How to beat the competition as a freelancer

Freelancing in recent years has become an attractive sector for young people and professionals. Following recent statistics, there are over one billion freelancers worldwide, with 59 million of these numbers based in the US. And with the influx of more entrants into the freelancing space, it is becoming more competitive and demanding. For new freelancers trying to establish their footing and for existing freelancers confronted with an upsurge, the question of how to be a successful freelancer, how to obtain clients even with so much competition, and how to get well-paying gigs is frequently raised.

If you’ve ever asked any of the above questions or you’re simply seeking ways to stand out of the crowd and be on top of your freelancing niche, then you’re at the right place.

In today’s article, we will share some of the best strategies and tips for standing out in an oversaturated market, so you can confidently move forward in your freelancing business. Stick with us because, at the end of this article, you’ll be running your freelancing business as a Prima Dona!

Beat the competition with Workee

How to beat the competition 

There are two obvious ways to stand out. You can either be the cheapest or the best. Being the cheapest will not get you far unless you pop out huge quantities. Hence, you need to be the best. How do you become the best? Below are some tips and strategies to help you stand out and beat the competition in your freelancing business.

• Incorporate your story

There are literally thousands of freelancers to choose from, but no one offers your exact service quite as you do. No one has your unique blend of personality, skills, and experience. According to Simon Sinek, people don't buy what you do; they buy why you do it. And what you do simply proves what you believe. People buy from service providers that they connect with and connect with you when they can relate to your story. 

You might think that business people are ruled by their heads, but in reality, that’s just not true. We all make emotional buying decisions. So what does that mean for you? The first tip for standing out from the crowd is to tell your unique story. If a potential client resonates with the story you tell about your journey or with your clients' stories through their testimonials, they will connect with you. If your story doesn’t resonate, they won’t connect with you. And in that case, just let them go to someone else. Remember, when your story becomes their story, your solution becomes their solution. So tell your story on your website and on social media. These are free ways for you to connect and let them decide if you provide the solution they need. You can check out our website builder to set up a professional website customized to meet your needs.

Beat the competition with Workee

• Niche down

As we’ve established, there are thousands of freelancers all jostling around in an overcrowded space, trying to get noticed. But if you have a specific strategy or are known for serving a particular industry, then you provide the services your potential client is looking for. 

For instance, instead of being a social media manager, consider being a YouTube manager, and instead of being a general virtual assistant, be a software migration specialist. People are scared of niching down because they focus on the lie that if you provide fewer services, you think fewer people will need them. But the beauty of niching down is this. You will be much more active with the people who really need what you provide; your ideal clients. 

• Do things differently

It is 100% okay to learn from others in your industry and take inspiration from businesses that stand out to you. But when you spot a way of doing things differently, embrace it, as this could become your superpower. What do you do differently in your business? How do you connect with people to tell them about it? If you are ready to jump in and start serving clients, you certainly need to learn how to do things differently from the norm. 

• Focus on yourself

Most of the time, we focus on the competition instead of ourselves and end up missing the mark. Understand that the freelancing industry is more of a service than a business. The fact that clients will call you to ask for your help simply means that your only responsibility here is to help them to the best of your ability. But how do you plan on giving your clients the best if your focus is on the competition rather than meeting the client’s needs? That is why you are supposed to groom yourself and finetune your skills daily so that when you face your clients, you will have enough value to offer them.

Beat the competition with Workee

• Think beyond freelancing sites

This sounds weird, doesn’t it? The reason why people are encouraged to go off freelancing sites is that freelancing sites are designed to fuel competition rather than understand clients' pain points. For instance, if a freelancer can price himself lower than the next person, then it is more likely that the client will come to them because they can do the same thing for cheaper prices. This way, everything is raced to the bottom. The other person on that specific freelancing site will also think about it the same way, so whatever you price your service for, the other person will also price himself lower. And so it is going to be a rat race with everyone trying to go to the bottom or cheapest price that they can offer to get more clients. 

However, if you choose to go outside of freelancing sites, you gain more control of your pricing and your entire freelancing business. And that only means that even if you price your service at a premium, not many people will compete. There is no scarcity of quality when you are pricing yourself at a premium rate. It only tells the client or signals that you are better at what you do than your competitors, who are racing to the bottom. Usually, charging yourself at a higher rate is a long-term sustainability goal rather than a race to the bottom. 

• Add value

To advance and come out on top in a competitive market, it is always imperative to offer more value. Adding more value does not necessarily mean adding more physical stuff, but selling below-the-line other things that people get with your product using words. Always add value to whatever it is that you are selling. The values added could be emotional, social, tribal, philosophical, etc. To get by, always ask yourself about the emotional, social, and philosophical value of the product you sell. With these, you can grow ahead of your competitors in a crowded marketplace because, even though they are selling the same things, they have not taken the time to frame the product to offer value that appeals to clients.

Beat the competition with Workee

As a freelancer aiming to stand out and beat the competition, you need to know something most other freelancers do not know. And that knowledge in action can set you apart from the competition. Without further ado, let’s check out some of the key ways Workee can improve your freelancing business.

• Workee helps you build and grow client relations using an in-built CRM.

• It helps you develop a personal website where clients can schedule online video sessions directly with you. Interestingly, you don't need to learn coding to achieve that, and it also doesn't take much of your time.

• Workee also helps make purchases and the issuance of receipts convenient. This helps you keep track of your cash flow.

• Workee helps you manage and schedule meetings with your clients, allowing you to attend to more clients. 

• With Workee, you can manage your tax payment routine without any hassle.

Workee is a client management software designed to enable you to focus on the most crucial elements of your business by providing you with the resources you need to run and manage your business. Workee is a business organizational tool that helps you look more professional and fosters long-lasting client relationships.

Beat the competition with Workee

Conclusion

Irrespective of your freelancing business size, knowing how to beat your competitors is one of your biggest challenges. As a freelancer, you must develop strategies for staying one step ahead of your rivals if you want to build a successful freelancing business. Oftentimes, it is simpler to say than to accomplish, and there is no quick fix for how to outperform your rivals. However, if you stick to the abovementioned strategies, you will be in the speed lane of success in no time. And if you integrate Workee into your freelancing business, that will be the smartest decision you will make for the future of your business.