19 Skills to Keep You Competitive as a Freelancer

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19 Skills to Keep You Competitive as a Freelancer 

To help freelancers stay ahead of the curve in 2023, we asked 19 experts from various fields to share their insights on the most crucial skills needed. From cultivating a compelling personal brand to mastering drive and tenacity, these professionals provide valuable advice on how to remain competitive in the ever-evolving freelance landscape.

• Cultivate a Compelling Personal Brand
• Master Networking and Relationships
• Develop Mental Strength and Resilience
• Embrace Artificial Intelligence
• Gather Essential Digital Tools
• Demonstrate Flexibility and Adaptability
• Change With Market Demands
• Embrace Consultant and Service Provider Roles
• Practice Video-Based Communication
• Excel in Marketing Yourself
• Prioritize Reporting and Accountability
• Develop Data Analysis Expertise
• Concisely Describe Your Value
• Acquire Digital Marketing Skills
• Showcase Compassion and Empathy
• Strengthen Your Coding Skills
• Roll With the Punches
• Continuously Learn
• Grow Drive and Tenacity

Cultivate a Compelling Personal Brand

Your personal brand and your story are your key differentiators in a competitive market.

One thing I always say is that when clients are deciding if they want to work with you, the first thing they will probably do is Google you and review your social media profiles.

Without one, you run the risk of no one knowing who you are or being able to trust in your abilities as a freelancer.

A compelling personal brand showcases your personality, authority, and credibility. It generates social proof and shapes the perception clients have of you before you connect with them. This is a powerful way to stay competitive as a freelancer in 2023.

Lindsey Tague, Content Writer, Marketer, and Strategist, Self-Employed

Master Networking and Relationships

Networking: the art of creating relationships

In today's competitive space, with many creatives turning to freelancing every day, skills are not the only criteria. A compelling and up-to-date portfolio is essential, but more importantly, building relationships you can activate to grow and extend your reach is a treasure.

Networking involves both maintaining old relationships and making new ones. You should communicate what you are doing and planning to achieve with your business and goals. You never know who may be able and willing to support you.

If you don't have anyone in your network who can be of support, then you need to change your environment and start making new connections. Doing so will expand your understanding of your niche and help you learn new things.

Keva Epale, Founder, Keva Epale Studio

Develop Mental Strength and Resilience

As a freelancer, mental strength and resilience are critical skills to stay on top of your competition in 2023. The challenges of the ongoing pandemic, social and political unrest, and economic uncertainty have made it more important than ever to develop the ability to manage stress and maintain a positive outlook. Freelancers who possess mental strength are better able to handle the stress of uncertainty, adapt to new situations, and make the most of opportunities as they arise.

Developing mental strength and resilience begins with building a solid support system of friends, family, or peers who can provide a sense of security and comfort during ups and downs. 

Practicing self-care and investing in your mental health are essential. This includes getting enough sleep, eating a balanced diet, engaging in regular physical activity, and working with a mental health professional through therapy and coaching. Remember that your mental health is just as important as your skills and expertise.

Manuel Schlothauer, Founder, HeyManuel.com

Embrace Artificial Intelligence

If you're a freelancer and you aren't utilizing artificial intelligence to help you with your jobs, you will not be competitive within around three years. AI can help you craft so many things. 

Whether you are a paid media specialist using it to create short-form social media advertisements, or a content writer looking to draft content and edit it to make it more human. Every freelancer can use AI in some capacity; consider it as a tool to give you extra employees and sets of hands to work on projects. You are now the project manager and your AI tools are your employees. This is revolutionizing the freelancing space, and I'm excited to see what happens in the next couple of years.

Scott Krager, Founder, TubeSplit.com

Gather Essential Digital Tools

With the ongoing trend towards remote work, the ability to effectively utilize digital tools has become more important than ever before. Especially as a freelancer, you will need to be comfortable with various software that will allow you to work collaboratively with clients and team members who may be located all across the globe.

For example, project management software like Asana, Trello, or Monday.com can help you keep track of project deadlines, milestones, and task assignments, while also providing easy communication.

Video conferencing platforms like Zoom, Google Meet, or Microsoft Teams are commonly used to hold virtual meetings, regardless of location, and also provide screen-sharing capabilities for effective collaboration.

Cloud-based document management systems such as Google Drive, Dropbox, or OneDrive can help you store and organize project-related files, making it easy to access and share them.

Being proficient with all of these is considered a necessity nowadays.

Klaudia Pham, Content Marketing Specialist, Life and My Finances

Demonstrate Flexibility and Adaptability

A lot of companies are looking for freelancers who are not one-trick ponies—meaning they can manage two or three different kinds of work. 

For example, some are looking for a social media content creator and at the same time, someone who can also answer the comments section of the said outlets (which is partly a customer service job). This can be accomplished if you have a background in both, i.e., take some webinars and courses—keep yourself up-to-date. 

