Notes on Making Money as a Freelance Developer
professional-growth
notes
My notes on some tips for making money as a freelance developer by Luke Ciciliano on freeCodeCamp.
- Overview
- Characteristics of a Freelance Developer
- Standing Out From Other Freelance Developers
- How to Sell Your Services
- Where to Sell Your Services
Overview
I decided to watch this video published by freeCodeCamp on business tips for freelance developers. Below are some notes I took while watching.
Characteristics of a Freelance Developer
- Should be self-motivated
- Should not need structure provided for you
- Must be able to self-impose deadlines
- Must be able to handle distractions
Standing Out From Other Freelance Developers
- You are not a developer, you are a problem solver
- Phrase your capabilities in the context of the problem a potential client needs to be solved
- Do not use technical jargon
- Be an active listener
- Do not talk about your specific technical skills
- Talk about how you are able to address the client’s needs
How to Sell Your Services
Initial Meeting
- Make sure you are in an appropriate venue
- Example: Don’t do sales calls while driving
- Make sure you are in a location that you can take business calls during business hours
- Identify the potential client’s problems
- Take time to understand the client’s business
- What do they do?
- How do they normally operate?
- What are their typical customers like?
- What are their goals?
- What are some unique characteristics?
Proposal
- Incorporate the knowledge gained from the initial meeting into a proposal for their unique needs
- Spell out specifically what you are going to do in a contract
Close
- Describe the features in your proposal and how they address the client’s needs
- Describe the problems you identified
- Describe what you are going to do about those problems
- Describe how what you are going to do will address those problems
Where to Sell Your Services
Networking Events
- Go to networking events where the attendees are not other developers
- Example: Networking events with small business owners from wide range of fields
- It is easier to get clients when you are the only developer in the room
- Business Network International
- Do not rely on it as a single source of business.
Third Party Services
Pros
- Lots of traffic
Cons
- Lower profits
- Have to pay to get the lead
Personal Website
- Build website in a way that tells them you will listen to and address their specific needs
- Can promote through pay per click ads
- Can get expensive
- Avoid ad-word management services
References:
- freeCodeCamp Video: How to make money as a freelance developer - business tips from an expert