5 More Resources for Freelancers
Back in 2018, I wrote this article about my five favorite free resources. I want to add to that list with a few other ideas for freelancers. I still use four out of five regularly, especially Canva.
This time, I'm also going to include a few paid services that might be useful. Let’s take another look
Grammarly
In my 2018 post, I talked about Pro Writing Aid, which is
still a great resource. But I have since discovered an even better one.
Grammarly appears to be the gold standard. More of my clients were using it, so I began using it, too, to keep consistent. But then the benefits started piling
up. I integrated it into Microsoft Word and Google Chrome, which makes everything so
much easier.
It isn’t a replacement for your review and edits, but it can
catch mistakes you might miss. The premium version can do even more.
StreamYard
Lots of people started new hobbies during the pandemic. Mine is
live streaming shows. We sometimes use the word Podcast, but that’s not
entirely accurate. However, like Zoom means video conference and Google means
to search the web, I argue that it’s become an accepted word to describe
an online broadcast. But I digress.
To facilitate my new hobby, I use StreamYard. It’s
an online platform for live broadcast video and can integrate with Facebook and
YouTube. It’s easy to learn and is frequently adding new features. I have a pro
account so I can do more. You can see examples here, here, and here.
Freelancers Union
Is this a tool? Maybe, maybe not, but I think it’s an
important resource for freelancers. Here’s the best part: unlike other unions,
the Freelancers Union is free to join. That’s right, there are no dues.
One of the reasons I want to mention it is because it’s helped
me a lot during the pandemic. They post frequent updates on aspects of the CARES Act and
the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance or PUA. Navigating some of this stuff is hard,
so it’s nice to know someone's in your corner.
Get it Together with Sarah’s Scribbles
I mentioned this in a previous post, but I have to share it
again. I live and die by my desk calendar and the one I use is the super cute
and snarky Get
it Together with Sarah’s Scribbles. The planner was designed by comic
artist Sarah Andersen and I love her style and humor.
More Importantly, the calendar works perfectly with how I
like to schedule my time. Each page opens to a new week and there are 3 columns
for each day:
- Appointments/Misc.
- Stuff to Do
- My Social Life
I use a pencil so I can make changes easily, but I write
everything I need to accomplish in the columns and cross them off when I’m
done. I keep deadlines under “stuff to do” and other appointments/commitments in
the first column. Right now, my social column looks a little sad but we’ll get
through that.
What I will add here is that it doesn’t matter what tool you
use – it can be a planner like mine, a bullet journal, or an online calendar –
but if you’re a freelancer, you need to organize your time.
Social Media Marketing
Okay, this one is a little less of a concrete thing and more
of a concept. And, frankly, I have only begun getting the hang of more online
marketing. But especially in 2020, social media is the place to be. I use two
main platforms so far.
The first is Facebook Pages. I know, Facebook gets a lot of
hate and they have made their pages feature more pay-to-play than anything user
friendly. But the truth is, social media is about being where the people
already are. The other place for me is LinkedIn since my ideal client is a
small business owner like local staffing agencies or real estate professionals.
I’d love to hear from you. What tools do you use
as a freelancer or small business owner?
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