Another way to be flexible is to be aware of the different time zones and commit to it. Some companies are from different time zones than you are, and it's always a plus to join them in those time zones.

Geninna Ariton, Marketing Communications Specialist, Trendhim

Change With Market Demands

I work with many freelancers. Right now, I am working with over 10 contractors on Upwork. One skill that is crucial for staying competitive as a freelancer in 2023 is adaptability. 

The nature of freelance work means that clients' needs and demands are constantly changing, and the ability to adapt quickly and efficiently to these changes is essential. This includes being able to learn new skills, pivot to different industries, and adjust to new technology and tools. 

Additionally, being able to communicate effectively with clients and other freelancers, as well as managing time and deadlines, is crucial for success in the competitive freelance market. In short, the ability to be flexible, proactive, and versatile will be essential for staying competitive as a freelancer in 2023.

Michael Frederick, CEO, Flatirons Development

Embrace Consultant and Service Provider Roles

Freelancers can create more value for themselves and their clients when they serve as both consultants and service providers. Rather than simply being order takers, freelancers should know their clients' needs better than the clients. This allows them to speak from a place of authority and expertise and ensure the best possible outcomes.

There's a time and place for giving clients what they ask for. But what clients ask for doesn't always align with what they really need or want. When you can show a better approach that will help the client achieve their goals better than their original idea, you'll end up with clients (and their referrals) for life.

Alli Hill, Founder and Director, Fleurish Freelance

Practice Video-Based Communication

As an Expert-Vetted and Top Rated Plus freelancer on Upwork, who achieved these statuses in less than 12 months, I believe the most crucial skill for freelancers to stay competitive in 2023 is video-based communication. Why?

- Upwork profiles feature a section for adding a pre-recorded video introduction. Clients LOVE the opportunity to quickly learn about you, your experience, and your skills.

- Clients want to ensure your authenticity and credibility. Showcasing your genuine identity through video is an effective way to show that YOU are YOU.

- Proficiency in English is vital for clear communication. Written text can mask language difficulties, but a video shows your actual fluency and comprehension.

- To stand out from the competition, consider incorporating short video recordings in your outbound proposals.

- In a world that has embraced ChatGPT, the value of written content will diminish. Video and audio content, on the other hand, remain difficult to mass-produce.

Rafael Sarim Özdemir, Founder and CEO, Zendog Labs

Excel in Marketing Yourself

Freelancers' most excellent skill, which few can master, is marketing themselves and their skills. The freelance market is saturated worldwide, making it hard to compete, especially when others offer lower prices for their skills. Ultimately, it all comes down to marketing.

An effective marketing strategy attracts a steady stream of qualified prospects. Marketing is essential for every business. Businesses and freelancers alike can develop approaches that differentiate them from their competitors.

It doesn't matter how good your skills are if you can't get clients. Often, it isn't the best-qualified freelancers who win clients, but the ones who know how to market themselves. Many freelancers need help understanding marketing and won't invest in someone to help them. 

Remember that no matter how good you are as a freelancer—these clients will choose from a pool of freelancers who are as good and hard-working as you, so make sure you are marketing yourself to attract the right client.

Tristan Harris, Demand Generation Senior Marketing Manager, Thrive Agency

Prioritize Reporting and Accountability

Coming from this as a marketing manager of 10 years, I have engaged many contractors in my career. I have worked with a variety of industry professionals, and I can say there is one particular thing I look for that makes individuals stand out. 

That is reporting, and holding yourself accountable for the good and the poor results. In marketing, it is very easy to fluff out the good metrics on your regular reporting, but what impresses me is when a freelancer addresses the negative results and explains to me why we didn't get there, and how we plan to in the future.

For freelancers trying to gain work, having a presentation deck that really dives in deep on case studies with data to back it up really stands out. I love a little fluffy visuals here and there, but being able to back yourself up with your results really makes you stand out from the crowd.

Taleisha Barker, Marketing and Communications Manager, Flowers Across Melbourne

Develop Data Analysis Expertise

Data analysis is a crucial skill for freelancers to stay competitive in the marketplace. With the increasing importance of data in decision-making processes for businesses, being able to collect, analyze, and interpret data has become a valuable asset for freelancers in various fields.

By mastering data analysis, freelancers can better understand consumer behavior, market trends, and identify areas of opportunity for their clients. This can help them create more targeted and effective marketing strategies, as well as make informed recommendations to their clients.

Additionally, being able to provide data-driven insights and visualizations can help freelancers stand out from their competitors and demonstrate their value to clients, as businesses continue to rely on data to drive their decision-making processes.

Veruska Anconitano, Multilingual SEO and Localization Consultant, Veruska Anconitano

Concisely Describe Your Value

You need to be really good at describing your value in a few words. Attention spans seem to get shorter every year. There seems to be a lot of competition for many jobs, and the competitors, who grew up on social media, have gotten really good at writing captions.

