If you work at home, it’s easy to get into the trap of being home all the time. Although many of us love our homes and we all love our families, sometimes this at-home stuff can get a little out of hand. If you haven’t seen your friends, extended family or even much sunlight in a while, it might be time to shake things up a bit.

For WAHMs of Little Ones

I know when I first started my home business with a little wee baby on my arm, I wanted to make sure that I didn’t have to run all over town selling my wares just to work at home. It seemed like such an oxymoron that all these “work-at-home opportunities” required that you get out of the house and sell products several times per week.

Even if you’re in the same boat now, that doesn’t excuse you from getting out with baby and getting a break just for mom now and then. You may work at home, but there’s plenty of fun to be had out there in the real world.

For WAHMs of Older Children

If your kids are older and in school, you might enjoy incorporating some out of home activities into your regular business day. For example, get out for networking events, learning opportunities, meeting clients and teaching. You can still have a home base of operations, but get out there talking to real flesh-and-blood human adults and you’ll see it’s great to be out in the real world.

For ALL WAHMs

Regardless of how you run your business, make sure you schedule a little fun, fitness and socialization into each day. It’s way too easy to get into the “in your PJs” rut. It’s true that working in your PJs has some perks, but a change of pace is good now and then too.

Here are some ideas to get you going:

• Join a gym, walking club or make some kind of commitment to fitness. If you have a baby, join a gym with a play center or get out with the stroller.

• Join a mommy group where kids can play and mommies can chat.

• Volunteer at your child’s school or for an organization you care about.

• Go on many dates with your spouse or significant other.

• Call your family and connect more often.

• Call old friends who may have forgotten who you are and plan a date.

It doesn’t really matter what you do, but do something. Remember, bears, frogs and gophers hibernate – but humans don’t.

About the Author: Alice Seba is the Schmoozer in Chief at Schmoozins, the online magazine that gives all women a voice. Join us as a contributor, a schmoozer or just hang out a while.

Keep up with what’s happening at Mom’s Talk Network, by clicking here.

This is the fourth and final installment in the Guest Blogger Series from Nell Taliercio.

76. Make sure you perform virus, spyware, adware etc. scans regularly

Make sure you’re protecting your computer from all those nasty bugs. The last thing you want to do is spread your computer’s bug to a client’s computer. Perform all the necessary scans and use good virus (etc.) software to keep your computer and your client’s computer running smoothly.

77. Keep all receipts for items purchased for your business

This will help you at tax time. Some of the items you use for your freelance business can be deducted on your taxes. Keep the receipts so that you can list those items on your tax returns for that year.

78. Always stay in touch with your past clients

Those clients may not have any more work for you to do right now, but who’s to say they won’t think of you in the future? Send them an email once in awhile just to say hello or send a holiday greeting. Even if they’re not in business any more they might know other people that could be looking for someone with your services. Keep in touch, so they can remember you.

79. Ask for referrals

If a client expresses that they are very pleased with your work, consider asking them to refer you on to other people. Some freelancers offer special discounts to those who refer your business to others. If a client is pleased with the work, they can be a testimonial to the person whom they are referring to you.

80. Make sure a client is well aware of all the terms of hiring you

This will include the pay of the project, how they are supposed to pay, when they pay, if there’s a late fee and any other special requirements you may have. Be sure it’s all laid out for them, so there are no arguments later when it comes time to pay you. Some freelancers use contracts that the client must sign before a project is started.

81. Learn that you can say no to your client

It’s normal to be desperate to get the work and bring in some income for the family. Sometimes some projects just aren’t worth your time and effort. If they aren’t or you simply can’t meet the client’s expectations for a project, go ahead and say no to them and explain why. Sometimes compromises can be made to where it will be worth more to you, but it won’t happen if you don’t try.

82. Make sure you’re charging what you’re worth

The price you charge for your services should be worth your time, effort and resources that are put into the outcome of the project. Don’t undercharge yourself too much, as this only puts you in a cycle of large efforts for low pay. This hurts your business as well as others, so charge a price that says you’re worth it.

