Events:
Past Event Summaries

January Meeting Summary:
The Ins and Outs of Freelancing
by Jamie Nunnelly

The room was at full capacity January 8 for the joint meeting of IABC and ICA. Greg Norton from the R+M Agency, Marie Mansfield from Quintiles International, and Ellen Bradley, UNC-CH School of Government, sat on a panel to discuss freelancing.

All three hire freelancers from time to time and have also worked independently at some points in their careers. R+M looks for the specific skills that match project requirements. Norton suggests that freelancers who want to get into their database of freelance vendors should get to know the creative director or the account managers, depending on the type of freelancing one does.

Quintiles uses freelance writers to write feature stories and medical and scientific writing, while the UNC School of Government mainly uses freelance photographers and some graphic artists.

All three speakers suggested sending samples of one's work (whether it's graphics, photography or writing) and letters of recommendation to prospective clients. Do not commit to a scope of work unless you can do it yourself and follow through with the deadlines asked of you. Proximity can be important if you are giving strategic advice or are working on new projects. (For other projects, being located in the same city as your client is not necessary, according to the panel.)

Many people attending the meeting asked questions about pricing and billing. It was suggested that you could bill on an hourly basis at first to see how you work with the client, then price on a project-by-project basis thereafter. If you are a freelancer and want to get paid faster, it was suggested that getting a Federal ID number would help.

Many freelancers are forming virtual teams so each person can bring his/her strength to the team to get a task done. One of the advantages of being a member of IABC or ICA is meeting others with whom you can form virtual teams.

If you are thinking of becoming a freelancer or are unsure of where your career is headed, come to our February 12 meeting, "Taking Ownership of Your Career," at which Stephanie Zizzo, career and life coach, will be speaking.

Jamie Nunnelly is president of Wilder Ridge Communications. You can reach her by email at Jamienunnelly@bellsouth.net.