So how do you stand out? Bonus points if you manage to do that without sounding arrogant. You want to sound knowledgeable, confident, and experienced without sounding blazé or antipathic. So this is a key skill to learn.

In verbal communication, you want to pay a lot of attention to nonverbal communication, making sure to include the other person in the conversation. In written communication, such as your bio, you want to focus on fundamental facts, appealing adjectives, and facilitating flow. If you learn to love words, the words, and the customers will love you back.

Dag Flachet, Co-founder and Professor, Codific

Acquire Digital Marketing Skills

The freelance market is growing increasingly competitive. It is essential for freelancers to have a variety of skills to remain relevant. 

As of now, digital marketing is a must-know skill for freelancers. Utilizing various online platforms and tools to promote products & services, having a deep grasp of digital marketing strategies can give freelancers an edge. 

Search Engine Optimization (SEO) to make it easier for potential clients to find you, using social media platforms and marketing for the creation of engaging content, content marketing for educating and engaging target audiences, email marketing to reach out to potential clients, and analytics to make data-driven decisions and planning for better results are all vital skills to develop. 

With a solid grip on digital marketing, freelancers can attract new clients, build their online presence, and reach the top in the ever-evolving freelance market. Developing digital marketing skills positions freelancers for a continuing streak of success.

Swapnil Pate, Founder, Swapnil Pate SEO

Showcase Compassion and Empathy

One skill you need to stay competitive, not just against other freelancers in the same industry, but against the rise in technology, is being a compassionate human being. 

Since AI has become a growing trend, many freelance workers are finding their skill sets are being replaced by AI technology. I know for myself as a writer, my job could easily be replaced by an AI machine. 

But one thing a machine can never take away is human emotion. Being compassionate, empathetic, and understanding human emotions is what will stand you against these technologies. Sure, a machine can write about under-funded schools, but will it have heart? 

As human beings, our biggest skills are not always what we learn, but what we are. After all, no one wants to hire a grouch. By showing you're a kind, compassionate human being who understands your clients' way of thinking, you will not only win the favor of employers but beat the competition - even if that competitor is a robot.

Louisa Smith, Owner, Epic Book Society

Strengthen Your Coding Skills

Freelancing is a rapidly growing sector; thus, it's crucial to develop expertise in in-demand areas. Learning how to code is a must if you want to succeed as a freelancer in today's market. 

First, knowing how to code will significantly improve your earning potential if you're a freelancer. Freelancers with coding experience typically receive higher rates because their clients can hire them for a broader range of projects, including software and app development.

Second, coding lets you automate jobs you do repeatedly, saving you time and making you more productive. It also helps solve complex problems, bring your ideas to life, and create innovative solutions. 

As a freelancer, your time is money, so if you can find creative ways to quickly solve problems and automate repetitive tasks, you can take on more work and make more money.

Jeff Mains, Founder and CEO, Champion Leadership Group

Roll With the Punches

With over a decade of experience in HR and several years of freelance and entrepreneurial work, I’ve realized that willingness and ability to change are the most important skills for success.

What worked well only a couple of years ago may not work now, as the world, markets, and technologies are constantly evolving. To stay relevant, you’re required to constantly update your skills, mindset, and offerings. Furthermore, don't just settle with catching the leaving train. Aim at getting ahead of it.

Refuse to change and you'll become history in no time.

Foresee and initiate a change and you'll gain a sustainable competitive advantage.

Liga Vasila, Chief Editor, FoodyWise

Continuously Learn

The world is constantly evolving with new advancements and fresh growth in technology. As a result, we need to continuously upskill and develop our expertise. To stay competitive, a skill every freelancer must have is the hunger for learning new things.

Diana Royanto, Writer, Milkwhale

Grow Drive and Tenacity

Drive is a vital component of being a successful freelancer. It is the tenacity and determination to pursue a goal, regardless of adversity or obstacles. Fusing passion, perseverance, and resilience, drive pushes one’s limits and unlocks the potential for excellence.

If drive is lacking, executing tasks, nurturing the business, and bouncing back after rejection will be extremely difficult. Driven individuals use rejection as a tool, accepting that “Nos” are actually fuel for new ideas, strategies, goals, and ambitions. It's with resilience that people overcome setbacks, learn from mistakes, and tackle the most difficult problems.

To increase your drive, try these methods: Visualize success (as cheesy as it sounds, try a vision board), celebrate wins, be grateful for what you have and what you’ve already accomplished, and allow yourself to be inspired and mentored by others in your space.

Lastly, breathe. As a freelancer, you’re probably wearing many hats. First, take care of YOU, as no one else will.

Bethany Jeffreys, Career Advancement Consultant, Pivot Management Group