How to Write a Retainer Agreement

Finance Invoicing

Learning how to write a retainer agreement is just one of the things a freelancer should know. Just because you are a freelancer doesn’t mean you don’t want a bit of security from your client. A retainer agreement is what you’ll need if you want something a bit more permanent.

What is a Retainer?

But what exactly is a retainer agreement, you might ask? From the word “retain” you’ll already have some type of clue of what a retainer is. Basically, a client will keep you on or “retain” you for your services for an agreed amount of time. It’s technically a contract between you, a freelancer, and the client that indicates long-term work, which will afford you a steady income.

Before you start sweating over the word contract, don’t worry. As long as you know the information to include, you shouldn’t have any trouble. Keep reading so you can learn how to write a retainer agreement on your own.

Signing a retainer agreement

Important Details to Include

So, what should be included in a retainer agreement? Like all other documents that you will use for your freelancing work, this agreement should cover important details so that there will be no room for miscommunications between you and your client. It doesn’t matter what industry you are in, whether you need an editing retainer or an agreement for being an exclusive photographer for a project, here are 2 details you should always include:

1. Your Details

This means your name (you can’t put in your Twitter handle or nickname, it has to be your full name). It’s also best to include what kind of role or position you have pertaining to the work the client is enlisting you to do (i.e. writer, programmer). If you have a business address, do include that, too.

2. Your Client’s Details

You have to do the same for your client, this means their full name, if they have a registered company name, and a business address if possible.

You aren’t done yet, there are a few more key details you need to include in your retainer agreement. Check them out below:

3. Project Details

When you write this part of the contract, you have to be very, very thorough. Be as detailed as possible so there won’t be any problems between you and your client in the future. This should include:

a. Tasks/Responsibilities/Services

If you can do this in bullet form, that would be better so everything is clear for you and your client. You have to indicate every little thing from what is your actual task to what are your deliverables.

For example, if you are a photographer and you are asked to do an editorial, you have to indicate how many photos you can give your clients. At the same time, you need to figure out who will be responsible for the studio or location for the shoot, will you be the one to find a model or is that dependent on the client? You pretty much have to know anything and everything, ask all the important details, and answer them, too.

b. Time Frame

This is another thing you and your client have to be very clear on. How long is that contract? Will this be dependent on a particular project or will your client need you for x number of months? If revisions are needed, will this be under the retainer agreement too?

What happens if you were not able to accomplish a project and your agreement time frame is already done? Is there an option for extending the agreement? What if your client is not able to supply you with the appropriate resources or materials to complete your deliverables on time?

5. Payment

A retainer agreement should also be crystal clear on matters of payment. This part of the agreement should of course include how you’ll be paid. But aside from that, it should also indicate the frequency. Will you be paid every time a portion of the project is completed? Will you be paid every week? Every month? Is your rate hourly or dependent on your deliverables?

Happy freelancer with coffee and laptop

Benefits of a Retainer Agreement

Maybe you aren’t sold on making a retainer agreement. or maybe you think it’s just too much work and there are plenty of projects and clients out there anyway so why bother? Before you dismiss getting a retainer agreement, check out the benefits of actually getting one:

1. Steady Income

Wouldn’t it be nice to know that you’ll be getting a fixed amount of money for a duration of 3 months or so? Freelancers usually take what they can get, with a retainer agreement, you don’t have to deal with low-ballers for a while.

2. Better Work Schedule

Aside from the money, you can get a better focus on what you will do. For example, web designers must use so much mental capacity to handle dozens of clients all with different preferences and requirements. When you have a retainer agreement, it should already be indicated what kind of work needs to be done, and focus on being creative can be prioritized. You can plan out your days and weeks to focus on only 1 or 2 projects instead of getting random tasks throughout the month.

3. Improved Client Relationship

One of the aspects of freelancing is you always get to meet someone new and work with new clients. However, it is very special to have “repeat clients” those who seek you out again and again because they just love your work. Having a good client relationship can lead you to new projects and, who knows? It might even land you with a high-paying client if your current one refers or recommends you. And of course, who wouldn’t want to have a retainer agreement with someone who will pay you handsomely?

Man with laptop reading papers

Tips on Writing Your Own Retainer Contract

It can definitely be nerve-wracking to create your own retainer agreement or any contract for that matter, especially if you are just starting out as a freelancer. Don’t worry, here are a few tips to help you out:

Get Help

Everybody needs help sometimes, and you are no exception. If you know other freelancers, definitely get help from them. If you don’t know any freelancers yet, it may help to join a freelancer group.

You can also use the contract feature on Kosmo. This freelancing software has templated and custom contracts that you can easily edit. With the contract template, you just have to change the terms, rates, dates, and other important details. Kosmo will format the contract into PDF form so you can easily send it to your client to be eSigned.

Make a Template

You don’t have to write a “new” retainer agreement every time you get a client. It’s best to have a template that you just tweak the details when you get new clients to suit the new projects. Just leave the client name, work rate, and dates blank or editable for the future when you make your template.

Keep it Professional

Always, always proofread your contract. Once you are done writing it, read it again, and check for spelling errors and other mistakes. Although humans make mistakes, it won’t really impress your client if you misspell their name where they are supposed to sign, right? Your contract is already a representation of your attention to detail in your work or service.

Also, make sure your retainer design is simple and easy to read. Whether it is in digital form or printed for client viewing and signing, make it look like you are a pro freelancer.

Be Honest with What You Can Do

Finally, always be honest with the responsibilities that you can take on. You don’t want to end up with a misrepresentation. Not only will you annoy a client but you might have to face legal repercussions if you don’t hold up your end of the deal. It’s always recommended to have your legal documents reviewed by a lawyer.

So, do not overestimate what you can do. It can be tempting, especially if you want to impress clients, but that would be wrong. You also don’t want to overwork yourself. For example, if you are an artist and you indicate in your contract that you can create 10 character profiles in a week, make sure you can actually do that (without having to sacrifice quality).

Pile of paper-clipped documents on table

Conclusion

As a freelancer, you get the freedom corporate people will never have. However, that freedom has a price, you don’t get the same security as said corporate workers. But, you can get the next best thing—a retainer agreement.

Get Organized & Win More Clients

Kosmo has everything you need to run your freelancing business.

Post written by:

kosmo on August 23, 2022

Kosmo is a free All-In-One Workspace for Freelancers.
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Freelance Time Tracking – Why It’s So Important And How To Do It

Productivity Time Tracking

There’s nothing worse than when you are in the zone, and you must stop what you’re doing to check how much time you’ve spent on the task so far. But if you’re a freelancer, time tracking is a necessary tool. And it doesn’t have to be a challenging procedure. With the right tools, you can make time tracking a breeze. You may have never followed your schedule in the past, but it is important to note that experienced freelancers use time tracking as a lifeline for their ventures. In this article, we’ll talk about freelance time tracking.

Freelancers require a proper time management strategy for their work because it is essential in helping to analyze the use of time, as well as predicting and improving work behavior. The activities and schedules of freelancers are more flexible than typical office workers, but it has its downsides. As freelancers, you have the freedom to manage your time, but the risks of distractions are inevitable; therefore, without developing a proper time management scheme, you might waste your time and money.

Why Should You Use Time Tracking Tools?

Person working on laptop with the big clock

1. You can get a better understanding of how you spend your time

How can you know how you spend your days without tracking your time? With time tracking for freelancers, you can better understand where your time goes and whether you’re using it in the most productive way possible. We all have activities that we know are a waste of time, but we do them anyway. Time tracking can help you identify these activities, cut them out of your day, and use your time for something more productive.

2. Find out how much each task takes

This can be done by precise scheduling. The data library created by the time trackers will show the duration a project takes to be completed. Clients usually don’t like working with service providers who fail to meet deadlines. Seeing how long tasks took in the past will help to provide clients with a realistic due date. Knowing the time upfront is also critical in planning your time across various projects.

3. It improves your work ethics

Time trackers can improve your work ethic in several ways. Considering your time in meetings and priorities, you’ll notice that time trackers can accurately showcase your work habits. Time tracking assists you in making informed decisions about how to price your work and run your business. It also helps you consider working on your priorities first.

4. You can use it as a motivator

Sometimes, all we need is a little motivation to get things done. If you struggle to start a project, try tracking your time and setting a goal for yourself. For example, you might want to try to complete the task in a certain number of hours. Seeing your progress can motivate you to keep going.

5. It is critical to bill clients correctly

You need to use time tracking when billing clients because you’ll know exactly how much to charge them after a certain time. Time trackers will help you avoid underestimating how much time you spent so far on the project. You will neither overestimate nor overcharge your client. Time trackers also speed the invoicing process; some tracking tools automatically transfer your billable time into invoices.

6. It enhances your pricing

If you start as a freelancer, you will do a lot of guesswork for how to price your projects. Time trackers help us with this by allowing us to merge data from previous projects. The past information is vital in showing how much each type of project costs.

How To Do Freelance Time Tracking

1. Using a time tracking app

There’s no question that time tracking software is beneficial to freelancers. Not only do they help you keep track of your time, but they can also help you invoice your clients accurately and get paid on time. However, there’s another way that time tracking apps can help you out, and that’s by helping you stay on top of your game when it comes to time management.

When freelancing, you often must wear many different hats; you’re working on multiple projects for many clients, and you must ensure that you deliver great work on time. That’s where a time tracking app comes in handy. By keeping track of your time, you can make sure you’re using your time wisely and avoid those last-minute rushes to get things done.

2. Setting up a system

You need to know how much time you spend on each project to bill your clients accurately. But let’s be honest: manually tracking your time is not very efficient. That’s why a time tracking system is so helpful. A time tracking system can help you automatically keep track of your time, so you can focus on your work and not worry about losing billable hours. It can give you valuable insights into how you’re spending your time, so you can make intelligent adjustments as needed.

3. Keeping detailed records

In the world of freelancing, time is money. Keeping detailed descriptions of the time you spent working on each project can help ensure that you get paid for all your invested hours. It can be a helpful way to track your productivity and see where you might need to cut down on time-wasting activities. So, if you’re looking to get success out of your freelance career, you should keep all the records of your time spent.

4. Taking breaks

You must take breaks while working, so you won’t get burnt out. But, when taking a break, you should still track how you spend your time. That way, you will ensure you’re spending your earned time off on relaxing activities. And it can also help you to stay positive and focused.

