HOW TO DEAL WITH COMPETITION IN THE FREELANCE INDUSTRY

African freelancers are members of a gig economy that commands billions in revenues and has millions of members. These members send pitches/proposals to thousands of clients. These clients, in turn, must choose from a growing list of competent and skilled freelancers, regularly.

The scenario above lays credence to reality: there is keen competition in the freelance sphere. There is another reality that further corroborates this theory: More and more people are quitting their jobs to become full-time freelancers. As of 2017, 57.3 million people in the US engage in some freelance work. These freelancers contribute 1.4 trillion USD to the US economy, an increase of 30 per cent from previous years.

So the next logical question is how the African freelancer can deal with competition and remain competitive? The following actionable steps will serve you in this regard:

Have a portfolio
Your past work should be able to speak for you when pitching/making presentations. Your portfolio is an actionable way to demonstrate your skills and abilities. One sure way to build your writing ensemble is sending contributions to small publications and guest blogs. In this way, you create an online presence, that you can point potential clients to. Choose past works that clearly show how your writing can add value and solve the needs of your clients.

Offer to write/consult for free
While this tip sounds at odds to your aim as an African Freelancer, it might be the path to landing consistent freelance gigs. Investing your time and resources in meeting the needs of a client helps for free can help with visibility and spread. A strategy to maximize pro bono work is to state what your charges would be for subsequent engagements. You could also request that the client recommends your work to other businesses seeking the same services.

Focus on self-development

The freelance gig economy is driven by the latest trends in science and technology. To keep ahead of the competition, it is essential you place a premium on self-development. Seek knowledge and resources to hone your freelance skills. As a Freelance writer or a graphic designer, seek out courses and programs to shore up your knowledge base. Thankfully, the internet brims offer a great variety of activities for growth and development. There are hundreds of courses and webinars designed to enhance the proficiency of your freelance business.

Deadlines are important
Clients do not give timelines for submission of work for the fun of it. Therefore, If you meet deadlines, that’s great. However, If you send your orders in time, that’s even better. When you send in your work in good time, you send a message to your client. This message shows that you are responsible enough to care about the client’s needs. This attitude puts your reputation in good stead and opens the door for future engagements.

A note of warning: you should never sacrifice the quality of your freelance work for timely submission. The way to go is starting your work in as soon as possible and creating room for unforeseen circumstances.

Be proactive
A good African freelancer will complete the task according to the client’s guidelines. However, a competent one will go to extra lengths in meeting the needs of the engagement. This path embraces being proactive; where the freelancer suggests ideas/strategies that will add more value to expected outcomes.

For example, as a freelance copywriter, you can suggest topics that might be interesting for your client’s readers.

Take time to build business connections
The typical workday for the average freelance often centres on working on projects given by clients. However, it is essential that building business connections remain at the forefront of your overall business strategy. In other words, the more contacts you have, the more projects you can get.

Many African freelancers find their gigs through freelancing platforms, previous connections, and friends’ recommendations. Other veritable avenues include job placement boards.

While these steps can help you stay afloat in the freelance market, there is a better strategy. It involves a change in perspective; viewing competition from the standpoint of collaboration. This path will include performing the following steps:

Connecting with other Freelancers
The exigencies of the times recommend that you connect with other freelancers, working in the gig economy. If you do find a competitor in your freelance niche, you should consider liking their social media pages and following their works. If they post interesting, informative, and relevant content, share that content with your followers.

Seeing other freelancers as sources of knowledge
The possibility exists that you can pick up valuable trade secrets from the works of other African freelancers. If someone has gone further on their career path than you, don’t despair and see them as competition. You should instead learn from them. How are they connecting with their target market? What skills do they have that you need?

Under these circumstances, you should reach out and ask questions. You could also put up your work for critical reviews, so you see how you can improve your craft. In the same vein, reciprocate by giving your advice and insights to others from your perspective.

Project Collaboration
Have you turned down a task because it was complicated and overwhelming for you? If yes, then reaching out to other freelancers would have been the perfect solution. These other freelancers would have brought the needed skills and leverage to deliver on the project.

Working with other freelancers will also give your avenues to make referrals for jobs outside your areas of competence. You keep good faith with a potential client for future engagements and earn the appreciation of your peer for the reference.

In the final analysis, to stay competitive as an African freelancer, focus on you as your competition. Cut out or reduce frivolous activities. Go for self-developmental courses, so you can find your niche and hone your craft. Learn about sales and marketing techniques to build your client list. Reach out to fellow freelancers and share ideas. Through these means, you are bound to remain relevant as a freelancer in the gig economy.