Ekene EziaguluI do not intend to bore you but consider a farmer and a piece of land designated for some agricultural purpose. The overall objective of the farmer is to obtain maximum productivity (regarding either food crop or livestock output), over a period, usually depicted as the time between sowing and harvesting.
For the productive farmer to achieve maximum output, s/he must work with required tools. These implements include diggers, rakes, shovels et al., for farming on a small scale. For vast farm holdings, the needed tools include tractors, large mowers, harvesters among others. There are also other essential inputs like fertilizers and manure, which serve to boost food/animal production. Remember that not only do these tools have to function effectively, it is also essential that the farmer in question has the skill set and knowledge to effectively aggregate and deploy these tools to meet his/her objectives for the farm. (and that brings us to the end of Boredom 101)
The above analogy holds true for the freelancer. Take yourself as the farmer (in the sense that you possess some soft skill that your freelance business builds on). The online marketplace is your farm {viewed as you working on the needs (piece of farmland) of your client(s)}. Your overall aim is to produce output (articles, websites, graphic designs, etc..) that is qualitative, timely and relevant; your harvest for your client, who in turn renders payment in value for your yield.
Productivity tools should be your best friends as you pursue a career in freelancing. They work in the background, so that you and your work can always have a place in the spotlight of satisfied and return clients. Tools are indeed the freelancer’s most loyal subjects; available(twenty-fours of every day, 365 days a year) and ever ready to get the job done.
Without further do, here is a list of the top 10 tools every freelancer needs:
Team Collaboration software
Trust me when I say your freelance journey will face challenges such as working with multiple clients and fellow freelancers, as you garner experience and proficiency. To help you achieve better delivery times as well as smoothen interaction amongst members in your user group(s), reach for online collaboration software to communicate, upload and share documents, assign tasks and keep up on a project’s progress in real time. In this way, you do not have to clog up your email box, and you can have a broad overview of your projects.
Are you thinking of which ones to give a shot? Look in the direction of Trello, Asana, Redbooth, and Podio.
Bidsketch
In the course of your freelance entrepreneurial journey, you will meet with many clients with unique demands and expectations. Often, the first point of business is compiling your service in customized project proposals. And trust me when I say that not only is the process time-consuming, you may not receive payment for the period spent. Let BidSketch come to your rescue.
BidSketch is a functional tool that is equipped to take the stress out of creating targeted proposals with the provision of pre-designed templates in which you can develop propositions in less time.
Mint
As a freelancer, your earnest expectation is that you earn a living from solving problems with the passion and skill you make available. However, like any other business, it is essential that you have a firm handle on your financial inflows and outflows.
Mint is a super tool that understands your need to manage your earnings prudently. It comes with a that allows you to set budgets for each month while tracking all your incomes and expenditures.
Grammarly
If content writing is your forte and you squirm each time you see an incorrect sentence or a misspelt word, then you need a companion to give your eyes behind the eyes. Grammarly is that tool. This application scrutinizes all that you write, sniffing out the tiniest of errors, proffering better sentence structures as well as checking your work for plagiarism( for premium users). One word for this tool: Awesome!
HelloSign
As a freelancer, one prominent feature of your work will entail signing documents and contracts. This task often proves challenging when clients are in a different country, and traditional methods of contract signing prove daunting. Say hello to HelloSign! This smart tool allows you and your client sign contracts and other agreements digitally. You have the option of creating your unique signature and sending same with the click of a box.
Minimax
Are you in need of a professional looking email address that cements your status as a top-notch freelancer? Then look no further than Minimax! Minimax allows you to create short, professional emails using Gmail, Google Inbox or Salesforce. Further icing on the cake is that the tool lets you know when recipients open your correspondence and the time they did- so you can keep tabs on the things that matter.
InVision
To all graphic designers in the building, your time has surely come! Turn to InVision to amplify your freelance gigs. The application allows you to upload your design files and add animations as well as gestures to transform your static screens into clickable, interactive prototypes. What’s more, your clients and team members can view your work and make recommendations/suggestions on your designs.
InVision comes with stellar features including viewing feedback for projects in one place as well as breaking your engagements to active/future tasks and specific teams.
Dashlane
Worried about having to recall multiple passwords? Or forgetting them and having to go through the process of creating new ones? Allow Dashlane be your shining Knight in password armor! Dashlane is a powerful password manager and secure digital wallet that lets you Keep track of your passwords, and automatically log in on every website and every device. Try it out and offer your thanks later.
TeamViewer
If you manage a team of other freelancers, it becomes essential to manage them effectively. Teamviewer gives you the leverage of providing controlled access to your computer by team members, especially when specific tasks need execution. So interviews, presentations or training sessions go on without a hitch using Team Viewer.
FreshBooks
Every business needs to have a firm grip on matters financial, including freelancing. Freshbooks is a small business accounting software that puts you on a firm footing; enabling you to accept payments online, track time and expenses, manage projects among others. Also, you can create and send invoices, customized to match the look and feel of your brand, even letting you know when your clients have seen your invoice.
Other super features of Freshbooks include monitoring your financial transactions and keeping details in the cloud.
This list is by no means exhaustive. If you know of other helpful tools, do contribute to the commentary section. Thanks
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