Should you call yourself a freelancer?

I don’t call myself a “freelancer” when talking with prospective or existing clients.

😲

“But, Chris, you’re always writing about freelancing. And you have an email list called Freelance Contours. What gives?”

You’re right. I talk about it ALL THE FLIPPIN’ TIME. But…

It’s a context thing

You see…

I find it a very useful word when talking to other freelancers.

Otherwise, what do we call ourselves?

“Independent consultants?”

“Contractors?”

“Self-employed persons?”

If I say “freelancer” you know what I mean, right?

Someone who contracts their services to clients. And who works on their own terms.

Easier to say “freelancer” I reckon.

Plus, I love the word!

FREE-lancer.

The freedom aspect. It reminds me what it’s all about.

And the origins of the word are just delightful for someone like me who loves medieval lore.

Merriam-Webster helps us out with the origins story:

“When freelance first came into English in the early 1800s, it was used to refer to a medieval mercenary who would fight for whichever nation or person paid them the most.”

We might not be contracting out as mercenaries (er… I assume we’re not?)…

But working for whoever pays the most sounds nice. 😉

One reason to consider not using “freelancer” around prospective clients is because of…

Perception.

You see…

Freelancers can be viewed like temporary help. Kinda like an employee, but you can wriggle out of providing a 401(k) kind of thing.

So no different to a job, in many ways.

Sorry, but that’s NOT what I’m encouraging freelancers to be.

Of course I want freelancers to always provide a professional service to their clients…

And I encourage them to see themselves as business owners.

Because…

When it’s one business owner… providing services to another business owner… it changes the relationship

So you’re now on an equal footing.

And you can actually be more helpful to your clients… providing greater strategic value to them… when you can bring your experience to the table as an equal. And not just be relegated to doing whatever they tell you.

There’s things you can do to help clients see you more on the same level.

Things like…

  • Diagnostic selling.

  • Productizing your services.

  • Acting professionally. And behaving like a business owner.

  • Not being an order-taker. But a prescriber. (Because you’re the expert!)

Now these things take time to master. And we’re all on that journey.

So… in my humble (but correct) opinion….

Removing the word “freelancer” in conversations with prospective clients… helps take away misconceptions caused by it.

But, among my peers…

I’ll call us “freelancers” ’till the cows come home

Because it does describe us. And it gives a sense of identity (at least I think so).

It’s our name for us.

It’s why I use the word in the things I create to help freelancers. Such as this email list.

I’m writing as one freelancer to another.

Because… I am a freelancer.

I freelance, therefore I am.

P.S. A bit more info on the history of the word “freelance” is here:

https://www.merriam-webster.com/wordplay/freelance-origin-meaning

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Chris Milham