83. Come up with a niche for your business

You should decide on a niche for your business. This will lead to your target market, which will make marketing your business much easier to do. When you can focus your marketing efforts in one group, you will get more results. Niche marketing will bring the clients to you.

84. Organize your all of your office

This not only includes the cluttered desks and filing cabinets, but what most people don’t think about is organizing their computers. You should go through your files at least once a month, and get rid of what’s not needed and put related files together in one area. Make things much easier to find to free up some memory space.

85. Be sure to add a blog to your Virtual assistant website

Blogs are an excellent way to provide regular, fresh content to keep the search engines indexing your business site. It also adds some interest to the business site and helps keep potential clients there browsing. The longer they’re at your site, the higher chance you have for getting their business.

86. Learn as many skills you can to provide as many services as you can

The more services you can offer a client, the more work you could get. Clients like to save money, so if you can offer them everything they need without them having to hire more people to get it all done, the better off the both of you are. Some services that don’t need special training that you could add to you service list are blogging, writing and article submission.

87. Starting your business and don’t know where to get clients?

Start with the freelance bidding sites. This is a good way to get the ball rolling. You can gain new clients, while gaining some experience at the same time.

88. Tailor your website to your niche

If you’re targeting those in the legal field, your website should have a legal theme to it. It gives you more credibility and makes you more believable when you show your experience in the legal areas. If you have legal experience, but have graphics of solar planets on your site, your business doesn’t come across as believable.

89. Help out other VA’s when you can

If you’re plate is full of clients, and they’re still contacting you for work, refer them to fellow VAs who are in need of work. They can reciprocate the favor in the future when the tables are turned. Don’t think of it as losing potential work, but gaining some networking points instead.

90. If you accept checks in your business don’t fall for the counterfeit check scam

One scam that’s hitting all businesses is the one where a client “accidentally” overpays the amount invoiced to them. Then they ask you to send back the overpaid amount. Don’t do it. The check they sent is probably not any good. If this happens, send back the check they sent you and ask for a PayPal payment or money order for the exact amount of the invoice.

91. Periodically, have special offers for your VA services

This helps keep your clients happy with your business. They can save a little money now and then and still receive the same quality services they have always been provided. Keep them happy and they will keep the business coming your way.

92. If you have been business for awhile, revisit your rates

If you’ve been providing good quality services to your clients, take another look at your rates. You may just be due for rate raises. Raise your rates a little and let your current clients know of the rate change well ahead of time, so they have time to budget it.

93. Make sure you list all the services you plan to provide on your website

Some smaller services like blogging is not thought of when someone is looking for someone to assist them with their business. If a client sees that as a service that you offer, they may realize it’s a service they need. List everything so that clients can see what all they might need help with.

94. Join Virtual assistant online communities

You can network with other VAs for advice on different aspects of your business. You can also find other clients to market your services to. These sites will give you tips, tricks and resources to boost your VA business to a higher level.

95. Get to know your software programs well

You may have used Microsoft word or excel many times before, but do you know everything the programs can do? Learn them well by using tutorials or spending time playing around with the programs. Impress potential clients with your advanced knowledge of your software programs.

96. Starting a VA business, but don’t know what to put on your site?

Check with other VA websites and see what services they have to offer and how they set up their site. Of course, you don’t want to copy them, but their websites can give you an idea of how to get yours set up and going. You can also see what kind of extra items that they provide on their site so you can get an idea of what you want to do with yours.

97. Consider getting a professional website done

A website is an important tool for your business. The way it’s set up can make or possibly break your VA business. Avoid anything that can be costly to your business by having your site professionally done.

98. Provide some of your rates on your website

Don’t leave possible clients in the dark by not having some of your service rates on your website. Not everyone wants to have to contact you to find out what you charge for different services. If it’s a special service or for rush services, then it’s acceptable, but for most of your services, provide rates where the clients can see them.

