Learn How to Sell
This is the big one. Unless you can embrace the concept that selling is a vital part of your freelance endeavors, you will fight an uphill battle. Often, your selling ability will be the only way you can win a project rather than see it go to another supplier with similar skills. (Learn How to Sell)
Put aside that stereotype of a slick salesperson with a rapid-fire spiel, risibly overfamiliar demeanor, and high-maintenance hair there’s no need to be anything you’re not. The basis of your sales efforts is as simple as this: as a web freelancer, you sell solutions to customers’ problems. If you can effectively and confidently communicate your solution, and convince the customer to go with you, you’ll be the one building the solution as well. (Learn How to Sell)
THE SKILLS REQUIRED FOR BEING A GREAT FREELANCER
Effective selling isn’t as hard or complicated as many of the books and sales courses out there may lead you to believe. There are really only five requirements to be able to sell your own services: (Learn How to Sell)
Learn How to Sell
You Must Have Self-Belief
If you don’t have an absolute belief in your own abilities, you’ll have trouble selling them. Since you’re going freelance, it can be assumed you are already confident about your own abilities, and you need to allow that confidence to shine through everything you do and say.
Shake off that self-doubt monster, and be proud of your accomplishments. Learn to stand up and say you are great at what you do, and be ready to prove it.
You need to believe in the solution
If you wouldn’t use the proposed solution yourself, don’t offer it. You need to trust your recommended solutions; understand that if you don’t, it’s likely to show in your body language and the way you approach the sale.
Consider everything you propose as though you were buying it yourself what does the prospect really want to gain from the solution? Make sure you explain the benefits in an easy-to-understand way to your prospect.
If there’s something you are unsure of, admit it. If you promise solutions you aren’t confident in delivering, it’ll come back to bite you.
Establishing Goals and Milestones
You must learn to handle rejection
Rejection is a bitter pill to swallow at first. You’ll feel personally affronted when somebody says no the first few times, but you need to understand that it’s business, not personal. You need to develop a thick skin when it comes to rejections in sales, you won’t win 100% of the work you pitch for. (Learn How to Sell)
Always remain gracious and courteous when being turned down. This is the most professional way to handle the situation and keeps the door of communication open for possible future projects. (Learn How to Sell)
Salespeople often refer to sales as “a numbers game”—the more rejections you can endure, the closer you are gaining to an acceptance. (Learn How to Sell)
You need to be able to communicate effectively.
This is a very important skill to have in all facets of freelance life, most of all when the time comes to sell your services to your prospect. You need to be able to communicate your message and ideas effectively and ensure that the recipient understands them.
Remember that communication is not just verbal and written. Consider the art of active listening do you really understand the prospect’s problem? Take the time to listen, and reiterate what they are saying when appropriate so that they know you understand. Propose solutions to their problems; don’t try to sell them a solution they may not need but is easy for you to sell. It’s these little extra steps that can make a huge difference to your reception.
You need to try different techniques.
I’ve read over 20 books on sales and the art of selling in the last ten years. Not one of those books actually emphasizes the same thing. Sure, they touch on similar concepts, but the point proved by their differences is that selling really is a personal journey. Although there are some fantastic tips and concepts in all of those books, you need to have absolute confidence in yourself to use them. If you aren’t, you’ll come across as unsure. Try different techniques, read lots of books, blogs, and articles on the subject of selling, and find what is natural to you.
To start with, a few good places on the Web include Paul McCord’s Sales and Sales Management Blog,1 Eye on Sales,2 and the Sell Your Services section on SitePoint.3
Selling is really a conversation. You discuss the problem, you suggest a solution, and the prospect either takes it or leaves it. If you can put a tick next to the five requirements above, you’ll do well in those conversations. (Learn How to Sell)
This post contains the content of book The Principles of Successful Freelancing By Miles Burke below is a link of the complete book The Principles of Successful Freelancing