freelancers
TRANSCRIPT
Freelancers have a lot to think about before popping the
champagne... so let us help! We've got 10 quick tips to get
you ready for the New Year:
1 Organize Your Expenses.
Whether you do your own taxes via services like TurboTax or pay an accountant, you’re going to need a report of your business expenses for the past year. A report via an accounting program like QuickBooks or FreshBooks is ideal, but even a simple spreadsheet containing a list of your expenses will help you or your accountant greatly when it comes time to file.
2 Organize Your Mileage Reports.There’s also a good chance you’ve undertaken some business-related travel over the past year. It’s actually possible to deduct the mileage you’ve incurred for this, so keeping a mileage log in your vehicle is an easy way to keep track of it as you go. Each year, the IRS publishes the standard mileage rates that can be deducted from your business taxes.
3 Make Some Last-minute Business Purchases
Any business-essential purchases you make before the end of the year will count toward your expenses. Subscriptions to services and online products count, too.
4Target Your Organizational Deficits and Make a Plan
The end of the year is a good time for reflection. What did you do well? What could you have done better? A really good question to ask is,
“Which tools can help me do better?”
5 Evaluate Each of Your ClientsSince you’re already going to be in reflection-mode, it’s a great idea to spend a little time with your client list. Have they all been properly taken care of this year? Do you expect them to be with you next year? Can you possibly get more work from them? 6Holiday Gifts
Freelancing is by no means a tiny pool. It’s a giant ocean full of very, very hungry fish, and you need to
focus on the details if you’re going to stand out. One of those ways is to send out holiday gifts to let your clients know you
appreciate them.
7 Send Out a NewsletterIf you’ve got a newsletter with subscribers, go ahead and send out an end-of-year message.
8Schedule Some Maintenance on Your Social Media Profiles
How long has it been since you’ve updated your LinkedIn profile? Google Plus? Your life is going through constant change, so why
would you keep your business profiles static throughout the years? Add some new pieces to your portfolio, make any necessary changes
(like phone numbers or adding “LLC” to all of your profiles, if you made that upgrade this year), and find out if social media platforms
have added new features that will help you market yourself.
9 Set GoalsTake advantage of all of this reflection and financial review to set some goals for the coming year. Setting financial, career, and personal goals will give you both the direction and motivation to improve and evolve the quality of your services and business as a whole.
10Research Conferences and Events
By sitting down and choosing some of these events ahead of time, you’ll be able to budget around entrance fees, and possibly even
snag early-bird discounts.
11 Clean out your inbox
It’s a simple solution. It’s a mind-numbing process. It’s one of the most freeing things you’ll have done in a long time. A full inbox might seem like a minor annoyance, but it can severely affect your productivity and efficiency. If you can turn on some of your favorite music, fill up your coffee mug, and hunker down for an hour of email organization and decluttering, you’ll be able to start the new year with a clean slate that will make it much easier to find what you’re looking for.
Want to get more information?
READ THE ARTICLE
Don’t get caught in a courtroom... with a contract that’s not legally binding.
www.approveme.me