99. Be sure all your skills and experience are listed somewhere on your business site

Someone wanting to hire you will want to know that you can do the job for them. They want to know that you have the skills needed to get the job done right. If you don’t have them listed on the site, how are they going to know? List them and some personal information along with a photo to let a client get to know you.

About the Guest Blogger: Nell Taliercio has been championing the cause of telecommuting moms for several years. She is a respected leader in the work at home community. Learn more about Nell by visiting the websites of The Answer Lady network.

To learn more, check out the Mom’s Talk Biz eBook’sGuide to Starting Your Own Virtual Assistant Business – Step-by-step instructions, resources and inside information to start and profit from your own virtual assistant business from home.

This is the third installment in our Guest Blogger Series from Nell Taliercio.

56. Educate yourself

As a freelancer, you already have some skills under your belt, but there’s always room for more. Check out online classes to further your knowledge in the field you’re freelancing in. If the money is a problem, consider checking out some free tutorials online about items that could relate to the field you’re in. For example, if you’re a writer, you could certainly brush up your skills on grammar and styles.

57. Use a variety of resources

The internet holds a lot of useful tools to help you in your freelancing career. You shouldn’t limit yourself to just online tools though. Newspapers, magazines, dictionaries, thesauruses and reference books are good tools to use in your freelancing business that can be used offline. What you could use will depend on the type of freelancing business you’re offering.

58. Never stop marketing yourself

Just because you’re a freelancer, it doesn’t mean that the work is going to all of a sudden show up in your inbox every morning that you turn on your computer. While that’s a nice scenario to think about, it isn’t reality. Always market yourself through article directories, blog communities, social networks and through the search engines.

59. Try offering surveys to your clients once in awhile

Surveys can help you determine what clients are looking for, especially those that are in your target market. The answers you get from you surveys can be useful in what services you offer in the future for your business. To get them interested in filling out the survey, just offer a discount on a future project or give them a gift certificate.

60. Start a newsletter to obtain clients

With the proper marketing techniques; you can get your newsletter to reach hordes of new people. The more they read in your newsletters, the more interested they’re going to become. It will take a bit to get them there, but you’ll benefit from the new client offers you receive.

61. Consider bartering with other freelancers to help you in your business

Sometimes business is so slow for you that you just need a little extra help. Maybe you need some good articles written or a better designed website. Try bartering with another freelancer and offer your services for theirs. Of course, the services will have to balance out, but a barter system can always be worked out if the two freelancers are willing. You may even have a colleague that could pass on your information to their clients, which you could reciprocate.

62. If you’re not podcasting, you should

Podcasting is another excellent way to market your business. Just choose a topic that relates to your freelancing business and isn’t already being done. Internet users love different types of media. Text is good, audio content is good and so is video. Podcasting happens to be the most popular type of audio content these days. If a potential client finds your podcast, they’ll find their way to your business.

63. Professionalism demands respect

You own a business, so you should always present professionalism no matter where you’re at. Respect for others is a number one priority. Freelancers sometimes forget this and start badmouthing other clients by name on various websites. Not only can it be slander, but it can also cost you other clients. If you share information about the clients you didn’t like, you may do the same for them. If you don’t like what a client is offering you for your services, simply say “no”.

64. Volunteer some of your services for good organizations and charities once in awhile

Not only will it make you feel good, but it also looks good for your business. It can give you credibility and gain you trust among those within your target market. The more trust you gain the more chances of getting new clients you have.

65. Join forums

This is another quick, easy and inexpensive way to market your freelancing business. You can provide a link to your business in your signature line of your profile which will show up in every post you make on that site. Follow the rules of the forum. Some may not allow those links in the signature line, so be respectful if they don’t.

66. Join local trade shows to drum up business

Sometimes you can gain new clients by going locally. Having a booth at a trade show can get you exposure to your local businesses. You can present your freelance business and show some samples of things you do to get them interested. Offer small gifts that have your website and contact information on them.

