Working as a freelancer, making mistakes can have a big influence on someone's career. In the following suggestions, you can learn about the most common mistakes a freelancer can make and how to avoid them.

1. FREELANCER TIPS
10 biggest mistakes a freelancer
can make (Part 1)
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24.07.2013
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2. A freelancer's 10 biggest mistakes
Nobody is perfect, everyone makes mistakes at one time or
another. When it comes down to a business, making mistakes
can be costly, particularly as a freelancer.
Being your own boss is great, but it means a lot more
responsibility and being personally accountable for each and
every error you make.
There are mistakes that freelancers, both old and new, tend to
make. The following article aims to highlight the 10 biggest
errors freelancers make and suggest ways to avoid them.

3. 1. Missing deadlines
Let’s start off with something that’s really simple, but could
easily lose you a client if neglected – deadlines. Some
freelancers tend to think that sending out their work one or two
days later than originally agreed upon will not do much harm to
the company. In some rare occasions, such an opinion might
even be valid – but delivering your work late will certainly have a
negative effect on how your clients perceive you. Deadlines are
there for you to keep them. If you don’t abide to the initially
agreed upon deadline, you will come off as unreliable. And
believe me - nobody wants to do business with a freelancer who
can’t manage his own time and deliver in a timely fashion.

4. 2. Underselling yourself
Not charging enough for your work is a mistake often done by
freelancers starting out. While being new and inexperienced
should be reflected in your fee, be careful to not get used by
clients. Being confident in your skills will help you demand your
work’s worth. More experienced freelancers can fall into the
trap of underselling themselves as well. That’s why any
freelancer should keep an eye on his market segment and be
aware how much the competition charges and how his/her own
work stacks up to that of others. Being good at what you do
deserves proper payment – don’t be afraid to demand it.

5. 3. Neglecting your marketing
when times are good
Marketing is essential to building up a successful freelancer
career. Unfortunately most people tend to neglect it once the
contracts start coming in. This is a grave error – marketing
should be done at all times, the good or the bad. If you only
update your profession Facebook page, personal site or blog
every time you’re in financial trouble, the time will come when it
will have been simply too late. Staying on top of your marketing
and being out there at all times, displaying your motivation and
skill is of utmost importance.

6. 4. Working without a contract
As a freelancer, a contract is the closest to a hundred percent
guarantee that your work does not go unpaid. If a client
suddenly decides he doesn’t need your services anymore, they
should still pay for the services provided so far, even if the
project is not completed. Aside from making sure a client is
legally bound to help you, a contract is a sign for you
professionalism for those you work with. Having a written
agreement will spare you a lot of headache, working without
one is not only insecure, but will almost certainly be a negative
sign for your clients as well.

7. 5. Relying on just a few income sources
Having a few stable clients is great, but a freelancer should be
careful to never rely on just a couple of income sources. If you
have just two or three big clients, losing one will definitely hurt
you a lot; it might even turn into a financial disaster. So try to
stay in touch with different companies and don’t forget to
always put yourself out there. That will also ensure you have
more possibilities when picking out the contracts you actually
want to do. That being said, don’t spread yourself too thinly
either. Overextending can lead to you doing mediocre work and
not really doing the best for any client, which won’t help either
side in the long run.

8. A freelancer's 10 biggest mistakes
If you liked the first part of “The 10 biggest mistakes a freelancer
can make” make sure to stay tuned next week when we publish
the next one in our news section over at
www.freelancermap.com and read about another five mistakes
you just can’t afford to make as a freelancer and get tips on
avoiding them.

9. Further freelancer tips available on http://www.freelancermap.com/channel/19-news.html
Contact
freelancermap.com
Contact person: Doreen Schollmeier - International Affairs
Mail: info@freelancermap.com
Skype: doreen.schollmeier
Phone: +49-911-37750286
facebook: www.facebook.com/freelancermapInternational
Twitter: freelancer_INT

10. Further freelancer tips available on http://www.freelancermap.com/channel/19-news.html
Contact
freelancermap.com
Contact person: Doreen Schollmeier - International Affairs
Mail: info@freelancermap.com
Skype: doreen.schollmeier
Phone: +49-911-37750286
facebook: www.facebook.com/freelancermapInternational
Twitter: freelancer_INT