As a freelancer, it’s important that you focus on networking to find employment opportunities and companies that are willing to hire your services. It’s also important to build better relationships with suppliers and companies that can provide you with critical services that keep your business running.
This is something that varies from one freelancer to another, but in this article, we’re going to give a couple of examples of why establishing good relationships with other businesses is important.
Always having alternatives
If you’re in an industry that provides some kind of product or service to clients, then it’s important that you always have alternatives when something is out of stock. For instance, if you’re a solo contractor with only a single supplier for things like concrete, bricks and wood, then you’re going to be in trouble if they were to suddenly close for a holiday or have run out of some materials.
That’s when a fast concrete delivery can help you get back on track so that you’re able to finish the job in the promised timeframe and also keep your clients happy. Developing good relationships with other businesses means that you can ask for advice, alternative companies that provide similar services or even replacements for a product or service that you need but no longer suits the scale of your operation.
Better pricing offers
When you work with larger companies that can provide you with a service or product, there may be times when you need a bespoke service or a very specific number of products. This could be large bulk purchases or a tailored service that falls between the lines of the defined prices the company already offers.
In situations like this, it’s great to be able to speak in a friendly tone to other businesses to come to an agreement for bulk pricing or a bespoke service that they are capable of but haven’t defined yet in their pricing. These kinds of services can be tailored exactly to your needs and you’ll get far better prices for the exact thing that you need from the other company.
Networking leads to employment opportunities
While there are many benefits to freelancing, there are some people that wouldn’t mind turning their freelance into a full-time career that offers more stability. This is one advantage of networking and building a good relationship with other businesses, especially if you regularly work for them on a per-contract basis. However, the reverse is also true for you.
You might find yourself in a position where you can grow your freelancing life into a small business or startup. In a case like this, it’s important to have lots of business contacts and a wide-reaching professional network because it helps you find staff for your own business. Those businesses will also be more than happy to provide you with better business pricing and be more willing to cooperate with you because of your history together. It’s a fantastic way to get started with your own business and can reduce the barrier of entry to starting your own company.
This is a collaborative post*