5. Tracking your progress

By keeping tabs on how much time you spend on each task; you can ensure you are not overworking yourself and better budget your time. Tracking your progress can be a great motivator. Seeing how much time you’ve spent on a project and how much progress you’ve made can help you stay on track and finish the project on time. It’ll help you monitor your duties and ensure you’re getting paid for all your worked hours.

The Best Time Tracking Software For Freelancers

You have various options of time tracking software that can assist you in staying organized and focused on your activities. It’s important to understand the features of the time tracking software because they’ll act as your individual assistants. A top freelance time tracker should blend seamlessly with other features like monitoring billable time and editing as well as adding time entries.

Here’s A List Of The Best Time Tracking Software For Freelancers:

1. Toggl

Toggl Main Website

Toggl is a simple and easy way to use a time tracker. With Toggl, you can easily track the time spent based on project, client, or task. And if needed, you can add some notes to every job to track what exactly you did. Toggl has an excellent mobile app so you can follow your time on the go. And if you work on a project with others, you can easily share your findings so they can see how you spend your time.

2. RescueTime

RescueTime Main Website

It is a time tracking and productivity app that helps you understand your work habits. It runs in the background on your computer and tracks the time you spend visiting websites and applications. Then, it reports to you to see where you’re spending your time and find ways to be more productive.

3. Harvest

Harvest Main Website

Harvest is a time tracking and invoicing app. With harvest, you can track the time spent on a project or a client and establish detailed invoices that show how much time you’ve spent on each task. Checkout Harvest vs Fiverr Workspace vs Kosmo.

4. Kosmo

Kosmo Main Website

Kosmo is a powerful time tracking software because of its simplicity. It can assist you in automating your freelancing business. Sending invoices, managing projects, and tracking time are among the benefits of Kosmo. This time tracker is used by many freelancers across various industries, including photographers, designers, writers, and developers. Kosmo has another excellent feature; you can collect payments via ACH transfer, Credit Card, or PayPal.

5. Clockify

Clockify Main Website

Clockify is a free-time tracking app that’s easy to use. You can track your time by project, task, or client and see detailed reports of your work using Clockify. The Clockify mobile app makes tracking your time on the go easy.

6. Hours

Hours Main Website

It is a simple, easy-to-use time tracker, perfect for freelancers. You can track your time by client, program, or task and see detailed reports of your work using this mobile app. It is interesting because it allows you to track time even when we have many tasks to do.

7. TrackingTime

TrackingTime Main Website

This time tracking and productivity app can help you understand your work habits. Tracking time runs in the background on your computer and tracks the time spent on various websites and applications. It then establishes detailed reports to see where you’re spending your time; therefore, you can find ways to increase productivity.

What Are The Benefits Of Time Tracking?

Statistics on a laptop

1) Higher productivity

A productive freelancer needs a professional workflow. For this to be possible, you must know the time spend on your daily projects. It’ll help you to better estimate the speed of your work and shows you where you can increase your productivity. Time trackers will show you the areas you need to improve and assist you in finding problems and developing solutions.

2) Correct billing

Freelancers primarily work from home and send results to clients after their work is done. Therefore, it is critical to accurately estimate the time spent on the completed project before billing the client. Often, services are paid hourly, so you should get a time tracking system to do the tracking yourself. Clients can verify the work done by reviewing the time reports.

3) Identifying distractions

You need a lot of discipline to stay focused on your work and avoid engaging in non-essential distractions. When you open your time trackers’ dashboards, you should see how much time you’ve spent on each task. This will enable you to make informed decisions on how to spend time in the future.

4) Track goals and progress

Systematic analysis of your data and estimates typically enables you to quickly evaluate your progress and goals. You can also check on the areas where you’ve been most productive. You can set new goals, generate new ideas, and develop new strategies which can take your business to the next level.

Conclusion

No matter how we slice time, freelance time tracking is essential for freelancers’ success. There are several ways of making time tracking fun. Having automated time trackers is an effective way of time management. You should choose time trackers that precisely match your needs. All time trackers are different; therefore, it would be best if you used the free trials first to select the time tracker that is right for you.

Get Organized & Win More Clients

Kosmo has everything you need to run your freelancing business.

Post written by:

kosmo on August 22, 2022

Kosmo is a free All-In-One Workspace for Freelancers.
Learn More

How to Land High-Paying Clients

Growth Proposals

So, you’re new to the world of freelance, or maybe you’ve been here a while, but you are wondering how to land high-paying clients. It’s a very normal route to start small as a freelancer but there are some lucky ones that catch a generous client at the beginning of their freelance careers. However, not everyone gets to be lucky. Good thing there is a way to get high-paying clients as long as you do the work!

Understand Your Industry

First things first, you need to know the industry in which you are a freelancer. Are you an artist or a web designer? Perhaps you are an accountant or maybe a writer? (Maybe you don’t have a freelance field yet? Here are 30 Remote Gig Job Ideas to help you out!) Knowing your industry can better help you identify and find high-paying clients. It would be best if you learned the standard pay and when you are being low-balled.

How to Land High-Paying Clients

Find Your Niche 

Once you know all of the nitty-gritty of your industry, it’s time to focus on yourself. What is your niche? What sets you apart from the millions of other freelancers out there? Think, why would a high-paying client work with you? Having a niche can help you easily get a one-up from the competition and be noticed by clients who are willing to pay good money for your talents, skills, or services.

Complete Pre-Requirements 

Here comes the part where you need to do your due diligence as a freelancer. Finding a high-paying client is like looking for treasure, and many others are searching for it too. You can’t expect this treasure to fall right on your lap, you have to be prepared and do the work.

Prepare Your Portfolio 

A portfolio is one thing that you should never be caught without. Pretty much all clients that you meet will ask to see your portfolio. Having none or a bad one will not impress clients. The following are important components of your portfolio:

Portfolio to get high-paying clients

1. Resume 

Even if you are no longer part of the corporate workforce, a resume is still a must even for freelancing. This document contains important information clients need to know about you, from your name to your skills.

2. Career Highlights or Accomplishments

This is no time to be humble, you need to wow clients, especially if you want the high-paying kind! At the same time, don’t just list all of your accomplishments, you really need to pick out the best ones.

3. Previous Projects

One of the best things about working yourself up as a freelancer is you get to build your portfolio. Your previous client may not have paid the big bucks but they can certainly lead you to it. Just make sure the project you did can be shown to other potential clients.

4. Sample Works

Never had a client? Don’t worry! You can always show sample works that you did even without a client. It’s a good way to showcase your skills as well as your love for your work. Think passion projects for models or photographers, setting up their own shoots. Or mock-ups of social media posts for social media managers or content creators. Do it for fun but don’t forget to also show what you can do.

5. Testimonials or Recommendations

Being a freelancer, you might get used to faceless clients. However, high-paying clients might not be too keen on taking a chance on a person they don’t know. So the best thing you can do is to get testimonials or recommendations from your previous clients or even other freelancers you have worked with.

Creating templates for high-paying clients

Create Correspondence Templates 

So, you’ve managed to attract a high-paying client with your wonderful portfolio, that’s a done deal right? Wrong! These clients will want to talk to you and if you say the wrong things in your email, you can kiss that deal goodbye. If you want error-free correspondences, it’s best to create correspondence templates as early as now. Here are a few you should work on:

1. Proposals

Most of the time high-paying clients will have a project in mind and it is up to you to make a proposal. There are even times you need to make a good proposal first before you can show your portfolio to a client. So, make sure your proposal covers the needs or requirements of the client, and way better if you can go above and beyond. Think of the proposal as a trailer to a movie, you show the person what they can expect but not give everything away.

2. Contracts

It’s very likely that a high-paying client will require you to sign a contract or request a contract for you. Either way, it’s best to have a contract template that outlines your responsibilities as well as your limitations. Contracts should cover everything about the freelance project, including payments.

3. Acceptance Letter

If you do land a high-paying client, don’t leave it at just that. Make sure you have a template for an acceptance letter.

4. Declining Work

At the same time, you should also have a template for declining work. You can’t just ghost a client no matter how much they are paying you. Ghosting or disrespecting a potential client can come back to bite you in the future, hurting your chances of getting projects.

Setting up Payments for High-Paying Clients

Organize Payment Procedures 

To have the budget to give freelancers high pay, clients must be really good with their finances. And people who are good with finances, are organized with money coming in and out of their business. That’s why, if you want to land a high-paying client, you are going to need to organize your payment procedures. There are 2 important things you need to do:

1. Setup Payment Methods

You need to know the most popular payment methods for freelancers (some industries do have a preference), think PayPal or Stripe. Make sure that the payment methods that you sign up for are accessible to many countries, who knows if your future high-paying client has a different currency than you.

There are times clients will adjust to meet your payment methods, however, some will not budge. They would rather find another freelancer who does have their payment preference of choice than have to register for a new one.

2. Generate Invoice Template

A high-paying client will sooner or later take care of their taxes. With that in mind, they will need invoices.

If that is the case, it’s best to have an invoice template. Better yet, just use an invoice template generator like Kosmo. It already contains all of the details that you or your client may need, such as the due date, currency, invoice number, and company names.

Having the proper invoice shows that you are a legitimate and responsible freelancer, which is bound to attract or impress serious and responsible clients (who are hopefully paying their freelancers fairly).

Social media apps

Know Where to Get High-Paying Clients

Now that you are armed with all of the tools for how to get high-paying clients, here comes the part where luck can be involved as well as smarts and a lot of perseverance. Here are 3 things you can do to find prospective high-paying clients:

Search Online Job Platforms

There are dozens of online job platforms today and you can get better chances of “winning” by trying to apply for as many jobs as you can. However, this doesn’t mean you just click and click. You also need to read the fine print and see if the price for the freelance work is already indicated. If the price is low and it says “negotiable” you can always try your luck but don’t count on it.

Make sure that the jobs you are applying for are relevant to your work and see if the client is actually “legit.” Sometimes, there are job postings where the pay is very high and yet there are barely any details on the client or the actual work to be done. If it’s too good to be true, proceed with caution or don’t at all.

Also, you need to be very hard-working and consistent with your job searches. Good projects with high-paying clients are pretty rare and can be snapped up easily. If you miss a day of looking at online platforms, you might end up missing your chance at a high-paying client.

Join Social Media Groups 

Don’t discount social media groups, there are high-paying clients who would rather spend on freelancers than pay fees on online job platforms. There are groups on social media that focus on certain industries with the purpose of finding clients or finding freelancers. It wouldn’t hurt to join these groups and check out available jobs and at the same time, scope out your competition.

