Congratulations, you just landed a new marketing job as a freelancer! The first week at any new job can be an adjustment period with lots to get used to, but there are a few ways to prepare yourself for your new gig. Taking the time to properly acquaint yourself with your new role can help you better achieve success. Here are some important steps you can take:

Ask questions pertaining to the role

When talking to a new client, ask the big picture questions alongside questions about your specific role. Understanding your client’s overall goals will help you get a better sense of their needs. Sometimes, clients may not know exactly what they want or need — this is where you have a chance to offer your expertise!

Of course, it is also vital to set expectations for both sides to know what they are agreeing to. This includes talking about a timeline and budget and asking what kind of work they want you to be doing. Not only does this encourage transparency, but it also helps you protect your value and ensure you aren’t doing extra work for free.

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Know what a typical day looks like

There are a wide variety of tasks under the large umbrella of marketing jobs. Therefore, when you start working for a new client, you may be doing a few different things at the same time.

As a freelancer, you might spend your mornings focused on developing marketing strategies and creating promotional material. In the afternoons, you might be doing more outreach work, using social media to engage with new audiences. Of course, your day-to-day might vary depending on your client’s needs, but having a general structure in mind can help you manage your time and tasks more efficiently.

Understand what’s expected of you

Communicating with your client is always important, but especially during the first week. This is when you get a sense of what they’re hoping you can accomplish for them.

Ask about the specific projects you’ll be working on. What do they want the projects to accomplish? How does it fit into their overarching vision? What problems or milestones is this project addressing? Getting answers to these questions can help you better understand where to begin, and it will also make sure you and your client are on the same page.

Set up communication channels with the client

As you continue with your freelance marketing job, you want to be in frequent communication with your client. While setting up communication channels, it is helpful to consider what platforms you want to use.

For example, hopping on a video call may be more efficient for conversations that require extensive dialogue, but not suited to leaving a written record. Different applications have their own benefits and drawbacks, so you may need to use a combination of methods to best suit your purposes.

The first week at a new job can be both an exciting and challenging time. Taking a few simple steps during your first week can lay the foundation for the rest of your time with the client and equip you with the tools you need to succeed. Depending on how you approach it, freelance marketing can be daunting or rewarding — so do what you need to make the most of it!