Tag: Freelancer

Four Ways You Can Achieve Your Goals Using Bookings Africa

Posted on by Ugochi Obilonu

Bookings Africa is one of Africa’s largest gig markets with over 15,000 registered service providers. Freelancers from many walks of life call it home. You can hire makeup artists, chefs, photographers, actors, event planners, accountants, and other professionals through the platform.

Since the appearance of the COVID-19 pandemic, many people have been compelled to adjust to new techniques of hiring and outsourcing. The innovation of technology has also helped facilitate this quick transition. 

Irrespective of whether you own a business or work as an employee, we all have goals. These goals stem from childhood dreams and our ever-evolving ambitions. Outsourcing or hiring a freelancer is one of the many ways you can achieve your goals faster.

Reasons Why Businesses Outsource to Freelancers

Businesses and organizations discovered that their employees don’t need to be seated behind a desk, dressed in business attire, and work a standard 9-5 schedule. With the stay-at-home policies that came with C0VID-19, most employees were under obligation to work remotely to meet and exceed deadlines.

As a result, businesses turned to expert freelancers to get their new goals achieved.

Apart from running their firms, business owners have other goals and priorities, and hiring full-time employees can be time-consuming and difficult at times. Having full-on staff will usually necessitate the presence of freelancers on-site, to supervise and, on occasion, take on additional tasks that should normally be handled by their employees. Business owners will have less time to devote to other areas of their lives as a result of this.

Some business owners and even employees require time to learn a skill or engage in recreational activities with friends and family. Others want to enroll in a professional training program, or simply travel. The central objective is that people want to free up time. More and more people are looking for ways to do less but earn more.

Rather than allowing their workload to suffocate them and prevent them from pursuing these goals, they hire freelancers to relieve the pressure and provide them with the time they require.

Four Ways to Achieve Your Goals

By hiring a freelancer, you can develop a flexible schedule and make more income or profit either at your job or business.

The following are four compelling reasons to hire a freelancer.

1. Cost-cutting: Employees who work full-time require a lot of upkeep. Business owners must also pay salaries in addition to paying costs for electricity, water, and office space. 

Not only that, but business owners are also responsible for expenses such as training, end-of-year incentives, and health insurance. Freelancers on the other hand help to reduce these costs. They do not require a space in the office. They also aren’t included in company and employee benefits. 

When you engage freelancers, the terms are laid out in advance. There is no expectation of long-term work, so if your numbers decline, you can abruptly stop sourcing tasks to freelancers.

You won’t have to worry about computer log-ins, health-care issues, or potential legal issues. Hiring a freelancer is simple, and you may change the contract before making a final decision to ensure that your business is set up for success at every stage of the process.

When it comes to employing freelancers, pricing is also a significant plus. The majority of freelancers charge industry-standard rates for their services.

This means that outsourcing tasks to a freelancer will boost your profits and free up funds for other uses in your small business budget. 

Individuals who also want to cut costs can Search, Compare and Book on the Bookings Africa platform to see the best fit for their budget.

2. Scheduling flexibility: Freelancers are known for their availability on-demand. Many freelancers in their various skills provide services 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. These experts are used to working in a variety of environments and have a track record of meeting deadlines. Because most freelancers don’t get paid by the hour, they’re also eager to complete projects. You can expect your work to be completed on time even if you engage a freelancer on a retainer or package agreement because the freelancer isn’t paid until the job is delivered to you.

It’s a win-win situation for both you and the freelancer you hire. 

They also want to establish a positive working connection with business owners like you so that they may anticipate more work in the future. This suggests they aren’t scared to go above and beyond to fulfill a tight deadline while still delivering high-quality results.

Once you’ve established a great working relationship with a highly competent freelancer, they’ll be able to provide you with the flexibility you need so that you and your full-time workers can focus on other time-sensitive projects.

3. Specialized expertise: You might not realize it, but the majority of freelancers are just as talented and capable as full-time employees. Some freelancers are specialists in their profession because they work to develop their skills regularly.

