How we work has drastically changed over the last few years, and new needs have created new opportunities. Freelancing has been gaining popularity because of its advantages for freelancers and clients. In this article, we’ll cover how you can leverage your skills to become a freelance project manager and find many new job opportunities.
What is a freelance project manager?
A freelance project manager is a professional independent who manages projects on an assignment basis instead of working as a full-time worker. They manage a project from start to finish, and their tasks entail planning, organizing, communicating with stakeholders, and overseeing the execution of projects for their clients.
They are often hired for short-term and specific projects. Companies can leverage more flexibility and expertise without committing to a long-term contract. Project managers can either work online or in person.
What does a freelance project manager do?
A freelance project manager manages projects for clients on a contract basis when they need project management expertise on a short-term basis. Each project comes with different responsibilities and tasks. However, some duties are typically present across all projects, like planning, executing, and completing projects within the timeline. The budget and project scope are also a part of the duties. Below, you will find some of the principal tasks of a freelance project manager.
1. Project planning and organizing
This includes the essential task of defining and clarifying the project objectives and deliverables to make sure everyone is on the same page. Once the objectives are defined, the planning can start. A freelance project manager has to develop a project plan with a timeline, the milestones to reach, the resources, and the budget.
To plan for all scenarios, they also need to consider all possible risks and create plans in case issues arise to solve them efficiently.
2. Coordinating teams and managing key stakeholders
Project managers assign jobs to different team members and ensure they have the resources and support they need to complete their jobs. They are also the central contact point between all the different teams, the client, and the project teams. They update everyone on the progress, issues, and changes.
3. Keeping track of the progress
To ensure the project is completed on time and all the deliverables are included, project managers always have to track progress and reassess deadlines and budgets.
In case of any issues or complications, they need to find workarounds and solutions to ensure the project stays on track and the deadlines are met.
4. Budget management
Freelance project managers track spending, manage the budget, and adjust when needed. It’s one of the most complicated parts of managing a project. All spending must be justifiable and reasonable to ensure clients are satisfied. If there are any changes, the client should be informed urgently to ensure everyone is on the same page.
5. Managing risks and solving problems
A great project manager can anticipate issues and find simple solutions quickly to ensure there are no delays. All problems should be predicted, tracked, and prevented.
6. Ensuring a high-quality and timely delivery
Project managers ensure the final deliverables meet the expectations, requirements, and standards. They have to compare the results with the original brief and make adjustments if there are any issues.
Even once the project is delivered, they need to review and measure results to make sure the results match the objectives and goals that were defined at the beginning of the project. Learnings and areas of improvement need to be shared with clients so future projects can be adapted.
What skills does a freelance project manager need?
The skills a project manager needs are highly related to their tasks. They need various skills that can ensure their success in completing projects.
1. Project management skills
There are a lot of project management skills needed to be successful at this job. Some can be learned, but others also are inherent. Planning and organization skills are important to empower all stakeholders to easily keep track of their tasks and the progress of the project. The capacity to manage a budget is also important. You can’t go over budget for all projects. Otherwise, your reputation may make it difficult for you to find more work.
Creative thinking and risk assessment skills are essential to help you guarantee no issues will block the project. Lastly, time management skills are some of the most important, as all projects must be delivered on time, and to do so, you should always be on track.
2. Technical skills
Technical skills will always help you achieve better results across all careers and industries. That’s also true for project management. With the right technical skills, you can use high-quality project management tools. Create high-quality reports and documents to follow the project.
3. Communication and management skills
As a project manager, you’re the central communication point. All the communication goes through you. That’s a huge responsibility that you need to take seriously. Communicate clearly with everyone and ensure all the right people are always kept in the loop. Manage stakeholders. Their concerns and expectations should always be considered and taken seriously.
You will have to negotiate contracts, budgets, and project changes. Having the skills to win negotiations without making the other person feel like they lost is essential to ensuring the project can progress smoothly.
4. Creative problem-solving
As a project manager, you’ll run into all kinds of problems you will need to find solutions for. Making quick intelligent decisions and thinking outside the box will save you. Be ready to solve complex issues. You also need to be able to adapt and be flexible to guarantee there are no new issues.
5. Leadership and team management
The most arduous part of managing a project is handling all stakeholders and ensuring everyone is progressing in the same direction. You need to be able to delegate tasks confidently and know that they will be completed. You also need to be able to motivate the different teams and resolve conflicts.
How to become a freelance project manager?
It can feel overwhelming to start something new when you don’t know what you need to do to achieve what you want to.
Develop your skills and gain experience
To find clients that are willing to trust you with their projects, you’re going to need to have the right skills and experience. Once you’ve completed enough jobs as a project manager, clients will see you as an experienced asset they can trust. Build a portfolio of the projects you managed and share the outcome with them to show you’ve achieved success in this role.
Conduct market research and set up your business model
To succeed as a freelance project manager, you must understand the market. What do your competitors offer, at what price, and with what experience? These questions will help you place yourself attractively on the market so you can find work more easily. Having a clear value proposition and offer shows that you are serious and offer high-quality services.
