. If you get too stressed out by the idea of having employees at your desk, consider working from home or a coffee shop (even if it’s just for part of the day). You can also hire an office manager to help you manage your business so that you never have to leave the comfort of your bed.
If you do want an actual physical space for your company, think about places like co-working spaces or shared office spaces before setting up shop in a swanky high-rise skyscraper downtown they may actually save you money over time by keeping costs low and freeing up more cash flow for other parts of the business.
9. Find Your Niche And Learn Everything About It
You should have a niche. I don’t mean that in the sense of picking something you’re good at, but rather one that’s specific enough to be challenging but not so narrow that it’s impossible to find work. For example, if you’re interested in fashion design and have experience creating garments, then maybe that could be your niche. But if you also want to work on product design, then perhaps fashion accessories would be better suited for your skillset (and vice versa).
Remember: Don’t be afraid of asking questions! When I started my agency, I was terrified of making mistakes and so I didn’t ask enough questions from my clients or other designers who were more experienced than me which led to miscommunication and some really bad consequences for my business.”
10. Don’t Burn Bridges; Leave Every Position On A Positive Note
Don’t burn bridges. If a position or relationship has ended, leave it on a positive note and with a positive attitude.
Leave every position with a positive experience. You will be able to look back and reflect on the good times, which will help you see the light at the end of the tunnel when things aren’t going well in your current position.
Leave every position with a positive impression on others both those who still work there and those who have left before you did (or may even be considering leaving). Your reputation is important, so don’t ruin it by burning bridges!
Leave every position with a positive reputation within yourself; if you do something wrong while working at one company then don’t let that spread into other areas of your life.
Do whatever it takes to ensure that there are no blemishes on your resume by limiting bad experiences as much as possible while still enjoying all aspects of being independent: both personal freedom as well as financial independence.”
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Tips To Consider When Hiring A Freelancing Agency
Most businesses are using freelancing services to increase their productivity. This is also helpful when you want specific needs addressed without hiring full-time professionals. However, if you do not choose the right agency, then you may end up frustrated and not attaining your business goals. Here are tips to consider when hiring a freelancing agency
Know Your Needs
When choosing an outsourcing partner, start by identifying exactly what needs to be outsourced. For example, if you own an e-commerce store and want help with content creation (both text-based and visual), then this is the process that should be outsourced through a custom service provider who specializes in such tasks (such as SEO).
By knowing exactly where they can provide value, these specialists can focus their efforts on providing exceptional results while reducing waste through poor processes or inefficient staffing strategies.
Know what services/products come with each package option: If a company offers several packages ranging from basic support up to highly customized solutions that require additional customization fees or other add-ons; then make sure you understand what those add-ons include before making any decisions about which package fits best within your budget range.
Know when external help might be needed: Running an online store requires constant updating of content based upon current trends within their industry space; so it may mean there is always something new coming down the line from competitors selling similar products (or even entirely different ones) at lower prices than yours currently sells at which makes sense since they don’t have overhead costs associated with running physical stores around town anymore.”
They Should Be Willing To Go The Extra Mile
A freelancing agency should be willing to go the extra mile for their clients. If you ask them for help, and they are not able to provide it, they should at least try. That is how much they care about your business relationship with them. They should be willing to help you with any issue that may arise during the course of a project or even outside of work hours if needed.
You might think that this is common sense but I have seen many agencies who were not willing to do anything extra because it was not in their contract or job description. This is a huge red flag as it shows that these companies only care about making money off their clients and nothing else!
They Should Have A Reliable Support System
The support system is the foundation of any business, and your agency should have a reliable one. The support system refers to the people who work for you and the services they provide. It’s not just about providing a good experience for your customers; it’s also about providing a good experience for every other member of your team: employees, partners, vendors, investors, etcetera.
The key here is that everyone must be on board with what exactly needs to happen for everything else to work together smoothly (not only at work but also outside of it). If everyone has this common understanding then everyone can make meaningful contributions towards creating something great while feeling fulfilled themselves along the way!
