One of the reasons that many people want to become an independent freight agent is the freedom that being self-employed offers. While working as a freelancer certainly does provide you with a great deal of freedom, you still need to be disciplined and motivated in order to succeed.
The best practices included in this article can help you stay consistently motivated and disciplined throughout your career as an independent freight agent, allowing you to make more money and advance further in your career.
Set a Schedule for Yourself
Perhaps the most important thing that you can do when working as a freelancer in any industry is to set a schedule for yourself. While this may seem to restrict the freedom you may have as an independent freight agent, keep in mind that you can keep any schedule you choose. You can also change your schedule at a moment’s notice. It is important to set a schedule for yourself as a freelancer because this ensures that you are putting in the hours you need to be successful. If you do not set a schedule for yourself and instead decide to only work when you feel like it, you’ll quickly find that you aren’t making as much money as you should be.
Create a Dedicated Office Space In Your Home
Every freelancer should set up a dedicated office space in their home. Even if you do not have an entire room that you can use as an office, you should set aside a portion of another room for work. This offers several benefits. First of all, you can deduct a portion of your rent or mortgage payment when you file your taxes. Secondly, creating a dedicated space for work will help you snap into “work mode” when you enter that space. It will also be easier for you to leave work behind for the day when you’ve finished.
Set Ambitious Goals
When you are working as an independent freight agent, you will not have a boss to provide you with goals or benchmarks that you need to achieve in your work. While many people will find this to be a welcome change, you still need to set your own goals. Doing so will help you achieve a sense of purpose and direction in your working life. You should make sure to set ambitious goals, as this will help you maximize your productivity.
Network Through Social Media
Networking through social media is an important part of a freelancer’s job. Communicating and forming connections over social media can lead to productive business relationships. This is essential when working in the competitive freight industry. LinkedIn is the most popular social media site for professional networking, but Facebook and Twitter can also be useful. Keep in mind that networking is an important part of an independent freight agent’s job. If you work from home, it can be hard to network in-person, which is why social media networking is vital.
Devote Time to Continuing Education
Your education as a freight agent should not stop after the initial course you took to get into the industry. You need to continue to expand your skillset so that you can get a leg up on your competitors. Thankfully, there are many sites that offer free courses in useful skills like accounting, marketing, and more. The job of an independent freight agent includes much more than just connecting shippers and truckers, which is why it is important for you to take classes in general skills. Of course, you should also look for opportunities to further your education in the freight industry.