67. Find a good stress reliever

Every freelance career comes with the ugly thing called stress. Stress causes a lot of problems in our lives and our businesses are not immune to it. Plan some time, often, to relieve your stress and keep your minds focused for your personal lives and your business.

68. Learn to lose the word ‘procrastination’

Unfortunately, this is a huge problem with a lot of freelancers. Procrastination gives us a false sense of ‘I have plenty of time to get that done, so I’m going to play that game of computer solitaire now.’ That one game turns into another and another and another. Pretty soon you find yourself with a deadline looming over your shoulder and the project still waiting to be started. Start on your projects as soon as possible and try not to think about those procrastinating thoughts.

69. Schedule yourself

It’s not always going to be easy to do, but when you can, try to schedule yourself for the projects that you need to do for the day. This will help eliminate some of the time wasting activities you may do and could help you lose procrastination. Your time will then be used better.

70. Learn to separate business life from personal life

One of the hardest things freelancers sometimes face is that even though the ‘work day’ is done for them, they still find themselves thinking about work. Work should end at a certain time of the day and that’s it. You should focus on your personal/family lives after that.

71. Resumes are just as important for freelancers as regular employees

If you’re applying for job with a company that wants to hire a freelancer; you’re going to need a resume to send to them. If you have your own freelance business, a resume is still a good idea to use. Place it on your website to show your professionalism and give potential clients a quick and easy view of what skills and knowledge you have to offer.

72. Don’t wait until you need work to actually look for work

Getting work can take a long time, so don’t wait until you’re down to no work before you start to look for more. Even when it’s your busiest time, keep marketing your business. By the time you get people interested in hiring you, you may not be busy anymore. The work can then be picked up right away without a pause in your income flow.

73. Keep the lines of communication open with your clients

Let a client know how you’re coming with a project. Don’t leave them in the dark wondering about their project until the last day when they actually receive the work. By providing them with some updates along the way, you give them a little sense of peace knowing that the project is at least being worked on.

74. Don’t wait until the deadline day to let a client know that you weren’t able to complete their project

Technically; you should never tell them you can’t complete a project. Sometimes, though, emergencies in your personal lives come up and time to finish the project is extremely limited. When those emergencies happen, let the client know right away to see if they’re willing to wait or find someone else. Don’t be surprised if they aren’t too receptive to you saying you can’t finish their work. They really don’t care about your emergency problems; they only care about their work.

75. Be careful of outsourcing the work to others

A client pays you to complete their project, so they will be expecting the work you have shown you can do. If you choose to outsource to someone else to do the work, be sure they will provide top quality work to keep your good reputation as a freelancer. If they hand in sloppy work, you will have to redo the work before you send it to the client.

About the Guest Blogger: Nell Taliercio has been championing the cause of telecommuting moms for several years. She is a respected leader in the work at home community. Learn more about Nell by visiting the websites of The Answer Lady network.

Watch for the final installment of this Guest Blogger Series to arrive soon!

To learn more, check out the Mom’s Talk Biz eBook’sGuide to Starting Your Own Virtual Assistant Business – Step-by-step instructions, resources and inside information to start and profit from your own virtual assistant business from home.

By guest blogger Crystal Unrau of The Invitation Atelier and Chysanthemoms.

Have you ever said: “I can’t do that, I just don’t have time?” One very valuable piece of advice I was given years ago was this: “If someone is getting more done, or doing things you want to do but can’t find the time for, it’s not because they have more time than you. Everyone has the same 24 hours in a day. Some people are just wiser about how they use that time.”

Time Management is something that is essential to success, especially for a work at home mom. I recently read an article called Maximizing Your Time by Miguel Wickert. The article, written for university students, shows you 6 keys to Own Your Time and I would like to look at those 6 points from the prospective of a work-at-home mom.

