It has become increasingly challenging to stand out in a crowded market for almost every industry these days, making it more critical than ever to find ways to differentiate yourself from others. However, you can still do plenty of things to show potential clients that you are conscientious, will deliver on time, and create something truly unique. This post will cover what you can do to prove yourself to a prospect in order to increase your chances of landing rhythm as a client and show that you’re unique and hardworking.
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Niche Down, Specialize Up- Unique and Hardworking!
The first step is to prove to a prospect that you are an expert in your field. In some cases, this may be self-evident, like for jobs that require certification, etc. For other professions, you may have to prove it in another way. Your best option is to niche down on a specific area of your work. For example, if you are a freelance web designer, you could choose to focus on web design for lawyers or schools or any number of other things. This will enable you to develop an extensive portfolio and increase your chances of getting hired. Moreover, once you have done several jobs within your chosen niche, you will be better positioned to provide “free” advice to potential clients. In this case, the free advice demonstrates your familiarity with the industry and what they want and can also offer suggestions to expedite the process.
Build A Portfolio- Unique and Hardworking
Although it was touched upon earlier, building a portfolio is one of the most important things you can do to capture more work. A portfolio is a collection of work you have done in the past. It is a representation of your skills and experience, and building a portfolio will help you get work as a freelancer because it shows potential clients what kind of work you can do for them. It’s also important to include personal projects because potential employers want to see that you’re capable of working on different types of projects. However, there are some things you should consist of and steps you need to take to make one, including:
- Collect examples of your work: This is the most obvious step as it showcases your experience and what you are capable of. You can also include personal projects and those you have done for friends and family. As long as the project came out as intended, you should include it.
- Add in reviews: Reviews always help and will be mentioned later in more detail. However, including them in your portfolio will give potential clients a quick overview of your abilities.
- Include imagery: This point will depend on the type of work you do. However, you can include images that make it quicker and easier for a potential client to parse in most cases.
- Include examples of companies you have worked with: No matter how large or small the company was, you should add it in. This will enable your respect to see if you have worked on similar projects to what they require.
- Ensure that it demonstrates your skills adequately. Listing specific jobs in your portfolio is insufficient. For instance, if you are a web developer, you should include links to any sites you have designed so that your clients can see them for themselves. As a writer, you must include examples of your writing and so on. Whatever you do regarding your expertise, you need to show a prospect that you can deliver what you promise.
- It should look amazing: It needs to look impressive whether you create a physical portfolio or a web page dedicated to your previous jobs. It should be professional, easy to navigate, and provide enough information to whet their appetite.
Ask For Reviews- Unique and Hardworking
As alluded to earlier, asking for a review is a great way to prove that you can do what you say. Most people rely on word of mouth and the opinions of others to cement their own. By including a set of complementary reviews, you will show that you are more than capable of working on their project. Nevertheless, you should ask with tact and also inquire if they are happy to be included in your portfolio. In some cases, a prospective client may contact the company to request first-hand information, which might not sit well with some companies. If you want to go above and beyond (which you should, considering this post is about showing how hard you work), you could even create a survey. You can use something simple like Google Forms and send it to your customer once you have delivered the work and know they are happy. Although you should keep it brief, you should include questions you can quickly collate and show new clients.
Update Your Training Regularly
The best way to prove your competence and consciousness is to stay up-to-date with the latest industry trends and update your skill regularly. The industry you are in will dictate what training is available and how much certification you require, but the point is to do what you can. Once you have some credentials under your belt, you can include them in your portfolio, email signatures, and even your LinkedIn profile. Professional certification will show that you are competent, but it should provide that you are always looking for ways to improve yourself and your offerings.
Get Recommendations On LinkedIn- Unique and Hardworking
LinkedIn is an excellent platform for showcasing your work and abilities and gaining recommendations from your peers. Recommendations are a way for professionals to endorse other professionals. Recommendations on LinkedIn are similar to a social media ‘like’ or ‘follow,’ but they have more weight because they come from someone you know and trust. Recommendations are an essential part of the LinkedIn experience because they show your connections that you have been endorsed by someone else. They also help your contacts validate your skills and expertise.
The key to success in the open market is to be different. Instead of following the crowd, you should blaze your own trail and stand out from the crowd; otherwise, you risk getting left behind. Although some of the tips in this post are common knowledge, by following them, you should be able to showcase your talent, abilities, and commitment to your work.