Make Connections

Finally, it pays to make connections whether with clients or fellow freelancers. You don’t necessarily have to be friends but you’ll show that you are easy enough to work with and that you can deliver.

Fellow freelancers who have way too much on their plate can refer you to a high-paying client or pass on a project to you that has a good fee. If you maintain a good relationship with a client, they can also refer you to others who can offer bigger pay. At the same time, clients who like your work may inevitably give you more projects with higher pay-offs if you continue to impress them.

Pointers on How to Land High-Paying Clients

You are now ready to look for that rare high-paying client, here are just a few more tips that can help you land them once you are already communicating with them:

Be Clear and Concise

There’s nothing that annoys a high-paying client (or any type of client for that matter) than a freelancer who does not clearly state what they can or can’t do. If you keep changing tasks and responsibilities, you’ll end up with no clients. Also, keep everything short and sweet as saying way too much can lead to miscommunications.

Be Consistent

It’s important to stay consistent, both with how you work and how much you charge. If you keep changing your asking price, you might irritate a client who is ready to give you something worthwhile.

Be Prepared

Some clients are fine with just chatting or exchanging emails with you. But don’t be surprised if a high-paying client wants to meet you in person or do a video call. These types of clients want to know who they are dealing with, and see if they can trust you.

Always be prepared by being presentable, and doing a bit of background research on their company or business. It also helps to do practice interview questions for freelancers.

Be Honest

If a client says you need to do a task that is well beyond your skill level, you have to be honest about it. High-paying clients will not appreciate someone who overestimates skills but won’t be able to deliver in the end.

Conclusion

If you want to land high-paying clients you got to put in the work. Don’t be disappointed if you don’t get one right away. Remember that freelancing is a journey and each step of the way should be able to teach you something and help you improve. In the end, your experiences will be the next stepping stone toward a high-paying client.

Get Organized & Win More Clients

Kosmo has everything you need to run your freelancing business.

Post written by:

kosmo on August 19, 2022

Kosmo is a free All-In-One Workspace for Freelancers.
Learn More

30 Remote Gig Job Ideas

Inspiration Self-Care

The COVID-19 pandemic made a great impact on remote work as it became mandatory for people to work from home. As a result of the restrictions on movement the pandemic had on us all, it has been easier to find remote gig job ideas

Over the years, there has been an exponential increase in the number of employees currently working from home. With so many ways to interact with colleagues online, it is no surprise that several offices are now resorting to digital workspaces.

How Remote Jobs Have Changed Workplace Dynamics

All across the world, it has become imperative for employers to embrace remote work because of the impact of the pandemic in 2020. The flexibility is unmatched, and it has actually shown that people who work in the comfort of their own homes tend to be more productive.

People working from home are less distracted and are enjoying the decline in commuting expenses and workers can fulfill other responsibilities alongside.

With the possibility of working remotely, there are a handful of coherent ways to communicate among team members. There are networking platforms that allow everyone to communicate about daily tasks like Slack. Teams now do daily or weekly meetings online depending on the workload.

Hiring remote workers gives companies competitive advantages such as improved work-life balance and better physical and mental health for their employees.

Well-paying Fields In 2022

Recent well-paying jobs include management, legal services, engineering, and information technology. The workers in these jobs are the best paid because their skills are always in high demand, although each of these demands diplomas, certifications, and a high level of professional experience.

30 Remote Gig Job Ideas

1. Customer service representative – A customer care representative is the face of the company’s customer care support. They interact with customers, provide information about services upon request, handle complaints, assist with orders and billing details, connect customers with the management, and track deliveries. Specific tasks may differ depending on the service your company offers. For this role, it is important to have interpersonal skills as you will constantly be in contact with people.

Customer Service

2. Editor –Remote editors work on all sorts of written formats such as books, manuals, articles, legal documents, reports, and many others. They are responsible for reviewing written content for misspelled words, plagiarized work, incorrect grammar, and other errors that may occur before publishing. The role needs research and writing skills that stand out.

3. Graphic designer – This job involves creating visual concepts to communicate, inform and grasp the attention of customers. They develop illustrations, logos, and other designs using the software.

Graphic Designer

4. Resume writer – They are responsible for preparing resumes that highlight the skills, job history, achievements, and experience of their clients and they may also provide general career advice and counsel on how to excel at job applications and interviews. They are professionals that know how best to capture the attention of a client’s potential employer. A resume writer should have typing skills, word processing skills, proofreading skills, and be able to communicate with clients to decide how to present their information.

5. Virtual assistant – These are remote workers that provide various services usually based on contracts. They are responsible for managing schedules, arranging meetings, managing contact lists, handling emails, doing market research, and sending newsletters among a variety of other tasks. An ideal virtual assistant should show good organization abilities, communication skills, and flexibility.

6. Travel consultant – Travel consultants specialize in coordinating and planning travel arrangements for individuals, families, groups, and corporate businesses. They provide travel information and itinerary, confirm reservations, handle all of their client’s special requests, recommend things within their budget and contribute to their overall satisfaction.

7. Tech support – They provide help and advice to companies who use the software. Their services include monitoring and maintaining a company’s computer systems, resolving network issues, diagnosing any faults with the systems, and solving these issues.

8. Social media manager – Generally, social media managers are responsible for developing strategies to increase brand advertising, creating social media campaigns, producing content, looking at cross-platform analytics, running paid advertisements, and even representing a company on social channels as the voice of the brand. In summary, they provide brands with the guidance needed to improve and maximize their online presence. They must know how to create engaging content and respond to the needs of consumers. This involves staying up to date with the latest trends and having excellent communication skills and interpersonal skills.

Social Media Manager

9. Search engine evaluator – These are the people that analyze search results to ensure that they are accurate and relevant. It means providing input to ensure that internet search results are precise, reliable, spam-free, and thorough by checking on the complex algorithms used by search engines such as Google, Bing, Yahoo, and others.  Evaluators keep doing searches to find where search engines display poor results too. To have this job, one must be tech savvy and have very good research skills.

10. Proofreader – A proofreader is someone who meticulously does the final checks on written works before publication. They also look at formatting to make sure that all elements are included and appear as they should and also ensure that the content is free of typographical, grammar, spelling, punctuation and syntax errors. This job requires a good command of English and familiarity with word processing software.

11. Lead generation specialist – This is a professional that collects and evaluates potential sales opportunities. They are responsible for identifying people who are interested in your sales through email marketing and social selling. This role needs good networking skills, persuasion, and communication skills alongside research and analytical skills.

12. Online tutor – This is someone responsible for teaching students through virtual learning processes. They help the student by identifying their strengths and weaknesses, sending them educational material, teaching lessons, and solving academic-related problems.

13. Online ESL teacher – These are teachers that explain the rudiments of English to people whose first language isn’t English. They coach people with reading, writing, and speaking and getting general proficiency in the language.

14. Data entry and analysis – According to Computer Hope, data analysis “is a job where an employee inputs data into a computer from forms or other non-electronic forms of data”.

 The main task of a data entry analyst is to interpret the information in a company’s database and help the management make informed and detailed decisions regarding their business goals.

15. Transcriber – This is a professional typist who listens to recorded audio or video and converts it to text format.

16. Online surveyor – An online surveyor is responsible for using the internet to carry out surveys and collecting data from people to gain insight about particular topics. They are usually directed at a specific audience and determine how important the opinion of the public is.

17. Affiliate marketing – Affiliate marketing is an advertising business model which involves referring to a product or service by sharing it on a blog, social media platform, or website. The affiliate earns a commission each time someone makes a purchase through their recommendations.

18. Web design –  A web designer plans, modifies, and creates the design and layout of a website. They come up with design plans that can help accomplish their client’s objectives.

19. SQL developer – These developers are responsible for developing SQL databases and writing applications to interface with SQL databases. They ensure the performance, security, and availability of databases.

20. UI/UX designer – These designers create the user interface for an app, website, or other interactive media. They create user-friendly designs by understanding the requirements and feedback and are responsible for the design and implementation of all experiences a user has.

21. Web developer – The main job is to create websites using technologies such as HTML, CSS, and Javascript and ensure that the website is appealing and easy to navigate.

22. Software engineer – The role of a software engineer includes analyzing and modifying existing software, constructing and testing user applications, and developing standard operating systems

23. Computer animator – They create animation for technology, cartoons, and games, telling stories that provide information.

24. Content creator – This involves creating and distributing engaging and entertaining content in audio, video or written form. They prepare content to advertise companies and products that need publicity.

25. SEO specialist – An SEO specialist or SEO expert verifies websites and implements strategies for optimizing them for search engines. They develop websites to assure the relevance of the search results by analyzing the performance of their site and monitoring changes in search engine algorithms.

Scrabble tiles forming SEO

26. Telemarketer – A telemarketer is a professional responsible for talking to potential customers on the phone in order to get them to purchase their product. It includes taking customer contact lists and explaining the benefits of the product they’re about to sell.

27. Researcher – A researcher’s role is to analyze, gather, compare and ensure facts. They make appropriate observations, select artifacts and explain studies for a project.

28. Translator – A translator is someone capable of communicating in different languages. They take all content such as texts, speeches, or books in one language and put it in different languages for people who don’t understand the language in which the original document was written.

29. Executive assistant – An executive assistant is someone that assists with a lot of administrative tasks such as scheduling meetings, booking travel, completing paperwork, setting up calls, and a host of other things for their clients.

30. Recruiter – A recruiter finds qualified candidates to fill job openings. It involves writing job ads, checking a candidate’s eligibility, doing interviews, and everything else involved in the recruiting process.

Conclusion

Thanks to advancements in technology, there are more remote gig job ideas and remote work has been evolving as the benefits outweigh showing up to work every day. As time changes, more people will continue to go remote and adapt to new technologies, methods, and expectations.

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Post written by:

kosmo on August 18, 2022

Kosmo is a free All-In-One Workspace for Freelancers.
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Time Management Matrix – What Is It And How Can It Help With Your Productivity?

Productivity Time Tracking

In today’s world, time seems to be moving faster than ever. It can be hard to track what we need to do and when we need to do it. One way to help manage our time is by using a time management matrix. This tool can help us figure out how much time we have and how best to use it. Let’s look closely at a time management matrix and how you can create one for yourself.

What Is The Time Management Matrix?