1. Time is money
2. Learn to say NO!
3. Make appointments
4. Spend quality time
5. Choose the right crowd
6. Embrace new settings

1. Time Is Money

Yeah, I know. You’ve heard it all before. If you had a 9-5 job, with a paycheque, it would be fairly easy to calculate exactly what your time was worth during those 8 hours. It’s not so simple when you are a work at home mom but the fact remains: if you aren’t working your business, you aren’t going to make money. Every WAHM needs to determine realistically how much time they need to successfully manage their business and then schedule that time. Yes, things will come up – but if you come to accept that your time is worth money, it will be easier to determine what is worth your time and what isn’t.

2. Learn To Say NO!!!

If you had a 9-5 job, you wouldn’t be able to go for coffee in the middle of the day, watch your nieces while your sister gets her hair done, volunteer for every school activity, etc. Just because you are at home, doesn’t mean you are available.

3. Make Appointments!

Plan EVERYTHING, not just your work hours. In point #2, I listed a few things you couldn’t do if you had a boss. But, you don’t have a boss. So maybe you WANT to volunteer in school activities and have coffee with other moms from time to time. By keeping a detailed schedule which sets aside specific times for home, work and family – you will also know how much time you can devote to other things without cutting into your work time. If your schedule says you don’t have time for extras that day – then SAY NO.

4. Spend Quality Time

This really is a huge point but to sum it up – spend your time where it matters the most. Invest in the activities, people and ideas that will matter to you in the long run. Take a good look at your activities and ask yourself: Does this benefit me? My business? My family? If not, then why are you still doing it?

5. Choose the Right Crowd

Miguel used the quote: “Tell me who you walk with and I’ll tell you who you are.” He was talking about peer pressure, and the truth is, peer pressure is an issue no matter how old you are. Surround yourself with people who understand and value what you do and limit your time with those who are negative and overly critical. Develop friendship with other working moms and WAHMs who are successful and positive because those are both things that tend to be catchy:)

6. Embrace New Settings

Remember, your home office isn’t the only place you can get work done. If you need to be out and about, what can you do in the mean time? Listen to podcasts in the car, print out articles to edit while you are sitting in the waiting room, etc. Creativity goes a LONG way toward maximizing your time. A change of setting may also be a useful solution to those days when the phone just won’t stop ringing.

You may read the original article here: http://twentyset.com/maximizing-your-time-learn-to-say-no/

About the Guest Blogger: Crystal Unrau is a work at home mom and the owner of The Invitation Atelier and also the community mom blog, Chrysanthemoms.

To learn more, check out the Mom’s Talk Guide to Organizing Your Life – Step-by-step guide to getting organized, increasing your free time and having way less stress.

This is the second installment in our Guest Blogger Series from Nell Talercio of Just Online Jobs.

29. Leave the fact that you have children out of your resume/cover letter

Some people make the mistake of adding that they have children and need to time to address their needs. There’s no reason to tell an employer whether or not you have children. The only things they’re interested in are whether or not you have the skills and requirements necessary and will you be able to perform the job duties as needed.

30. Include skills that show you can work or have worked independently

Telecommuting jobs are jobs where you will be performing your duties independently. There won’t be someone who can look over your shoulder to see if youre working or not. Employers will need to know that you have the ability to do your job duties on your own without someone directing you. Include this in your resume or even your cover letter to help them feel more confident about hiring you.

31. Keep your telecommuting resume to no more than 2 pages

You want to do everything you can to sell yourself for the job, but resumes that are longer than 2 pages will less likely be read. Employers have little time and patience to read through resumes that are long, so keep them as short and simple as possible. Those who consider hiring you will appreciate it.

32. Don’t leave out volunteering jobs if they relate to the job you’re applying for

In the telecommuting industry, job experience is important. You may not have too much to report that you’ve been paid on, but there could be some volunteer opportunities where you performed the same type of duties without pay. Include these too. Just because you didn’t get paid, doesn’t make it any less important to an employer.

33. Keywords in your resume?

Absolutely. Some of the big companies that don’t want to take the time to read through hundreds of resumes; will use a system to scan trough them looking for specific keywords. The results of resumes that are picked up will be the ones that will probably be read. Check out the job description of the ad you’re applying to. See if you can pick up on some of the keywords they used within those descriptions and try to incorporate them into your resume.

