Being a freelancer means you have different concerns and needs from everyone else. Because of this, you need tools and apps that cater to your specific needs. Here are 5 apps that help you succeed as a freelancer.
Keep Yourself Protected from Online Attackers with VPN Technology
As a freelancer you need secure access to the internet wherever you are and whenever you need it.
Sometimes this means you’ll have to connect to questionable wireless networks, whether it’s public wifi such as that provided by a coffee shop – unencrypted and virtually open to the entire world – or more trustworthy connection at your home or office.
But with your own VPN, you provide your own security, regardless of where you connect. Then you don’t have to worry about whether your provider is an easy target for snoopers or hackers with malicious intent.
Of course, it’s important to choose a provider that you can trust. A good example is Surfshark VPN apps for Windows and macOS.
When you use a VPN, all your traffic and information will be encrypted through the tunnel created from your device to the VPN servers, preventing unauthorized individuals from gaining any usable information from your activities.
Not only does this help keep you safe during the browsing and casual internet usage that all business owners perform, but also it presents a formidable defense against those who seek to steal intellectual property or other sensitive competitive business information.
Even though you may hear that “half of the web is encrypted” now, that doesn’t necessarily guarantee you automatic safety. That’s why it’s important to take matters into your own hands and proactively seek out security measures.
Additional benefits of a VPN, of course, include the fact that you can have access to any content that you want. It also allows you to see websites from different countries, which can be beneficial when some elements need to be geo-specific. If you need to see, or research, anything from a different part of the world – a VPN is your ultimate tool.
Keep In Touch And Collaborate With Clients
If you’ve ever been caught in a seemingly endless e-mail chain (did you ever try to read every single one you got?), then you could definitely benefit from Slack. With Slack, you can set up separate channels for each project, share files and receive DMs.
You can easily juggle multiple projects by giving each one a dedicated channel. Slack helps you keep in touch with everyone in real-time that you need to communicate with. Other projects may have their own channels that you can join or drop out of as needed. You can create your own Slack workspace in a matter of minutes.
Some features that Slack supports are a Do-Not-Disturb feature, which allows you to set time intervals during which you do not want to be disturbed by messages. Slack can also be configured to send you an e-mail to let you know that you have been mentioned in one of your channels so you can be aware of what’s going on without even being connected to Slack all the time.
Outsource your tasks with Fiverr
If you are just getting started in the freelancing game, then you will need to find some clients. That is where Fiverr comes in. Fiverr lets you market your skills through offerings called gigs.
Buyers on Fiverr find your gig and if they like it, they place an order. The Fiverr app lets you stay connected when you are on the go. You will often get inquiries from potential clients that you can field easily without access to a computer, and you can send and receive offers right from the app.
There are a few features that are not fully supported by the app, such as projects with milestones–which allow you to complete projects in steps and give the client the opportunity to stop or continue the project at each step.
But the ability to communicate with potential clients is where Fiverr really shines – and we all know how important communication is. Fiverr is great for letting you know that you have a new chat message and really enables you to stay on top of your client inquiries even when you are out of the office.
Stay on Top of Your To-Do List
As a freelancer, whether you have one client or many, it can be hard to keep on track with all your many projects. Trello lets you use boards, lists, and cards to give structure and organization to your to-do list. You have a series of virtual boards upon which to make lists and place cards. You can add cards to each list. These can be used to represent statuses such as Done, Waiting, Working and so forth.
You can move cards between the different lists as needed. This flexible and dynamic way of looking at your tasks really frees you up to work on completing your tasks without having to put a lot of energy into managing them.
Boards are composed of lists and lists are composed of cards. When you are finished with a list, they can be archived so you can access them later. The productivity philosophy behind Trello is called Kanban. It was developed at Toyota to keep levels of productivity high without sacrificing flexibility.
Send and Receive Funds on the Go
If a freelancer wants to get paid, PayPal provides an easy way to receive funds. The PayPal app lets you receive payment from people all over the world and lets you withdraw funds and check your balance on the go.
Of course, you can also use PayPal to buy things at countless Internet vendors and even a few brick-and-mortar stores. PayPal also has a debit card that gives you easy direct access to your funds. PayPal is also great for sending money to others.
Many freelancing websites pay their sellers through PayPal. Since many other freelancers are set up with PayPal to receive money, PayPal is a great way to send money to other freelancers and particularly ideal for outsourcing or collaborating with other freelancers.
Apps that help you freelance can really harness your productive potential. The time you dedicate to freelancing is your time more than anyone else’s. The income you earn and the skills you develop come from a very special world where you are your own boss. Apps that help you manage your projects, income and time add a huge amount of value to your freelancing career and your overall quality of life.
