How to Create a Freelance Profile That Gets You Clients

Editor’s note: This is a guest post by Amanda Sparks, Entrepreneur & Owner of Top Down Writer

As the latest research unveils, the global freelance economy continues its sharp increase. More importantly, the trend is likely to only accelerate within the upcoming years, as businesses continue identifying a wider range of tasks, suitable for temporary or freelance employees.

Quite predictably, the rapid market growth is fueling the more vigorous competition on the supply side. This means, if you’re hoping to build a successful self-employed career as a freelancer, it’s time to get a grip.

Like it or not, but getting ahead in the game as a freelancer isn’t always easy. However, there are ways to make it at least a little less challenging.

First thing first, you will need to create a freelance profile, and here’s how to make it appealing to your potential clients.

Select a Suitable Profile Photo

Let’s start with the basics: never use stock images, cat pictures or else in your freelance profile!

Since a profile photo is the primary thing your potential clients see, it should represent the real person, i.e. the real you.

In addition, your profile photo needs to convey professionalism with at least a shade of friendliness. Thus, it’s crucial that you’re using a well-centered, high-quality shot of your smiling face, on the neutral, uncluttered background.

Keep Your Title SEO-Optimized

A freelancer’s title becomes their first description, viewable to clients, and it’s great if it catches their attention right away.

While writing your title, not only should you keep it concise and specific, but more importantly, SEO-optimized, too.

Simply put, using the well-targeted keywords to describe your competencies and skills in the profile title can give you leverage over other freelancers and substantially widen your employment opportunities.

Tell More About Your Skills

There are several key aspects when it comes to enlisting your skills as a freelancer:

• Select and enlist from 4(5) to 10 most important and relevant! professional skills that reflect your potential value as a freelancer in your job field (or category).
• Ensure ordering the enlisted skills by your proficiency in each.
• Quality Proof. Consider taking at least a few skill-based tests, usually available on online workplace websites to confirm your high proficiency in the field.

Tip! Describing your educational background in the freelance profile can also

help validate your qualifications.

Show Off Your Best Works in a Portfolio

Quite predictably, it’s highly important to showcase your past projects in the Portfolio section of your profile the best way.

Thus, while compiling your professional portfolio as a freelancer, consider describing your best works first, while leaving out the projects you might not be as much proud of.

Tip! Ensure getting your clients’ permit to add references to their company in your portfolio beforehand to maintain your reputation as a trustworthy professional.

Link Other Accounts

Linking other online accounts, e.g. LinkedIn, Behance, Dribble or even Twitter to your freelance profile helps verify your identity and improve your credibility.

In this respect, linking your LinkedIn account, for instance, not only helps enhance your online presence, but also enables clients to catch up with what your past employer and/or teammates have to say about your skills and expertise, right away.

Set your Hourly Rate

Setting your hourly rate as a freelancer remains one of the most challenging aspects for most beginners in the field.

The thing is, while some freelancers may be feeling shy about what they think they’re worth, others may happen to overestimate their value as an employee.

In view of the mentioned inconsistencies, it’s essential to set a starting hourly rate, competitive to your rival’s rates in your niche.

Tell Your Success Stories in the Employment History

Enlisting your employment history is another way to showcase your competencies and qualifications and improve your clients’ trust.

In this respect, it’s crucial to briefly describe your responsibilities and highlight your key achievements in each of the past projects you’re mentioning, yet without exaggerating any of the latter.

The trick is, a potential client may request a reference from your former employer anytime, just to make sure you’re being honest in your profile.

Namely, as Jim Vernon, CEO of RockHer, “If the references unveiled a person is dishonest about their actual responsibilities and accomplishments at least at one of the past workplaces, there isn’t a chance we’ll make a positive hiring decision.”

Update Your Profile Description Every Few Months

Given the ever-changing market trends, it’d be beneficial to update your freelance profile description and portfolio every now and then.

This will help demonstrate how your professional skills have extended and improved over time.

Write Motivational Invitations to Clients

Even if you’re bidding on numerous projects on a permanent basis, it’s vital that you add a personalized, motivational message to each. In these, explain why you wish to do the job and how your professional expertise and experience can help you successfully complete the project.

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Amanda Sparks is a professional marketer, and blogger, owner TopDownWriter.com. She has worked in marketing for 7 years and is passionate about developing innovative and customer-friendly solutions for brand growth.