34. Plan for plenty of time for your telephone interview

It’s hard to gauge how long any interview will last whether it’s in person or on the phone. If it’s on the phone though, you’ll need to make sure that you have a quiet environment the whole time until the interview ends. If you have any children or noisy pets, be sure they’re off somewhere else while you talk to the interviewer. Background noise during an interview will be seen as unprofessional and if the job requires a noise free environment, then you could kiss your chances for this job goodbye.

35. Be on time for the telecommuting interview

If it’s an in-person interview, you will want to be at the designated place a few minutes early. If it’s a phone interview, you will want to be sure you’re by the phone at the designated time that you have set up for the call. Tardiness for an interview is usually not tolerated and looks unprofessional. Employers can also lose trust with a person that doesn’t answer the phone at the time set up for their interview. Just be there and be waiting when the interview starts, even if the interviewer happens to be late themselves.

36. Make sure you’re the one answering the phone when the interviewer calls

Some spouses, family members or friends can be sound aggressive on the phone. An employer looking to hire you may not be too impressed if they’re greeted with ‘yeah, what do you want?’ Young children can sound cute when they answer the phone, but this is not appropriate when you’re interviewing for a job with a company.

37. Prepare yourself for the interview

Think of some questions that an employer may ask and come up with your answers beforehand. When an interviewer asks those questions, don’t read the answers off a paper. You want your answers to sound more spontaneous and not rehearsed. Just make some notes of what you would want to say.

38. Present professionalism with your voice

Since most telecommuting interviews are done by phone, you won’t have the opportunity to look professional with your clothes or body language. That’s where your voice comes in. Try not to give too many short choppy answers like a simple ‘yes’ or ‘no’. Add a little information to your answers. For example, if they ask you if you have Microsoft Excel on your computer, you should answer something like ‘yes, actually, I have the Microsoft Office 2003 program’ instead of the simple ‘yes’.

39. Smile a lot during your interview

Yes, even when the interview is on the phone. Smiling helps you relax. When you’re relaxed, you’re answers won’t come across as being forced. You won’t be as nervous, so the interview will go more smoothly for you.

40. Be job focused in your answers

If an employer happens to ask you a question like ‘Why do you want to work from home?’ -don’t tell them it’s because you want to stay home and spend more time with your children. That may be the answer you really have, but don’t let the employer know that. Tell them a more job focused answer like ‘to prevent office politics from interfering with my job duties.’ This makes it sound like you’re going to focus your time on the job, while the ‘spend time with children’ answer sounds like you don’t care about the company or the job itself.

41. Follow up with Thank-Yous

The employer took time out of their day to talk to you about the job. They are busy people and they’re also the link you have to getting a chance of landing the position. Be sure to thank them for their time before ending the interview and consider sending them a short email a few days later to thank them. It can also help remind them that you’re still there.

42. Take notes during an interview

Consider taking notes during your interview. Look over the notes to remind you of the answers given and the questions asked of you. This can help you prepare for future interviews as well as get ready for a second interview should this company decide to do them.

43. Don’t take up too much of your interviewe’s time by sharing personal stories

Actually, an interview is a time to share job related information. It is not a time to chit chat with a friend. No employer will be interested in your last grocery shopping experience unless it somehow has something to do with the job you’re applying for. Their just as busy as you are, so leave out the personal stories.

44. If an employer asks you ‘What makes you the right person for the job’what are you going to say?

This is your moment to shine. The perfect opportunity to make yourself stand out from the crowd. What will you do? Sell Yourself! Tell them exactly why you’re the person for the job. Don’t be weak and say something like ‘I’ve designed websites for 3 years now.’ That’s good but it needs more meat to it. Tell them you’re a good organizer, can work independently, love creating designs, you’re dependable and trustworthy and you’re a hard worker. Give them the whole picture of what you could do for them.