The time management matrix was created by Stephen Covey and is also known as the “Four Quadrants of Importance. It is a tool that helps you understand how you spend your time and where you may want to focus your efforts to be more productive. You might want to know which of the four quadrants you spend most of your time in. To covey a time management matrix, there are 4 quadrants of importance. First, we have the urgent and important quadrant. This is where we spend our time on critical and essential things. This might include putting out fires at work, dealing with a sick family member, or meeting a deadline. Next is the not-urgent but essential quadrant. Here we focus on things that are important but not necessarily urgent. This might include planning for the future, exercising, or spending time with family and friends.

The third quadrant is the urgent but not important quadrant. This is where we spend our time on urgent but not necessarily meaningful things. This might include checking email too often, attending unnecessary meetings, or engaging in office politics. Finally, there is the not-urgent and not-important quadrant. This is where we spend our time on things that are neither urgent nor important. This might include watching TV, browsing the internet, or gossiping with co-workers. As you can see, we want to spend most of our time in the first two quadrants and very little time in the last two quadrants.

Tasks that are urgent and important should be given priority as they are the most likely to lead to success. Jobs that are important but not urgent can be scheduled and given less immediate attention. Tasks that are urgent but not necessary can be delegated to others. Tasks that are neither urgent nor important should be avoided as they are unlikely to lead to success. The time management quadrant helps you see where your time goes and how to use it more effectively.

Scrabble tiles forming do it now

How To Create A Time Management Matrix

It would be best if you had a time management matrix to be effective in time management. This tool is used to help individuals and businesses become more productive by allocating their time wisely. Creating a time management matrix is simple. All you need is a piece of paper and a pen or pencil. Draw a line down the middle of the paper to create two columns. In the first column, write down all of the tasks that you need to do shortly. In the second column, write down all the tasks you need to do, but can be given less immediate attention.

Next, draw a line across the middle of the paper to create two rows. In the top row, write down all of the essential tasks. In the bottom row, write down all of the functions that are not essential. Finally, go through each task and decide if it is urgent and essential, important but not urgent, urgent but not important, or neither urgent nor important. Place each task in the appropriate quadrant.

Once you have created your time management matrix, you can start to prioritize your tasks. Give priority to the jobs that are both urgent and important. Schedule the tasks that are important but not urgent. Delegate the tasks that are urgent but not important. And avoid the tasks that are neither urgent nor important. Using a time management matrix, you can use your time more effectively and become more productive. To manage my time management matrix, I need to:

Productivity man talking to phone

1. Identify My Priorities

This means first identifying what is important to you. What are your goals? What do you want to achieve? Once you know what is essential to you, it will be easier to prioritize your time.

2. Outsource or Automate Wherever Possible

There are some tasks that you can delegate to others or automate entirely. This will free up your time to focus on more important tasks. For example, you can outsource your social media marketing to someone else or use a tool like Hootsuite to automate your posts, or you might outsource your laundry to a service.

3. Set Time Limits

Setting time limits is a great way to stay on track and ensure you use your time wisely. Having a set time limit makes it easier to focus and get things done. This is because you know you only have a certain amount of time to complete the task. This will help you stay focused and avoid getting bogged down in the details.

4. Use Anti-distraction Apps To Block Time Wasters

Many apps can help you stay focused and avoid time-wasting activities. For example, some apps will block social media sites or websites you tend to visit when you should be working. Once they are blocked, you will be less likely to waste time on them.

5. Schedule Time For Deep Work

Deep work is a term used by Cal Newport to describe uninterrupted time spent on a task. It is essential to schedule time for deep work so that you can make progress on your goals. Deep work can be described as anything that requires focus and concentration. Schedule time for deep work so you can progress on your goals.

organizer with ballpen

6. Take Breaks

It is essential to take breaks so that you can stay fresh and avoid burnout. Find activities that are relaxing for you so you can come back energized. For example, you might go for a walk or listen to music.

7. Plan For Interruptions

Interruptions are a part of life, and they will happen. It is essential to plan for them so that they don’t throw off your entire day. There will always be interruptions, but you can prepare for them. For example, you might set aside time daily to check email or return phone calls. By arranging for interruptions, you can minimize their impact on your time management.

Planning Time person going up

8. Review Your Progress Regularly

It is essential to review your progress regularly to correct course if necessary. It is easy to find yourself off track if you don’t check your progress. This will help you stay on track and achieve your goals.

The time management matrix can help us be more productive by focusing our time and energy on the most important things. The benefit of the covey time management matrix is that it allows you to reflect and understand where you spend your time. It can also help us to avoid getting bogged down in activities that are not important and not urgent so you can better manage your day-to-day tasks. Your productivity will increase when you use the time management matrix to focus on the most critical tasks.

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Post written by:

kosmo on August 18, 2022

Kosmo is a free All-In-One Workspace for Freelancers.
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Top 5 ManyRequests Alternatives in 2022

Alternatives

Many large organizations use client management software for managing their work and clients.

What is Client Management Software?

Client Management Softwares are cloud-based software applications that provide all the tools required for an entrepreneur or freelancer to run a business.

This software primarily includes custom invoice features, proposals and contracts, scheduling, payment reminders, client dashboard, and whatnot.

How is Client Management software helpful?

Client Management Softwares are helpful in many ways. It helps streamline all the workflow of one application. Moreover, it allows proper communication with customers through the dashboard.

So, now we know what client management software is and what it does.

Let’s move to the main topic, “Top 5 ManyRequests Alternatives in 2022 – All You Need To Know.“

Before comparing the alternatives, let’s look at what ManyRequests offers us.

ManyRequests

ManyRequests is a client management software for agency owners and service businesses.

It is a one-stop platform that provides project management tools, automation, checkout forms, billing, and onboarding.

It is designed to manage clients‘ demands, requests, and payments, along with automation features.

It is a game-changer for the agencies and services business on just one platform, and you can sign up your client to onboard the same platform. Not only this, you can fulfill all the client’s requirements on this tool.

It helps in saving a hell lot of time as all the processes are automated, and you don’t need to use any other tool or application outside software to make or send invoices or share any onboarding documents outside.

Pricing Plan of ManyRequests

  1. Basic – $99/month
  • 5 team accounts
  • Unlimited client and requests
  • No transaction fees
  • Use your domain
  • White label portal
  • Integration
  • Pro – $249/month
  • Everything in the Basic Plan (Plus)
  • 10 team accounts ($20 per extra seat)
  • Affiliates Module
  • Use your self-address for email notification
  • Remove “Powered by”
  • Enterprise – Custom
  • Everything in Pro Plan (Plus)
  • Custom Development
  • One-on-one onboarding
  • Group training and best practices tips for your team
  • Unlimited team accounts

But, ManyRequest being a good software, lacks at some points. It neither has a Public API nor does it support translation. It is designed for agencies and service businesses, not freelancers.

There are other ManyRequests alternatives outside that cater to the needs of freelancers, small businesses, and large organizations.

Let’s jump onto the Top 5 ManyRequests Alternative in 2022

ManyRequest Alternative #1. Dubsado

Dubsado is an all-in-one client management software that allows you to create and manage the workflow from start to end by streamlining all the tasks and projects.

It integrates with most of the tools freelancers, and business owners require to work smoothly under one roof—Zapier, Quickbooks, Xero, Video Conferencing, calendar, and scheduling apps.

Main Features of Dubsado :

  1. Forms designed to save time
  2. Invoicing & Reporting Templates
  3. Get Paid on Time
  4. Streamline Process With Automation
  5. Project & Client Management Software
  6. Scheduling

Pricing Plans of Dubsado :

  1. Starter – $20/month
  • Unlimited projects & clients
  • Invoicing & Payment Plan
  • Forms & email templates

      2. Premier – $40/month

  • Everything in Starter Plan (Plus)
  • Scheduling
  • Automated workflows
  • Public Proposals
  • Multiple lead capture at once
  • Zapier Integration

ManyRequest Alternative #2. Kosmo

Kosmo is one of the most robust client and project management software available online. It is preferred because of its many alluring features and pocket-friendly pricing plans.

It is designed for solo entrepreneurs and freelancers to automate your business to the next level so that you can check off sending proposals and invoices, tracking time on every project, and more.

It is a valuable tool regardless of any industry. Freelancers from industries like photographers, writers, designers, developers, and more are taking advantage of this free tool (Yes, It’s free) to grow and ease their businesses.

Kosmo allows you to accept payment through PayPal, Stripe, or ACH transfer but doesn’t charge anything on it, unlike all other tools.

Main Features of Kosmo

  • Streamline different projects at the same time
  • Manage Project time using time-tracker
  • Custom Invoices
  • Auto-Reminders for Payments
  • Editable Contracts
  • Beautiful Proposals Templates

Pricing Plan of Kosmo :

  1. Free Plan
  • 2 Clients
  • 2 Projects
  • 1 Invoice per month
  • One contract per month
  • Accept Online Payments
  • Time and Task Tracking
  • Unlimited Plan – $9/Month
  • Unlimited Clients
  • Unlimited Projects
  • Unlimited Invoices
  • Unlimited Contracts
  • Unlimited Proposals
  • Accept Online Payments
  • Time and Task Tracking
  • Custom Invoice Design
  • Custom Contracts
  • Saved Email Messages
  • Priority Support
  • Team Plan
  • Contact them for pricing
  • Help you set a team
  • Provide APIs access
  • Much More

ManyRequest Alternative #3. SuiteDash

SuiteDash is a vigorous all at once kind of tool that allows healthy collaboration between teams, partners, and clients. It keeps the interaction transparent and precise.

It allows you to replace all the core fully functional tools from client onboarding to file exchange.

The tool helps bridge the interaction gap with the client and can create onboarding funnels, so no customer slips by. The maximum chance is to convert the prospect into a paid client.

It also provides the feature of customizing the portal with your URL, logo, favorite colors, and whatnot.

Main Features of SuiteDash

  • Smart Onboarding & CRM
  • Secure Portals
  • Appointment Scheduling and Integrated Calendar
  • E-signatures
  • White Labelling
  • Collaboration & Product Automation
  • Digital Proposals and invoicing
  • File Exchange
  • Marketing Campaigns
  • Mobile Apps

Pricing Plans of SuiteDash

  1. Start Plan – $19
  • 12+ Integrated Toolkits
  • Unlimited CRM Contacts
  • Unlimited Staff/ Team
  • Unlimited Portals
  • Extreme White labeling
  • Custom Branded Mobile App
  • Email Marketing Campaigns
  • 100 Gb File STorage
  • Docs/ Academy/ Community

      2. Thrive Plan – $49

  • Everything in Start Plan (Plus)
  • Auto-responder Drip Marketing
  • Dynamic Proposals Toolkit
  • Deal Stage Pipelines
  • Advanced Custom Menus
  • Custom Folder Generators
  • 500GB File Storage
  • Client-Side Live Chat
  • 1 Free Wizarding Session

      3. Pinnacle Plan – $99

  • Everything in Thrive Plan (Plus)
  • Task Dependency Logic
  • Automation Toolkit
  • Trigger/ Action Automations
  • LMS learning management
  • Support Ticket Toolkit
  • 2TB File Storage
  • 1 Bonus Wizarding Session

 

ManyRequest Alternative #4. 17 Hats

17hats lets you do all work on time without any delay. It’s possible because of its automation feature and fully integrated CRM.