Listen And Learn
This is one of the most important things you can do when hiring a freelancer. Asking questions will give you insight into their background, experience, work style and preferences, team members, processes and company culture. You’ll also be able to find out about their pricing and payment terms.
Ask for recommendations from other clients or proof of work on sites like Dribbble or Behance if it’s something you’d like to see before moving forward with someone new.
Be Flexible And Accommodating
When you work with a freelancing agency, be sure to communicate clearly about your needs. In addition to communicating the details of your project, make sure that you’re clear about when it needs to be completed and how much flexibility there is for changes to the project or schedule.
A good freelancing agency will be able to adapt to any changes that may come up during the course of working with them. If you need more time on a project or want more people working on a specific task, they should be able to accommodate those requests without pressuring you into making less-than-ideal decisions.
The rise of mobile technology has significantly influenced the freelancing landscape. Discover how to thrive as a freelancer in the age of mobile and tablets by reading our informative piece on freelancing in the age of mobile and tablets.
Final Thoughts
So there you have it: ten things that I wish I knew before starting a freelance agency. That said, I wouldn’t have changed a thing about my journey, as it has brought me to where I am today (which is happily working on this post!)
Further Reading
Here are some additional resources to explore for further insights on the topic:
The 10 Things I Wish I Knew Before I Started Freelancing: Join this Skillshare class to gain valuable knowledge and practical advice from experienced freelancers who share their insights and lessons learned.
10 Things I Wish I Knew Before I Started Freelancing: Discover the key aspects to consider before diving into freelancing with this informative article that provides valuable tips and guidance.
Things to Know Before Starting Freelancing: Learn about essential factors to consider before embarking on a freelancing career. This blog post covers important insights and practical advice to help you navigate the freelance world successfully.
People Also Ask
What Is The Best Way To Start A Freelance Agency?
The first thing you need to do is come up with a name. This is not as simple as it sounds, but once you have your name and logo, it will be much easier to attract new clients.
Next, you need to decide what type of work you want to take on. Is it all digital marketing or just web design? Once you’ve made these choices, you can create a website and start marketing yourself!
What Advice Would You Give Someone Who Wants To Start Their Agency?
I would advise them to take action! Get out there and start working with clients! Don’t wait around for the perfect opportunity or client take advantage of every chance that comes along and learn from each experience.
How much time do you need to invest in your business?
A lot. The best way to think about it is that you’re starting a small business, and that means you’ll have to invest time, energy and money into making it work. If you’re not ready to commit to that level of effort or if you don’t have the cash flow to make up for any losses at first you might want to reconsider whether starting an agency is right for you.
What’s The Difference Between Being A Freelancer And Running An Agency?
Running an agency means managing more than just one client at a time you’ll be juggling multiple projects at once, which can take its toll on your schedule and your sanity (and maybe even your relationships).
But running an agency also gives you access to resources like accounting help and insurance plans that freelancers don’t usually get as part of their jobs. So it’s really more about how much work you want/need than anything else!
How Much Money Should I Set Aside For Marketing?
That depends on your goals and your marketing strategy, but we recommend at least 10% of your gross income. That might seem like a lot right now, but once you get going it’ll be worth it! Plus, if you have some money set aside for new hires or office space expansion later down the line, you’ll already have some savings built up from all those marketing efforts.
What Is The Best Way To Find Clients?
After you have decided on the type of work you want to do, it’s time to find clients who need that kind of work done. You can look through ads online or in newspapers, or ask friends if they know anyone who needs help with their website design or SEO needs. Once you’ve found some potential clients, send them an email introducing yourself and offering your services.
Costantine Edward is a digital marketing expert, freelance writer, and entrepreneur who helps people attain financial freedom. I’ve been working in marketing since I was 18 years old and have managed to build a successful career doing what I love.