Do you call yourself a freelancer?
Do you call yourself a freelancer?
The freelancer mindset shift to break free from shitty work
I hate the word freelancer. I haven’t always but over time it’s come to feel… like beginner. Like a regular at something.
But I’m not a regular, I’m pretty good at what I do. In fact, I’m an expert. THE expert at some things.
In this world our expertise is currency. It's what separates you from the animals—other freelancers— and shows clients that you’re a better fit for their needs. And why you cost so much.
Think of it this way: Clients are not just buying your time; they're investing in your knowledge, years of experience, and the unique perspective you can bring to their project.
Your expertise forms the bedrock of their trust in your ability to deliver results. Your expertise drives how much they’re willing to pay you.
When I’m looking for a ‘freelancer’ to hire, it’s because I have a task that needs done or deliverable delivered. But when I hire an expert, I have an outcome I need and I’m willing to pay the insurance to get it.
The insurance is an expert. The only deliverable I want is the outcome they’ve consistently delivered to someone like me.
See the difference? If you’re stuck in the freelancer mindset, you can’t be an expert. Don’t be a freelancer, be an expert.
If you’re stuck in a freelancer mindset, can I get you to become the expert?
A narrow focus widens your path to better opportunities.
Experts work on the best projects.
When you started as a freelancer, you got to pick what you do and how much it costs. Try on a bunch of hats, see what fits. Isn’t it great?
As a freelancer you’ve been able to get a taste of working with various types and sizes clients. Now that you’ve settled on that thing you do so well, I’d get cracking on who you do it for.
That’s where I would start my six-figure journey if I could do things over. It definitely wouldn’t’ve taken me as long had gotten it right in the beginning.
But I didn’t. And like many of you, I setup a profile and offered a myriad of digital marketing skills I’d amassed over the years. From SEO to PPC to Wordpress Front-end Development, Content Marketing, Email Marketing and a few others in between.
Spinning on the Gigwheel
I got hired, but it was gig-to-gig. The gigwheel i call it. You do everything you can to land a new project, then deliver on the project and close it out only to be left with nothing in the coffer.
So then you do everything you can to land a new project, deliver on the project and close it out only to be left with nothing in the coffer.
So then you do everything you can… You get the idea. The gigwheel to literally nowhere.
What I realized is, I was being treated as an order-taker because I presented myself as one. Easily replaceable if someone cheaper and more persistent comes along. No personal connections made with the clients who hired me.
As a freelancer, I was just an ass for the seat. Not an expert, a generalist.
Think of it this way: instead of being a generalist in a sea of competition, specialization allows you to rise as the go-to expert in a distinct field.
You still get to pick what you want to do based on what truly brings you joy (somewhere in the process) and resonates with your interests and skills.
Niche-down, hone your skills, get advanced training, certifications, and industry knowledge specific to your specialty because the best clients are willing to pay a premium for experts because experts deeply understand them, their unique needs and what’s at stake.
Now listen, the term “niche-down” annoys me that same way “you should meditate” does. I know I should, and it will probably help, but will you please stop preaching about it to me? Still, you should niche-down & meditate.
Now listen (2), when someone talks about “finding your passion” as it applies to client work, I want to smack them too. But you can find things you really really enjoy about your work. I don’t enjoy “content marketing” but I’ve always loved anticipating key points of a buyer journey, mapping out a funnel, and then executing on it to see prospects turn into leads, leads nurture to sales.
Watching it work exactly as I planned or even better, man that’s fun. Turns out it’s extremely profitable too.
I’d like you to stop calling yourself a freelancer. See yourself in a new light.
The bright and shiny glow of an expert.
By narrowing your focus, you streamline everything including your expertise. Your research, the tools you use, systems you create, processes you follow, messages you send, offers you make, the results you bring and on and on and on… It’s all centered around your specialty, not your general freelance skills.
Experts have better time management and better pay. When you think of it this way, you can see how narrowing your path can widen your opportunities.
Get Paid to Become the Expert and Never Write Another Proposal Again
😂🤯Now listen, the term “niche” annoys me that same way meditation does. I know I should, and it will probably help, but will you please stop preaching about it to me?