It’s not easy to make it as a freelancer in any field, but one proven step toward success is to keep your promises, and then go one step further–overdeliver.  Getting started  as a freelancer is the hardest part, because lack of experience is so easily equated with lack of skill.  And there’s no more important a time in a freelancing career than the beginning to set in stone a work ethic and principles to help you succeed. By giving the client what they want, and more, you’ll get their business again, and you can benefit from referrals they send your way through word of mouth.

Start on projects early.  If you know it’ll take you 5 days, don’t want until T-minus 5 days to start the project.  You don’t know what unexpected interruptions could slow you down, and you’re risking finishing the project late if you only give yourself enough time to finish it under ordinary circumstances.  If it’ll take you 5 days and it’s due in 2 weeks, start now.  You might have it done in 5 days, but you’ve gotten an early start and will probably finish it early.  And you’ve got a built-in cushion if something should go wrong.

If you start the project earlier, you won’t have to rush, which can cause problems.  You’ll be done early enough to be able to revise a little more before turning it in, too. While you might take a certain sense of pride in starting a project at zero hour and getting it done on time, how much better would it be if you’d had a day between writing and revising? 

A freelancer who delivers not just on time, but before the scheduled deadline, will stick out in a client’s mind.  You might benefit by getting more assignments or getting special rush assignments, for more pay, because you’re so reliable. You also might get some referrals from this client, because you started earlier and turned in great work ahead of schedule.

Don’t underestimate the opposite effect, what happens when you turn work in late or in less-than-stellar condition, even if you’ve always been reliable before.  That project that’s a week overdue might be a crucial one with other decisions and their own clients hinging on its completion.  No matter how much great work you’ve given them before, certain circumstances could make that one mistake the last you’ll ever make for that client.

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