That same fire the burns inside your soul can be utilized in a controlled way to further your freelance career – or it can cause you to burn out if you’re not careful. Today, I want to discuss how you can spot the fire and put it to good use.

How can you spot the fire?

Have you ever had a dream about coding or design? I have – numerous times. That’s one way you can spot that you’ve got a fire burning for your work. Another way to spot the fire is to notice when you’re in general conversations with friends and family or if you’re out running errands and you can’t stop thinking about the work you’ve got back home on the computer. That, my friend, is the freelance fever. Paying close attention to how you think throughout the day, online and offline, will allow you to spot the fire that’s lit and allow you to utilize it as much as possible.

How can you use the fire?

This is actually easier to answer than it may seem. The quick, straight to the point answer is to get off your butt and do work. For instance, I love writing articles like this and it’s currently 11:05pm and I’m in front of my computer, writing. I also love to design – which I’ll be doing shortly after this article is done. Late into the night, hustle your butt off. Early in the morning, hustle your butt off. Ask Gary Vaynerchuk what hustling will get you if you’re not sure that hard work really does pay off.

Another thing I like to do, which you can utilize to work with your freelance fever, is keeping a notebook in my pocket at all times for jotting down notes, design sketches, website ideas and to-do lists. I have a main to do list on my computer (I use teux deux which is free), but by keeping the pocket notebook around me at all times, I’m able to write down items I may have found out about while I’m out running errands (I get emails on my blackberry, so it’s easy to jot down a to do note in my pocket notebook so I don’t forget).

How do you avoid the burnout?

Just like with a real fever, you’ve got to ensure you’re getting proper rest. I do not mean sleep, I am definitely not someone to speak on getting proper sleep. What I mean is this – make sure you rest your eyes from being in front of the computer every so often; stand up and walk around your house, go for a ride if the weather is nice, go grocery shopping, go to the movies, ect. Spending every waking moment will cause you to burn out very quickly and will result in you needing 5-6 days away from the computer before you’re able to go back to it – and if you’ve got client projects open, you’re going to make some people mad.

You can also avoid the burnout by mixing your projects up. Doing personal work in between client projects will keep your mind fresh and your spirits up. Also, mix up the type of work you’re doing – design some days and code on others. Write articles on certain days and put together tutorials on others. By mixing things up, you’re keeping things light and you’ll be much happier and able to work for longer periods of time before wanting to pull your hair out.

Do you have the fever?

Drop a comment and let us know if you’ve got the freelance fever and how you utilize the fire that’s been lit under you. Hopefully, for some of you reading this article right now, this very article is the fire that’s been lit for you – use it and set the world ablaze!

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Engage With the Client.

Engaging with the client means being personable. That doesn’t mean you have to go to his son’s baseball games but show a genuine interest in what they have to say. Actively listen to the client and make small talk when not talking about the project. Your goal in this part of the game is become the client’s personal freelancer. You want to be his freelancer. You want the client to feel as if you care about them and hopefully you really do. Unless you are a robot.

Empathize With the Client

By putting yourself in your client’s shoes, you’ll be able to identify problems and engage more with the client. Start thinking of them as humans instead of the means by which you feed your Apple addiction. When clients see you truly care they become more receptive, making it easier on you to make suggestions that get discussed instead of looked over.

Show the Client Uncompleted Work

Some freelancers feel that it’s bothersome or just plain unprofessional to show uncompleted work. While it does take a bit more time to complete a design, the amount of buy-in that the client has in the project at that point is immense. Allowing the client to take a peek and make suggestions, gets them into being more comfortable with you and the project in general. The client feels as if they made the design, like they shaped it. I really builds the “it’s my baby” aspect of the project. If you are worried that you’ll lose control of the project don’t fret, you can shape the client’s feedback by asking probing questions.

Ask Questions

Any way you cut it, freelancers don’t ask enough questions. By asking questions, actively listening to the client, and empathizing or empathizing with client you gain buy-in and acceptance. The more intriguing and thought provoking your questions the more you will learn about your client and project. Of course, that will only lead to a great project, a happy client, and repeat business. That is what you want, right?

Be Humble

You may be able to program a jQuery plugin quicker than anyone within a 100-mile radius but that doesn’t mean you can skimp when it comes to being humble. Practicing humility will set you apart from other freelancers without this valuable trait. The hardest part about being humble is if you think you are being humble, sadly you are not.

Be an Effective Problem Solver

When a client comes to us they have a problem. It could be that they need a website, search engine optimization, or branding. They have the problem and it becomes our job to solve it, effectively. By design we are a creative lot, so problem solving comes very easy for us. Strive for the simplest solution to the problem, as those have the highest success rate of client integration. As long as the problem is solved with the client’s well-being in mind, then the problem has been solved effectively.

Educate the Client

Does the client need to know how to call a php hook from within the loop in wordpress? No, but they will need to understand what they are paying for. Educate the client on the look of the design, explain some of the science behind end user psychology, or explain the major differences between the content management systems that you are trying to decide on. Like before, if the client can mentally invest into the project and design then less objections rise during the revision process. Don’t go into geek overload and explain color theory, even I can only handle that after a cup or two of coffee.

Million Dollar Treatment

If you have a great client on your hands or even if its a so-so client, it’s still miles beyond a “client from hell”. Let them know you appreciate them. During the project, give them a custom Twitter background that matches their final design, and early payment discount, or some other little freebie. It’s virtually no cost and clients love it! Also, giving them a shout-out on their social network of choice, sending them a thank you card after the project is over, or during the holidays goes a long way with clients. Who doesn’t like to be appreciated?

Have a Good Contract

Believe it or not, having the details of the project laid out in a clear and easy to understand format not only makes it easier on you, but also for the client. Contracts give the client a sense of security and give you an aire of professionalism. It takes some of the guess work out of the project. The client knows what’s expected of them and what’s expected of the designer. Plus, if for one reason or another, the whole project goes belly up then both you and the client have a course of action.

Don’t Be Afraid to State Your Opinion

The hardest freelance lesson to learn is learning when to state your opinion. If the client is wrong about something say so. They will appreciate the honesty. Just be ready to point out the error and have a solution ready to go. There’s no sense in pointing out an error only to not have an effective plan of action. Don’t shoot holes in an idea, only to have nothing to patch it up with. Also be ready to admit when you are wrong should the client call you on something too.

Be Yourself

A great man named William Bernbach said, “Nobody counts the number of ads you run; they just remember the impression you make.”. When you interact with a client, inject your personality into the conversation and project. If you are acting contrived, the client will know. Your tone will most likely be copied by the client. Ever heard happiness is contagious? Be genuine, by displaying your passion for the project and your craft, the client will share their enthusiasm as well.

Communicate

The best way to ensure client interaction is to communicate effectively. Following some of the suggestions given above will definitely put one on the straight-and-narrow. Be sincere. If you’ve done your job correctly then the little things that you have done (the suggestions of this article) will add up. In the end, its all about value added to the client and the project.

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