From Online booking to Online Payments nothing is time-consuming with this tool. All features are so user-friendly that everything takes a matter of a second.

From dog trainers to photographers, event planners to creatives, virtual assistants to bookkeepers, all are using 17 hats to grow their businesses.

It helps you to save time from your day-to-day operations and consume that time in focusing on your work and upgrading it.

17hats also allows you to brand yourself on their portal with your custom logo and URL.

Main Features of 17 hats

  • Online Booking
  • Online Contracts
  • Online Payments
  • Email Templates
  • Auto lead response
  • Fully integrated CRM

Pricing Plans of 17 hats

  1. Level One – $13/month
  • Free CRM
  • 20 Docs per month
  • 1 Lead Capture Form
  • 1 Online Scheduling Service

     2. Level Two – $25/month

  • Free CRM
  • 35 Docs per month
  • 3 Lead Capture Form
  • Basic Automation Feature

      3. Level Three – $50/month

  • Free CRM
  • Unlimited Docs per month
  • 20 Lead Capture Form
  • Advance Automation Feature

Check out this detailed 17hats pricing guide if you are undecided.

ManyRequest Alternative #5. Accelo

Accelo is one of the most renowned brands for client work management software.

It allows us to gather all information about projects and clients in one place to keep track of every project. Also, it helps you track the repeated work so that you can save the energy you put in before and convert it into a profitable project.

With Accelo, billable hours can be calculated easily so that clients and managers can know the project’s value.

Accessing information with the help of collaboration tools made the life of freelancers easy. The entire team, partners, and client can be updated with the progress without cheating and without spending hours scheduling and conducting meetings.                

Main Features of Accelo

  • Sales & Quotes
  • Billing & Accounting Software
  • Manage and Track Projects & Tickets
  • Manage recurring client work
  • Insightful Reports & Data

Pricing Plans of Accelo

  1. Plus – $24/month
  • Custom features
  • Tasks and Checklists
  • Email & Calendar Apps
  • Timesheet and Scheduler
  • Client Activity Dashboard
  • Client & Contact Data Sync

      2. Premium – $39/month

  • Everything in Plus Plan (Plus)
  • Scheduling & Resource Management
  • Client Portal
  • Custom Statuses & Workflows
  • Templates & Approvals
  • Rules & Triggers
  • Branded Workspace
  • Divisions
  • Material & Expenses
  • Enhanced Security (2FA, SSO)

Are you considering more options???

Plutio, Fiverr Workspace, Agile, HoneyBook, HelloBonsai, ActiveCollab, Zendo, and more.

There are endless options available online if you search on google for the best client or project management tools. But searching for more might confuse you. 

So, to figure out the Top 5 ManyRequests Alternative, we have searched all the data for you and put it here so that you don’t have to waste time googling the whole day rather than making a quick decision after having a look at this comparative analysis.

Using Client Management Tools for your business is no less than managing your business like a PRO.

Conclusion:

All options described above are designed to remove the pain points that all freelancers and other businesses face during their day-to-day activity or daily operations.

Every platform provides almost similar features but where they differ is in their customization feature and the complex nature of their interface. Everyone works according to their pocket, which is perfectly suitable.

So, it differs in their pricing plans too, when choosing software.

Being a freelancer, you need to figure out what tools and features you are looking for in your business and how they will help you in the long term—the pocket-friendly one.

If you are not a large organization and want something easy to learn, easy to use, and easy to operate and update, then Kosmo is the best option for you.

Also, it has a Free Plan that provides two projects and two clients free.

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Kosmo has everything you need to run your freelancing business.

Post written by:

kosmo on August 17, 2022

Kosmo is a free All-In-One Workspace for Freelancers.
Learn More

ManyRequests Pricing Reviewed

Alternatives

Do you run an agency? Then, you must be looking for ManyRequests pricing plans and wondering if it is a good investment.  

ManyRequests is an all-purpose solution for agencies. It helps to manage clients, bills, invoices, and more. 

The software has all the right features to help you manage your agency clients. 

But, the only catch is that it is not a free client management software. Thus, small agency owners must think hard before getting the ManyRequests subscription. 

So, to guide agency owners, I have gone through all ManyRequests pricing plans. Now, let’s not think and check if ManyRequests is worth it or not. 

ManyRequests Pricing Plans 

ManyRequests has no free version. There is a 14-day free trial that you can use to test the software. 

But, the good thing is that ManyRequests offers three-tier pricing plans. This way, you can select the ManyRequests pricing suiting your budget. 

In each ManyRequests pricing plan, you will get different features. So, I will recommend defining your project management needs before picking a plan. 

Here are three ManyRequests pricing plans: 

Basic Plan — $99 per Month 

This is the least expensive ManyRequests plan. This plan is perfect for new or small-scale agencies with a minimal client base. Under the basic plan, you will get features like: 

  • 5 team accounts 
  • No transaction fees 
  • Manage unlimited clients 
  • Integration with other tools 
  • White label portal 

Pro Plan — $249 per Month 

This ManyRequests portal is perfect for scaling agencies. It is a moderate plan that allows agencies to send more client requests. Apart from all the basic plan features, you will get more features with ManyRequests Pro, such as: 

  • 10 team accounts 
  • Affiliate module 
  • Remove ManyRequests watermark 
  • Add your personal email address to send notifications, etc. 

Enterprise Plan — Custom 

For large agencies with different clients, ManyRequests has the option to customize plans. You can consult the ManyRequests team and share your agency requirements with them. And they will design a custom client portal for you. 

With this plan, you will get 1:1 onboarding and group training to best use ManyRequests. Note that the custom development is going to cost you more than premade plans. 

Should I Get ManyRequests for My Agency?

Now that you have seen ManyRequests pricing plans, you have some idea if the software is suitable for your agency. 

But, before coming to a decision, I will recommend you to study ManyRequests features and look at some ManyRequests alternatives like Kosmo and Dubsado.

So, here are the main features of ManyRequests client portal software features for agencies: 

Easy billing process 

ManyRequests has stunning checkout forms. You can use readymade forms to send invoices to your clients. 

You can accept payments from your clients with a click. All the project and client details are available on your screen. This allows you to streamline the billing process. 

ManyRequests billing features include: 

  • Conversion tracking 
  • Use upsells to increase your order values 
  • Receive payments on the spot 
  • Direct integration with Stripe
  • Migrate existing clients and subscriptions 
  • Zero commission on payments, except Stripe fees
  • Auto-generate invoices 
  • Set up currencies and taxes 

Offer uniform digital customer experience

ManyRequests allows you to organize your workflow in one place. You can manage client requests, files, and payments from a dashboard. 

This enables you to deliver an awesome digital client experience. You can customize client portals with communication and projects. This way, you can offer the best quality services to your clients. 

To boost customer experience, ManyRequests offers features like: 

  • A dashboard to control all agency activities 
  • Use your own domain name and brand elements 
  • Design onboarding screens 
  • Custom menus
  • Organize client information with tags 
  • Assign an account manager to each project or client 
  • Collaborate with clients and their teams 
  • Clients can upload their documents 
  • Clients can access their invoices 
  • Integration with Google Data Studio, Airtable, iframes, etc. 

An efficient way to manage client requests 

You can deliver the best work with ManyRequests. It allows you to manage your clients’ workflow and assign requests to a certain team member. 

You can also define rules and deadlines to complete the project. There is also an option to track progress and share files. 

You can involve clients in every step and open a smooth communication line. Other features to manage clients are: 

  • One email thread to manage a project 
  • Assign tasks to other team members and track their progress 
  • Streamline workflow between clients and your team
  • Tag requests 
  • Receive a clear view of all your active projects 
  • Easy filters to check project progress and assign new tasks 
  • Auto-assign client requests to each team member 
  • Add comments
  • Share files with clients to get instant feedback 
  • Set priority tasks and due dates for each project 
  • Send real-time notifications to clients 
  • Auto change the client request status based on certain activities 
  • Auto-responder 

Automate your entire agency’s workflow 

Do you want to save time? Then, ManyRequests can automate repetitive agency tasks so you can focus on growing your business.  

The best part is that ManyRequests integrates with other tools. This way, you don’t have to move data from one portal to another. ManyRequests will do all that for you. 

ManyRequests integrates with the following portals: 

  • It helps to send new client notifications to your Slack
  • Share payment details with accounting software, such as Xero, QuickBooks, and others
  • Supports referral programs like Tapfiliate, GetRewardful, and Firstpromoter 
  • You can partner with popular live chat software like Tawk.to, HubSpot, etc. 

Reasons to Use ManyRequests 

ManyRequests has many great features to manage your clients. It can keep your agency workflow smooth. 

You can keep your clients and team members on the same page. It can make a clear agency workflow to juggle several projects at once. 

So, all in all, ManyRequests is an excellent software for agency businesses. 

Talking in detail, ManyRequests can help you with:

Customize your operations 

Customization is the best ManyRequests quality. You can integrate it with your other business tools and set your own domain name. 

You will get a complete white-label client portal to manage your clients with ease. And for small and big agencies, customization is the best way to grow their business.

All-in-one tool

With ManyRequests, you don’t need to get any other software to run your agency. This software has all the features in one place to manage your workflow. 

You will get payments, files, and client requests in one dashboard. This will bring ease and consistency to your operations. 

You can better track your team’s progress. And ensure that all your projects are completed on time. 

This will also save you money as you don’t have to get different business management software.

High ROI

ManyRequests pay for itself. After automating your business operations, you can free up your time. 

That time, you can dedicate yourself to growing your business and thinking of innovative growth strategies. Moreover, you can take up more projects and clients at the same time. 

This will help you scale up your business. So, you can generate more revenue in a month. In a way, you can earn more than what you are paying for ManyRequests. 