This is because, to get new freelance jobs, freelancers must keep up with industry trends, and businesses can easily tap into the expertise of these talented freelancers. 

As a business owner, if you need help with a project, such as a web design, copywriting, or creating templates for an e-mail campaign, you know that there are times when no one is available to pick up the slack. So, it all falls on you.

Finding a freelancer who has spent years honing that skill, offers more insights into how to make that project a success and also takes the pressure off you. 

A freelancer’s experience determines how much value they can add to your business. Without investing in internal resources or adding a permanent job to their payroll, the company can profit from the freelancer’s experience.

Freelancers are flexible with their time and so can meet targets, they are resilient and often have good time management.

4. New perspectives: Freelancers are hired primarily for their creative abilities. They can see beyond the situation and generate new ideas that can benefit businesses. They appear to be always relaxed working from home because they are not in a work environment that could put pressure on their performance. As a result, they can brainstorm and find business loopholes.

Taking breaks and setting their work hours are two things that help freelancers create a clean environment in which to generate fresh ideas.

These are just a handful of the reasons why freelancers rather than full-time staff should be hired.

More than 15,000 freelance service providers are available on the Bookings Africa platform. Bookings Africa can help you find whatever type of freelancer for your business and personal needs.

How to Attract More Clients for Your Business and Make More Money

Posted on by Ugochi Obilonu

There’s no debate that the freelance industry is highly profitable and almost everyone is asking, “How do I make more money online?”

There are several ways to make money online these days but for the purpose of this article, we will focus on freelancing as a source of income. It’s exciting to see the projections in the Gig industry and there are several ways you can partake in this growth. Before we proceed, you must understand what qualities clients look out for when choosing a freelancer to work with. 

How to earn from home

1. Become a Freelancer: One of the best ways to earn extra income right now is by freelancing. Becoming a freelancer is relatively easy. If you are still wondering why you should become one, you should read this.

Bookings Africa is one of Africa’s finest gig markets; created by Africans for the betterment of Africa. After you sign up, follow the steps below to begin your journey of earning from home.

2. Set up a professional booking page: In the online space, there are lots of distinguishing factors and presentation is one of them. Potential clients will sieve through your appearance i.e. your profile before they take a look at your offer (price).

Always put your best foot forward when setting up an online profile and by best foot, we mean to get all the professional help you can. You might want to hire a professional photographer to help out with your display picture. You need a clean and crisp image with all your facial features displayed clearly. 

In addition to a great headshot, you also need a great bio. Your bio should immediately tell us what you are about. A great bio should contain your name, your role as a service provider, and your biggest aspirations. 

Fun fact: You can also include a quirky fact about you that will help your target clients easily relate to your personality.

3. Create an inviting offer: Your offer is the unique selling point that distinguishes you from freelancers offering the same services as you. 

To set up an offer, you’ll need to ask the following questions:

i. What can I do effortlessly? Can I sell it as a service?

ii. Who will I sell this service to?

iii. At what price will I sell this service? What are my competitors offering?

Based on your expertise and brand, your offer will differ from other service providers. Ensure that you do not charge lower than your worth just because you want to get clients but set competitive prices that make your offer attractive to your target clients. 

In setting an offer, it is also important to package your services in a bundle. A make-up artist should not only offer make-up as the only service. You can include complementary or other services such as gele-tying. This way, you can charge higher and your clients will be happy to pay because you are saving them the cost of hiring more than one service provider. Likewise, a French Tutor can offer tutoring services and sell French materials that will aid learning. Whatever the offer you create, ensure that your clients will be happy to book your services. How you do that is up to you and your creativity. A great offer helps you to make money from home.

4. Excellent customer service: Clients love to be treated like royalty even if they aren’t.  As a service provider, it is your responsibility to assure your clients of first-class treatment regardless of the nature of your offer. 

