Step four of creating your first $60,000 in freelancer revenue is keeping all of your work on hand. You never know when you\u2019ll see a potential client and they\u2019ll want to view your output. I\u2019m sure you\u2019re picturing an architect with his drawings and architectural models making his way through downtown Manhattan on job interviews.<\/p>\n
\nFortunately for us, we work in digital.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n
With that said, it\u2019s not a bad idea to keep a few print brochures in your backpack. As I said, you never know when someone will ask. You can also print business cards with a QR code that goes straight to the portfolio on your website.<\/p>\n
Why do you need print? You\u2019ll be going to Chamber of Commerce mixers, business network meetings, and WordPress Meetups, of course. Your ideal customer is unlikely to be as tech-savvy as you \u2014 or they may prefer tactile objects. (Remember you chose artists as a niche.)<\/p>\n
But don\u2019t stop at the outreach, allow the person to contact you at the bottom of each blog post and section of your portfolio. Some portfolios even include chatbots that go directly to Slack! How\u2019s that for efficiency?<\/p>\n
<\/span>5. Create an effective and catchy email signature to use when sending emails<\/span><\/h2>\nEmail signatures are so 2005. I know. But earning that first $60,000 in freelancer revenue means positioning yourself as a professional. You may even want to position yourself as a consultant or agency.<\/p>\n
A little bit of HTML and your email signature should be that attention to detail that lands you the next website build. You can even save some time and use Hubspot\u2019s email signature generator.<\/p>\n
\nThen copy and paste that right into Mail or Gmail. Easy.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n
Also, there\u2019s no need to overly tweak this process. I know how easy it is to go down an HTML rabbit hole. The point is to pay attention to the small details that distinguish yourself as a freelancer.<\/p>\n
An effective email signature will include:<\/p>\n
\n- Full Name<\/li>\n
- Title<\/li>\n
- Pronoun Preference<\/li>\n
- Phone Number<\/li>\n
- Email Address<\/li>\n
- Website URL<\/li>\n
- Photo<\/li>\n
- Social Links<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
That was easy!<\/p>\n
<\/span>6. Send out 3 to 5 emails every day, following up with each person who doesn’t respond after 2 days<\/span><\/h2>\nStep six to earning your first $60k in freelancer revenue is the most challenging on our souls. Many freelancers don\u2019t send out cold or warm emails because it feels like we\u2019re begging for work. It\u2019s that mindset that has to change entirely. What we\u2019re doing by sending these emails to contacts is letting them know that we offer a valuable service.<\/p>\n
<\/span>What contacts do I email?<\/span><\/h3>\nThat\u2019s probably the question you\u2019re asking yourself right now. That\u2019s a legit concern. If you\u2019re a member of your local Chamber of Commerce, business networking group, or any of the local Meetups, then you have plenty of contacts to email.<\/p>\n
\nI know it feels like work, and that\u2019s because it is.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n
With cold or warm email outreach, it\u2019s a numbers game. For every 10 emails you send out, one customer is $500 in your pocket for a quick website that takes less than three hours to build.<\/p>\n
If you\u2019re worried about having the right CRM before you start, don\u2019t. Pen and paper work great. So does Google Sheets. If someone responds to your email, mark that resolution in sheets. If they don\u2019t respond in two days, email them with a different subject line. What you need to do is try. This does several things to enhance your freelancing revenue.<\/p>\n
When you email prospects, you inevitably refine your pitch, offering, and present it more concisely. You\u2019ll also start believing in the value of your web development service. Reading and typing these words is powerful for your confidence which indirectly helps your sales.<\/p>\n