E-Mail: What NOT to do when freelancing
We all have our own pet peeves and some of them can be really frustrating when you experience them. They are specific to each person but when someone presses your buttons, boy, it can be annoying.
Getting annoyed by something is normal, and there is no need to fret about it since we all have those little idiosyncrasies that niggle away at us at times.
Working in the Gig Economy means that we have to deal with a lot of different people, and each person has their own way of working, their own way of doing things and their own little things that frustrate them.
The United Kingdom has a record of over 2 million freelancers and we believe that the number is expected to rise over the coming months..
If you are new to the gig economy, you might not be aware of the things freelancers get annoyed at. In fact, if you think that working as a freelancer means solely working without office mates then you are wrong. Why? As you continue living the profession of being a gigger, you will meet freelancers along the way. And you will need their help. You will need the help of the community and people around you. Your clients would also have their expectations and standards too.
So might as well know what some of the do’s and don’ts for freelancers are:
- DON’T BE VAGUE – this often happens during e-mail communication. Thus, avoid sending general comments. Be specific and paint a clear mental picture of details.
- DON’T BE TOO WORDY – be detailed but be concise too. There is a difference between being specific and using highfalutin words. With your clients or a co-freelancer receiving too many e-mails, it is important to be mindful of your messages. If the e-mails you’ll be sending are greater than 300 words then you should consider attaching a document to explain your thoughts effectively.
- DON’T BE TOO CASUAL – some freelancers get too hyped over the idea of not having a boss and not meeting clients face to face, which makes them forget the relation between a client and a freelancer should be professional too. Shorthand messages are fine if you are talking to a close one but keep in mind that you are still in a business. You are marketing yourself as a freelancer, and you wouldn’t want clients avoiding you.
- MATE – Clients are not your mates, don’t refer to them as such. Especially at first. Be polite and courteous at all times. Think of other vernacular expressions that you use in everyday speech and try to eradicate them.
- DO NOT GET E-MAILS MIXED UP – sending Bob the e-mail that was meant for John, or Barbara the e-mail that was meant for Jane can be a huge mistake and can create a loss of trust.
- DO NOT USE BCC – It is OK to send yourself a copy of the e-mail, but if you are speaking to multiple people, refer to them directly and do not send out generic e-mail blasts to everyone in your address book.