Easy to use and set up

All you need is 10 minutes to start with ManyRequests. It has a simple setup process. 

It comes with a modern interface that can impress your clients and team members. In fact, your non-technical team members can use this software without any problem. 

You don’t need to set up any training program to use ManyRequests. Your employees can find their own way around ManyRequests. 

Constant updates 

ManyRequests development team is sharing new improvements every month. 

They are adding new features and updates based on customer feedback. 

This way, you will get new project management features every day to scale your business. 

Moreover, they don’t increase pricing with new features. You will get the latest features within your old pricing package.

Perfect fit for agencies

There are a few project management software available to meet agency business needs. 

Companies realize that agency businesses have different needs.

Agencies have to work with several clients, projects, and team members across different portals. 

They need a solution that can help them provide 1:1 services to their clients. 

Thanks to ManyRequests, agencies now get the software to meet all their business needs. Plus, they can complete their projects faster. 

Is ManyRequests The Perfect Project Management Tool?

There is nothing like perfect software. It is impossible to develop software that can help everyone. 

Based on your business needs, you need different features and qualities in your project management solution. So, for many users, ManyRequests is not a perfect tool. 

In fact, ManyRequests pricing is the main reason for many businesses not using it. 

The software has no free version. Thus, many freelancers and small agencies can’t afford it. 

Plus, the basic plan comes with a few features. You have to move to the pro or enterprise plan to utilize all the software features. 

Also, ManyRequests has no proposal and contract creation features. 

Best ManyRequests Alternative: Kosmo 

If ManyRequests pricing is also a bummer for you. Then, you can try Kosmo. 

Source 

It is a perfect project management software for freelancers and contractors. And it has a free version. 

You can manage up to 2 clients and projects for free with Kosmo. Moreover, a free version also includes: 

  • 1 invoice per month 
  • 1 contract per month 
  • 1 Proposal per month 
  • Accept online payments 
  • Task tracking and more

Besides this amazing free version, there’s also one premium package. Kosmo doesn’t have several pricing packages to complicate things. 

It has one subscription plan that can fit small agencies’ pockets. For only $9 per month, you can use unlimited Kosmo features. 

If you bill for a full year, you only have to pay $90. That means you can save up to two months of subscription money. Now that’s what we call a sweet deal. 

With Kosmo’s premium version, you will get several features to scale up your business, like: 

  • Unlimited clients, projects, invoices, and contract management
  • Except for online payment
  • Time tracking
  • Custom invoice designs and contracts
  • Email templates
  • Priority support
  • And many more features.

There are many other features that you will get with Kosmo: 

  • Client management. Check your client information; invoices project details in a dashboard. 
  • Project management. Find all your project details in one place, including project goals, notes, and files. 
  • Set income goals. You can set trackable income goals and watch your everyday progress. 
  • Miscellaneous features. Kosmo allows you to automate recurring tasks, reminders, branded emails, and much more.

ManyRequests Pricing: Parting Note 

ManyRequests is a great agency-client reporting portal. It has a customizable and simple interface. 

But, ManyRequests pricing is the drawback. The software has no free version. Plus, all the pricing plans are a bit expensive for freelancers and independent contractors. 

So, if you find this software out of your price range, you can use its substitute. 

Kosmo is the most affordable substitute for ManyRequests. You can use this software for free. And the paid version is also not very expensive. 

Now that’s it from my side! You should compare ManyRequests with all the best alternatives. And only then come to the right conclusion. 

You can book a free Kosmo demo today to test the tool. 

Get Organized & Win More Clients

Kosmo has everything you need to run your freelancing business.

Post written by:

kosmo on August 11, 2022

Kosmo is a free All-In-One Workspace for Freelancers.
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Here’s How to Improve Digital Customer Experience (Top 10 Strategies)

Growth Networking

Meta Description: Check out the how to improve digital customer experience guide to learn the top 10 strategies to grow your business and revenue in no time. 

Customer experience is an important item for businesses to grow today. But, digital media has made it harder to improve customer experience. 

According to a report, 86% of professionals are working to improve customer experience. 

But, only 1 in 3 people know how to improve the digital customer experience. 

So, if you’re also one of these people, this guide is for you.

This post will walk you through different strategies to improve the digital customer experience. I will also share some insightful tips to build a positive CX. 

What Does Digital Customer Experience Mean?

Digital customer experience means using digital tools to improve customer experience. 

It includes website layout, social media, data, and more. Digital CX has all parts that customers use to interact with your brand.

It involves everything that customers use to communicate with your brand. 

For example, your social media account that customers use to find information about your brand. Or your business website that users explore before buying. 

To improve customer experience, businesses have to work on optimizing their digital assets. This way, customers can better engage and interact with them.

How to Improve Digital Customer Experience in 10 Strategies

Are you moving your business to digital space? Then, this big change is not easy for businesses.

You must change your marketing and customer support strategies to fit digital shoes.

Wondering how to improve digital customer experience?

Well, you don’t have to do much to improve your digital customer experience. Just focus on your customers’ needs and preferences.

Along with this, you should implement these strategies to improve digital CX in your company:

1. Dive into data

Data is what you need to improve the digital customer experience. It will help you understand your customers and their pain points.

You can know what your customers are searching for online. Then, you can create products or services that your customers want.

Moreover, when you know your customers, you can develop better marketing plans.

Your customer’s feedback is the golden data here. You can collect customers’ feedback from different sources.

For example, you can go through your customers’ reviews and testimonials. You can also check comments your customers leave on your social media posts.

Suppose your customers are not happy with your delivery system. In that case, you can use client management software to record the customer’s delivery date.

This way, you will never miss a due date. In fact, you can align your team based on the set timeline. 

Here you can use Kosmo to manage your clients and projects better. 

This is a simple project management software. It has all the features that you require to deliver to your customers on time.

It has a client database management system. You can record all your client information in it. 

The best part is it is free software. For solopreneurs, it is a free tool. 

But entrepreneurs can get it for $9 per month or $90 per year. 

2. Have one-on-one interaction with your customers

Data is important to improve customer experience. But, it can only give you direction to improve CX.

But, you have to go beyond data to know what your customers think of your digital experience.

You must establish a personal connection with your customers. You need to get into your customers’ heads and know what they like about your digital experience.

Now, you don’t need to step into a psychiatrist role here.

Just opening a communication line with your customers is enough to know their facts.

The best way to do this is through social media. It allows you to communicate with your direct customers.

You can add survey forms, host webinars, or offer free goodies to your customers to share their feedback.

Data might not tell you the emotions that your customers feel when they interact with your digital assets.

But, listening to your customers’ words will give you a new direction to improve the experience.

3. Focus on personalization

Customers today want to feel like individuals. They want brands to understand their pain points and provide custom solutions.

Digital customers are very smart. They know when brands are using data or bots to communicate with them.

Today, you cannot expect customers to interact with your robotic emails. Instead, you have to create personalized emails or content for your customers.

Your digital experience must have personalization in it. Otherwise, you can not attract new customers. 

Personalization is important for all your marketing efforts.

For example, custom emails perform better than random emails. 

To create custom emails, you must segment your email list first. Next, you need to organize your subscribers based on different groups.

For instance, income, age, gender, and other demographic factors. You can create email content based on individual groups’ needs.

That’s because customers with different income groups have separate buying power. This can help you personalize emails with minimum effort. 

4. Offer omnichannel customer service 

Digital customers don’t like to wait. They want instant answers from you.

In this, if customers have to wait in a queue to get answers from your support team, this is a sign of a bad customer experience.

So, you should use different digital tools to provide omnichannel customer service to your customers.

Today, you have several options to provide customer support. For example, you can use phone calls, instant chats, emails, and so on.

In how to improve the digital customer experience guide, the customer support point is the most important one.

With different customer support channels, you don’t only get a chance to solve your customers’ queries faster. But, you can also get data from different sources.

Besides this, customer support channels like chatbots can free up your team’s time.

That’s because it can resolve small customer queries without an agent’s help. This way, your agents can use their knowledge to create the best user experience.

There is one small thing that you should remember while using the omnichannel customer support. You must maintain consistency across all your communication channels.

For instance, imagine your customer connects through email but moves to call in the middle. In this case, they should get the same experience across both channels.

Now that is not an easy part. Your email agent and call agent have different working styles and approaches. And this can reflect in their interaction.

But, this can ruin your customer’s experience. 

So, you have to use customer relationship management software here. 

The software will record all your customers’ data. This will help agents to maintain consistency across all channels.

5. Create a physical experience 

Okay, so this might confuse you. Wondering why I am talking about a physical experience in how to improve the digital customer experience guide.

Well, let me explain myself better. I am not saying that you should create a complete physical experience for your customers.

But, you should use technologies like virtual reality and augmented reality. They can bring physical experience to a virtual environment.

Not making any sense?

Let me share an example with you. Sephora app provides virtual makeup artists to their users.

This lets customers apply makeup on their faces in a virtual environment before buying it.

Sounds cool, right?

So, you can also include physical experience in a virtual environment to impress your customers.

6. Use artificial intelligence 

Artificial intelligence in customer experience can change the entire game for you.

You can manage your internal operations with AI. Also, you can boost your sales and revenue with this technology.

There are several segments of artificial intelligence that you can use to improve customer experience.

For example, using AI chatbots, you can provide 24 x 7 customer support to your prospects.

You don’t need to hire a call center from different time zones to provide 24 x 7 support your customers.

Chatbots can provide around-the-clock support to your customers. People can ask anything and anytime from chatbots.

The best part is that your agents have nothing to do with chatbots. 

They simply focus on creating better customer management strategies.

Artificial intelligence can also help to create a personalized user experience.

Brands like Netflix and Amazon prime are already using AI to sell related products to their customers.

You can up-sell or cross-sell products related to your previous customers’ buying history using AI algorithms.

This way, you will improve your user experience and your revenue altogether.

7. Make buying easy

Look at your website. Give a hard look at it and tell if you can move through your website with ease.

You are already familiar with your website structure. So it will not take much time for you to move around your website. 

But the person landing on your website for the first time is unfamiliar with your web structure.

So, they might not find relevant information or products on your website.

And if your website is not easy to access, no one will take the time to understand it. They will move to your competitor’s website.

So, you need to create an easy buying process on your website. Keep all the menus and pages clear. 

Use simple content and attractive graphics to help users find the right information on your website.

You can also select premade website themes that are already working online.

For this purpose, I will suggest you hire a professional website UX designer. 

Professionals can better guide you in creating websites based on your audience’s requirements.