45. Do not come across as desperate for a job

Interviewers will not want to hear this. This shows how you can’t be trusted to tell the truth. If you’re so desperate to get the position, how will they know if you’re lying about your skills or not. It will be too suspicious to them, so they may just put your name in the not qualified file even if you have all the skills necessary.

46. Use a website to sell your services

A website is an excellent marketing tool for the services you have to offer. It reaches all corners of the internet and helps potential clients see what you have. When someone wants to know about your services and how much you charge; all you have to do is lead them to your site where they can view everything before making the decision to hire you or not.

47. Become a blogger

Blogging is a good way to gain credibility and trust among the online community. Potential clients, who are considering of using your services, but not sure about it yet, can follow your blog for awhile. It helps them to get to know you a little and see how much of an expert you are in the field that you are freelancing in.

48. Consider joining a fellow freelancer and offer double the services

A team of freelancers can be appealing to potential clients as they see they can save some money versus having to hire 2 different people. A website designer can team up with a web programmer or a copywriter can team up with a graphic designer. There will be a lot of planning as far as who would get what amount of money etc, but partnering with the right person can help gain more clients.

49. Use bidding sites to gain clients

If you’re just starting out, you should consider using the bidding sites to get the ball rolling in order to get your freelance career started. It will take awhile to win a bid, but it helps get some experience under your belt. The more experience you gain, the more successful your freelance business can be in the long run.

50. Don’t take on work if you can’t meet the deadlines

Only take on work that you are capable of doing and getting in on time. The freelance bidding sites use a system that rates your work performance to show others how trustworthy and dependable you are. The higher the rating, the more desirable you become. If your work isn’t handed in on the designated due date, it will be reflected in your rating. The lower the rating you have the less chance you have of getting the job.

51. As a freelancer, Quality should be your priority

Too many freelancers set their priorities at quantity and how many projects they can fork out in a short period of time. Quality gets lost in the shuffle. The higher paying clients will provide consistent projects to those who can provide quality work, not rushed mediocre jobs.

52. Don’t go overboard with your deadlines

If a client asks you how long it would take to do a project for them, tell them a deadline date that’s 1-2 days more than what you know it would take you to do. Don’t go too much more than that. If you give them a 7 day deadline when you know it will only take you 1-2 days to do, you could lose that project. Some clients have an idea of approximately how long a project should take. They may not be impressed with you to find out that it would take you 7 days to do a simple project.

53. Learn to take criticism well

While no one wants to be criticized, it can essentially help your freelancing skills in the long run. Encourage your clients to give you feedback on your work to see if there’s something you should improve on. Of course, you will get clients that will never be satisfied no matter what you do for them. In those cases, just keep their criticisms in mind and simply move on. It’s only one person’s opinion and it could just be a ploy to get out of paying, so don’t fret over those insults too much.

54. Prepare yourself for a freelancing career from home

Freelancing from home sounds like an easy thing to do, but actually it’s not. There are many temptations you’ll have to face in the way of distractions. You’ll be surprised at how many things call out to you, while you’re at home working; such as the laundry that’s piling up and your friends stopping by for chats. Organize your day and let your family and friends know the times that they shouldn’t come calling.

55. Consider using quality software programs

While there are plenty of free software programs out there, not all of them are really the best to use for your business clients. There’s nothing wrong with using the free programs when you’re just starting out, but when you get enough money and can find the better programs at an affordable price, you should go for them. Your freelance career is your business and you should provide the best services possible for your clients if you want to keep their business.

About the Guest Blogger: Nell Taliercio has been championing the cause of telecommuting moms for several years. She is a respected leader in the work at home community. Learn more about Nell by visiting Just Online Jobs.

Watch for the next installment of this Guest Blogger Series to arrive soon!

To learn more, check out the Mom’s Talk Biz’sGuide to Starting Your Own Virtual Assistant Business – Step-by-step instructions, resources and inside information to start and profit from your own virtual assistant business from home.