Freelancing can be tricky enough when you are based in one place. When you toss in travelling, it really cranks up the stress level. Now that I’ve been fully freelancing for a year, I can highlight 10 things I believe are necessary for any successful freelancing traveller.
Smartphone
I avoided getting a smartphone for a long time; I kept telling myself the expensive data plan was too much, and I didn’t need the internet at my fingertips at all times. As it turns out, I do. If I want to keep up with my blog, social media sites, emails from clients, and my schedule, I need the internet. I have an iPhone, but other phones such as the Samsung Galaxy are also great for travellers. I use my phone to post photos of my trips, alert me about any upcoming meetings or deadlines, keep in touch with clients and so much more. I don’t know how I functioned without it before.
Laptop or tablet
While my smartphone is helpful for quick stuff, it’s certainly not very useful for typing out long emails or blog posts. I highly recommend getting a lightweight, reliable laptop or tablet. Personally, I’m obsessed with my MacBook Air because I can carry it in my purse, it starts up in less than 10 seconds and has amazing battery life. However, if you are going to do more intense video and photo editing, you might want to get something a bit more robust. Tablets are also a nice compromise. As long as you get a few attachments, such as an external keyboard, you can get a lot of work done on a small tablet.
Digital camera
I’m not talking about some $50 point-and-shoot. If you are going to promote your trips, you need to take high-quality photos. Sure, your smartphone will work for Instagram shots, but you’ll want something a bit more high-tech for most of your photos. You don’t have to master photography or spend two grand on a camera, but you should find a nice middle ground, such as a camera with both auto and manual capabilities.
Skype
Seeing as Skype is free, there is no excuse to not have an account. Skype is perfect for telecommute meetings. If you can’t be where your client is, at least you can meet virtually face-to-face. Many clients want something more personal than a phone call, so Skype works wonderfully. Plus, as long as both parties have Skype, your call will be completely free. However, if you do need to make a phone call to a cellphone or landline, Skype’s rates are really reasonable. You will spend a lot less for calls via Skype than you would via a phone card or landline.
Business cards
You can’t expect people to take you seriously if you can’t even shell out some cash for business cards. You should have tons of these handy pieces of paper on you at all times. You never know who could turn out to be a valuable connection. Places like VistaPrint.com offer really cheap rates for pretty nice cards; moo.comis a bit pricier, but you will see a difference in the quality of the paper used. No matter where you get them, don’t cheap out and allow the company to put its logo or website on the back. Unless you actually work for the company, it has no place on your business card.
Travel insurance
With all these fancy gadgets, you most certainly need travel insurance. Anyone who is travelling more or less full time takes a significant risk of losing or breaking something and/or being robbed. All those electronics are necessary for you to get your work done and make money, so if they break down or get stolen, you’ll need to replace them quickly. Travel insurance makes sure you will always have the funds available to purchase replacements.
Paypal and/or Xoom
You’ve got to get paid, right? If you are switching cities and countries every couple of weeks, it may get difficult to deposit cheques into your bank account. Paypal and Xoom accounts are free, and the fees for receiving payments are pretty minimal. You can usually get your money out of either account and into your bank account or hands within a week.
Website
Whether it’s a blog or a simple portfolio, you need a website. Potential clients need to be able to look you up easily. Maintaining a professional website is essential to keeping clients happy and interested, especially if they can’t always meet you in person.
Reliable references
Recommendations are important for anyone looking for work, but they are twice as important for a freelancing traveller. If your clients cannot meet with you on a regular basis, they need to be able to trust that you will get the work done on time — and that you’ll do it well. If you can provide solid references, you will have a much better chance of getting work. It is also important to keep in mind the reliability of your references. I have several clients who would be more than happy to sing my praises — if you could ever get a hold of them. If you know that someone takes weeks to return a phone call or email, don’t list them as a reference. Most clients won’t wait around to hear back.
Confidence to sell yourself
You won’t get very far as a freelancer if you aren’t able to sell yourself. You need to be 100% confident in your abilities. You should know exactly why you are worth hiring and be able to explain your reasoning to anyone in a concise and convincing manner. Networking and references will get you some work, but when it comes to hunting down clients, you’ll need to have the confidence to win that job.
If you have all ten of these things, plus some talent and drive, you have a very good chance of making it as a successful freelancing traveller.
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