Note:  I was fortunate to have a support network in getting my business off the ground, and I’m happy to pass along the favor to others doing the same.  So, the posts in this series will be slightly longer than the promised four-minute read rather than mailing it in for the sake of a self-imposed character limit. 

Okay, you solopreneur you, now we come to the home stretch.  Part 1 and Part 2 covered the practical side of your freelance setup.  Functionally, you have everything you need at this point to start engaging clients as a professional as opposed to a part-timer.

If you truly want to separate yourself from the weekend warriors, though, you’ll want to consider elements that convey in no uncertain terms that you really are a professional.

So, let’s talk about packaging the awesomeness that is you for all the world to see.

21. Branding

Are you going to have a “doing business as” (DBA) in the market other than your legal business name?  How about a tagline?  A mission statement?  None of these are must-haves, but they may add legitimacy depending on what it is you do.  However, regardless of your business, I’d strongly suggest giving ample thought to how you explain your services.  Things like your value proposition and elevator pitch are crucial.  If you can’t reel off what you do and why you’re different when asked, that doesn’t exactly instill a lot of confidence among your prospects.

22. Design Elements

Thinking about a logo?  If so, you’ll probably want to do that early in the process since it’ll be used on your website and marketing materials.  Feel free to trademark it if you’d like, but it’s not mandatory (same goes for your business name).  Other design elements include things like colors and fonts.  You don’t need an all-out corporate style guide, but maintaining consistency across materials does demonstrate attention to detail.

Something else you might want on hand is a digital version of your signature.  This makes it easier to execute contracts and complete forms without having to print, sign, and scan every time.  They can also be a nice touch for things like letters or proposals.  And trust me, you don’t need advanced technology here.  I did it with loose-leaf, an Epson, and PowerPoint.

23. Headshots

Website, LinkedIn and social-media accounts, collaboration-platform avatar, event credentials….that mug of yours is almost certainly going to come into play at some point.  Don’t have your friend or S.O. shoot you in a dimly-lit room and call it your glamour shot (oh, it happens).  Spend a few bucks at a local studio that’ll provide the right environment and touch-ups so you look the part.

24. Document Templates

There are several things you’ll want to have locked and loaded so they’re ready to go.  Among the more important should be your standard contract proposal/estimate and invoice.  In between these administrative bookends is the stuff that houses your actual work:  letterhead, PowerPoint design (or the Apple or Google equivalent), project brief, etc.  Simply put, if you’re going to be using something with clients over and over again, create a solid (and ideally branded) template that you can grab each time at a moment’s notice.  Many people use Canva to help with this.  It’s a good resource if you’re not interested in hiring a designer or creative enough to dream up a sleek look on your own.

25. Stationery

Plan on firing off a bunch of snail mail?  Then consider pre-printed stationery on quality paper, which comes out nicer and saves ink.  It can feature your logo, contact info in your preferred font, and other stylistic elements that you then don’t have to worry about manually configuring in each document.  We’re not just talking about 8.5×11 letterhead, either.  Printing services offer things like envelopes, address labels, buck slips, postcards, and a variety of other items.  Then there’s the ole business card.  It’s your call whether or not you want to use one, but if you do, make sure it’s on quality cardstock.

Bonus tip:  If ink, paper, and stamps will be close friends of yours, you can always open an account with a nearby brick-and-mortar like FedEx Office.  This may be a more efficient way to print and ship depending on how “tangible” your client deliverables may be.

26. Testimonials

Take the following fact to the bank.  What other people say about you carries a lot more weight than what you say about you.  Hard to get quotes if you’ve never had any clients, you say?  To quote Dwight Schrute:  False.  Former co-workers can speak to your abilities and teamwork.  Friends can speak to your attitude and character.  There’s nothing unscrupulous about this as long as their praise is genuine.  Then, slowly replace them if you’d like with new ones from clients who expound on your amazing work for them.  Voila, testimonials.

27. Portfolio

Is your line of work one in which you’ll be asked for samples of things you’ve done?  Then you’d best have samples of things you’ve done.  Think about how you’d like to package your portfolio.  Maybe a set of links to the work you’ve produced for your clients is all you need.  Perhaps a cover page offering some additional context behind your work would help people “get it.”  Are you just starting out without any quote-unquote samples?  Depending on your field, you can always create your own stuff until you’ve built a portfolio of client work.  Construct a sample website if you’re a web developer.  Create a series of blog posts if you’re a blogger for hire.  Do some CAD drawings for homes if you’re an interior designer.  Even if it’s not for a client, prospects are simply looking for proof of claim.  So, prove it in whatever way you can.

28. Content Marketing

Okay, I said at the very outset that this isn’t about your marketing plan, and it’s not.  However, there are certain things for which you’ll want to adopt a forward-thinking approach.  Is blogging part of your inbound plan?  Then you’ll probably want a critical mass of articles posted when you launch (you may have been born yesterday, but you don’t want to come across that way).  Will you be relying heavily on database marketing to drum up business?  Then it may be worthwhile to have a bulletproof lead magnet ready to go if you’re asking for emails out of the gates.  And so on, and so on.

29. Trade Associations

Again, not trying to influence your strategy, and this may not even be applicable to your industry.  On the other hand, trade associations—if relevant—offer opportunities to learn from others who have been in it potentially a lot longer than you have.  The networking side can be quite valuable, but they also offer ongoing education that’s both formal (e.g., certifications) and informal (e.g., members-only seminars).  Association events could also be good opportunities to find new clients or business partners.

30. Network Outreach

You may have zero clients, but do you have zero friends?  Family members?  Former colleagues?  Let people know when you’re ready to roll!  It’s smart and it’s easy.  Create a (brief) template with details about your business in a single paragraph and then customize the greeting and closing to send out individual notes.  DO NOT mass e-blast your friends.  I’ll go toe-to-toe with anyone who thinks otherwise on this.  If they’re important to you—not just as potential leads but as people you sincerely care about—then treat them that way.  Then keep in touch without constantly soliciting them.  Relationships are built on trust.  The rest will come.

You feel that?  That, my friend, is confidence.  You’re ready to rock and roll with some swagger to boot.

Now, you may not need to check off every single item in this list, but this is the way you at least need to think if you want to become a legit business owner.  After all, that’s very much what full-time freelancers are.

Keep that in mind, and you’ll do great things.  Good luck!

I hope you’ve found this series helpful in some way.  If you’ve made it this far, clearly you’re serious about being your own boss or have already started down that path.  Feel free to get in touch if I can offer any support that will get you where you want to be faster.