Choose your business model. How you find clients, sell your services, and manage orders. We recommend using a freelance marketplace platform. Especially, if you’re new to this and just getting started. How a freelance marketplace platform can help you grow your activity will be covered below.
Create your services and choose a price
Once you’ve researched the market enough, you’re ready to draft your offers. Create your first services. Take the time to clearly describe your offer. Explain the problems you solve and what deliverables are included in your services. Everything should be clear so potential clients don’t have any questions.
Choose a price for your services. This is often a difficult decision. Your prices should not be too low as they would appear low-cost, but they should not be too high either if you don’t have the skills to command those rates. Consider your skills, experience, knowledge, and other factors to choose an accurate price.
Never reduce your rates to get customers. It may appear like a sound technique, but it’s not a reliable strategy in the long term, as you’re degrading your value and the value of your peers.
Increase your online presence
After you’ve created your first service, you’re ready to start marketing yourself. It’s important and the best way to get new clients.
Create strong branding and use attractive visuals to convince people you’re a professional worth hiring.
Get your first sales
All freelancers remember their first job. It’s the hardest sale to get. Be proactive and attempt different approaches to get your first client.
Leverage word of mouth and ask people around you to mention your services. Use social media tools like LinkedIn to reach people who might be hiring and reach out to companies by email. Think about an attractive and convincing pitch.
Don’t just reach out to people and ask for work. Tell them about their problem and how you can help to solve it. Give them ideas and numbers like past results to showcase the added value you can bring.
Grow your sales
After you complete your first sale comes the next one and then the next one. Don’t stop reaching out to prospective clients, and keep networking. If your previous clients enjoyed your work, ask them to refer you to more clients and share your work with them. People trust close ones more than strangers, so word-of-mouth marketing can help you boost your sales.
Keep searching for opportunities and clients as you develop your career and grow as a freelancer. You can consider you’re starting to be successful once clients start reaching out to work with you directly.
Why is ComeUp the perfect place to start as a freelance project manager?
Earlier we mentioned freelance marketplaces to start your freelance career. They are the perfect place to help you grow your career and empower you to get the best results. ComeUp is the perfect freelance marketplace for you. Millions of visitors and clients come to ComeUp to find freelancers. Leverage ComeUp to grow your sales and earn more money as a freelancer.
Connect with more potential clients
Millions of visitors come to ComeUp to browse services. You’ll get more exposure and leverage the platform’s SEO power to reach more potential clients online by using ComeUp.
ComeUp uses an algorithm to rank sellers and services. You can find more information about the algorithm on the FAQ page and leverage it to appear higher in our rankings. Unlock your first sales by finding clients to buy your service, and then your service will rank higher, and clients will find it when browsing.
A safe and secure payment system
One of the most essential advantages a freelance platform brings is the safety it provides to freelancers. When you work with people you don’t know, there’s always a risk they pay you late or, in the worst cases, try to get away with not paying you at all.
When clients place an order on ComeUp, they have to pay for it right away. The money goes into an escrow account, and the freelancer is paid as soon as they deliver the order and it is approved by the client. As long as you complete the job described in your service description, you’re sure to get paid.
Gain credibility and trust
The sense of safety works both ways. Freelance platforms are more secure for freelancers and clients. They feel more at ease ordering from you on a freelance platform because they know your profile was verified and you follow the platform rules. The platform also shows you’ve had orders and clients in the past. The number of orders you have completed is displayed on your profile.
Reviews are also shared and convince clients they should order your service. Do a great job and delight all your clients to ensure satisfaction. Then, you’ll have many positive reviews that will help you convert more clients. A ComeUp survey found that 28% of clients believe reviews are the number one reason to choose a freelancer. Gather many positive reviews to succeed.
Increase your sales significantly
We explained above how you can leverage the algorithm. It’s the best way to succeed on ComeUp. Prospect and reach out to potential clients to unlock your first sales. Then, deliver great work and get positive reviews.
Your services will increase in the rankings and reach more people. You’ll start getting orders organically and grow your earnings significantly.
Follow this formula and achieve success as a freelance project manager on ComeUp.
A $1-only commission option
Freelancers can maximize their earnings with a $1-only commission option. Traditional platforms take a commission between 10 and 25% of the freelancer’s earnings. But, with a ComeUp Plus plan, freelancers only have a $1 commission. It’s a great way to maximize your income from consequential orders like project management jobs.
A responsive customer service team
ComeUp’s customer service team is always ready to help rapidly. A human representative can always be reached. They answer within 1 or 2 hours, although sometimes they can answer in a few minutes. ComeUp is rated 4.1 stars on Trustpilot (from October 30th, 2024) because of its helpful customer service team.
Leverage ComeUp resources
We have resources available to help you succeed, including tutorial videos with many recommendations and tips to help you build your seller profile, create your first service, and get many orders. You can also use our Discord channel to chat with other sellers and ask them for guidance or feedback about your services.
Become a freelance project manager and grow your sales
You now have all the tools to start your freelancer career as a project manager. Start selling your services on ComeUp, delight your clients, and grow your sales. Consult our FAQs or contact our customer service team if you have any questions. They’ll be glad to help you out. Create your seller account and start selling services on ComeUp today.