From inception, always remember to speak politely, be honest about what you can do, and be your authentic self. You might not always like all the things your clients do or demand but you can learn to manage client expectations by being clear about what you offer and then taking your clients through an onboarding session. 

Always endeavor to keep your clients at ease and satisfied. Excellent customer service always brings about referrals and great reviews/ratings. 

At the end of every service, ask for a review.

5. Import clients: Before setting up your gig account, you might have had a few customers. If you do, inform them that they can only book you through your Bookings Africa page. This way, you add credibility to your sales page and you have access to analytics of how your freelance business is doing. 

Furthermore, importing these clients will give your freelancing a professional touch. To make the import stress free, you can offer to set up their customer profile on the Bookings Africa platform and also offer discounts to clients who book you through bookingsafrica.com. 

The use of referral codes will further boost your sales online. This is one sure way to make money online.

6. Broadcast: Do not sit on your hands waiting for clients to search you out. Be proactive. Post your business on your social pages, and tell your friends and family about what you do too. At events, network by informing people about how your freelance services can ease stress in their life. 

No matter what you do, never be silent about your work.

The Gig industry is gradually becoming saturated but that’s not a reason not to join this winning team. It has however become your responsibility to position your services in an attractive way potential clients cannot resist.

Working from home is very profitable. Play your cards right and you’ll earn more while doing less. 

Hire Quality Freelancers/Gig Workers

Posted on by Ugochi Obilonu

Trusting a freelancer who you have never met to deliver on a task you paid for is quite daunting but it doesn’t have to be rocket science. In four easy moves, you should be able to identify the right gig worker fit for you.

Attributes of a Quality Freelancer 

In the gig industry, one of the most troubling questions customers ask is, “How do I know which freelancer to hire amongst many options?”. With hundreds of individuals joining the gig market every day, it’s only expected that customers ask these questions. 

Every quality freelancer or gig worker should have the following:

  1. A good headshot: This seems inconsequential but it isn’t. If they take their appearance seriously, it is an indication that they also take their work seriously. A good headshot provides a brief insight into the personality of the freelancer. 

A clear, crisp image, revealing their facial features, immediately communicates to the potential customer that the freelancer is authentic.  A good headshot is a freelancer’s first take at making a good impression on the mind of the customer.

  1. A unique bio: What you say about yourself speaks volumes to a person who’s just meeting you. As a client, you should read your potential hire’s bio and immediately feel the urge to do business with him. 

A unique bio is concise yet carries all the relevant information. It highlights the unique value proposition of the freelancer and then shows the personality of the gig worker. When deciding on a quality freelancer to hire, look out for ingenuity.

  1. Organized Portfolio: If there’s no collection of work attributed to the gig-worker, you should keep searching. Irrespective of if the gig worker is new to the marketplace, there should be something that shows us what kind of work they’ve done or are into. 

An organized portfolio should showcase the style of work, the process of work, and the final result. For example, a makeup artist’s portfolio should show the before and after of a completed job; a graphic designer can upload a video reel showing the process of design from initiation to completion. 

Good work should be showcased creatively, and compactly.

  1. Reviews and Ratings: Based on the caliber of work a freelancer does, they should get ratings or reviews. Reviews give an insight into the quality of service a client received while ratings give an overview of how hire-able a freelancer is. 

In the case where a freelancer is new to the gig market, the first three qualities should be able to cover up for a lack of ratings/reviews.

Why Bookings Africa?

Since the COVID-19 pandemic, how people view work has drastically changed. Most individuals have opted for an easier, simpler life; and freelancing is the go-to solution for most persons. Any work that stresses you out should be outsourced. If you feel overwhelmed by it, you should hire a freelancer to get the job done for you. 

The gig-industry has made it possible for customers to choose who they work with and pay at rates they can afford. There are also several gig platforms out there but if you are African rooting for Africans, Bookings Africa is your best bet. 

