#AskAFreelancer: Samantha Tetrault Shares Her Tips For New Freelancing Transitions
Welcome to my new series #AskAFreelancer, a series where I “sit” down with my fave freelancers to ask questions that you and I both want answers to. This was born out of my fear of actually sitting down to interview podcast guests, and also my want to open this community up to other freelancers because it’s not just about me.
Samantha is one of my favorite internet friends, I’ve been on her podcast Offbeat Grad an insane amount of times, and she is an amazing person to follow online. She works very hard and has a ton of amazing advice that I know you will get inspired by, so, without further ado, let’s get into the interview.
You just went through a HUGE freelance website upgrade. How did you go about organizing what you wanted to change and implementing it effectively?
For my freelance website, I knew I needed an upgrade if I wanted to land higher paying clients. While I was pretty content with my website before, I wanted to niche down even further into the digital marketing and technology space. That’s what really drove my website “upgrade.”
To start, I brainstormed the pages I would need to update. Those were all the basic ones like my homepage, bio, portfolio, and services. From there, I played with a few designs until I found one that really spoke to my writing style which I consider to be bold, playful, and direct. Once I got started, I was really excited to see just how far I could take the website.
I’m really happy with the finished product and I’m so excited to share it with prospective clients! If you’re not sure which direction to go with your own freelancer website, I’d recommend just getting started. Having something is always better than nothing!
You've recently delved into the world of Upwork. How do you manage how much time you spend there looking for gigs? What are your best tips for creating a great Upwork strategy?
Upwork can definitely be a time suck, but luckily this is something I learned early on in my freelancing career. There are a lot of different hats I wear as a blogger and freelancer, so I try to limit the time I spend pitching on Upwork and other platforms.
Since I’m really narrowing down my niche and gigs (only accepting high-paying, expert work), there isn’t a large number of gigs worth applying for. That means I only spend about 3-5 hours a week sourcing and applying for gigs. Spending 30 minutes to an hour a day looking at new opportunities and applying to the ones that feel like a good fit is the best use of my time.
When I spend too much time digging through listings, I never really find what I’m looking for. It’s much more effective to use that time writing a post for my own blog or marketing myself in a new way. My best tips for creating a strong Upwork strategy are:
Profile - Optimize your profile for your ideal client type and niche. This is a great way to get direct invitations as well.
Be picky - Only apply for gigs you really want. Don’t waste time on things that don’t interest you or don’t pay enough!
Client history - Pay attention to client history. If the client doesn’t have any history or verified payment, I most likely won’t waste my time unless they’ve provided some other form of verification.
Schedule - Create a schedule for applying to gigs. Don’t let Upwork suck up all of your time! Checking gig listings a few times a week is more than enough. Don’t feel like you need to spend hours and hours each day applying.
What advice would you give to new freelancers who need help picking up their typing speed so they can pick up more freelance clients?
After writing ability, typing speed is the most valuable asset a freelance writer can have! The best way to learn to type quickly is to simply practice. The best advice I can give is one I learned from creative writing: write first, edit later.
This simply means don’t break your momentum with edits. I always write first, letting myself just get the words on the page. Once I’m done, I go back and edit, moving things around and adding more info as needed. It’s okay if your first draft sucks! That’s not the draft that matters. Just learning to type freely and let go of the need to have your writing be perfect the first time around will go a long way towards helping you become a better typist.
Finally, try some typing games! I grew up playing typing games, and they’re a fun way to get some practice in without taking yourself too seriously. So what if they’re for kids? Games are fun!
You have two blogs (three blogs?), two podcasts, and a freelance business. How do you divvy up your time so that all of them have their space in your calendar?
If you count my literary magazine and book podcast, I have four blogs! It’s a bit outrageous! I divvy up my time based on what pays the bills. Right now, only my main blog (Samanthability) is paying the bills, so I focus most of my time there. I like to be realistic with my blog content schedule. Writing once a week is a great goal, but I don’t beat myself up if I can’t reach that number.
Knowing what needs to be done each will helps me keep myself organized. I have a set day for recording each podcast (Sundays and Tuesdays), and I have a few other tasks I do regularly that keep me on top of things. Ultimately, when juggling so much, I try not to take anything too seriously. If I miss a blog post one week the world won’t end. Planning my week each Sunday is also a huge lifesaver.
As a marketing and technology writer, you have some pretty amazing clips in your portfolio like Leadpages and Inbound Rocket. What tips do you have for fellow freelancers on getting clips from big players in your industry?
The best way to get those high-level industry clips is through guest posting! Just about any big-name brand or industry leader has a blog, and I guarantee they’re open to guest posts. These are usually unpaid gigs, but it’s still a great way to get 1) a top-notch backlink and 2) credible writing samples.
Searching for contributor guidelines or guest posting submissions on your favorite blogs is usually the easiest way to find these opportunities. From there, brainstorm some pitch ideas and send them to the editor. I’ve had great success with this since these blogs are always open to new content from creators and experts.
You recently went through a client breakup. How do you know when you've outgrown a client, and it's time to move on?
I’d known I needed to breakup with that client for 6 months before I pulled the trigger, and the reality was they were underpaying me and treating me like a (low-paid) employee. While you’ll need to follow your own gut, here are some of the ways I’ve realized I’ve outgrown a client:
Pay - If you’ve raised your rates and your client can no longer pay, you don’t need to stick around for the sake of it. It’s okay to admit you’re no longer in their price range and to go your separate ways.
Time - If the client is taking up too much of your time, they might be treating you like an employee and not a freelancer. That’s perfectly fine if you’re okay with that type of arrangement, but realize that full-time employees usually have benefits and other perks that you don’t have as a freelancer. This could be a sign you need to break ties or cut down on work.
Boundaries - Another sign you’ve outgrown a client is if they don’t respect your boundaries. This client in particular never respected my time, would assign last-minute work, and would ignore my scheduled vacations. This made me feel like I was on-demand 24/7, and that’s not what I ever wanted my life as a freelancer to be like. While you need to set your own boundaries, it’s okay to expect your clients to respect you like the business owner you are.
What are your freelancing goals for the next few months? Where do you see your freelance business as we go into 2020?
Though my first love always will be writing, I see myself moving towards new areas in 2020. I already make an income through my blog, and I would like to rely more on that and less on freelancing. Blogging is where my passion truly lies, and I prefer being 100% in control through my own platform instead of relying on clients.
Additionally, I’m considering focusing more on web development and SEO. I’m a very technical person, and sometimes I wish I could work more on the technical side and not the creative side. I need some variety!
I’ve been working online full-time since 2017, and while I stumbled into this career seemingly on accident, I’ve never been happier. Being a freelancer and blogger isn’t conventional by any means, but freedom and independence is at the foundation of my career aspirations. I hope that my journey can inspire other freelancers from all backgrounds. I’m truly working my dream job!
About Samantha Tetrault
Samantha Tetrault is a B2B marketing writer from sunny Orlando, Florida. When not working on her freelance business, she blogs about post-grad life and making money online at Samanthability. She also is the host of Offbeat Grad, a podcast for young adults who want to break free from the 9-5 grind.
If you would like to be featured on #AskAFreelancer, email me using my contact page for more information. I am always looking for more awesome freelancers to interview and spotlight for this text-based interview series.