Hi Ed and thanks for taking the time to answer a few questions for us. You are someone that I met through LinkedIn, and my story ended up in one of your books, The Weathy Freelancer. Who says networking doesnt pay off!
With that being said…
DC: Who is Ed Gandia, and what does he do?
EG: I’m a freelance copywriter. Essentially, I work with software companies to create lead generation campaigns and content that drives leads and sales.
I sort of stumbled into copywriting and into freelancing. It’s not something I planned on doing. But here’s what happened: I had spent 12 years in corporate sales, and I worked for several companies that had very limited marketing resources. Which meant that as a salesperson trying to make quarterly numbers, I had to get very creative in order to find my own sales opportunities. So I turned to writing my own sales letters and marketing materials.
Well, it wasn’t long before I realized that I could do this as a business. So I started moonlighting as a freelancer. And two years later, I had more work than I could handle. So I quit my day job and began writing copy as a freelancer full time. Best decision I’ve made in my professional career.
My rapid success in creating a six-figure freelance business made me wonder if other freelancers would benefit from my approach to building, growing and running a successful freelance business. So I partnered with two of my colleagues to launch a blog in 2008 called TheWealthyFreelancer.com, where we shared tips and strategies on how to create a solo business and lifestyle that are “wealthy” in every sense of the word. For us, that means consistently getting the clients, projects, income and quality of life you want. It’s not just about material wealth. It’s a much more holistic view of success as a solo professional.
The blog took off. Eight months later we landed a book deal with Penguin. And this past March, our book was published. The book has done extremely well, and I think it came out at just the right time, considering everything that’s happening in the economy.
DC: Please explain the significance of September 24th, and should I start looking for cards at Hallmark?
EG: I’m thrilled to announce that September 24 is now International Freelancers Day. This is a huge event and celebration we helped launch. It’s a global initiative to celebrate independent workers everywhere and the tremendous impact they have on the economy. The celebration will connect freelancers, consultants, solopreneurs and all other types of solo professionals through a free, two-day online video conference.
This event is projected to be the biggest-ever free online conference exclusively for solo professionals, featuring 12 hours of video presentations delivered by 25 high-profile speakers, including bestselling authors and industry thought leaders. More than 100,000 viewers and hundreds of local “meet-ups” and viewing parties are expected throughout the U.S. and around the world.
DC: What are the 3 best tips you can offer Freelances to find clients?
EG: First, treat your freelance business as a business. Clients want to work with freelancers who are true professionals, meet all deadlines and are a pleasure to work with. If you’re not fully committed, you won’t last long.
Second, you must absolutely differentiate. In other words, you must communicate what makes you different and why that’s relevant to your clients. Clients aren’t just looking for anyone to help them out. They want to work with freelancers who understand their business and who can leverage their background, experience and track record to bring real value to the table.
Finally, you must continually market, market, market! Consistent and effective promotional efforts will help ensure that your pipeline is full and that you never have to scrounge for work. Which means you can command the fees you deserve and pick the clients and projects you want.
DC: How has social media changed the marketing game, and how are you using it to promote yourself and your goods and services?
EG: I see social media as two things: First, another marketing channel where freelancers can strategically network with prospects, partners and colleagues. And, as a great way to stay in touch with longer-term leads (i.e., potential clients) in a more consistent and meaningful way.
There’s a lot of hype around social media right now. It’s no silver bullet. But you can’t ignore it. That’s where all the eyeballs are going. So if your prospects are there, you need to be there. The trick is to apply the same etiquette to social media as you would to physical networking events. It’s about engagement and dialogue first. You have to keep the overtly promotional tone in check. It’s a tough balance sometimes.
Most of my social media efforts are centered around our book and our blog. I use Twitter, LinkedIn to some degree and, more recently, Facebook. I never imagined Facebook would grow the way it has, but now that it’s clearly a force to be reckoned with, I’m there more often and we have Facebook pages for The Wealthy Freelancer and International Freelancers Day. With all three of these social media tools, I’m using them to distribute useful tips and strategies and to engage our tribe in healthy discussions. We do some promotion via social media, but most of the effort is about engagement, not promotion.
DC: How many bottles of wine did you have to drink before your Fool-Proof Wine Values e-book was completed?
EG: More than I’ll admit! 😉
Naturally, these wines were enjoyed over the course of a few years—not all at once!
DC: Lastly, if you were to give the commencement speech at the University of South Florida, what would your message be regarding Freelancing in this economy?
EG: The freelance movement is not a hiccup or a temporary correction. Freelancers and other contingent workers now make up one-third of the labor force! This is a massive structural change in the way work will be done going forward. Solo professionals who know how to position themselves effectively—and how to profitably run and grow a business of one—stand to win big in this new “gig” economy, all while having more freedom, fun and flexibility than ever before!
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