With Bookings Africa, you have the option to Search, Compare and Book. On our platform, you can search up to 500 different categories of service providers ranging from Make-up artists to Writers to Accountants for your small business. Our platform also gives you the option of comparing prices and services and it guarantees a seamless booking process.

As a client, you are only expected to pay after your service has been rendered. We also guarantee our clients a complete refund if they feel dissatisfied with the kind of service they received. 

How to Hire the Right Freelancer

As we stated earlier, choosing the best fit for you doesn’t have to be rocket science. Hire a quality freelancer in these four simple steps:

  1. Pay attention: We made a comprehensive list of qualities to look out for above. To avoid dissatisfaction with the service received, pay attention to that list. If freelancers on the platform will not put in the effort to fill out their profiles, they probably aren’t excellent at their work. 

It has therefore become imperative that any customer seeking to hire a freelancer on the Bookings Africa platform must be detailed in their choice of hire.

  1. Compare: We also encourage freelancers on our platform to set comparative prices. We never advocate that people should charge less than what they are worth, however, we do encourage them to set prices that portray them as bookable. 

While searching for your best fit, try to compare the prices, quality, and caliber of the freelancers in that category. Depending on the service you are looking for, we’d implore you to go for the best service provider your budget allows for.

  1. Verify: Because we understand the complexities of the internet, the Bookings Africa Platform ensures that all service providers registered on our platform are verified. However, we still encourage you to do deep research on the potential hires. 

You can certainly take our word for it but if you would like to further verify, that’s equally great. Check out their profiles on Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, etc. to verify their legitimacy. In case  you feel concerned about a certain service provider, you can reach out to the Bookings Africa team via email- [email protected] and we’d be happy to help.

On our end, we run background checks as it is very expedient to us but we encourage you to also verify to your satisfaction.

  1. Book: After verification, proceed to book your quality freelancer. Enjoy your service and don’t forget to leave a review. 

How to Set the Best Prices as a Gig-worker and Freelancer

Posted on by Sandra Adodo

Starting a career in freelancing always looks effortless and exciting because of the flexibility it brings. However, it can be challenging to be in the system and not get gigs as much as you anticipate. This is a typical issue in freelancing as the number of people involved is growing daily. 

At Bookings Africa, more than 15,000 service providers are waiting to meet the clients’ needs but are yet to be booked. The question is, what are they doing wrong? Why are some people on the platform getting gigs while others are not? What are the top service providers doing that gives them the upper hand in the gig market? How do you set a client-friendly price to be booked?   

Let’s start with What YOU need to get BOOKED ⬇

  1. Know your worth 

In freelancing, knowing your worth is vital to getting the best prices set and being known. This is the first step because you are likely to set just any price if you are unsure of what you have and can offer. Understanding the value you bring to your skill will help you position yourself and your prices right.

For instance, a makeup artist with less than 3-years of experience cannot charge the same as a 10-year experienced artist. Possessing the necessary skills and equipment is essential to back up your designated price. You also cannot spend so much on makeup tools and undercharge yourself. There has to be a balance. Some service providers are getting more gigs than others because they understand how valuable their services are and the best prices to include. So, before you conclude you cannot get booked or set a great price, check to see if there is so much value to the price you are putting out. 

2. Invest in adding value to yourself 

Whether you are new to that particular niche of freelancing or not, it is never too much to keep growing in the services you offer. If you don’t know where to start building from, ask professionals in that field for guidance. Many of the top freelancers you see making waves didn’t just get there with little knowledge or skills; instead, they pushed themselves to give more. 

If you take a sample study of the freelancers in your field and look through their work, you will see the different investments they have made in their work. They have attended relevant training and gotten certified to scale their hustle. The amount of value you have to offer will determine your set prices. If, as a photographer, you have never shot weddings and don’t have samples of related work, it would be hard for clients to trust your services over a more experienced professional. Therefore such investments are non-negotiable. Also, by adding value, you will be meeting the checklist clients use to hire freelancers.

