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?