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Infographic: The Freelancer’s Guide to the Galaxy

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Build your rep and gain referrals from top-notch performance

New: Instant payment notifications for Google Chrome

It’s always a great feeling when you get paid for the work you love to do. Knowing instantly, even better. If you’re using the web browser Google Chrome, you can now know in milliseconds using the FreshBooks Chrome extension and celebrate with a high five!

The FreshBooks Chrome Extension enables you to:

1. Instantly be notified when each client pays your invoice. Cha-ching!
2. See your total outstanding invoices, broken down by clients, in one click

To get this handy extension, ensure you’re using Google Chrome as your browser. Next, install the FreshBooks Chrome extension from the Chrome Web Store.

If you’re unable to find your FreshBooks API token, just follow these steps:

1. Log in to your FreshBooks account
2. Click on ‘My Account’ in the top right corner of your account
3. Click on the page ‘FreshBooks API’
4. Copy your API token

Tell the world what your think! Leave a review on the FreshBooks extension page in the Chrome Web Store.

Freelance at a Glance – Infographic via Socialcast

While perusing the Internet today we came across this awesome infographic from SocialCast highlighting a fact we here at FreshBooks know to be true. The graphic illustrates a new kind of workforce emerging in the world made up of talented, driven and highly connected people. Not hard to guess who they are: freelancers.

The graphic points to the 2010 Global Freelancer survey results that found freelancers derive a high degree of satisfaction from their career opportunities and choose this path for the flexibility and creative control over projects that it offers.

The majority also identify opening a small business as a main goal for the future, and that using online cloud-based systems allow them to stay organized and flexible in how they work.

It’s scary to see the survey also find that, of the 40% of freelancers who report having trouble getting paid, the average amount of time to receive payment is 52 days (which figures why the FreshBooks late payment notifications launched to much applause).

3 ways to make yourself more marketable as a freelancer

Is it time to be a smaller fish in a bigger pond?

As a freelancer, you want to ensure that you build your work schedule to sustain the possible ebb and flow of projects (and er, revenue). If work is showing any signs of slowing or you want to take your projects in new directions, then it may be a good time to ramp up your marketing. When you’re your own boss, you also need to be your own PR agent, so we’ve rounded up a few time-tested tips on showcasing your edge.

Craft a Specialty

One of the most worthwhile things you can do as a freelancer is develop a particular specialty. In this job market, having a clearly defined niche can hedge you against uncertain times if you are able offer something that not everyone can do. For graphic designers and writers in particular, maintaining a niche knowledge can give you a reputation for being cutting edge plus you’ll be able to sink your teeth into a project quickly and spend less time familiarizing yourself with new tools or topics.

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Why freelancers need Performance Reviews and how to do them right

This was originally posted on International Freelancers Academy

Performance reviews are generally thought to be bothersome and time-consuming. Worse, a lot of us can recall an unpleasant memory of a former manager who gave us unconstructive critique instead of well-thought-out feedback (just one more reason we probably went solo!). But now that you’re the boss, only you can hold yourself accountable to your business.

Despite the negative connotations it carries, a review offers a structured way to assess and develop your business. Reviews help you spend time on your business, understand the impact of your activities and ensure your continued focus on what’s truly important. Even though you’ll need a lot of discipline to make this work, it’s worth the effort.

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True or false? Gaining new clients through social media marketing is easy

If you run your own business, this line will sound familiar: “I heard of an entrepreneur who used [insert social media platform here: Twitter/Facebook/LinkedIn] and got a heap of new business. You should try doing that!”

Indeed, social networking applications are widely celebrated and deemed full of promise to be powerful, even essential business tools. But that doesn’t help you justify the time you spent on it if it doesn’t perform well for you. Busy freelancers need to know: can you really get new clients through social media, or is it just a timesuck?

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Honourable Mention in 2011 Tax & Accounting Awards from CPA Practice Advisor

Being invited to an awards show last minute always sets off a whirlwind of events and a lot of curiosity. However, if you win an award out of a group of fifty, it all becomes humbling.

FreshBooks is very honored to have received an honorable mention in the 2011 Tax & Accounting Technology Innovation Awards presented by CPA Practice Advisor. FreshBooks was one of fifty nominations, five of which, were chosen. These awards are in recognition of significant contributions of innovation and development of products and services for the tax and accounting profession. CPA Practice Advisor Executive Editor, M. Darren Root, a Certified Public Accountant , who also holds the AICPA’s Certified Information Technology Professional credential, describes it best:

The winners of this year’s Innovation Awards all offer exceptional feature sets for professional practices, from providing apps for simplified mobile access to data, to core paperless hardware and SaaS solutions, as well as programs for maximizing firm processes and communications.

We also have a whole program, Beancounters United, for making things easy for accountants and their small business clients. The program helps small business customers and their accountants focus on doing what they love to do, not their books or data entry.

If you, or your accountant/bookkeeper are interested, join the Beancounters United movement. It’s completely free to sign-up and learn more.

Kasey Bayne, FreshBooks Accountant Ambassador with Robert Akert, National Sales Manager, and Jim Baker, Publisher from CPA Practice Advisor. Photo credit Grant Wickes

FreshBooks Invoice Delivery Log: Homestars.com

During the current Canada Post mail interruption, FreshBooks is offering to hand-deliver invoices for small businesses in our local area of Toronto to help reduce interruptions in getting paid.

Yesterday we made a FreshBooks delivery run for our customer Homestars.com (awesome folks who provide reviews, photos and company profiles of home improvement companies).

12:58pm : FreshBooks Support team receives word there’s an invoice needin’ deliverin’. Roger that. We assemble our team to prepare the invoice and bring it to Homestars client, Viktoria Professional Services (who has great reviews).

1:29pm : We realize our armored truck is having engine problems so we opt for an equally sleek Mazda Protégé for our trusty FreshBooks shuttle.  We plan our route with a helpful map. Get there by 3pm? YES WE CAN!

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New: Create a new invoice, estimate or project in the People tab

Invoice invoice invoice from anywhere! Not just from the Invoice tab or your iPhone but now easily from the People tab. If you’re viewing your client list in the People tab and need to send an invoice, you can now do so in less clicks. When you hover your mouse over a client’s name in the People Tab, you’ll be presented with the option to create an invoice, a recurring invoice, estimate, or project for that client. You also get quick access to their address.

5 other smart things you can do with your FreshBooks account.