Working Locally vs Working Globally

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Being a freelancer doesn’t mean that you’re going to be tied down to face-to-face meetings with each client, skype video chats & constant phone ringing. Hell, you’re a freelancer running your own business for a reason so you call the shots. Don’t feel like meeting clients face to face? Don’t do it. The idea of having to skype video chat, knowing that you’re not wearing any pants and that if the camera tilts the wrong way, things could get very awkward seem a bit like it’s invading your “me” time? Don’t do it.

Listen, regardless of what the other freelance blogs tell you about how to schedule meetings with local clients and how to build your local business up by being “on call”, the truth is – you could build your entire business without ever seeing a client (in person or on video chat) or talking to them on the phone. The reality is that you could never work for a client in your own city – ever, and still run a successful freelance business.

First, a bit of a back story

When I started freelancing, I knew that there were some hurdles I had to jump over:

• I have anxiety, which causes me to freeze during face to face meetings as well as stutter horribly when on the phone.
• I never liked the idea of having a “schedule”, so meetings just didn’t seem like something I’d ever enjoy
• I wanted to work with clients from different areas of the world because I knew that limiting myself to Knoxville Tennessee would eventually cause my pool of potential clients to dry up

So, in order to test the waters as I built my freelance portfolio online I made sure that every person I talked to was outside of Knoxville. This ensured off the bat that most of the time, face-to-face meetings wouldn’t even be an issue. The second thing I did was let anyone know who asked for a phone conversation that it was just something I wasn’t going to do. I stuck to my guns and never caved in (once you cave in the first time, it gets easier and easier for you to slide down that slope of ‘yes to everyone’).

Did I lose some clients over the non-phone rule? Yes, on average I lose a couple clients per month over the decision I made to not talk on the phone. In most cases though, the clients I actually work with could care less about a phone conversation as long as they see the work is being done and that you’re efficient in doing your job and completing what they hired you to do.

Offer an alternative to phone/video

One thing I do mention to clients is that I am available to chat via instant messenger if they request it. This not only allows them to have a ‘real-time’ chat with me, but it also allows me to keep track of the entire conversation and helps me to not miss any notes that I may have otherwise not been able to jot down while on the phone with them. If you don’t want to text chat, it’s definitely not going to halt your business in the end, so do whatever feels right to you. After all, that’s what you’re a freelancer for, right?

The benefits to working globally

In my time as a freelancer, I’ve worked with over 100 clients ranging from single moms who are looking to build a blog and create some income on the side while they do their normal 9-5, to businesses with 20+ employees. Every time I work with a new client, I see the benefits all over again:

• A world wide client pool is much deeper than your local market
• Having clients from around the world looks good to potential clients who are interested in hiring you
• If you’re an insomniac like I am, you’ve got the ability to work with clients during your “day” hours as well as during their “day” hours – even if they’re on the other side of the world
• It definitely cuts down on meetings (if you live in Europe and are working with a client in Florida, who is really going to want to have a face-to-face meeting?)

How can you find global clients?

If you’re working for local clients, walking through the downtown area of your city will present you with 20-30 potential clients right away, but building a business online that’s based solely on global clients is slightly different. There are a few ways that you can build up your global client base though, when you’re starting out.

1. Job Boards – This is a great way to see who’s looking for a freelancer in your specific field. You can find some job boards worth checking out by visiting our article that shows you 10 active freelance job boards.
2. Social Media – Searching twitter for specific terms like “I need a blog designer” can yield you instant results of people from around the world looking for you. Change up the search term and set up a few searches that you can do throughout the day and you’ll be sure to get some great leads
3. Google search – Being a blog designer, I tend to search google from time to time for terms like “music blog” or “_______ blog” and then I’ll look over the results, check out each website and if the blog could use a facelift, I’ll contact the owner and give them an elevator speech that they just can’t say no to.
4. Forums – Find some message boards that will cater to clients that you’d like to have, mingle with the users, provide some useful knowledge in some posts on the message board and if there’s a spot specifically to offer your services, go for it. If not, make sure your signature has a link to your website along with a bit of information about you.

The possibilities on gaining clients from around the world are endless.

Stop thinking locally and start thinking globally

I hope this article helps you to see that just because you may live in a city where the economy is suffering, that doesn’t mean you’re not able to build a thriving, successful business while working online.