Networking is more than just making contacts in your industry. Exchanging information with other freelancers across various social media platforms, professional forums, and freelancing sites can help you develop professionally and grow your business. Fiverr & Upwork alternatives, like Indy’s one-stop platform, enable you to collaborate, network, and manage your projects in one convenient online location.
Although swapping business cards is slowly transitioning to trading digital portfolios, the idea remains the same. Here’s a look at why networking is essential for growing your freelance business.
Upskilling
Many freelancers work in niche markets. They are often specialist workers with a particular skill set. By engaging with other freelancers, you can open up opportunities to elevate your current skill level or gain additional skills to make you more versatile.
Whether you’re a graphic designer who wants to expand their knowledge about website development, or you’re a computer programmer who wants to grow their skill set as a copywriter, freelancers can come together to share their talents.
There are more remote work positions emerging with an increasing demand for those with broad skill sets. Upskilling gives your business more scope and chances to grow.
Networking can also open you up to people with abilities that complement your business. By outsourcing some of your work to these freelancers or collaborating on projects, you may be able to expand your client list, ultimately benefiting your bottom line.
Job Prospects
Many job opportunities are never advertised. Companies use their HR resources to recruit people to fill certain positions. A source reports that up to 80% of jobs are allocated through networking.
Although you might secure reliable, long-term work as a freelancer, the nature of freelancing means you’re regularly between positions. With so many roles being up for grabs through networking, it is an essential part of running and growing your freelance business.
If you’re looking for work, networking is great for assessing potential opportunities. Networking doesn’t have to involve hard selling or shopping ideas to those in attendance. It can be a more casual mixer where people discuss ideas and passions. Utilize video meetings and local Chamber of Commerce events to help boost your visibility in your field.
Freelancing communities can develop organically, creating social and professional bubbles that can have long-term benefits.
Helps You to Learn About Your Business
Freelancers often have a combination of skills that they find difficult to articulate. Speaking to fellow freelancers and asking questions about your business can help to better define what exactly it is that you do.
Rather than repeating the same couple of sentences about what you do during a networking session, you might be faced with questions about why you do certain things or how you market to a particular target audience.
Discussing your customer acquisition strategy with someone who has experience in that area may open your eyes to other strategies or potential avenues. You can learn a lot about your business by talking to others with fresh perspectives.
Learning about your business niche helps you stay up-to-date and relevant, giving you the best growth opportunities.
Collaboration Opportunities
Freelancers often have to wear many hats. Between client hunting, balancing ongoing projects, and performing administrative tasks, it’s challenging to stay on top of all your work. While you can make administrative duties easier by utilizing a work days calculator and project management platforms, you may still need additional support.
For large projects, collaboration with other freelancers is a good approach. It strengthens your position with clients because you can offer more services. For example, if you have a graphic design contract, you can outsource the content writing or digital marketing to a collaborator.
With the prominence of Zoom, Google Drive, WeTransfer, Slack, and other management tools, remote collaboration is more accessible than ever. Because of the global pandemic, virtual networking has become even more popular, providing further opportunities to grow your freelance business.
Increase Flexibility But Stay Focused
Flexibility and the opportunity to be your own boss are two of the most attractive aspects of a freelancing career. However, this means that discipline and maintaining good habits are critical.
Networking with fellow freelancers and businesses provides many opportunities to grow, but it doesn’t happen naturally. Set goals and use networking as a tool to elevate your business and increase profitability in the long run.