8. Know your brand and audience 

Before learning how to improve digital customer experience, let’s first understand your brand and audience.

When you don’t know what your audience wants and what your brand requirements are. It is impossible to provide a good experience to your users.

Because every brand has different needs, based on your targeted industry and audience base, you have to define your customer experience.

Let’s take an example of the B2B and B2C industries. Both industries have different audience bases and product bases.

So, you cannot use one user experience strategy in both sectors.

This is because the B2B audience is more mature and professional. You cannot impress them with silly Instagram reels.

You have to offer them something informative and valuable information to connect with your brand.

On the contrary, B2C customs are less mature and professional. They want simple and relatable things.

So, understand your product and audience before creating your user experience strategies.

9. Measure your user experience 

Don’t rest after creating user experience elements. In fact, your real work starts afterward.

You must measure the performance of each element that you have used to improve user experience.

This way, you can understand which element is working and which one is not.

Using this information, you can invest your resources in elements that are producing better results. This will help to use your customer support team resources.

10. Keep on experimenting with new things

Customer experience is a continuous process. Your customers’ preferences and needs keep on changing with time.

So, you have to also keep on changing your customer experience strategies.

I advise you to study different blogs and forums to understand what’s trending these days. 

Based on that, you should implement new things on your website or social media platforms to build a better user experience.

Just keep on trying new things and analyzing their impact on your user experience. And, in no time, you can build a solid customer relationship plan.

How to Improve Digital Customer Experience: Conclusion 

There you go, people! You are now ready to improve the digital customer experience.

This how to improve digital customer experience guide has walked you through the top 10 strategies.

From data to personalization, you should focus on all the simple strategies to make your customers happy.

That is because happy customers are legacy customers. They always help to grow your business.

That’s it for now! You can also check my other blogs to learn more about software and marketing.

Get Organized & Win More Clients

Kosmo has everything you need to run your freelancing business.

Post written by:

kosmo on August 11, 2022

Kosmo is a free All-In-One Workspace for Freelancers.
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Starting a Consulting Business Checklist 101: Start Your Business The Right Way

Getting Started

It seems like a dream opportunity to start your own business. No bosses, no deadlines — full freedom to work with whoever or whenever you want. 

However, starting a new business, no scratch that, starting a consulting business is not easy. 

Starting a consulting business checklist is big. From selecting your consultation field to finding your first client — there is a long road ahead. 

On top of it, the consulting industry is growing at lightning speed. In 2020, the global consulting market was $132 billion. 

Though, the pandemic has taken a toll on the industry. And the revenue dropped to 12.5% after 2019. 

But things are getting back to normal. That leads to higher growth in the consulting sector in the coming days. 

All in all, today is the right time to start your consulting business. However, before you dig in, start your business the right way. 

That is because, right now, competition is high, and the economy is unstable. 

So, follow this guide to explore the complete ‘starting a consulting business checklist.’ 

Here’s Starting a Consulting Business Checklist 

The consulting business sector is tightly knitted. Nearly 40% of the industry consists of four major consulting firms — PwC, EY, KPMG and Deloitte. 

And there are also companies like McKinsey & Company and BCG. 

So, finding your place among these consulting sharks is not easy. 

But it is not impossible either. You simply have to follow this ‘starting a consulting business checklist’ to give the right start to your business. 

Checklist #1. Narrow down your niche  

Foremost, you have to find an area to provide consulting services. 

Here I suggest never going with general consulting when you are just starting. The reason? 

It is competitive out there. It will take you ages to find your footing in generic fields. 

Thus, you have to think deeper and narrow down your niche. 

Let’s think this way. There are thousands of management consulting firms available. But only a handful of them provides services to B2B firms. And even less work in the B2B SaaS industry. 

So, you need to focus on your core skills and enter into the niche you specialize in. 

If you are struggling to find your niche, follow these techniques: 

  • Identify your skills, experience and qualifications 
  • Understand which consulting niche will work in the long run 
  • Determine which areas have demand for your services 
  • Ask yourself how can you better help your clients 
  • Do you want to limit your business to one location, etc.? 

Checklist:#2. Select your business model 

After choosing a consulting business niche, you need to pick a business model. 

This step is crucial in starting a consulting business checklist. So, choose your business model after thorough consideration. 

Here are the common consulting business models: 

Solo consultant model 

In this model, you will one-on-one work with your clients to complete the project. This is the perfect model for you if you want to work alone with no or limited team. 

Consulting firm model 

Here you are not just running a project for clients. Instead, you are running a firm or process for clients. 

For example, many accounting consulting firms help companies with bookkeeping, auditing, taxation, etc. 

You need a full team and infrastructure to support several clients for this setup.

Productized consulting model

This is a skill-based consulting model. Here you can create a product using your skills and experience. 

Suppose you are working as a content strategist for B2C brands. After years of delivering custom services, you created an e-course using your knowledge. Now that course is your product. 

This model is perfect if you want to scale your business. You can remove yourself from the day-to-day workload. And let your product do the work for you. 

Hybrid consulting model

As the name suggests, it is a mixture of all three models. 

You select all three consulting models and combine them to produce a hybrid model. 

It is a large work model. It takes a big team and resources to adopt this model. 

So, when you have a significant experience and market base, only then follow this model. 

Checklist 3. Identify your customers 

Who are your targeted customers? 

This is the crucial question to ask when you are starting a consulting business. 

Without knowing your customers, you can’t move ahead. You can’t decide on your marketing or sales plans without having a clear idea about your customers. 

In starting a consulting business checklist, I’ll recommend spending the most time on this step as it is the base for all upcoming steps. 

Here you can follow these methods to find your ideal customers: 

Who can you help with your business? 

People will only come to your business when you can solve their particular problems. 

Thus, you should ask yourself who can benefit from your business. 

Suppose you offer marketing consultation and lead generation services to startups. 

In that case, your core customers are startup owners. 

However, you can dig deeper and narrow your customer base to customize your content. 

Validate your ideal client base 

Understanding who is your potential customer is the first step. 

After that, you have to validate your ideal customers. 

It means to go out and talk to your prospects. This will help you understand their problems. 

You can remove the guesswork and learn what exactly your customers want. 

That’s because the main goal of consulting businesses is to solve problems. Therefore, people will only come to you when you can solve their specific problems. 

To know your customer, there is no need to move from door to door. 

Simply use tools like LinkedIn Sales Navigator to list your potential 10-20 clients. 

After that, send them a connection request. Then, send them introductory messages and ask them about their problems. 

This simple trick will help you better know what your customers need. 

Checklist #4. Gather business management tools 

Tools are important to run consulting businesses. You need tools to manage your clients and projects. 

Also, tools are essential to send invoices and collect payments from different clients. 

With the right tech bundle, you can serve a large client base at once. Moreover, you can manage several projects and team members with a click. 

Here are some basic tools that you need to start a consulting business:

Now, no need to feel overwhelmed. You can get all these features in one tool. 

Kosmo is the best project and client management portal for freelancers and contractors. 

You can get many great features to start a consulting business with Kosmo, like: 

  • Create custom proposals and contracts based on individual clients’ needs. 
  • Track your tasks and how much time you have spent on each session. 
  • Create branded invoices and receive payments via PayPal, Credit Card or ACH transfer. 
  • Maintaining a client database and tracking projects in client managers. 
  • Define project goals, notes and files. 
  • Set and track your income goals. 
  • Add reminders, create branded emails, recurring tasks and more. 

The best part is yet to come. Kosmo is totally free. Yep, if you run a solo consulting firm, there is no need to spend a penny to get the software. 

Though, if you want to manage unlimited clients and projects. In that case, you can get a full Kosmo pack for only $9 per month. 

Now that’s what we call the perfect startup tool. 

Checklist #5. Document your business plan 

People often rush things to launch a new business. But unfortunately, they forget an important point when starting a consulting business checklist point — writing a business plan. 

It is not compulsory to write down your business plan. But you should do it anyway. 

A well-written business plan can provide the right direction and goals to you. It can help to keep your entire team on the same page. 

According to a study, entrepreneurs who write a business plan are 2.5 times more likely to launch their business. 

Now, there is no need to obsess about writing down every small detail. 

A one-page business plan with clear guidelines and structure is sufficient. 

Checklist #6. Find your people 

Bill Gates once said, “Take our 20 best people away, and I will tell you that Microsoft will become an unimportant company.”

Thus, the people who work with you matter the most in your business success. 

You need people who have the same passion and vision as you. But you don’t need “Yes, boss kind of people!” 

You need people who are not afraid to challenge you and push you to become a better version of yourself. 

So, when you are gathering your team, consider the following things: 

Go for the experience, not the degree

An academic degree only tells that a person is well taught. But experience shows a person’s potential and knowledge. 

So, hire people who possess the significant experience to help you. People who can use their experience to grow your business. 

A good learner 

If your budget doesn’t allow you to hire experienced professionals, hire good learners. 

Hire energetic and passionate freshers who are hungry to learn. You can coach these people and carve their talent. 

Partner with your clone 

Have you met someone who is your complete clone? 

I mean, they have the same business goals, aspirations, and ambitions as yours. 

Yes! 

Then, hold on to that person and make them your business partner. 

Starting a consulting business is equal to long and unpaid working hours. 

So, having a business partner enthusiastic like you will give a competitive edge to your business. 

At the final stop, you must build a unique brand identity, voice and appearance. 

It has to be something that can distinguish your business from the rest. 

Let’s take Coca-Cola as an example. No matter how many beverages are present on the shopping store shelf, you can identify Coca-Cola bottles from the farthest end. 

And that kind of branding you need to set up a successful consulting business. 

Also, consultants are considered professionals and masters in their fields. 

Thus, your brand image should scream professionalism and uniqueness. 

There are a few that you can do to build a solid brand image: 

  • Pick a color palette for your business.
  • Use the same colors to create your business logo, websites and other marketing assets. 
  • Head over to social media to shout out your business message to the world. 
  • Publish relevant and relatable content on your website. 
  • Use paid marketing tools like PPC ads to establish your brand everywhere. 

Let’s Start a Consulting Business Now!

Congratulations! You have explored the entire ‘starting a consulting business checklist.’

Now, you know what it takes to start a new consulting business from scratch. You need a proper business plan, toolkit, branding strategy, and so much more. 

As you can see, starting a new consulting business is not hard. You just need the right direction and plan to start your new journey. Now, you can follow this checklist and start preparing for your consulting career.