3. Organise your Portfolio

One of the many ways you can show your clients you are up to the task is by building a great portfolio. It is not enough to know that you can do the job; you also need to show the clients that you are skilled. This involves you creating a great portfolio. At Bookings Africa, a well-polished profile is one of the distinguishing factors most service providers consistently get gigs to have. 

In an online market like ours, your profile is your CV, and that means your aim is to pitch yourself through the bio and content on your profile. If you are a chef, the significant thing clients expect to see is the food you have cooked, how well you present it, and the quality images of your dish. If you are into modeling, the major push-out should be your past works in that field, creative photos, pageantry, advertising gigs, television appearances, and even Youtube. Ultimately, you need to build your portfolio with evidence of your past jobs and a well-written bio to stand out. 

Tips on setting the best prices

When you have discovered the ways to push out your profile, the next big question is how to determine the price to charge. 

 

  1. Understand the cost of running your business

Whether you have a regular 9-5 job, it is vital to calculate the cost of running your freelance business. Your checklist should include but not be limited to; the cost of equipment, taxes, utility bills, and transport fare time investment. The list is extensive depending on the services you offer. For instance, actors will prioritize transport fares over utility bills because more of the work role will be done outside the house. In the case of a fitness instructor or tutor, they might need to be at home to deliver virtual services, which require sufficient utilities and fuel bills sorted in case the power goes out. This is quite familiar in countries where the power goes off unexpectedly. When you have understood the cost of the business, you can then set the prices that would cover the cost and leave you with substantial cash in hand. 

2. Check your competitors 

Having invested in the values you can offer, it is time to compare with other top freelancers. You can set a comparable price if you set up a good profile and list out your experiences, similar to those getting great gigs in your niche. Note, however, that charging high with little experience is not a good move. You can start with a more client-friendly fee that covers the cost of operation. When you have built a stronger portfolio, you can augment your prices to match your acquired skills. 

In freelancing, you can build a strong presence such that potential clients can continuously book you for gigs. Happy Freelancing! 

Gig Industry: Expectations vs Reality

Posted on by Ugochi Obilonu

Currently, working in the gig industry or as a freelancer is one of the most desired type of work. We are aware of some of the reasons why people choose remote work but like everything in life, there’s always two sides to a coin.

If you have been itching to get first-hand information about the realities of the gig industry, then you might want to buckle down and pay close attention. More importantly, stick around to the end.

What people think the Gig Industry is

Quite frankly, most freelancers get into the gig industry because of the freedom it brings.

Freedom could mean liberation from answering to employers, the privilege to spend time doing other important things or just earning extra income from a different stream. These are valid reasons. In fact, these are great reasons.

However, desires can quickly turn into unrealistic expectations. That’s why it’s expedient to adequately have plans in place before making a drastic career or business switch.

When people think gig-work, they assume the following;

1. Client overload: Beginner freelancers always assume that the minute they set up a gig account, orders start popping instantly.

With gig work, a lot of patience and strategy is required. It is very likely that 2 months after setting up a gig profile, no one will patronize your work. And this isn’t because you are not talented or skilled but there’s a process.

People want to trust who they choose to work with. Setting up a gig account isn’t enough to start getting gigs. A lot more work needs to be put in such as crafting an attractive profile, and also setting up competitive rates that can attract potential clients.

2. Less interaction with people: This has to be one of the popular reasons introverts decide to become freelancers. Working with human beings and managing all the details of social interactions isn’t exactly a walk in the park, either for introverts or extroverts.

With traditional work, you always have to meet with your bosses, colleagues, or clients. Gig work requires even more refined people skills. You can’t avoid interacting with other humans by becoming a freelancer.

Your ability to convince, convert and manage your potential clients will determine if you get booked or referred. Possessing people skills is a big success factor in the gig industry.

It’s true some gigs are purely remote. But with remote work, communication is still a vital factor. If you lack the ability to properly communicate, you might come off as rude, insensitive or unprofessional.

