Thinking of becoming a freelancer or contractor? Wondering what you need to get you started? Or been doing it for years and want do it better?

Put together in their own time by a growing team of experienced freelancers, contractors and authors, this site brings you every hint, tip, podcast interview and step-by-step guide you'll need to get your business started or your business smarter.

"The most useful freelance advice site I have ever come across!'" - Jack Forrester

Freelance Advisor and author of ‘Spare Room Start Up’ Emma Jones gives us her review of the best applications for freelancers.

Top 5 technology apps of 2008

As we enter the month of December, I can’t help but look back at the year that was. The thousands of new businesses started, the people we’ve profiled, and the technology applications that have made our lives complete. In no particular order of preference, I give you my top 5 technology applications of 2008.

Read on for our Top 5 Web Apps of 2008

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Freelance Advisor and author of ‘Spare Room Start Up’ Emma Jones give us a timely reminder of the things we could be doing in the run up to Christmas. What can freelancers do when things get quiet over the holiday season and what plans can we make for 2009.

When the phones hush and emails subside

One of the most appreciated aspects of December (aside from it being a time for family and festivities) is that it’s a quiet work time that allows home business owners to get the house in order. The phones don’t ring so much and emails don’t arrive so often. It’s a perfect time for some considered business planning.

Make plans against these main headings to be sure of starting the New Year with that extra bit of oomph.

Read on for some happy holiday home-working tips…

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Freelance Advisor founder Darren Fell is a successful entrepreneur and all over the first page of results when you Google his name. We asked him to share the secrets of his success and he responded with this guide to marketing yourself.

Marketing yourself for free, a guide.

The big question running through everybody’s mind when they jump into Freelancing is ‘where is the work going to come from?’

Of course if the key decision right at the beginning is to become a contractor then you’d clearly expect the agency you select to undertake all of your marketing. But if you’ve made the decision to be in charge of your own destiny and you don’t want to be sent half way up the country on a job, the life of a freelancer is made or broken by the success of their own marketing and PR.

Marketing yourself cleverly and without spending a budget you simply don’t have is one of the biggest initial hurdles to get over at the beginning of this new life of freedom. Of course, you may already be an experienced freelancer and the once trusty and consistent work flowing from your customers has suddenly dried up it’s now time to get that pen and pad out and map out a marketing plan to get you noticed and ultimately get you work.

The fundamental thing you have to remember is that you don’t have a sales team, nor a marketing manager and certainly not a PR person -  so get this: You are all of those people and you’ll have to change like a chameleon from one mode to another to be truly successful.

So are you ready? Work through the following step-by-step guide and, with a little patience and a good helping of persistence, you’ll be well on your way…

Read on for five freelancing fundamentals for self-promotion…

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Freelance Advisor and Web Consultant Lief Kendall continues his mini-series of ten lessons learnt during his time freelancing.

These will be super-short micro-posts to get you thinking… Feel free to share your comments

Lesson 4: Adopt a Karmic attitude

Adopt a karmic attitude to life. Be awesome to people. Do great work.

<< Lesson 3: Do Admin

By Leif Kendall, freelance copywriter and web marketing consultant

 image by foreversouls

Whether it is business cards, promotional posters or flyers for a club night there are many printing options and quality and colours will vary greatly. Print adviser and consultant Andrew Walker guides can help you decide where to get your printing done.

Choosing the right printing method for your client

Digital vs Litho Printing

The two main printing methods these days are Offset Litho Printing and Digital Printing. Both of them have their own place within the printing industry, but they are very different in the way they place colour onto the paper. Below will explain the how both methods can be used and what to be aware of.

Read on for a quick guide to perfect printing…

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In part one of this series consultant, coach and trainer Dianne Bown-Wilson explored the advantages of portfolio working. Today she helps us identify the tools we’ll need to put it into practice.

Portfolio career: How to

Designing a Portfolio Career comes down to achieving an appropriate and desirable balance in your life between need and want. Ultimately it comes down to excellent time management, but first of all you have to consider the bigger picture.

To do this you need to take some time out to think through what your life would be like if you successfully developed an ongoing Portfolio Career. What would it feel like? What would be the benefits – to you and others? Would there be any drawbacks – if so, how might you overcome them?

Read on for Dianne’s tips on designing your perfect work/life balance…

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If you’ve recently retired or are thinking ahead to your remaining working years now could be a good time to consider developing a portfolio career. In this two part series consultant, coach, trainer and writer Dianne Bown-Wilson tells us why it is a good idea and how to go about it…

Portfolio careers: the perfect pick ‘n’ mix way of working

A portfolio career as its name implies is one in which you spread your skills, talents and time over a number of different areas – some of which, like freelancing, may earn you money, and some – for whatever reason - you may do for free. Even those who don’t need to work for financial reasons may want to continue to work simply because they value being able to continue to contribute and develop.

Part of your career also may involve helping others through some type of volunteering or continuing your own development through education or training. A Portfolio Career is the perfect framework for enabling choice and opportunity.

Read on to find out if a portfolio career is the right choice for you…

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When working in a client’s office why is it the freelancers and contractors who always get the bum deal? Are you fed up with always being allocated the worst chair in the office? Our ergonomic expert Jo Blood gives us a practical guide to promoting good posture and making the most of your office chair.

A freelancer’s guide to making the most of the worst chair in the office

Picture the scene, you turn up on the first day of a new contract, get shown your desk and you sit down, then you stand up and look at the sad sorry excuse of an office chair that you’ve been allocated.

In my previous life as an Account Director for a marketing agency, we frequently had freelancers in a variety of roles, but the one aspect that never changed was whenever a freelancer was due in, they were invariably allocated the worst chair in the entire office.So how do you deal with always being relegated to the bottom of the office chair pile?

Read on for Jo’s tips on making the most of your office chair…

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Freelance Advisor and author of ‘Spare Room Start Up’ Emma Jones offers us the first in a new series of pieces for our Working from Home section. Here she takes a looks at what freelancers with a home office can do to create a professional image for clients and a great first impression for customers

A professional front door

When you run a business from home, you realise the importance of extending a professional welcome to existing clients and potential customers. Presenting to prospects a reception that says ‘we are in business, here to serve and quality is our aim.’ There are a number of ways to extend such a welcome.

Read on for Emma’s hints and tips for creating a good impression when clients come to call…

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Off on his travels again… our tech-loving freelancer and electronic evangelist Jim Hatley grabs some essential items for work on the move.

Essential items for your mobile office

Today I am going to look at a few more items that are essential for life on the road. Working from home is fantastic, and is certainly one of the biggest bonuses of freelance work; the other, of course, being that you are your own boss. However, many of us are required to travel to jobs, and it’s at this point that it becomes necessary that you have the right tools to get the job done.

Given current level of technological achievement that we find ourselves in it is no wonder that there is such an abundance of shiny gadgets and gizmos vying for your attention, but poor design and cheap manufacturing can all too often turn a great idea into an inconvenient hindrance to your productivity. The fact of the matter is that whether you are working from home, or on the move, you need to be tooled up for the task in hand.

Read on for a review of three briefcase essentials…

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