Freelance Confidential is the latest book released by the highly acclaimed Rockable Press group. I’ve previously read and enjoyed books from these guys on blogging and creating WordPress themes so when this came out I was excited to see if they could hit another home run and bought the book straight away!
My Freelance Confidential Review
The books starts out with a simple introduction and references the fact that the book is based on solid research from approximately 3200 real and active freelancers. This is a great refection as it shows you that when they mention statistics throughout the book they are based on real facts rather than the authors ideas or one of the infamous 95% of all statistics that are made up on the spot 😉 The survey is actually a 2010 update on a survey that they also ran in 2007 so you get to see how the freelance world is evolving.
Freelance Confidential is not designed as a step by step guide on how to become a freelancer and it admits that from the outset. This book is great for anyone that is already involved in freelancing that wants to get an idea of the landscape; what other freelancers are charging per hour (hint:I’m still not charging enough!) based on averages, where to find great clients (there is a difference, believe me!) and how people are estimating jobs etc.
Interestingly the book also touched on the location independent aspect of many freelancing roles; something i am very passionate about and part of what attracted me in the first place! The book also reinforces the idea that you don’t need to have college or university education in your field to be a successful freelancer, just good up to date skills.
The second section of the book starts to focus less on statistics and what they mean for us as freelancers. How we can improve our working conditions and make sure we get paid appropriately for our efforts. This section alone will easily pay for the entire book within your few days if you make adjustments based on the information shared.
Freelance confidential also reveals the truth about a few myths surrounding freelancing and presents the reality of the situation in a clear and concise manor; often in coordination with easily understood graphs. It even goes beyond this and shares not only what is happening now but a few emerging trends within the freelancing world that you will want to take notice of if you want keep a steady stream of clients for the foreseeable future.
And what modern business book would be complete without a section on social media 😉 Inside it touches on how top freelancers are using social media to engage with a wider audience, become more likable and in turn get more profitable work. Whilst there is nothing revolutionary in this section it is certainly food for thought if you are just getting started and might even shed a few realisations for those that thought they were doing it right.
Suprisingly for a book dedicated to freelancing it does make a recommendation to diversifying your business. This is definitely something i agree with and it was refreshing to see that it made the cut even though some of the ideas presented don’t directly relate to freelancing itself. This section is coupled with a chapter on building a support network (probably not what you think it is!) and shows that author really does care about your life as a freelancer; not just the nuts and bolts of it all.
Finally Freelance Confidential closes with some candid advice on how to both get into freelance if you are just starting out and how to become more successful if you are already up and running. The book is accompanied by all the raw data from the survey which is presented concisely at the rear of the book making this the complete package. Overall the book is well written and easy to read therefore I would feel happy recommending this book. It won’t give you the skills to become a freelancer but if you already have skills that are in demand then this book will help you realise their worth!
UPDATE: I forgot to mention that if you buy Freelance Confidential within the first 5 days of it’s release you also save a further $5 on the price. There are no confusing Freelance Confidential Coupon Codes, just head on over to the official site and the savings are waiting for you there!
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