Being a gig worker or freelancer doesn’t exempt you from human interactions.

3. Work-life Balance: 24 hours never seem to be enough for the 9-5 worker and so we assume getting gigs should provide us with more time.

False!

If you are not careful, you’ll end up wishing you had your 9-5 back because there’s always something to do for your clients. It might not be that you have demanding clients but it is possible that there will be due deliverables.

In addition, procrastination and overworking are two extremes associated with working in the gig industry. Some freelancers assume there’s more than enough time, reverting to doing last minute work while some others never stop working.

Striking a balance and practicing time management is essential for career growth in the gig industry. Work-life balance is achievable for freelancers but this can only be come about by discipline.

4. More money: Freelancers are pro charge-your-worth individuals. Freelancers believe they should earn the rates they set. And while they may be correct, there’s also a counter argument.

Clients like to pay what they think people are worth. For clients to pay you what you believe you are worth, you must project yourself as valuable. Your branding game must be topnotch otherwise, you’d assume all the stats about freelancing is a lie.

People don’t part with their money that easily, and as such, you have to do your best to earn that trust.

5. Work from home with ease: Some African parents are yet to adjust to the work-from-home business model. So even when you might be earning more, some African parents might think we are lazing around. It will take some time for them to come around.

Freelancers with kids often experience difficulty when working from home because their families always desire their attention.

Getting a work space might be a more preferable option than working from home. If not, you’ll discover that you spend more time dealing with African parents or managing family life as opposed to working with your clients and giving your best.

How to handle the realities of Gig-Work (Freelancing)

All these seem like a lot to take in but don’t give up on freelancing just yet. Freelancing is the future and it is very profitable. There are several strategies for winning in this industry and you’ll understand them in a bit.

With courage, patience, professionalism and resilience, you’ll be on top in no time.

Here’s what you should do:

1. Understand your WHY: If you will play the long game, you have to put your purpose before your eyes. Always remember why you chose this line of work. The road to success is more bumpy than it is smooth. The only reason successful people succeed is because they place their goal above the challenges and uncertainties they might face.

2. Clarify your brand message: To get gigs, be specific about what you offer. You might want to answer questions such as,

i. Who do I want to serve?

ii. Why do I want to serve them?

iii. What product/service solves my target audience’s challenges?

iv. Why should my potential clients choose me?

3. Set up an outstanding profile: After having a clear brand message, you need to set up your profile to match your client’s professional expectations. Whatever gig platform you choose, remember that you need to be exceptional, professional and authentic.

To get gigs on any gig platform (e.g. bookingsafrica.com), be original yet professional. Use a high quality profile picture and stick to being excellent in all your projects.

4. Post reviews: Customers only book service providers who they can trust. Trust can be easily earned when there are reviews, ratings and real customers.

Potential clients like to see that at least one person has booked your services. The trick to getting reviews as a newbie on any gig platform is seeking help. Asking friends and family to pose as clients that book your services actually works. This is a good way to earn clients and credibility.

5. Be professional: Maintain a professional outlook every single time you get booked. From start to completion of a project, engage in a polite and pristine manner. Satisfied customers will often recommend and refer to good service professionals.

6. Take courses: Stay on top of your game by taking courses, attending webinars and live events. Keep learning and growing to sharpen your skills.

7. Amplify and advertise: People only buy products they know about. Talk about what you do. Be bold and loud about the services you offer. In fact, you can get more clients to book you on bookingsafrica.com by offering discounts only to registered users.

8. Stay optimistic: You have to believe that you will succeed as a freelancer. When the going gets tough, get tougher. Stay positive.

9. Stay ready: Prepare for the quality and quantity of clients you want. Only ready service providers make money through gigs.

10. Have other streams of income: We know that the gig industry can take some time to adjust to and so we advise that you get other streams of income.

In conclusion, the gig industry remains profitable and your expectations can become a reality in no time.