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The Design Center / Creative Networking / Zenful Creations Talks About Freelancing  

Following our series of tips and advice for freelancing, we discovered one listee excelling in the field of web design, with this important advice, and a delightful web site and blog to back it up.

FREELANCING

... with Lori Leach-Forster, Zenful Creations

Lori writes:

While I don't really consider myself a freelancer any longer since I Incorprated my design company, Zenful Creations last year, the way I built the business was all through freelancing.

Here are some tips I can offer based on my experiences.

1. Get on the Web: First and foremost, have a GOOD website. Make sure it has at least six original designs, the service you provided (a before and after shot is always good), a little detail on your process helps too. Make sure your site is easy to use, and preferably compliant with standards. Make sure there are no typos in your content.

2. Get a Broker: Get signed up on sites such as Guru.com; RentACoder.com, GetAFreelancer.com, SelectADesigner.com, and many others to peruse the projects there -- Guru.com pays better than most. Over the years I acquired several projects from DesignCrowd.com

3. Determine your niche. Find listservs within that niche, such as this one and participate. There will always be people you can learn from, and more that know less than you. You may end up a referral for someone on the list who admires the work you do.

4. Post a free ad on Craigslist in your area. Craigslist allows you to post an ad for your services every 45 days. With the usership of this site, you will at least get a hit or two each 45 days.

Zenful Creations site5. 3rd Party Endorsements: Always get testimonials from the clients you work for. Since the launch of this online reputation manager, I have had all clients that I worked with give me a review on iKarma.com -- it is a place that you can send current clients (or have a link from your site) to find out more about working with you.

6. Network. Join your local BNI, or attend other networking events in your area to build your synergistic relationships, and meet people that will refer you to people they know.

7. Blog. This will increase traffic to your site - I suggest blogging about each design you do or whatever niche it is you have; blog the before, process and after. Blog about open spots in your schedule... Blog when you are full and can take no clients at that time (which shows you are busy) - clients tend to like busy designers as that usually indicates they are good at what they do, and in demand.

There are many other ways I have used over the years, but I feel this is a pretty good list to start with - good luck all!

Lori Leach-Forster
* President - Zenful Creations, Inc.
* http://www.zenfulcreations.com

Lori continues this article with some more tips for all beginner freelancers. She has also posted her web design contract, and invites you to use it for yourself in your freelance web design company.

Don't miss Lori's wonderful blog... you'll find all sorts of delicious discoveries.
* www.zenfulcreations.com/wordpress/

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