Freelancember Day 8 Dear Client: Gimme More Money!

So... you're raising your rates, but not sure exactly how to broach the topic with your clients? Worried you'll sound like a no-good money-grabbing Greedy McGreedyPants?

Worry no more, we're here to help. Today's Freelancember gift is...

Two friendly email templates to help you communicate your new rate raise, penned by a professional copywriter. Writer's block begone!

Freelancember Day 9 Does Self-Promotion Make You Feel Sleazy?

It shouldn't. Self-promotion is all about sharing your skills. Let's face it: You're good at what you do. You're a pro.

You've got a lot to contribute, and clients out there need  you. Desperately. Who else, if not you, is going to get your name out there so they can find you?

Yep, that's right: nobody else. It's all you, baby. Our DAILY Self-Promotion for Freelancers Checklist will help, with 5 high-impact tasks that rate a big fat zero on the sleaze-o-meter. Get out there!

Freelancember Day 10 Shakin' Up Your Self-Promo: Weekly Edition

For a talented creative like you, self-promotion is a mission. Remember, there are clients out there who're just dying to find you!

You can't complete a mission with tunnel vision. Spend all your time promoting yourself digitally from the comfort of your home office? It's time to get out into meatspace. Pound the pavement with flyers and cards? Then it's time to get buzzy online.

We're here to help! Check out our weekly Self-Promotion Checklist for Freelancers, & spice up your sell life.

Freelancember Day 11 Shakin' Up Your Self-Promo: Monthly Edition

Small, consistent actions snowball quickly. A guest post here, a biz card there & before you know it, you're rolling out a multi-media publicity gameplan!

Daily & weekly mini-tasks keep your self-promotional house in order, like making your bed every morning. But some chores every month or so -- like flipping the mattress (you DO do that, right?).

Today's gift is a MONTHLY Self-Promotion Checklist: 5 "once-in-a-while" tasks you should keep bubbling on the backburner.

Freelancember Day 12 Build a Self-Promotion Inspiration Board

Here's a cozy, low-effort activity: build a Self-Promotion Inspiration Board.

Pluck out 5-10 icons — industry leaders, celebrities, would-be mentors — and / or brands that you ogle from afar, and make a photo-collage using paper, or a tool like Photovisi.com.

Use your creation as desktop wallpaper, or print it out and stick it in your workspace. Admire your handiwork daily. Visual stimulation leads to inspiration!

Freelancember Day 13 Top 5 Annual Self-Promo Rules!

Self-promotion isn't all spotlights and jazz hands. Sometimes, you need to light a scented candle and get introspective.

Once a year, set aside a quiet day for a thorough self-promotion audit. Are you getting where you wanna go?

Today's gift is an ANNUAL Self-Promotion Checklist. You can certainly complete the checklist more than once a year, if you want to -- but take it easy, tiger. Freelancemeber isn't even halfway over yet!

Freelancember Day 14 Daily & Weekly Self-Promo Worksheets

Need a little guidance in the self-promotional department? That doesn't boil down to "stand around and talk about yourself like an overblown ninny"?

Good news! We just created a couple awesome printable worksheets from two of our lists of essential self-promo actions for freelancers.

Today's gift is a double worksheet for Daily & Weekly Self-Promotion Habits. Get the PDF today!

Freelancember Day 15 Daily & Weekly Self-Promo Worksheets

Need a little guidance in the self-promotional department? That doesn't boil down to "stand around and talk about yourself like an overblown ninny"?

Good news! We've created a a set of four awesome printable worksheets of our lists of essential self-promotional habits for freelancers, sans the sleaze!

Yesterday was all about Daily & Weekly worksheets. Today's gift is a double worksheet for Monthly & Yearly Self-Promotion Habits. Get the PDF today!

Freelancember Day 16 Extra Money — for Free!

Today we're switching gears from self-promotional checklists to everyone's favorite topic: BILLING (cue the worldwide groans).

Billing isn't at the top of most freelancers' Ultra-Fun List. But how about 10 things you can start billing your clients for, right now — without any additional work? THAT'S ultra-fun, right?

Chances are, you're underbilling. You're not billing for things you can (and should!) bill for. Let's fix that right now, shall we? Check out our Top 10 Things You Don't Bill For But Should!

Freelancember Day 17 3 Tips to Bypass Billing Bafflement

If you're baffled about billing, try these simple tricks on for size:

Working with a brand-new client? Delineate a small project & offer to bill them upon completion, as a "trial run." Once the trial is over, switch to upfront billing.

If you're working on a medium-size project & and you've already established a solid, trusting relationship with your client & request 100% payment upfront, as a "retainer."

If you're tackling a large project, request half your payment upfront, and half upon completion. However, if your client offers to pay you 100% upfront, why argue? ;)

Freelancember Day 18 Earn More with Packages Worksheet

Lots of your clients end up needing the same types of work from you over time, right? And even if they don't hire you for all of it right outta the gate, they end up hiring you to do 'em later on. And if they don't, they should. Right? Right.

That's why you should make it easier on yourself (and your client!) by bundling up some of your services into nice, clean, tidy, profitable packages.

Not sure what that entails? Awesome, because today's free gift is a Package-Building Cheat Sheet!

Freelancember Day 19 Holiday Thank-You's

Have you done your year end holiday thank-you's yet? No? Well, get on it already!

Remember: your clients are busy people. They're often so caught up in day-to-day work that they forget to think about what they oughta do next. And what they oughta do next is hire you to help them make 2012 totally gangbusters.

A holiday thank-you not only shows that you appreciate their business, it reminds them just how much you could help them right now. Send a thank-you note now, and expect your phone calls to increase in the New Year!

Freelancember Day 20 3 Holiday Icons!

3 holiday icons for your e-greetings, thank you notes, and blog posts! Delicious tree cookies, colored pencils all tied up with ribbons, and a little blue bird with a Santa hat ready to tweet.

Freelancember Day 22 Website Clarity Checklist

As a freelancer, your website is your digital calling card…your shopfront…your brochure…your billboard…your point-of-entry…your sales portal.

So, does your website make sense…to anyone besides you? Do your customers get an immediate sense of who you are, what you do, and – most importantly – how to contact you?

Today's Freelancember gift is a Website Clarity Checklist: 5 quick questions to determine whether your site design is clear as glass (or clear as mud).

Freelancember Day 23 Vacations Without Catastrophe

Around this time of year, you could probably use a major break. Margaritas-on-the-beach-don't-call-unless-the-house-is-burning-down VACATION TIME.

But... What if your clients evaporate? What if you miss out on a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity? What if your website gets hacked & transformed into a virtual shrine for David Hasselhoff (not AGAIN?).

We're here to tell you: you'll survive. You'll keep your clients. And The Hoff never strikes twice. Use today's Pre-Vacation Preparation Countdown & jet away without fear!