Freelancing has gained a lot of popularity, and is becoming more and more competitive every day. Right here you’ll discover some of the good qualities freelancers must possess in order to standout in the marketplace.

The number of freelancers and freelance companies have increased greatly; a lot of people have started realizing the lucrativeness of starting a freelancing career. As a result, the competition among freelancers has also increased.

A lot of freelancers are making so much sales online, while some are finding it difficult to place a foothold in the industry.

There are some basic qualities you must possess as a freelancer so you can improve your productivity and, ultimately, increase your sales.

If you are found wanting in any of those qualities, you may find it very difficult to cope with the marketplace.

It doesn’t matter the services you render, even if you are the most technically gifted freelancer in the market, missing out on some simple steps may affect your sales negatively.

6 Qualities every freelancer must possess

1. Good communication skills

The ability to communicate effectively is an essential skill in today’s world. It is no different for freelancers.

How you communicate can positively or negatively affect the relationships you have with buyers of your services.

Here are some steps you can follow to improve your communication ability.

• Be a good Listener: The first step to having a good communication ability is becoming a good listener. If you are not able to listen carefully, how will you be able to decode an information? and how do you provide answers to queries?
• Only give premeditated responses
• Go easy on buyers: There’s no point trying to complicate a discussion — like using unfamiliar vocabularies while discussing with buyers or bidding for jobs on freelance sites. Some of them aren’t ready for complicated grammars. They just want assurances you can get their jobs done.

2. Be Confident

There’s a huge need for confidence as a freelancer. You must always show confidence whenever you approach buyers or have a discussion with them. Buyers are able to spot lack of confidence even in your write-ups.

Old customers come back to patronize your services because they have seen your abilities and are assured of your quality; you get new customers because you are able to convince them of your abilities. And in order to convince a buyer of your abilities, you must show good confidence while bidding for jobs.

3. Never under-price your services

We have seen a huge growth in the number of freelance companies, majorly because very cheap services are rendered there. Buyers now prefer patronizing freelancers instead of buying offline, where the price will be more than double the offers on crowd-sourcing platforms.

Some freelancers end up under-pricing their services aggressively, just because they are desperate to make sales.

In the process of waiting for your opportunities, don’t undersell your services out of desperation to make your first sales. The right opportunities will definitely come your way, it will be left for you to use those opportunities very well.

 4. Ensure good relationships with buyers

At some point, you will encounter challenges that may threaten to ruin your good standing and earn you a few bad ratings from buyers. If you are able to handle such situations wisely, then nothing is ever going to spoil your vibe.

You may be faced with a situation like getting a job done wrongly, maybe as a result of personal issues or poor communication between you and the buyer.

If the fault is yours, offer your apologies to the client and offer to redo the job correctly. But If the fault is not yours, then you must find a way to relate it with the client without causing too much misunderstanding.

Also, If a customer becomes a thorn in the flesh, maybe threatens you with bad ratings in a bid to get you to work more than bargained, you must never consent to the cheap threats.

Customer service is always there, you can always relate such complaints through the appropriate channels, ensuring you have enough evidence to back your claims.

 5. Behave like a professional

For you to succeed as a freelancer, then you need to handle the jobs you get like a professional.

Even if you are working from the comfort of your home, probably with your pajamas on, the quality of your deliveries should be nothing less than what you would deliver to your offline clients, because that is what will earn you respect.

Let the quality of your jobs speak for you. A good portfolio will help in boosting your overall ratings as a freelancer and, ultimately, help you make more sales.

6. Have a desire to learn and improve

As a freelancer, you must always have a desire to learn. Ensure you keep yourself up to date with technological trends.

Every day, new discoveries are made; new apps are released. Make sure you have all the apps that will help make your work easier. You can achieve that by constantly making researches and connecting with other freelancers who offer the same services as you.

Finally, there are tons of freelance companies online. Make sure you sign up with as many as possible. With that, you will enjoy increased opportunities.