So, I won’t hold you anymore. And let you set up your consulting business plan now. Best of luck, my mate. So, I won’t hold you anymore. And let you set up your consulting business plan now. Best of luck, my mate.

Get Organized & Win More Clients

Kosmo has everything you need to run your freelancing business.

Post written by:

kosmo on August 11, 2022

Kosmo is a free All-In-One Workspace for Freelancers.
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Top 10 Joomla Project Management Extensions to Streamline Your Workflow

Productivity Project Management

Project management is a hard task. It gets harder when you have to manage several projects, teams, and clients at a time. Thus, many project managers use Joomla project management to align their workflow. 

Joomla is an open-source project with many great extensions to run different operations. 

It even has many free extensions to make your workflow easier.

So, let’s explore some of the best Joomla project management extensions. 

What is Joomla Project Management? 

Joomla is a popular project and content management system. It is an open-source project where community members add new extensions. 

According to the Joomla website, it has been downloaded over 3 million times since 2006, with a new download after every 2.5 seconds.

It uses the latest programming architecture to develop a powerful content management system. Joomla uses object-oriented and model-view-controller software design. 

The literal meaning of Joomla is “altogether.” And the Joomla team sticks to its meaning. To this day, it is an open-source project away from all corporate drama. 

Top 10 Joomla Project Management Extensions 

Joomla extensions make it the most popular project management software. There is a Joomla extension for almost everything, such as: 

  • User management 
  • Document management 
  • Link management 
  • Time management, etc. 

Moreover, Joomla is always coming up with new extensions. Almost 9,000 Joomla extensions are available, and many more to come. 

Extensions are further divided into templates, modules, plugins, etc. 

And every extension has a certain function. 

Here are the best Joomla project management extensions that can streamline your workflow:

#1. Time Worked for Joomla 

Time Worked for Joomla extension helps to report and track working hours. When many people are working on a project, this tool comes in handy.
Joomla project management

Source 

It allows employees to log in the time they spend on a task. This tool can reduce managers’ and accountants’ workload of preparing invoices or payrolls. 

Main Features

  • Sync with calendars to report accurate working hours. 
  • Filters to sort reports based on clients, employees, or projects. 
  • Administrators can reject items as no billable or time request changes. 
  • Receive report statistics per employee or project. 
  • Export reports into Excel sheets
  • Automatic notifications when employees don’t submit reports on time. 

#2. Macrotone Timesheet

Macrotone Timesheet lets employees record timesheet details. Later, managers can print or upload timesheets to the company’s CRM dashboard. 

Joomla project management

Source 

It can record the working hours of each employee. You can also create a separate timesheet for a specific project ID.

There is also an option to specify working hours in many variations, like:

Total number of working hours in a group or department

Working hours of a person, etc. 

Main Features

  • Every timesheet has a unique project code that makes it easy to manage an account balance. 
  • Simple interface with two buttons to create and save the timesheet. 
  • Administrators can ensure only one user submits a timesheet. 

#3. JoomProject

JoomProject is a premium Joomla project management software. It has a series of features to manage your CMS content.
JoomProject

Source 

You can manage unlimited projects and clients on this platform. It comes with both front-end and back-end support.

You can also organize and style your project elements with JoomProject.

There is an interesting option to add details to your projects. This helps to keep different members working on the project on the same page.

Main Features

  • Simple filters to find projects. 
  • Let’s change project deadlines. 
  • Insert files and attachments from the repository. 
  • Color coordinate your projects. 
  • Manage several group permissions in each project 
  • Customize the dashboard per your requirements. 
  • Joomla custom fields support. 

#4. JC Project

JC Project is a complete project management system. It allows you to manage all your projects within a dashboard.
JoomProject

Source 

It has all the right features to manage your team to complete a project on time. 

This system also allows you to share information with your clients. This way, you can build a smooth communication line with your clients.  

Also, you can add as many projects and users as you want. 

Main Features 

  • Support tickets to resolve customer queries faster. 
  • A dashboard to view all your projects and clients. 
  • Add events, comments, messages, and documents to your projects. 
  • Email notifications on important dates. 
  • Create invoices and quotations. 
  • Assign specific roles to your employees on a project. 

#5. PaperShape

Do you want to track time and plan and organize projects within a dashboard?

Then, the best Joomla project management extension for you is PaperShape.

It is an all-in-one that allows you to manage your entire team. It can increase your team’s productivity with effective reporting.

You can get rid of all paperwork with PaperShape. And better focus on running your business.

You can inform your clients and create invoices with just one click.

PaperShape provides a 360-degree view of your projects so you can know what’s going on with your projects.

Main Features

  • Track a project’s progress. 
  • Know which task is completed and which is not. 
  • Control which information is visible to which user. 
  • Set priority tasks. 
  • Track time spent on each task and project — in automatic and manual mode. 
  • Filter tasks and reports. 
  • Export reports in CSV format. 

#6. JoomCompany

JoomCompany is a nice office suite for freelancers and SMBs. It helps to create invoices and bills and manage client databases. 

JoomCompany

Source 

You can coordinate projects across different team members with JoomCompany.

It is a full customer management software to keep all your client’s information. 

It has the ability to manage several projects. You can add project details and define pre-settings. For example, set the rate of taxes or currency. 

Main Features 

  • It can divide document folders into revenue and expenditure. 
  • Ability to edit several locations. 
  • You can create different reports like documents, contacts, products, and so on. 
  • It has different categories to organize your documents. 
  • You can set document details like date, number, hint, etc. 

#7. vBizz

vBizz is an intelligent business management software. It has the ability to manage your account and offer help desk services.
VBizz

Source 

It is suitable for all sizes of businesses across different industries. 

It provides real-time reporting and analytical features to grow your business.

vBizz lets you track your everyday operations. It is a single platform to organize your business. 

Main Features 

  • It has all-in-five business management solutions. Including CRM, project management, accounting, inventory, and vendor management solutions.
  • You can create invoices and accept payments.
  • Streamline your sales processes. 
  • Execute projects with ease. 
  • Manage stocks and other business assets. 
  • Manage start and due dates. 

#8. Advanced Portfolio by ExtStore

Advanced Portfolio is the perfect extension for people who are in the starting phase of their business. Using this extension, you can create a portfolio on your Joomla website. 

It helps you set your website in a minute with high flexible features. You can design project layouts and showcase them to your potential clients. 

Advanced Portfolio thumbnails contain several elements. It includes display images, external links, etc.

Main Features 

  • It allows you to manage projects across different categories and subcategories. 
  • It helps you create projects with different thumbnails. 
  • You can use filters to manage your different projects. 
  • You can create unlimited subfolders for images and files. 
  • It supports video formats from YouTube or Vimeo.
  • Allow you to view projects in up to 4 columns.
  • You can show projects in different filters like latest, oldest, alphabetical, etc. 
  • It has a clean and responsive design to create a portfolio.

#9. vChart

Charts are an important part of project management. You can better understand project status with charts. 

vChart is a Google API Joomla extension to create charts. It helps to present complex information in visual charts. 

This extension contains many customizing options to present your data in an attractive manner.

 It comes with several charts — line charts, map charts, pie charts, etc. 

Main Features 

  • It is available across web browsers and platforms, including mobile devices. 
  • You can create several types of charts with data set combinations. 
  • You can select any existing table and add your data to it. 
  • It can import chart data from CSV. 
  • It can copy data from a chart to create a new chart. 
  • Let’s connect any external database to your charts. 

#10. DPCases

DPCases is a responsive case management extension. It comes with several features like forums, tickets, and an issue tracker. 

Joomla project management

Source 

You can provide excellent customer support to your customers with this extension.

It can also organize your cases in a proper manner so you can resolve customer queries in real time.

Main Features

  • Allow you to organize cases in unlimited categories. 
  • Define a responsible person to address a case. 
  • You can view the history of each case. 
  • It has a search engine to find old cases. 
  • You can use tags to organize each case. 
  • Scheduler support allows you to solve cases in real-time.

Other Project Management Software 

Joomla project management extensions are great. But what if you want to manage your projects on other platforms? 

Well, there is nothing to worry about. There are many other project management solutions available than Joomla extensions. 

Some of the best project management tools for non-Joomla users are:

Kosmo 

Kosmo is a project and client management software for freelancers and independent contractors. 

It is a simple software to manage different projects and clients at once.

You can create proposals and contracts with this software. It also allows you to generate invoices and receive payments.

The software can integrate with third-party services like PayPal or Stripe.

It is free for up to 2 clients. For more clients, you can get a premium version for only $9 per month.

Besides this, Kosmo has many great features, like:

  • Recurring tasks
  • Custom contracts
  • The option to change the fiscal year and date format
  • Save messages and notes
  • Save files and notes for each client
  • Income goal tracker
  • Change the currency
  • Create quick invoices
  • Export timesheets

Jira

Jira is the perfect project management software for development teams to plan and track their progress. 

It is a simple software to plan your project development. It can track issues and help managers provide up-to-date solutions. 

You can also integrate this tool with much other software. It is suitable for every member of your team.

When you are planning to launch new software, use Jira to automate your workflow. 

It will make it easy for your different team members to work on a project. And complete it on time without much hassle.

Wrike

Wrike is simple and easy to set up project management software. It has a dashboard where you can manage all your projects. 

Wrike comes with features like Gantt charts and time tracking. It helps you track time spent on a particular task. You can improve your team‘s productivity with Wrike.

It can integrate with cloud storage services like OneBox, Box, Google Drive, etc. 

Basecamp 

Basecamp is a veteran project management software. The software was first introduced in 2004, and more than 3.5 million users are using it. 

The software has the ability to replace many other paid tools like Slack, Dropbox, etc. 

It is not only project management software. But, it also helps you store files, real-time chatting, scheduling, and more. 

It has a simple interface to find tasks and create reports. Working with several clients became easy with this software. 

It has an email integration option to streamline communication with your clients.

Conclusion: The Best Joomla Project Management Extension 

Joomla has a wide extension gallery. You can find many great Joomla extensions to manage your projects. 

Just define your project management needs and easily find the best project management extension for Joomla. 

For non-Joomla users, there are many other great project management solutions available. 

In my opinion, Kosmo is the best solution. It is simple and easy-to-use software.

So, you can book a free Kosmo demo today to test the tool.

Get Organized & Win More Clients

Kosmo has everything you need to run your freelancing business.

Post written by:

kosmo on August 3, 2022

Kosmo is a free All-In-One Workspace for Freelancers.
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