When you work for yourself, it can feel like there are a lot of plates to spin. As well as doing your job, you’re also in charge of sales, social media, customer service and anything else you can think of.
While you might be rushed off your feet, you don’t want to give that impression to your clients. Instead, you want to give a polished, professional appearance.
Virtual office
You might do your work from your kitchen table, but you don’t want your home address all over the internet for anyone to find. This is where a virtual office could come in handy. Depending on the type of package you take, you can have a business address in a central and prestigious location.
Some virtual services companies offer addresses, others also offer mail handling, phone answering and meeting room hire. When it comes to finding the right virtual office for you, take the time to do some research and ask other freelancers who they would recommend.
Professional Invocies
So this one is really easy; all you really need is just a professional invoicing system as well as a professional-looking invoice that doesn’t clearly look like it’s a Microsoft or Google Doc invoice. You can take a look at Canva, which has plenty of invoices. But it’s not just the invoice, but the invoice system, too. For example, you’re going to want to make it clear that you’ll charge late fees if they don’t pay on time- it’s the best way to stand your ground and prove that you mean business.
But is that all? Well, you’re also going to have to keep in mind that without or without late fees, sometimes clients intentionally plan on not paying. They’re probably planning on stealing from you. Obviously, no business wants this, and in cases like this (prior to them happening), you’re going to want to look into Jefferson Capital Systems reviews, as well as reviews for other collection services that would be able to help you out.
Customer service automation
Do clients or potential clients contact you via email or social media? It’s more likely that they’ll reach out like this before picking up the phone, giving you the opportunity to use automation to make sure you never miss a message. Set up autoresponders on all of your social media accounts so that people know you’ve received their message and are prepared to wait a little longer to receive a reply.
You can do the same with email.
Use a VA
Good virtual assistants are in high demand right now. They are freelance professionals who can help you run any aspect of your business or even your home life. They can take a lot of the day to day tasks off your hands such as calendar management, customer service, admin, invoicing and expenses.
There are even specialist VAs who can take care of your marketing or media while you concentrate on other areas of the business. Whether you need someone for a few hours a week or a few hours a day, you’ll be able to find someone to help.
Update your digital presence
Even if you don’t sell products online, this is where your potential customers will be looking for you. At the very least you should have an up to date Google My Business listing and a basic website.
Beyond this, you should encourage clients to review your services on sites like Google or TrustPilot. Most people will look for recommendations from friends or online before contacting a business, so don’t neglect this area.
If you have the time and the resources, one or two well maintained social media accounts are also a great way to draw in potential clients. Do some research to find out which platform they are most likely to use. If you’re not confident in using social media, arrange some training or hire someone to do it for you.
Takeaways
Today’s technology makes it perfectly possible to give your freelance business that professional edge. By using these tools wisely, you can take some of the pressure off and still run your business efficiently.
