Making money online can easily be done by anyone. It doesn’t take rocket science to start making money from home. But at the same time, there are certain skills that, if you have them, will set you ahead of the competition and make it easier for you to make even more money from your already-lucrative skill set.
When you study the habits and practises of freelancers who make six figures or more, and high-earning side hustlers, you’ll begin to understand that they all usually possess this same set of non-negotiable skills in addition to their technical abilities, that positions them for higher paying opportunities.
These skills may not sound as exciting or interesting as learning web development and design, or creating artsy items to sell on Etsy, but nonetheless, they are critical to creating a sustainable extra source of income for yourself and your family.
1. Storytelling
Storytelling is an art that is not reserved merely for bestselling authors. Anyone who desires to make a real impact and convince others that they are the perfect person for a job, should learn storytelling skills. Storytelling connects you and your audience and infuses your message with pathos, which persuades potential clients to part with their cash and pay for your services or products. Storytelling is part of what makes you unique as a freelancer. It’s what establishes you and your personal brand, and you can even interweave it into ad copy and into your product or service descriptions.
For example, if you’re an Etsy seller, you might not only share the specifications of the item you’ve created but also interweave the back story of your brand, or your mission (which might even be a tear-jerking one) that inspires you to create these items every day.
If you think you don’t have anything inspirational enough to share, simply relating a story about how your products or services have solved a pain point in a customer’s life is a good enough story to use as part of your marketing. This enables you, as an independent contractor, to resonate with potential clients.
2. Time Management Skills
Another critical skill that you need to develop quickly if you’re going to start freelancing or making money online through selling products, is time management. When you’re a full time freelancer, you know that time is money.
But especially if you’re doing this on the side while working a full time job, you know just how critical it is to leverage every waking hour and minute, because your available time is limited. High earners know this, and that’s why they find strategic ways to scale and maximize productivity without burning out. Instead of working longer hours, find ways to work smarter. Prioritize your tasks and say no to projects or potential clients that would be a distraction or inhibit you from achieving your full potential and reaching your goals.
When you’re more organized with your workload, you’ll have better client satisfaction and retention, and it will be easier for you to smash your way through deadlines, while having sufficient time to upskill, put more effort into marketing, or find additional revenue streams.
3. Confident Communication
Confident communication skills are not to be confused with being cocky or arrogant. By “confidence,” this means clearly articulating your service and the value you deliver, leaving room for questions and being positive and transparent about each step of the process before and during the time a potential client decides to work with you.
Clear and professional communication, from negotiating rates to setting out project scope, gives customers clarity about where they stand with you, and helps you to maintain long-standing, strong relationships with them.
As an example, if you’re a graphic designer and you can clearly explain your creative process and the logic that went into your design choices, you would inspire more confidence and trust in your clients than if you merely delivered the work with no explanation. Lack of clarity and communication can cost you several thousands of dollars’ worth of projects if you’re not careful.
Storytelling, time management, and confident communication skills—perhaps not as glamorous as creating physical products, but wouldn’t you agree that these are the essential ingredients that hold everything in your business together? In connection with your unique technical skills and expertise, you’ll be in high demand and a leading provider within your industry.
